Annalise

I slammed my hand down to silence my blaring alarm. It took all the strength I had to see what time it was, I groaned before slamming my head back down into the pillow.

6:00 am.

This wasn’t how I wanted to start my day. I had to get up for this god forsaken job that my father forced me into. I didn’t even know this so-called business that I was working for. He had pulled this job out of his ass whenever he learned that I had lost my last one. He had refused to take no for an answer, so I put in an application, a day later, I was hired.

I jumped with a shriek whenever I heard someone pounding on my front door. “Just a minute!” I yelled, climbing out of bed. I ran over to my robe and quickly put it on, tying it shut as I ran to the front door. My hair was going a million different directions. I could barely see where I was going, and my cat was running between my legs.

“Sapphire get out of the way!” I yelled at her as I pushed her to the side with my foot. I finally made it to the front door and pulled it open, the chain lock preventing it from opening all the way. I peeked through the crack to see who was standing there. My father. Of course.
“What?” I asked him, my tone not very kind.

“I was just making sure that you were awake. You absolutely cannot be late for this job, Annalise, especially on your first day.” He said nervously. He was wringing his hat in his hands to the point of where it didn’t resemble anything near a hat.

I closed the door in his face and a moment later, reopened it so that he could come in. “Why do you want me to have this job so bad?” I asked him, placing my hand on my hip as he walked through the doorway. I closed the door and turned to look at him as I waited for his explanation.

“It’s a good paying job Annalise. Great benefits, laid back work environment,” he explained.
“Laid back work environment, my ass,” I muttered quietly as I walked back to my bedroom, my cat following me as my father paced around my living room. “What kind of laid back work environment has a dress code that says that women can wear only dresses?” I questioned as I began to look through my wardrobe. I hated wearing dresses, and due to this new job, I had to go on a yearlong manhunt to find work appropriate dresses.

I finally decided on an emerald green dress with a pair of nude colored pumps to match. I closed my bedroom door and got dressed, running a brush through my hair and putting some green eye shadow and some eyeliner to match. I stared at myself in the mirror, letting out a disgusted sigh.

Damn. I look good, but fuck, do I hate wearing dresses. I walked out of my bedroom and into the kitchen to grab a travel cup of coffee. Looking at my father who was still nervously pacing around my living room.

“If you keep pacing around like that, you’re going to burn a hole in my rug. Sit down for Christ’s sake.” I said to him as I began to pack a lunch. “Why are you so nervous about me starting this new job?” I asked curiously.

Normally, my father wasn’t like this. I had never known him to be like this. Not in the twenty-two years that I had known him. My father was German, my mother Irish. I had never seen either of them act the way that my father was acting right now. I watched as he sat down on my couch, still wringing his hat in his hands.

Feeling a sigh escape my mouth, I walked over to him and sat down, putting my hand on his back, rubbing it for comfort. “Daddy, What’s wrong?” I asked him, looking at him with concerned blue eyes.

“I just worry about you Little Bear,” he said, leaning over to kiss my temple.

“You don’t have to worry about me anymore Daddy, I can take care of myself, you and mamma made sure of that.” I said, hugging him. “I’ve got to leave though, I’ll be late if I don’t, and you don’t want me to be late.” We both stood up and went for the door. I closed it behind me, locking it before walking down the hall with my father.

“Promise me something Little Bear?” he said to me, looking into my eyes, I could see that his blue eyes were filled with worry. “Promise me that you won’t dig into this company. Promise me that you won’t get into trouble and that you avoid Mr. Sanders as best as you can. Okay?”

Why did he want me to avoid the owner of this company that he wanted me to work for so bad?

“I promise Daddy,” I said to him. I leaned over and hugged him before kissing his cheek goodbye. I climbed into my car, looking in the rearview mirror as he put his hat on and stuffed his hands into his pockets. What has gotten into him? I let out a quiet sigh and started my car before driving away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was about a half an hour drive from my home to the office building that I was supposed to work for. It wasn’t huge, but it wasn’t small either. It was about four or five stories high, and I would be working on the first one.

I let out a quiet sigh and pulled into a designated parking space. I pulled the key out of the ignition and walked into the building. Seeing a blonde girl at the receptionist desk, I hesitated a moment before walking up. She had brown eyes, and looked like a bitch.

“Do you have an appointment with Mr. Sanders?” she asked, not even looking at me as she typed away on her computer. Just as I was about to answer her, the phone rang. She instantly answered it, like I wasn’t even there. “Surge System Enterprise, please hold,” then, without another second she put the person on hold and set the phone down.

“I don’t have an appointment- “

“Mr. Sanders does not see anyone without an appointment, I’m sorry.” She said. I stood there for a moment, did she just blow me off?

“I’m- “

“I’m sorry ma’am, but he is a very busy man and does not have time for some random rabble who can’t even bother to make an appointment. Please leave before I call security.” She said before going back to the phone.

Glaring down at her, I ripped the phone from her hand and hung it up.

“If you would let me finish what I was saying. I’m not here because I made an appointment. My name is Annalise Reinhardt, I was just hired and told to ask the receptionist where to go.” I said in a rude tone. Seeing the shock on her face, she shot up from her seat.

“I am so sorry Miss Reinhardt. Right this way,” she said, briskly walking away from the reception counter. I let a satisfied smirk come across my face as I began to follow her to the back of the building.

“This is your work space Miss Reinhardt. I’m Valary, if you ever need anything, do not hesitate to call me. Mr. Sanders is not to be disturbed at any time. If he needs you, he will send for you. Come to me with any questions you may have.” She said before turning around and scurrying away.

I knew that there were two things that I had to find out.

Who is Mr. Sanders and why do I have to avoid him?

Notes

So what do you guys think about the first chapter? I wrote this based off of a dream that I had, hopefully it turns out the way that I want it to.

Annalise's outfit