Hello,
This is Stephanie Hudson.
Welcome to part three of my first ever romantic sleep story.
This sleep story will guide you into a night of calm and restful sleep where you can relax using my voice to guide you.
The last time we met Rebecca Tregoran,
The star of our story,
Was attending an interview for a new job.
She had left her hometown one wintry afternoon to seek work elsewhere in another town not too far away.
It wasn't long before she reached this new place.
Set deep in the Scottish Highlands,
She found herself in a prestigious building decked out with polished chrome and shiny marble floors.
Rebecca had been excited about applying to a company that supported many charities that were dear to her heart.
Scotts Lake Industries had a reputation for success,
Although nobody seemed to know quite who was the driving force behind it.
It wasn't long before Rebecca found out and she began to wonder just what she had got herself into.
But before we continue with this story,
Let's take a moment to find comfort and peace where we are now.
As you relax into the support beneath you,
Take comfort in the knowledge you are safe and supported.
Take a deep full breath in through your nose.
That's it.
Then let it out on a long sigh.
It is time to relax and fully let go.
Feel your soft pillow cradle your head.
It has been a long day and it is time to rest now.
Listen to the words I speak.
And free yourself from the stresses and the strains of the day now past.
And here we are back once more with Rebecca.
It is a new day and she is sitting in the reception area of Scotts Lake Industries waiting for instructions as to where to begin her new role.
Rebecca was undecided about whether to return after having seen Jake and realizing that he was indeed the driving force behind the company she had just applied to work in.
She had tossed and turned the night before,
Unsure whether she could remain in such a town where the last person she wanted to see was in fact the one person she would be working alongside for the foreseeable future.
Jake Fairmore was everything she wanted to get away from.
Her painful past,
The embarrassment she had suffered in seeing him once more and the realization that she had no other option than to face him again and humble herself in order to provide for the mother she loved.
There was nobody else in sight and no sound to be heard but the soft tick tick of the clock on the wall.
Then suddenly she heard voices from behind the door that she had stepped through only the day before.
This was Jake Fairmore's office,
The one place she had no intention of returning to.
She could just make out movement beyond what was to be in store for her that day.
Whatever happened,
She would hold her head high and continue as if nothing had been said and no knowledge of the past was shared between them.
This was work after all and business and pleasure never mixed.
It was now ten minutes beyond the time she thought she would begin.
What exactly was happening behind those doors?
All she wanted to do was start her job.
With any luck,
Get hidden in an office somewhere without embarrassment or discomfort.
Against her inner fear,
She had returned and she was determined to make a go of this despite her many doubts.
And there was the voice again.
It was a hard,
Shrill voice.
There was nothing soft about the receptionist.
Then all at once the door swung open and out she floated in her sharply cut suit,
Her hair pulled back to within an inch of its life.
Oh,
There you are,
The receptionist said.
This way,
Please.
And to Rebecca's relief,
The door shut behind her.
Good,
There would be no seeing Jake Fairmore today.
The receptionist led her into the cold staircase at the edge of the building.
Down,
Down,
Down,
They travel until it felt like they could go down no more.
Past the busy offices,
Past the smiling faces,
Past the windows to the world outside,
Down into what seemed like the bowels of the building.
And just when she felt they could go down no more,
The receptionist tugged at an old door handle and led her in to a dark and dank room with files piled up to the ceiling and old books stacked in the corners.
It's a filing job for you today.
This should take you a while,
She said in her hard voice.
Rebecca looked around.
There was no source of daylight she could see.
This place was far removed from the rolling hills and the countryside she would see through her bedroom window every morning.
It felt like nothing more than a cold cellar.
The only saving grace was it was large and long with row upon row of shelves and stacks upon stacks of files,
Leading to a little table and chair right at the bottom,
Upon which sat somebody else.
This person looked about the same age as her.
Hello,
The young lady called.
It's nice to have somebody here with me.
This cheered up Rebecca considerably and leaving the receptionist behind her,
She walked towards the brightly lit area where the young lady was knee deep in a pile of old books.
This job's going to take forever,
She said to Rebecca.
I'm glad I've got somebody here with me.
Rebecca turned to check the receptionist had left.
At least we won't have that old dragon watching us,
She said with a smile.
I'm Sam,
The young lady said.
Nice to meet you.
I'm Rebecca,
Said Rebecca.
It's a bit dark in here,
Isn't it?
Well,
Yeah,
But you get used to it after a while and we'll go out at lunchtime.
We'll be fine.
Seeing such a friendly face,
She cheered Rebecca up considerably.
