Chapter II
12 years later
''BARROW!? WHERE'S MY COFFEE?!'' John Bates bellowed from his office.
''Coming, sir,'' the young man called, hastening down the corridor with a steaming cup of strong coffee in his hands.
''Thomas, there is someo-...?''
''Not now, Jimmy," Thomas interrupted, hurrying past his boyfriend. "The Beast is in one of his moods today. And if yo-...''
Another shout came from the other side of the imposing wooden door.
''BARROW!'' Inside the office, John paced back and forth nervously before stopping in front of his desk again. At this point he had been on his feet for the last 21 hours. The project he was working on was just too important for him to screw up. And the deadline was getting closer with every passing minute.
A knock sounded on the door.
''COME IN!'' he said sharply, without taking his eyes from the plans.
''Your coffee, sir,'' Thomas said, as he entered the room.
''You took your time,'' John said through gritted teeth, and looked back down at his computer. In the last 10 years as an architect, he had designed, planned, and worked on all kinds of projects, but this one had turned out to be a real pain in the arse. The client was impossible, and the same could be said about his crazy demands. But in the end, he was the one who was going to be living in the house, not John. So, if the fellow wanted triangular windows, then so be it.
''Is there anything else I can do for yo-...''
''Close the door on your way out,'' John said, before sticking his earbuds back into his ears. He always listened to music when he was trying to work out a problem.
''Certainly, sir.'' Thomas smiled weakly and walked out of the room. ''Asshole,'' he whispered, after he'd closed the door behind him. He had been working for John Bates for almost three years now, and their working relationship hadn't changed a bit. John had always been cold and demanding, and the only reason Thomas hadn't already quit was the generous pay and the fact that his boyfriend was working just down the hall from him.
''Utter asshol-...oh, hello.'' He smiled when he saw a young blonde woman standing in front of his desk with Jimmy. ''How can I help you?''
''Hello,'' she said, before Jimmy could even open his mouth, and offered Thomas her hand. ''I'm Anna Smith. I have a nine o'clock meeting with Mr. Bates.''
''Excuse me?'' Thomas said, confused. As Mr. Bates's administrative assistant, he knew everything there was to know about the man's business schedule, and he didn't recall seeing a nine o'clock meeting today. ''I'm sorry, Miss Smith, but I think there's been a mistake.'' He sat down at his desk.
''Are you sure?''
''Quite sure,'' Thomas replied, and typed something into his computer. ''May I ask the nature of your meeting? I might help you reschedule for a time when Mr. Bates is less busy.''
''Well, I'm here about the interior designer position...''
''You poor soul,'' Jimmy muttered under his breath, and looked at Thomas. There was a good reason the company had been without a designer for the last two months. And that reason was none other than John Bates.
''…Mr. Crawley said...'' she continued, but was quickly interrupted.
''Mr. Crawley, did you say?'' Thomas and Jimmy asked simultaneously.
''Umm, yes, he's an old family friend, and...''
''Mr. Robert Crawley?''
''Yes. Is something the matter?''
''No, no. Not at all,'' Thomas said quickly and stood up. ''Miss Anna Smith, you said, right?'' He knew the rules: John Bates should never be bothered while working on projects, except in case of a true emergency or when something came up concerning either his own family or any member or friend of his best friend Robert Crawley's family. Thomas had broken the rule only once and had regretted it miserably afterwards.
''Yes,'' Anna nodded, still confused by both young men's reaction.
''Well, then, if you wouldn't mind waiting for just a moment longer.'' He nodded toward the small sofa in the corner of the waiting room. ''I'll be right back.'' He walked toward John's office.
''Would you like some coffee or tea?'' Thomas could hear Jimmy asking Anna, while he took a deep breath and knocked on John's office door before entering.
''Sir?'' Thomas said loudly, when he saw John did not hear or see him enter. ''SIR!?'' he repeated, stepping further into the room.
''This better be good, Barrow,'' John said, irritated, removing one of his earbuds.
''Miss Smith is here to see you.''
''Who?'' John kept his eyes on his work.
''Miss Anna Smith, sir. She said that Mr. Crawley...''
''Oh, bollocks,'' John exhaled and finally looked up. With so much yet to be done, the conversation he'd had with Robert a week ago had totally slipped his mind.
They were a small company, but with so many important clients, John knew the company could not continue working with only two designers in the entire firm. He desperately needed another one, preferably someone young with contemporary tastes and instincts, and he really hoped that Robert's friend would be better than the last few, none of whom had lasted more than a few days. He had even made one of them cry, after working with him for just two hours. But John did not feel a bit of guilt. He was one of the best architects in the country, if not in all of Europe. He was a perfectionist, pure and simple, and he demanded the same from the people who worked for and with him. If you weren't good enough, you were out the door before you got a chance to defend yourself or your work.
His co-workers respected him and feared him at the same time. They knew everything there was to know about his work, but little about his personal life, only that he was 36 years old and was married to a woman called Vera.
''Sir?'' Thomas asked, after a few seconds of total silence.
''Uh…give me 10 minutes,'' John replied, running his hand through his dark hair.
''All right.'' Thomas nodded and walked out of the room.
''For god's sake.'' John stood up and walked into his private bathroom. Splashing his face with cold water, he looked at his reflection in the mirror and saw an exhausted face covered in day-old stubble. He knew he should shave, but there wasn't enough time. In the end he quickly cleaned his teeth, applied some deodorant, changed into a fresh white shirt, secured a new necktie at the collar, and once again ran his fingers through his hair. That was as good as he was going to get, he thought, reexamining his reflection in the mirror. At least he didn't look as if he had just slept on the sofa in his office.
