Chapter 4. He's the One

“Because he’s the one!” Avery’s eyes lit up. If her father knew him, then she was a hundred percent sure he was real. He was the one. She jumped up and down, tightening her hold on her father’s arm. “It is him, Dad. He’s the one.”

“He doesn’t work here,” Her father said and gave her a helpless look. He thought she was crazy. Then he asked his earlier question about why she was here.

Avery’s eyes darted to the screen. The figure had disappeared. Only a crowd of employees was in sight.

Her heart dropped, and she sighed. She had also guessed so. He wasn’t an employee here. If her thoughts were correct, he held a higher rank. From his appearance and everything.

She left her father’s arm and sat on the chair across from him. Urgh! She couldn’t believe she had almost forgotten what brought her.

She folded her arms and gave the man a hard look.

“I want you to cancel that contract.”

And she couldn’t even recount the number of times he had used this old trick. It was getting too much, and she was fed up.

The look of horror returned to her father’s face.

“You don’t mean that.”

“You saw it coming.”

“Come on, Avery.” Her father stood up and hurried to her side. “This is a great opportunity. With your great skills in graphic design, if you work for that company, it will bring in a lot of profits. The collaboration will not only benefit you, it will—”

“It will benefit your company the most.” Avery completed his words.

A collaboration. Why wasn’t she even surprised? She shook her head and scoffed. Her father would go to any length to make a name for himself in the business world. This big company he had spent all his time on, bringing to this height, wasn’t enough. He wanted more. He always wanted more.

Even if it meant turning her into a working machine, the exact copy of him.

“Avery, listen.” Her father gave her a desperate look. “This is only for your good. I promise you, this chance is greater than the rest. You’ll only work with them for a short time. It caused me a lot of sweat and blood to grab this job for you. You need it. It will benefit you in the long run.”

Avery shut her eyes, and she fought the urge to scream. The only person that needed it was him. She was honestly tired of having this conversation over and over again. Her father used her signature to sign a job contract, and she went back and forth canceling the contracts. He already knew why she was here the moment she came in. The horror look in his eyes had given him away. Yet he pretended he didn’t know. He asked why she was there.

She laughed and stood up. Right now, she was going to find an alternative. She was going to put an end to this and give him no choice but to leave her in peace.

“You’re supposed to start working with them today,” Her father chided. “Hurry up and go get prepared—”

“No. I’m going to acquire every legal document I’ll need and change that signature.” Avery walked past him.

And she was going to form a very complicated signature that not even a professional forger could imitate.

“You don’t mean it.” Her father gave her a pensive look.

Avery threw him a sideways glance and smirked.

Her father’s expression turned serious. As if he was convinced then and there that she was certainly going to do that.

Doing that would be his loss because there was no way he was ever going to be able to forge her signature anymore.

“That is insane, Avery,” he hollered. “All that money I’ve spent on you, sending you to college. You aren’t planning to let them go to waste.”

“I never said I wanted to go to college.” Avery faced him. And if it wasn’t for one of his tricks, she would never have gone to college.

Even though she had resorted to online learning in the end, it had been the most hectic days of her life.

Balancing the right time between her studies and her books. It was a miracle she had graduated with flying colors.

“You.” Her father glared at her. “You don’t expect me to keep covering your expenses while you waste your time and do nothing. You don’t want to work here. You don’t want to work anywhere, either. Tell me, what do you want to do with your life!?”

What she wanted to do with her life? Avery’s hand halted on the doorknob as she was about to walk out. And an unprecedented smile crept up her lips. Well. Whatever she wanted to do with her life wasn’t any of his problems. Why was he pretending that he cared? Did he think that would sway her? He was only after the profit that was in the job for him.

And who cared if he stopped giving her money? She had a lifetime saving in her account. And she had her Mum. The money part was their job, after all. It had always been.

“And I’m going to make sure your mother doesn’t send you a penny.” Her father added.

Avery almost laughed at his words. As if her mother was ever going to listen to him. She never did that before the divorce. She wouldn’t do that now. No one listened to each other in her family. They were almost always on their own. Unless, of course, her father wanted something from her.

“Give it up, Dad.” She sighed. “I’m not interested in any job. You can give it to someone else.”

Her father stared at her, speechless.

“Ehm... And Dad.” Avery hesitated before giving him an anxious look. “If he happens to come here, get me a contact, please— or even better, let me know.”

With that said, she drew the door open and sauntered out of the office.

If she could see him one more time. If she could get his contact or anything— even his address.

She wouldn’t rely on her father. He was only interested in his work.

She was going to pray and search.

He wasn’t an employee here. He was Aaron. The CEO she had always dreamed of.