"Nova here will be showing you the ropes on how to audit, account, and bookkeep for some companies," said Greyson, motioning toward the woman standing beside him. His tone was firm but not unkind.
He leaned slightly toward Nova and whispered with a smirk, "Try not to be too hard on her," before turning and walking out of the meeting room.
"Where's he going?" Aurora asked curiously, watching him disappear down the hallway.
"He's the boss of this firm. What do you expect? He's busy most of the time," Nova replied without looking up from the stack of documents she was organizing.
"You're right. That was a silly question," Aurora said, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"Plus, he's also the owner of several other businesses. Supermarkets, gas stations, shopping malls, even a motor vehicle company. He has to be monitoring everything and waiting on reports from his appointed managers," chimed in Percy from his spot by the door.
"For a security guard, you sure run your mouth a lot," Darren said sharply, adjusting his glasses with a practiced flick.
"What's that supposed to mean, four eyes?" Percy snapped, turning to face him with a scowl.
"I'm just saying, if you're supposed to be protecting and safeguarding the boss' property, why the hell are you telling her about all of his business ventures?" Darren shot back.
"Well, Sherlock, she will be working for the boss in due time. Why keep that from her?" Percy countered, his tone bordering on defiance.
"You mean she may or may not be working here," Ivy interjected coolly, arms folded across her chest. "After all, it's our decision if she stays or goes. Since she's not a full-fledged employee yet, it's not a good idea to tell her everything about the boss' business. Maybe you'd be better off guarding one of his supermarkets instead," she added, a smirk playing on her lips.
The insult hit Percy hard. He stepped forward, glaring at Darren, clearly ready for a confrontation—but before anything could escalate, a loud bang echoed through the room.
"All of you, shut up!!" Amelia's voice thundered through the meeting room. Her usually composed face was twisted in irritation.
"I got chewed out by the boss today because one of you three auditors made a mistake. That really ruined my mood and my day, so I don't want to hear another word from anyone. Get back to work. Now."
An awkward silence settled over the room. Ivy rolled her eyes and walked off without another word. Darren and Agatha quickly followed suit, heading to their desks to resume their duties.
"Don't let what they say get to you, Miss Allen," Percy said with a wink as he walked past Aurora. "The boss clearly has taken a liking to you. So, even if we disapprove, I'm sure you'll still be hired."
Nova glanced at Aurora and motioned for her to follow. "Let's get moving. I'll explain how we operate and handle things on the way to the bank."
Aurora grabbed her notepad and hurried after Nova.
As they stepped into the elevator, Aurora muttered to herself, "Greyson is more successful than I thought. He doesn't just own this firm—he runs entire chains of businesses. And he's still so young… He must be a millionaire by now."
Her thoughts drifted back to the scene in the meeting room. His staff… They all seem to put on a perfect show when he's around, but behind his back, it's a whole different story—petty arguments and chaos. I wonder if he knows about all that…
She was snapped out of her thoughts when Nova handed her a thick folder.
"Read this and tell me what you comprehend from it," Nova instructed.
Aurora opened the folder and flipped through the pages, eyes scanning over rows of numbers, account entries, and financial statements. Her confident expression slowly shifted to confusion.
"What is this? This is nothing like what we learned in university. It's… so different," Aurora admitted, eyes still fixed on the incomprehensible figures.
"By your expression, I'm guessing you don't understand a thing," Nova said with a chuckle. "Forget most of what you learned in university. The real world plays by different rules. Though, with time, you'll see how some concepts still apply."
Aurora sighed. "Makes sense, I suppose."
"Alright, I'll walk you through it. Just listen closely and observe each step."
Nova began breaking down the basics, explaining how the expenses were categorized, how revenue was tracked, and how each document played a role in the larger picture. Aurora followed carefully, her brows furrowed in concentration.
"Okay… I think I get it now," she said after a while. "So that's why all these expenses are included."
"Yes, that's precisely why. You're a fast learner—I like that," Nova said, giving her an approving nod.
Their Uber pulled up to the curb outside the bank. The two stepped out and entered the building, greeting the staff as they made their way to the designated desk.
"This way," said the bank manager, leading them to their work area. "Our employees already handled a portion of the accounting, so your task today is to review the financial documents and finalize everything."
"There's a little left to calculate. Think you can handle it?" Nova asked.
Aurora nodded confidently, rolling up her sleeves as she sat down beside Nova.
Less than an hour later, Aurora stood up and walked over to Nova, holding the completed paperwork in her hands.
"I'm done. Here's everything," she said, handing over the documents.
Nova raised an eyebrow. "Already? Are you sure there aren't any errors?"
Aurora nodded. "Double-checked it all."
Nova began reviewing the papers with a skeptical eye, but as she flipped through each page, her expression shifted from doubt to admiration.
"Well, I don't know what to say," she said, finally looking up. "You did a great job, Aurora."
"It's thanks to your explanation. Once I understood the logic, it all just… clicked."
They finished assessing the remaining files and presented the completed documentation to the bank manager. Satisfied with the results, the manager thanked them and bid them farewell.
On the ride back to the firm, Nova glanced over at Aurora. "You know, I was a little skeptical when Greyson said you'd be shadowing me. But you're proving to be more capable than I expected."
"Thanks. That means a lot coming from you," Aurora replied with a small smile.
Back at the office, the tension from earlier had simmered down. Everyone was quietly working, immersed in their tasks. Even Amelia seemed calmer, buried in a mountain of paperwork at her desk.
As Aurora walked past Percy, he gave her a thumbs up. "Told you, didn't I? You're a natural."
She smiled politely and kept walking, her thoughts once again drifting to Greyson.
How did he manage to build all this in just four years? she wondered. There's more to him than meets the eye. I need to understand how he does it…
Aurora knew one thing for sure—this internship, or whatever it truly was, would be more than just a stepping stone. It was going to challenge everything she thought she knew. And somehow, she was ready for it.