Perhaps this wouldn't be such a bad job after all.
Now it's quite simple.
Sam began again.
These books are all going to be sold.
It's our job to mark them up,
Catalogue them and label them.
They're quite valuable,
You know,
But where did they all come from?
Said Rebecca.
Well,
When they refurbished the old library,
This was what was left behind.
But rather than get rid of them all,
The boss said that we should keep them and try and sell them so that the proceeds can go to charity.
The boss,
Said Rebecca.
Yes,
He's the father of the receptionist.
That's what makes her all the more annoying.
I had no idea,
Said Rebecca.
She was now beginning to see things were a little more complicated than she first thought.
Take a seat and I'll tell you all about it.
And Sam handed Rebecca a pile of books and they sat together for the rest of the morning,
Chatting and filing,
Filing and chatting.
This was to be a lasting friendship.
And Rebecca was pleased.
She had felt very lonely in this new town.
But now she would have someone to share it with.
And so gradually her routine began.
Every morning she would wake up early in the boarding house at the back of the town hall.
She would look out to the mountains and be thankful that she could offer stability to her mother back at home.
At work,
Rebecca and Sam were left to their own devices.
And they plowed on with a huge task.
Quite happily together.
At lunchtime,
They would go outside and walk through the town square.
Rebecca said nothing of Jake,
All the history they shared.
But she was happy to listen to the many stories Sam told her.
One day,
Sam said something very shocking.
And Rebecca found it hard to accept what she was hearing.
Apparently,
Many years ago,
When Jake was young,
He had found out he was adopted.
Rebecca,
Of course,
Had no knowledge of this.
He had kept it to himself.
And now she felt even more guilty than she had felt before.
As if it couldn't get any worse.
She was pleased she hadn't come across him since she had started the job.
But she now felt it would be deceitful not to tell Sam of the history they had shared.
I had no idea.
She said.
But why would you?
Said Sam.
You didn't know him when he was a child,
Did you?
She watched Rebecca's face drop and realize there was more to this girl than met the eye.
Yes,
Said Rebecca.
And I had no idea what he was going through.
There's a bit more to it than that,
Though,
Isn't there?
Said Sam.
A wry smile on her face.
Well,
I used to tease him a bit.
And I feel sorry about that now.
Especially after what you've just told me.
Oh,
We all do stupid things when we're kids.
Said Sam.
Don't worry about it.
He'll have forgotten all about it,
I'm sure.
Rebecca busied herself with the next pile of books.
He's not forgotten anything,
She said to herself.
Not one thing at all.
I wouldn't be surprised if that's why I'm stuck in this cellar all day long.
But before she had time to think about it anymore,
The little phone on the wooden desk began to ring.
Oh,
Get that,
Would you?
Said Sam,
As she pushed her glasses higher up her nose.
I've got a feeling that's the old bag.
I don't want to talk to her.
Rebecca smiled and picked up the phone.
Hello,
She said.
You're wanted in Mr.
Fairmall's office immediately,
The sharp voice said down the line.
Rebecca looked at Sam and pretended to stick her fingers down her throat.
Sam stifled a chuckle.
But the receptionist heard it at the other end of the line.
Something funny.
No,
Not at all,
Said Rebecca.
I'll be up shortly.
Here we go,
She said,
As she turned to face Sam.
And off she went to climb the many flights of stairs up back to the bright reception area and back to the lion's den.
You took your time,
Said the receptionist as she entered.
Rebecca didn't know why Olivia Cartwright hated her so much,
But she had a feeling she was about to find out.
Mr.
Fairmall's waiting.
In you go.
Rebecca sighed.
It had been a while since she had seen him,
And she was far from relishing the prospect.
She walked slowly towards the double doors,
Knocked three times.
Then,
When the voice from within said,
Come,
She clicked the door shut behind her.
And there he was,
With his back to the windows that ran floor to ceiling.
His shiny inkwell reflected in the rays cutting through.
Sit,
He said,
Without even looking up.
Something of old rose up in Rebecca,
And she stood defiant,
Her hands on the chair in front of her.
She couldn't possibly think of what it was she had done for him to be so rude.
But if he wanted a fight,
He was going to get one.
It was but a minute before he looked up.
But it seemed like an hour.
All the while,
Rebecca scanned the room for any clues as to what might have happened.
She had worked well with Sam in the basement.
They had filed a good many papers and organized thousands of books.
So what was the problem?
Then realizing Rebecca was not going to do as she was told,
Jake looked up.
He was dressed in a fine gray suit,
His white shirt pristine,
His thick gray tie,
Perfectly matched.
