Chapter 2

• You can't forget who you are, because someone will always appear to remind you...
• From a very young age, we are taught that lying is a bad thing, and that lying makes you a bad person. But that is precisely the first lie.
• Sometimes the only way to fight lies is to face them....
• “Miss, you can't be here, please!” The receptionist shouts in an agitated manner, trying to catch up with me.
• “I've been asking for this appointment for two months! I can't wait any longer, I'm sorry!” I replied in desperation; and so it was, this was my only chance and maybe in the future I would thank myself for this. I was determined to follow Joshua's recommendation, I wanted to try to erase marks that no one could see, but I felt them burning every morning I opened my eyes.
• I stopped in the middle of the room, I was shaking with sweaty hands and thought that at any moment my knees might give out.
• Anne had done a survey for her project on this company, the most prosperous company in England, Ankarali C.A; therefore, its owners were rich to an exorbitant magnitude. She informed me exactly the route in an elaborate manner until I reached the office of the current manager and owner of this emporium. Ercan Ankarali.
• I took a breath of air and turned to my right, in the background I saw the sign with his name on it, and a flame inside me flared up.
• “I found it,” I said mentally feeling the palpable fear searing me to my bones.
• “Go Sam, you're almost in!”
• “I demand you! Don't go in there! You're past the limits! I'm calling security!” The face of the woman who had been running after me for a while was pale, and I feel some sympathy for her, I know she's just doing her job and maybe I'm to blame for her getting fired after this.
• “You can't think about that now. Get in now,” says my most determined little voice.
• “I'm sorry...” I whispered towards her and then turned in the direction of Ercan Ankarali's office.
• I grab the door handle and push as if the door is somehow opposing my entrance, sometimes I think stupid things, I know, however, I will use my last resource.
• I stumble, but I get back on my feet immediately, brushing my hair out of my face and fixing my shoe that has come out of my foot a little bit “I'm a mess.”
• “Sir, please forgive me! I've already called security, this lady here, since she entered the floor, ran away sir, I couldn't stop her!” The woman was very upset and scared of what her boss might say.
• At this moment is when I turn in the direction where she sees petrified, then there are three men very similar to each other of different ages. My heart no longer beats, it's already a buzz.
• You are lost, says my other more reasonable voice as they all look at me in surprise.
• “Sir...” I turn to Ercan Ankarali, the oldest man of them all,
• “Please, I need you to listen to me, it will be five minutes and I will leave.”
• Please...
• The silence is almost painful, a heavy atmosphere envelops the place, the three men don't stop staring at me; but one of them, the youngest, seems to eat me with his eyes, his gesture is... amusing?
• “Marta...” the other man standing next to Mr. Ercan, perhaps his eldest son, breaks the silence. “You may leave, call security and say it was your mistake, that's all.”
• “Yes sir, Angelo.” the woman answers announcing for the first time her name while a sensation runs through my body, and without further ado, she leaves the office.
• The man she called Angelo turns around and walks to the far end of the office where there is a huge window, putting his hands in his pockets.
• I clear my throat a little and turn my full attention to Ercan Ankarali, who is peering into the window in the direction of his son.
• “Sir... first of all I apologize, I know this is not the way...” I say excusing myself.
• “Then why did you do it?” he asks, focusing his gaze on me again.
• “I've been asking for an appointment with you for two months,” I begin to explain. “It's been in vain, I've been denied time after time,” I object in my defense and ignore the way my body shudders.
• Breathe
• “Take a seat, please,” he points to an armchair, but I'm afraid to mess it up, I can't make any mistakes, and I'm not really trusting my feet.
• I don't move from the place, maybe I'm not breathing the right way either, so I keep my back straight and my hands clasped.
• “Excuse me again, but I'm fine like this,” I pause and take a breath of air, “My name is Samantha White, I'm a freshman at the University of Kent, finance to be more specific. I paid for the first semester which is not over yet, I mean... after that, I won't have to continue with my career because there is no more money.”
• His face is like: what do I have to do with that, but I don't let that stop me.
