THE SON BETWEEN US

The new document

She drove quickly to the office.

"As much as I don't want to lose the trust my company has for me, I also don't want to be involved in any illegal act. I despise people that do it a lot and I am never going to be one now, not because of a bloody document."

"Ma’am, we are here now.".

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't know that we'd gotten to the office.

"Alright."

I had barely walked into the reception when the managing director came to me with a grumpy face. He has never looked or talked nice to me before though.

"Miss Collins."

Oh my gosh! Has he by any means found the document? What does he have to say right now? Mr. Cole called me yesterday, and up till now I haven't returned the call. I hope this won't cause damage to my company's finances if he finds it.

"Good day sir," I said, controlling myself

to let my fidgeting body show.

"What the hell is good about this day, Miss Ava Collins?" He snapped immediately as I expected him to.

"I was told you are very smart and you can handle this huge project better than those vagabonds in your company, but with your attitude here, it seems you are also as incompetent, unskilled and illiterate as them."

What?

I just wish I could snap back at him right now, but what if he asked that I give him the document right now?

Oh no! I just have to apologise and I really hate it.

"I am really sorry, sir," I swallowed hard. "And I promise that by tomorrow, the final meeting, everything will be set. I promise you that."

"Keep your damn promise to yourself! I just can't wait for the grand finale of this project so that I will stop seeing those incompetent faces of yours!" he yelled and walked down to his office.

That was an affront to my dignity. I stood there for a while.

"Ma'am, Miss Ava," Aria called with fear in her voice. "Let's go in."

I was about to open the door to my office when my phone buzzed. I don't need to see who is calling, I already know it's Mr. Cole.

"Miss Ava!" he yelled.

Is he also going to shout at me like the MD did?

Even if this particular project isn't going well as planned, have I ever flopped any project before? Even though it's the Almighty WSM group that every other company wishes to work with, he should still ask questions.

He is supposed to know by now that I prioritize my job and if anything is delayed, I am fixing some things. He isn't making matters easy.

Everyone is just pressurizing me. I can't think straight for a second.

"What is this I am hearing about you?"

"What exactly were you told about me, Mr. Cole?" I almost snapped back though.

"When did you start being incompetent? You used to be the smartest among everyone here, so what changed?"

"Mr. Cole, I am so glad that you just said I used to be the smartest and you of all people, Mr. Cole, should know that I prioritize my job. I literally don't play or joke with it and if there is any issue or anything at all the authority of WSM Group told you, you are supposed to ask me about it first instead of shouting at me like I am a kid."

At this point, I couldn't hold back. I had to open up. I am just at the edge of losing my mind. The least he could do was to take things easy, not adding to the matter on ground.

Aria, on the other hand, was giving me a sign not to say such to him, but I could not just let this slide again.

"Miss Ava, are you okay? I am so sorry if I am being greedy, I must confess. It's your intelligence that brought our company up to the level of having a project with WSM Group. I am really sorry if I'm not being grateful. It's just Mr. Dean who hasn't been taking things....likely, he has always been complaining about you being incompetent," he said calmly.

"I am not incompetent, Mr. Cole, and you know that. It's just a little arrangement I need to make before the final meeting and I promise it will come out well."

"Alright. I wish you good luck."

He hung up almost immediately.

Oh lies... Lies, but I couldn't have told him we lost a document too; that would make the assumption of Mr. Dean a confirmation.

"Aria, let's do this. Bring up your plan. I don't think there is any hope of us finding this document."

"Ma'am, you just have to calm down now," she said softly. "You have promised Mr. Cole and Mr. Dean that everything is going to go well by tomorrow. Now I want to also assure you that we will create a real document today," she added.

"I just pray this works," I said weakly.

"It will, ma'am.”

My phone buzzed again.

"Ethan?" What the actual hell is wrong with him?

"Ma'am, you have a phone call," Aria said innocently.

"Just ignore it and let's continue with what matters to us right now."

He called again and immediately I placed it on DND.

"What are we going to begin with right now?"

"Ma'am, a soft copy of the document was sent to your email, right?"

"Yes, it was. Please hold on. Let me confirm if I still have it with me."

I opened my phone to see twelve missed calls from Ethan. I ignored it though, but a part of me didn't.

Is he fine? Why is he calling me so profusely?

I was about to go to my emails when what actually made me reach for the phone was that he called again.

I picked up the call this time.

"What is your problem, Ethan?" I heard myself scream. "Do you want to break down my phone?"

"No, Ava. Please calm down," he answered softly.