Chapter 2 No Choice

As early as 6:00 AM, the following morning, Isabella was already up and searching for jobs in the city. As the only working person in the family, she knew that almost all the responsibilities were on her shoulders and she needed to save her sister's health, which continuously dissipated day by day. Luckily, she was able to sight a sign post advertising a job vacancy in a certain restaurant. She observed the eatery and realized it was one of the busiest eateries in that city. Working as a waitress was among the menial jobs Isabella had taken before she gained employment as a personal secretary at Nexus Enterprises. She crossed over to the other side of the road and sauntered into the restaurant, glancing sideways hoping to see a worker. She lingered her gaze on a particular side when her name was mentioned. “Miss Isabella?” A feminine voice called out softly. Isabella swung around and realized it was a beautiful middle-aged woman beaming graciously as if she had known her right from the onset. Isabella returned the smile even though she scanned her for something. “Are you Isabella?” The woman repeated, advancing towards the astounded young woman. “Indeed, I am. Good morning.” She greeted her warmly. The woman then tapped her shoulder as if to sooth the pains simmering within her. “You might have been wondering where I met you. A daughter of mine works at Nexus Enterprises. She informed me of your sack yesterday. I'm sorry about that.” Isabella listened to her explanations. Having seen a glimpse of what was in her hands, the older woman inquired,“Don’t tell me you wish to work here. You are a graduate of Semel University. Why don't you find a company like Nexus and work there? I am sure the salary payment would be more attractive than ours.” This was the exact statement her father, Maurice, made when she talked about searching for a random job to earn some money. Of course, the older woman was correct, but time was no longer on her side. If she wasted the next few weeks looking for an establishment similar to Nexus, her sister's case would have deteriorated to the lowest level, and the house payment would be overly due. She wanted to be capable of taking the responsibilities with little assistance from her parents because they couldn't do much. “It is for personal reasons, ma'am. As you rightly guessed, I am here for a job. Are there any vacancies?” She gazed around the hall. The woman followed her eyes and nodded in a sad way because she felt that there was no way they would pay her much. “There is one more left. We don't pay much, just $50 monthly. I don't think you would like that. It is not even enough for groceries.” The woman muttered, expecting the young lady to reject it flatly. However, based on the situation at her home, Isabella had no choice but to accept immediately. She dared not reject the salary payment no matter how meager it was. If it wasn't enough for her sister's treatment, it would go a long way to reduce some pressing needs. “Are you sure about this? Will the salary be enough for you?” The woman asked again to be sure she had heard correctly. Again and again, Isabella nodded affirmatively. Immediately, the woman beckoned one of the waitresses to dress up Isabella in the waiter's apron. So that day, Isabella worked as a waitress at the Deacon's Restaurant. About two days later, during her work period, Isabella received an unexpected call from her former boss to discuss a crucial matter. At first, she assumed it was merely pulling her leg. Until she woke up on a certain day to find a convoy of cars before her front doors. This was the least she had imagined. Mason Thorton was an aloof and arrogant person and if he wanted to see her so desperately, then that meant it was really an important matter. After giving a thorough explanation to her new boss, Miss Lilian, concerning her impromptu absence, she hopped into one of the cars, and they sped off to a certain classic eatery which was one of the subsidiaries of Nexus Enterprises. The doors and the windows of the place were glassy and transparent and anyone could see whoever was inside. As Isabella alighted from the car and looked through one of the ceiling to floor windows, she saw her former boss, Mason, sipping a lemonade juice. Her heart skipped for a second as she wondered why she had agreed to come at first. Nevertheless, she strutted into the restaurant and walked in the direction of where he was positioned. As if he sensed her presence, he turned his head slightly as she advanced. For the first time since she met him, his face brightened. Mason Thorton, the icy-faced man, beamed like she mattered to him. She wanted to believe it was unreal, hence, ignored him, and took the seat opposite of him. This was the closest they had ever been together. They had always been at least two meters apart. “It was really exhausting and challenging bringing you to me. I never knew I had a tough secretary.” He smirked arrogantly. “Ex secretary.” Isabella corrected with firm lips. She was not there for a friendly discussion. She was still aggravated by the unruly character he displayed a few days ago. For adding more than adding the usual quantity of sugar to his coffee, she got fired right in front of everyone. Thinking about this still made her blood boil. Meanwhile, Mason, who was taken aback by her sharp response, decided to overlook her overbearing action. He then shifted a certain white document to her side and declared. “Miss Isabella, you are here because there is something you must do. Fortunately, you have no choice but to comply with my future request. In as much as I will benefit from this, it means you will also. Save yourself by marrying me.”