One

One year and three months ago. . .

Twenty three Elena Gilbert tapped her foot in nervousness as she looked at the silver clock that was pinned on the wall and glancing back at her. He was late. She stared at the middle age secretary behind the desk as if trying to remind her that she was still here, but the secretary paid her no attention.

Elena sighed as she glanced at her reflection, she was a tall, slim girl with long, straight chocolate brown hair and big brown doe eyes. She was wearing a black pencil skirt and a light, baby blue top to her job interview that should have started fifteen minutes ago.

Elena had previously worked as a secretary at a small middle school, but when the school was closed down she needed to find a new job before the bills started piling up and that's how she found herself on a bright Monday morning waiting in the main building of S & M Co. (Salvatore and Mikaelson) located in the middle of Manhattan, New York.

By this point everyone had heard of S & M the company specialized in providing one of the most well-known department stores across the United States, they were basically swimming in money and now Elena couldn't believing that she was interviewing for the assistant position for the CEO of the company, Damon Salvatore.

The secretary finally looked up, half forgetting that Elena was still there. "Mr. Salvatore will see you now, please knock."

Elena forced a smile. "Of course." How old did she think she was? Elena positioned herself in front of the glass doors and knocked even though the doors were see through.

"Come on in," a deep voice said causing a chill to go down Elena's spine as she opened the door.

Elena stepped inside and looked around the pristine office, not a hair out of place and decorated in shades of black, gray, and silver. A handsome man with dark hair and blue eyes stared back at her with curiosity that made her almost stumble forward. "Please come on, Miss-"

"Gilbert." Elena said trying to keep her voice steady. She was expecting a fifty year old man, not a man that seemed only to be a few years older than her. "Elena Gilbert, thank you so much for meeting me Mr. Sal-"

"Please sit down," Damon cut her off. "I really don't have much time."

His rudeness stung, but since Elena didn't really have a lot of options she sat down and stared at her potential boss. Damon pointed a silver pen in her direction. "So Miss Gilbert, let's get straight to the point-what qualities do you possess that will make you the perfect assistant?"

Elena sat straight up. "Well, my last job was being a secretary so I have experience in the work force. I am very organized, punctual-"

"What's your favorite place?" Damon interrupted again as he peered at her. "Italy maybe? You look like an Italian girl."

"Excuse me?"

"Your favorite place," Damon repeated again as he looked around. "Surely, you have a favorite place, unless it's here and if that's the case then nobody would blame you."

Elena narrowed her eyes in annoyance. "I don't have a favorite place actually."

"Oh, come surely you do. Not even your parents' house?"

"My parents are dead." Elena replied coldly, in fact the only relatives that she had left were her twin, Katherine and her Aunt Jenna who lived in Florida with her Uncle Mason.

Damon looked back startled. "I'm sorry, my parents are also deceased."

"How unfortunate." Elena said without really meaning it. "Can we please get back to the interview?" she pulled out a blue folder. "I have my resume and a few letters of recommendation already."

Damon shook his head. "That won't be necessary."

Elena stood up, knowing that that meant that she didn't get the job. "Well, thank you for your time-"

"What do you mean?" Damon demanded. "You're hired, you'll start tomorrow nine's clock, and Sarah will give you the contract." He smirked. "I expect to see you bright and early tomorrow, Miss Gilbert."

Elena held back a sigh, feeling that she had just made a deal with the devil. "Will do, Mr. Mikaelson."


"You smell all . . . fruity." Elijah Mikaelson said as he pressed Katherine Gilbert against the wall of the small apartment she and her sister shared. After their parents had died Katherine and Elena had moved to New York and while Elena had gotten a job as a secretary, Katherine had gone to beauty school and was a beautician at a well-known salon for the upper-class ladies of New York.

She and Elijah, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of S & M and Damon's cousin had meet unexpectedly at a small bar a few months ago and all though Elijah had warned her that this wasn't anything serious, Katherine couldn't help but get all giggly. In fact it was Elijah who had recommended that Elena should go interview for the assistant position.

"That's what happens when you get sprayed around with twenty hairsprays." Katherine shot back as she kissed him.

The door opened and Elena came in. "I'm sorry." She said coldly, though it was obvious that she didn't approve of the relationship between Elijah and Katherine since Elijah was playing with her.

Elijah cleared his throat. "I was just on my way out, good afternoon ladies."

"Can you please not bring him here?" Elena said towards her slight irresponsible twin. "Besides why are you still seeing him, you're never going to mean more to him than a sex buddy and FYI his cousin is just as bad, maybe worse and apparently my new boss."

"Don't worry," Katherine said somehow distracted as she started cleaning up. "That was the last time I will be seeing him. It was a goodbye thing."

"Why?" Elena said sarcastically.

"I'm pregnant."

-End of Chapter One-

Please review!