• “I've seen your scholarship program. Well, Anne was the one who showed it to me. Actually, everyone has seen your scholarship program,” I see a half-smile come across his face.
• Perfect.
• “I know I'm taking on a lot, but I don't want him to give me the scholarship,” now I get his undivided attention, and not only is he puzzled I can see out of the corner of my eye how the man in the window turns and glares at me. “What I want to propose is that I will work for you, for your company, in the position you want to give me.” I say without hesitating for a second, “And if you want to get the most benefit from me, place me giving input in the finance strategies, I promise you won't regret it.
• That's all. There is nothing more to say, now everything depends on him.”
• Ercan gets up and walks in my direction.
• “Girl, I'm sure you can convince anyone!” he says, taking a pen and a piece of paper and brings it to me. “Write down your details here.”
• No way!
• I feel something warm rising from my toes to my head, I slowly take the notebook and pen, and he notices the trembling in my hands.
• Slowly, I repeat myself mentally and slowly write down everything I might need; phone, mail, first and last name in capital letters, even the address.
• “Thank you...” I utter once I finish as I hand him the notebook along with the pen, and he nods his head.
• “First I will consult with my sons...” He pointed to both men. And then we will make the decision, Miss.
• “I thank you anyway,” I nod gratefully and proceed to head for the exit, I need to get out of here, I'm short of breath.
• I grab the doorknob about to leave, but a voice stops me on the way...
• “Miss...” I stop and turn in the direction of the voice, the one who speaks is the youngest man of the three, “I want to tell you that you are very beautiful, I will do my best to convince my father....”
• Smile, I say inside me, but contrary to the thought I just nod and continue to leave....
• ***
• 4 years later...
• “Sir, to the Belles Maisons hotel please, and if you take pity on me in ten minutes it would be... perfect,” I emphasized the last word with a prayerful tone making a somewhat embarrassed pout.
• “I'll do my best, miss, don't worry,” the driver replied, winking at me through the rearview mirror.
• I check my leather folder over and over again, checking every document hoping nothing was left behind; thank heavens Anne had breakfast ready for me because in a way I was going to need it.
• I would spend the rest of the morning in a meeting room with Angelo, ready to do battle with four investors for Lerman's company. A bankrupt company, but from my perspective and Angelo's, it was still quite salvageable and covetable.
• Its owner and seller had a lot of debts and had made the decision to sell, and of course, Ankarali companies were among the first to get the scoop.
• “Twelve minutes, Miss,” says the driver stopping the car in front of the hotel, then I take a ticket according to the indication of the taximeter and hand it to him.
• “Thank you very much, you have been very kind,” I say getting out of the car.
• I needed to hurry, although these stiletto shoes didn't help me much. Arriving at the reception, I address the guy whose last name is “Carter” because I read it on his badge.
• “Good morning!” I greet him. “I'm Samantha White and I have a reu....”
• “Miss White!” The boy interrupts me immediately giving me a cover smile. “Mr. Ankarali left me these notes.”
• The boy shows some small yellow sheets, as if that assignment was the best job of his life, and I start to swallow dryly several times. Let it not be what I'm thinking, please....
• “I see..., listen,” I say in a hurry, “I have to go upstairs, I'm a little late....”
• “The Lord, Ankarali has ordered me to read this to you, please let me comply with it.” the boy interrupts me again while a certain irritation takes hold of me.
• Undoubtedly, the boy has complied to the letter with everything Angelo told him, and I have nothing left to do but sigh deeply and get ready, get ready for some of the shit Angelo usually does.
• “You're late as usual, minus point for you,” says the serious guy, giving me a look, getting a little uncomfortable. But then he leaves the note on the marble bureau and continues, “If you're dressed as I suggested, I'll... I'll hum... I'll wait in... the bathroom on the tenth floor, it's on my own, I reserved it.”
• “Damned Angelo!”, I restrain the urge to run out and dump him with everything and work.
• The young man does not dare to look me in the face, he is extremely embarrassed and I agree with him, he had not even read the notes in advance, in fact, he thought his errand was of the utmost importance.
• I give a long sigh and immediately pull myself together, dissimulate and make myself look at the time on my watch.
