Emily's POV
"Can I be frank with you, Miss Brown?"
My boss, Mr Theodore Williams, said to me first thing in the morning. I nodded my head weakly.
"You look terrible, have you forgotten that as my secretary, how you dress directly reflects on the image of this company?"
I wish that he wouldn't scold me so early, but I couldn't blame him completely. How was he supposed to know that I slept on a bench last night? Or that I had to hastingly wash up at a public gym.
"I apologize sir, I'll do better." I was trying not to doze off, I was wearing an extra layer of foundation to hide my dark circles.
I cried a lot last night. Father didn't try to stop me. He must have chalked up my outburst to nothing more than a childish tantrum.
But I wasn't going to claim responsibility for something I didn't do, that necklace was planted in my room to frame me and–
"Are you even listening to me?" His minty breath brushed my face and I nearly jumped to the roof.
His face was so close to mine that I blushed with embarrassment.
I had been so buried in my thoughts that I didn't even notice him getting it up from his chair and walking over to me.
"I am, sir…" I mumbled.
"Then what did I say?" He shot at me and I could only stare at him, my mouth wordlessly agape.
He finally leaned back, giving me some breathing space as he pressed his fingers to his forehead.
"Mr Williams…?" I called out to him.
He looked at me sharply.
"Miss Brown, what would you say to clocking out early today?"
Dread gripped me the moment I heard those words, last night had been cold and unbelievably scary. I wasn't eager to resume being homeless.
"No, Mr Williams." I refused, shaking my head fervently.
"Anything but that!"
He scanned me with his eyes before responding.
"Fine, but get your act together,"
That day Mrs Williams didn't call to arrange another elaborate blind date for her son, she said that she was eager for him to meet that girl first, the one that had traveled to see her grandmother, so the work day ran smoothly and ended far too quickly.
I was scared of going into the streets again so I had concocted a plan. I intentionally left some work that Mr Williams asked me to do unattended to until it was time to clock out.
"Miss Brown, don't forget to send the soft copy summary of today's meeting with the board members,"
I gave him an awkward looking smile before planting my palm into my head slowly.
"Oh no, I forgot to summarize my notes, sir!"
His blank expression immediately reflected anger after I said that.
"Miss Brown, I told you that this was a very important meeting, that's taking notes was vital–"
"I did take notes, Mr Williams."
I watched his blood pressure rise, Mr Williams hated being interrupted especially so abruptly when he was trying to make a point.
"Well you've been begging for overtime anyway, so today you will have your request draft a comprehensive and brief summary of the meeting and don't leave this office until you are done!"
He said, glaring at me before grabbing his briefcase to leave.
I sighed, placing my handle on my chest with relief.
Now answer the second phase of my plan.
Employees were not allowed to stay overnight, which was why I had smuggled my belongings in and taken them to the lady's room that was still being renovated on the floor below Mr Williams office.
I placed some of my clothes on the floor, the place stank but it was better than the cold, bitter streets.
Just as I was about to fall asleep my phone vibrated with an incoming call. It was my father initially I didn't want to respond but I had a second thought proceeding to answer the call.
"Good evening, Father." I said in an icy voice, my resolve cracked a bit when I heard him sob over the line.
"Emily, why are you punishing me like this? I never thought that I raised you to be heartless…"
A flush of regret hit me, I knew that father was sad over my absence but he still firmly believed all the lies my step family was feeding him.
"Just admit what you did wrong,"
"I didn't do anything, father…they are the ones bullying me,"
He sighed heavily, my heart felt like it was being compressed into a tight box. Why wouldn't he believe me?
"Emily, Sandra and Olivia have done nothing to you but being sweet and kind. It's selfish of you not to see that and to always push them away like this! I had to beg Olivia to eat last night and Sandra barely slept a wink,"
The code from the floor was beginning to penetrate my slim layer of clothes over to my skin, I shivered and clung to the phone.
Should I just admit to it? Tell father that I stole it even though I didn't?
If I did I could sleep on my comfortable bed again, and there would be warm food waiting for me on the table yet…
"Good night, Father…I thought you called to hear my side of the story but I guess I was wrong,"
"Em-"
I ended the call before he could finish, turning to my side to get as comfortable as I could sleeping on the bare floor.
My father started blasting my phone with texts that eventually devolved to spam. An hour had passed and he was still sending texts at regular intervals.
I thought my resolve was hard, but it could hardly compete with the naked floor.
How long could I put up with this, what if my father didn't cave in by tomorrow, would I have to spend another miserable night here?
Tears bubbled in my eyes and they became too heavy to keep open, just then the door flew open and crisp footsteps approached me in the darkness.
I lifted my phone and someone grabbed my wrist as a familiar voice echoed.
"I knew I'd find you here,"