But there was a lack of humor in his eyes.
Is there something wrong?
It was all Rebecca could do to bite her tongue.
How dare he tell her to sit as though she was some kind of a street dog.
Rebecca held his stare and refused to look away.
This question needed no answer.
She would sit when she was ready.
I see,
He said.
It's going to be like that,
Is it?
It would seem not much has changed.
Rebecca took Goran.
Rebecca could have screamed.
Why did she allow herself to be put in this position?
Well,
If you hadn't spoken to me in that way,
She began.
But Jake was not in the mood to be challenged.
Hmm,
I should have known better.
It was only because your mother was so kind to me.
I felt obliged to consider giving you the position in the first place.
This was too much.
Rebecca's cheeks began to redden and her hair stood on end.
How dare he?
She didn't need his charity.
She would just leave.
She turned to go and then realized just how much she was beholden to this man and this job.
Going somewhere,
Jake said.
And it took all Rebecca had had to say nothing in return.
She walked over to the chair and sat down.
She must make him think that he had the upper hand.
But she would find an alternative to this life if it was the last thing she did.
And then he would watch her walk away again,
Just like she had done when he tried to kiss her when they were children.
She was not finished with him yet.
Olivia,
Show me the books you've been working on,
Jake continued.
And it appears you are incapable of the job you are employed to do.
Rebecca was shocked.
This was unfair.
Whatever Jake may or may not be.
He was an honest person.
So far as she knew.
Why was he saying this?
Sam and herself had worked their fingers to the bone to make sure everything was in its place.
And if she were honest with herself,
After hearing of Jake's past,
Rebecca had given much more energy to the task.
As if somehow she could make up for what had been.
I don't know what you mean,
She said.
She must refuse to go down without a fight.
Well,
This is a great example,
Rebecca,
Said Jake.
And picking up one of the books he had looked at the night before,
He opened it in front of her.
And sure enough,
A huge blue ink stain ran all across the middle pages.
Well,
That's nothing to do with me,
Said Rebecca,
Shocked at how he could think she had done such a thing.
We know how important it is.
They're all intact,
Ready for sale.
I don't think you do,
Said Jake,
Meeting her eyes once more.
This is a business,
Rebecca.
We are here to make money.
And in the case of these books,
The money we make is for a very good cause.
One that's in dire need of financial help.
Rebecca fancied she saw a glimpse of pain in his eyes.
But no,
This was too ridiculous.
That wasn't pain.
It was anger.
And he was angry at her.
Well,
She considered.
He's not going to take his anger out on me.
She stood up,
Stepped towards the desk and spread her long fingers wide as she placed them before him.
Whatever I may or may not have been Jake Fairmore,
I am neither careless nor foolhardy and drop that ink on those books.
I did not.
Perhaps you would do well to ask Olivia exactly where the ink came from.
At this,
Jake stood up abruptly.
It was so annoying.
Now she would have to look up at him,
But he was so much taller than she.
But Rebecca was stubborn and she refused to meet his gaze.
And why would Mr.
Cartwright's daughter want to do such a thing?
How on earth would that benefit her?
He spat.
She's had it in for me from the start.
I don't know what her problem is,
But it certainly begins and ends with me.
The words sounded ridiculous when they came out of Rebecca's mouth,
But she said them anyway,
For she believed them to be the truth.
At this,
Jake laughed.
Believe it or not,
Rebecca Tregoran,
He said as he lent in towards her.
The whole world does not revolve around you.
Olivia Cartwright has very little time on her hands with her business commitments.
And I would prefer it if in future you took more care rather than throwing accusations at other members of staff,
Especially the boss's daughter.
Rebecca wanted the ground to open up and swallow her whole.
Here she was in a lowly position in a company she didn't want to be in with the last person on earth she wanted to be working for and a jealous,
Spiteful,
Witch of a girl who wanted nothing but her demise.
Rebecca was certain Olivia had hated her from the first,
And if she stayed here much longer,
It was only going to get worse.
She took a deep breath in and gazed out through the windows behind him.
She must consider her options.
Yes,
She loved working with Sam,
And yes,
She was obliged to her mother,
But she'd have to get out of here somehow.
This was just unbearable.
I'll leave it till the end of the month,
She said to herself.
At least then I'll have a month's money to give to mother.
And as she breathed out,
The redness seeped away from her cheeks.
Her heart slowed,
And she considered herself in the short term to be beaten.
I understand,
She said in a softer voice.
And as he sat back down to his work,
She walked away,
Determined to get her revenge on Olivia Cartwright,
The first opportunity she'd got.
