In one of the top Finance Agencies in Melbourne that specialised in servicing wealthy enterprises from Asia doing business in Australia, the Saigon-born Vang sat at her desk. Her eyes were glazed, lost in the figures in front of her: unable to concentrate as figures tumbled in a kaleidoscope of Excel cells. Her stomach churned and her mind was elsewhere thinking of the rumours of staff cutbacks that were circulating. She was worried she would be one of those handing in their ID lanyard. Worry shot through her as she saw Mr Billings making a beeline for her desk. The office grapevine suggested that her department was next to face cutbacks and she knew she well down the pecking order of required workers. At 35, she was worried about her future.
"Vang, can you come into my office?" His voice had a menacing tone that made every head in the open-plan office swivel in her direction. Jim Billings's nickname was 'Butcher Billings' because he made the cuts. He was a man of few words, and when he did speak, it was usually to bark orders or, as office folklore said on two occasions in his 20-year career in upper management, give qualified, reserved praise. He had never called her into his office for anything other than an unemotional warning she needed to produce better results, because results were all that mattered in the cutthroat environment that he micro-managed.
Somehow, she rose from her chair and followed him. A few colleagues gave her sympathetic glances, but the other Vietnamese female in their open office plan area, Hong, looked happy as she sneered at Vang heading to the guillotine. Smiling to herself, her eyes followed Vang whose round-bellied 34C 30 34 body was draped in a baggy trouser suit, as she was sure Vang was going to be sacked.
Mr Billings' office was a stark contrast to her own crowded, open-space ant colony, with its sleek, modern furniture and wall of windows. She stood in front of him waiting for the axe to fall. He leant back in his chair, his eyes dissecting her. "Vang," he began, his impersonal tone like a British judge wearing the black cap announcing the death sentence, "You will no longer be working in the General Admin department." Vang's heart sank even though she was expecting it. He continued, "I've noticed your dedication and hard work here. You obviously followed my advice which is essential for progress in this company." He paused. "I'm offering you a promotion. You'll be my PA, my Personal Assistant."
She stared at him, stunned. A promotion. How? This was the last thing she had expected. He went on to explain the responsibilities and perks of the new role and the potential for bonuses as they worked together as a team within the company. Vang listened, trying to keep her expression neutral, her thoughts racing. This was a lifeline she hadn't seen coming, and she wasn't about to let it slip through her fingers. She nodded: her voice unsteady as she accepted. "Thank you, Mr Billings. I'll do my best not to disappoint you."
Her second meeting with Butcher Billings occurred the following week. She walked into his office and he gestured for her to sit and stated the most important aspect of the PA job "Your loyalty to me will be paramount, Vang," he said. "Forget the company, it's about us now.
She thought this unusual, but she nodded solemnly, eager to prove herself. "I understand," she replied, not knowing what he meant.
He leant forward, his elbows on the desk, and steepled his fingers. "I know what you're thinking," he said, his gaze unwavering. "What will your husband think of you working weekends and late nights?"
She felt a blush creep up her neck, her thoughts racing to her ex-husband who had left her for a younger woman. "It's not an issue," she stammered. "Work is my priority." She thought of how he had ignored her for sex and flaunted his women in front of her, deriding her lack of sex appeal. It wasn't because she was anti-sex. In fact, she was sexually frustrated and her constant daydreams made extreme niche sex sites on the net seem tame. But being separated at her age and plain looking she knew no Vietnamese man would be interested in her.
"Ah," Mr Billings said, his expression unreadable. "Well, then there's nothing to worry about. We can focus solely on the job at hand." He continued, "But I expect your undivided attention and loyalty as we secure new contracts for the company. Vang. Are you willing to give that to me?"
"Yes, Mr Billings," she said, her voice shaking slightly. "You have my complete loyalty." The rest of his briefing was admin stuff. They would share this office, they would travel together around Australia and overseas, Admin would have her credit card ready and her new pay started from tomorrow, as did their first assignment.
The next day, Mr Billings greeted her with a smile that never reached his eyes. "It's begun. We have been given first crack at the biggest possible contract the company has ever had. We have a dinner meeting with the Liu Corporation tonight," he said, his voice brisk. "They're a Chinese company, and we need to make a good impression and have no mistakes. I want you to go shopping for a new dress. "Something," he said looking down his nose at her shabby outfit, "more appropriate."
Vang's stomach lurched at the thought of the expense, but then she remembered her new credit card and his words to cover all expenses in getting a new contract. At the local shopping centre, she picked out a sleek black dress, the halter neckline showing off her 34C tits, but unfortunately, also her full belly, plus the material was stretched across her broad arse.
But when she presented her choice to Mr Billings, his smile was forced. "Good attempt," he said, his eyes raking over her. "But I think we can do better if we are going to impress." He took her to a boutique that catered to a nightclub clientele. The dress he selected was cream, the neckline plunging to her navel and the hem barely grazing her upper thighs. She felt semi-naked just holding it, but he seemed pleased. She slipped it on, feeling the fabric clinging to her ample curves and she felt a new woman, but unsure whether it was suitable for a plain-looking, solid-bodied Vietnamese like her.
Mr Billings nodded approvingly as she modelled the cream dress. "Perfect," he murmured. "But we can't forget the shoes." He led her to another store, where a wall of towering heels filled the display shelves. His eyes scanned the options before settling on a pair of stilettos, "These will do nicely," he said, handing them to her. The heels were at least four inches, making her wonder how she would walk in them. They selected three more outfits each more sluttish than the last.