• “Thank you very much, you've been very kind,” I say turning around at once without waiting for his reaction, I feel my cheeks burning and I'm convinced I must be red in the face.
• I hate it when Angelo does these things.
• I select the floor and look at myself in the mirror to quickly get settled, I pull down a little of the black dress Anne made for me, although remembering it, she hates this color, which I love.
• Anne Hastings is my roommate and best friend, I met her starting college. A few months later I enrolled in a workshop on sales strategies and from that day on we hit it off very well; it should be noted that Anne does not study finance like me, her career is in design and I dare say she is pretty good, because currently my closet is excellent thanks to her help.
• As for me, I am very lucky to have her so to speak, and I am not referring to the expenses we share; it is more for the company, for her sincere friendship that I value every day from her. Anne is one of those people who drops in from somewhere when you need it most.
• The elevator opens and I enter the tenth floor, noticing that it is quite spacious and white.
• “Samantha White,” I say announcing myself to the girl standing in front of the door.
• “Welcome Miss White, we are about to begin,” she replies with a smile, leading me inside.
• At the end of the long table is Angelo, engrossed in his cell phone with a frown on his face, something particular about him. I imagine he hasn't noticed my presence, nor the people around him, because that's Angelo; absorbed, stern and impenetrable. Maybe the money has made him that way, because perhaps in his life he had never asked for something when it was already being put in his mouth. I can add that his constant bad temper and his arrogance could be due to that. Because if there is something that the Ankarali do not lack, it is money, they are extremely millionaires.
• I take a place next to him and he instantly turns to me and gives me an arrogant profile saying:
• “Miss White, did you receive my messages at reception?” he asks as if he had just discovered the salty sea.
• Again!
• I glare at him, conveying that he will pay me back, even though I have been his assistant for all these 4 long years, Angelo is like an irreplaceable friend.
• I settle back in my seat, staring at him and facing him.
• “I received your message, thank you very much, boss... however, the last order will be fulfilled when we leave, so I'll wait for you at the agreed place, please don't miss it...” I stare at him without blinking, and he hides a cheeky smile while he wets his lips. “I think we are all right?” I ask again to break the awkward moment.
• “That's right, Miss White... Sirs, my assistant!” He says pointing at me and looking at the people present, followed by a chorus answering him as if he was the lord and master of all. I nod and look directly at Mr. Lerman, with a hint of deep sadness on his face.
• An act that wrinkles my heart....
• After a long morning, I see the time on my watch showing one o'clock in the afternoon, we have four hours straight without stopping, agreeing and presenting offers from one side and the other.
• I made my best effort and Angelo as always pulled out his best weapon of persuasion, although I must point out that today he is a little distracted. All that remains is to wait for Mr. Lerman to make his decision, which he moved to the far end of the room to consult with his son.
• It seems that it hurts him to take off from his company, and it is not for less, everyone knows him for the hard work he has done to raise the family business, his children helped him only to spend and at the same time his CEO did not make the best decisions. I see pain in his face, gestures that somehow unbalance me and move me to relive memories that I try every day to bury.
• I blink several times and focus my gaze on Angelo, who, once again, is focused on his phone with a frown on his face.
• Angelo Ankarali, 31 years old, son of a Turkish father and an English mother, of course his parents' relationship was not easy, the demands of the Ankarali family were about to break every bond that united them, perhaps because of traditions and things I could never understand, but which of course were respectable. Every culture was. Angelo is always proud of his father Ercan who moved heaven and earth for the love of his wife.
• How ironic for me.
• Adriel is the next brother, the younger one, the adventurer, I call him Angelo's counterpart, and the one I am somehow forbidden to engage in any relationship, let alone any rapprochement with by my own little boss; there is a certain rivalry between them, one that I have never been able to understand, but I think that since Adriel threw those words at me the day I literally invaded his office, it was as if his brother had been activated to an impressive level of enclosure.
• They say they always fight, but I'm sure they love each other like any sibling. For my part I love this family deeply for more than explicit reasons, I owe them a lot, since they reached out to me when I didn't even know what to do with my life....