Returning to his desk, he sat down and pressed a button on his desk phone. ''Barrow, send her in.''
In the next moment John could hear a pair of high heels walking toward his door and then a series of knocks.
''Come in.''
''Good morning,'' Anna said politely when she entered the room. You couldn't tell, but she was nervous - nervous to finally meet the man who could make all of her dreams come true. She had almost lost it when Robert Crawley had told her that the renowned John Bates was looking for a new interior designer for his firm, and that he would be able to set up an interview for her.
''Good morning.'' John stood up and walked around the desk to greet her. ''John Bates.'' He smiled at her politely. His first impression of her was very good. Black suit with white blouse, her hair done in a neat ponytail, framing her face in the best possible way. Yes, she looked polished and professional, but was she intelligent? Was she talented? And was she good enough to work for him?
''Anna Smith.''
''Please.'' John gestured toward a chair. ''May I offer you something to drink?''
''No, thank you,'' she replied, as he sat down at his desk, facing her.
''So…Miss Smith…'' He paused, then smiled. ''What can I do for you?''
''Mr. Bates...'' She took a deep breath and returned the smile. ''...the real question here is, what can I do for you?'' Anna asked with all the confidence she could muster, and she could have sworn that she saw the flicker of a grin. She had heard a lot of rumours about the man. Most of them, particularly those about his work, had been positive. The rumours about his personality, on the other hand, were completely different.
As Anna had guessed might happen, a small grin did indeed surface briefly on John's face. ''Well, I assume Robert told you that I'm looking for a new interior designer.''
''He did,'' Anna nodded.
''And what else did he tell you?'' John leaned back in his chair and stared at her. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but there was something about this young woman that he already liked. She appeared to be much more than one might think superficially. She had fire and determination in her eyes, just as he had once had in his own, many years ago.
''That working for you could be a living hell.''
''Oh?'' John chuckled. It sounded exactly like something Robert would say, he thought to himself. ''So why are you here, then?''
''Because I want to work with and learn from the best.''
''And you think I'm the best?''
''I know you are.''
''I see.'' John leaned forward. ''Look, Miss Smith, the thing is...like you, I want to work with the best. My work is my life and, with that said, I can't and I won't let anything or anyone compromise my standards.'' He expected that the intensity of his statement might unnerve her, but she didn't so much as twitch. ''I'm sure you've heard a lot of things about me. And I can hazard that most of them, or even all of them, are probably true.''
''Mr. Bates…'' she said with a determined smile, ''…you're right. I've heard a lot of things about you, good and bad. But I didn't come here to be your friend. I'm here to work with you. Look, I know that I might seem young and inexperienced, but I'm not. Like you, I'm the best at what I do.'' Anna opened her briefcase next and handed him a thick blue file.
''What's this?'' John asked, taking the file from her.
''My portfolio with my CV and contact information.'' As Robert had suggested, she kept her communication direct and clear with him. No chitchat, no beating around the bush. She'd thought she was ready for the kind of man John was, but what he did next shocked her.
''What are you doing?'' she exclaimed, when John tossed all her hard work directly into the bin next to his desk. She could feel her blood pressure rising.
John stood up calmly and nodded at his chair. ''Come.''
Silently Anna made her way to his desk and sat down.
''Go on, then.'' He leaned on the desk and nodded toward the computer screen. ''Show me how good you are.''
She could see that he had been working with a software program which allowed him to compile layouts, design conceptual elements, and finalize complete room and home designs on the computer before printing the plans. She knew that the best interior designers had to know their way around programs like these, sometimes even better than the architects themselves. He was testing her, and it was a test that could open many doors for her career...or close them.
The house he was working on was absolutely breathtaking, but she immediately spotted one minor problem. It took her just a few seconds and clicks before she turned to him and said proudly, ''Done!''
''What?'' He looked at her, thinking that she was kidding, before he turned his eyes to the screen. And there it was - what he had been puzzling over for days, she had solved in a few seconds. The floor plan of the house had not changed much, but what she had altered made all the difference.
''So…when can I start?'' she grinned, when she saw how surprised he was.
But he was more than surprised. He was shocked…in a good way, but still shocked. She definitely knew what she was doing, he thought to himself, while trying not to show how impressed he was.
''Well...'' He straightened up, grasping for words. ''...I guess you'll do.''
''Wha-...?'' Anna was annoyed. She would do? That was all he had to say?
''BARROW? Come in here.'' John paged his assistant before Anna had a chance to say anything further. Immediately Thomas entered the room, expecting to find Anna in tears like he had the last couple of candidates, but to his surprise, she was sitting behind John's desk, tears nowhere to be seen.
''Yes, sir?''
''Please show Miss Smith here to her new office.'' John looked at his watch. ''I need to go now.'' He pulled on his suit jacket and overcoat.
''Yes, sir.'' Thomas nodded and smiled at Anna. She had no idea what she had gotten herself into, he thought, as she stood up and walked toward him.
''If you need anything, don't ring me, just text,'' John said to Thomas, as he picked up his briefcase.
''Like always, sir.''
''Mr. Bates...?'' Anna began, but John was already out of the room and on his way to the lift. ''Mr. Bates?'' She hurried after him, but all he said was ''Barrow! Her office!''
''On it,'' Thomas replied.
''Mr. Bates, I have a few questions,'' Anna insisted, and stopped in front of the lift that John had already entered.
''Ask Barrow,'' he replied, and adjusted his coat collar while checking himself in the lift mirror.
''But...''
''Welcome to hell, Miss Smith.'' John gave her a cocky smile as the doors of the lift closed in her face.
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