THE NIGHT BEFORE HER BOSS

Chapter One 🌺 “Grrr… Grrr… Grrr…” The noisy alarm rang. Emma groaned while stretching, and just then Lilly crawled onto her hand, rubbing her soft fur all over her. In an instant, Emma was fully awake. Wearing her purple flip-flops, she walked to her wardrobe to pick an outfit for the day. After a few minutes, she settled for a very cute purple top and blue jeans. Emma is a 23-year-old graduate who lives alone—well, she still has her mom and younger brother, but they don’t live with her. She lost her dad some years back. She has always hoped to work at a tech firm, but she has never been lucky. She has written several application letters to different firms, but all to no avail. Still, she never stopped checking her email, always hoping for a reply. She is lucky to have an amazing best friend known as Kiki. Kiki is the complete opposite of Emma—you can call them “improper fractions.” Kiki is loud and energetic, while Emma is calm and reserved. You could say they don’t match, but somehow, they make the best of friends. It was during one of her job-hunting days that Emma found Lilly on the highway, and ever since then, Lilly has been family. Lilly wouldn’t stop meowing—she was hungry. After taking care of “the queen,” Emma finally had time for herself. It was a Sunday morning, so she decided to check her emails. “Hmm… a notification from R&H? What if they rejected me?” she thought aloud. Nevertheless, she clicked on it. In the next second, the room was filled with screams. “I got the job!” she shouted, beaming with smiles, completely forgetting that her cereal was getting cold. Instantly, she called Kiki to share the good news—only to find out that Kiki also had news. 📞 “Hey girllll!” Kiki screamed the moment Emma picked up. ☎️ “I got the job!” 📞 “I got promoted!” They both spoke at once. “Okay, you go first,” Emma said. “I just got promoted, girl!” Kiki said excitedly. “And I just got a job at R&H Tech World!” “This calls for celebration!” Kiki said with excitement. “Yeah…” “So there’s this new spot that just opened—trust me, you’ll love it.” “Hope it’s not clubbing?” Emma asked. “Before nko? See, girl, we just got elevated! This calls for celebration!” “I know, but there are better ways to celebrate. What happened to dinner, brunch, or even ice cream—” “Oh please, Emma, you are not a baby. You need to loosen up.” “Just a few glasses won’t hurt, and besides, it’s the weekend.” “As you know, I’m resuming tomorrow and I don’t want to be late, so dear Kiki, I’m not going.” “But girl, a glass won’t hurt. We can leave early so you can still prepare for work.” “Me too, I have work. Let’s do this just once, please, Emma baby.” “Oh Kiki, you’re so impossible… okay fine. But one glass and we are out.” “Deal, girl! Deal!” “I’m going to pull up later, so be ready. Bye, Emma.” And just like that, the line went dead. “Such an impossible girl…” “Oh my, I need to pick an outfit for work tomorrow. It’s my first day—I need to look smart.” After searching for a while, she finally found a good place, bought some outfits, and returned home. 9:35 PM “Hey girl…” “Holy s**t, Kiki! Can’t you knock?” “Knock?” she asked, laughing. “Oh please, this is also my house—and don’t forget I have spare keys.” “So girl, I brought a full box of clothes to pick from. Let’s start!” “And I brought Lilly’s favorite treats!” “Wait… are we still going? It’s past 9 and I need to sleep.” “Oh Emma, we talked about this already. Don’t spoil the mood—come, let me glam you up.” After trying several outfits, Emma finally wore a short red dress that fit her perfectly, bringing out her hidden curves. She paired it with black heels, and her hair was styled in soft bouncy waves. Kiki, the star of the day, wore a red flared short dress with gold heels and a matching gold bag. They both looked breathtaking—perfectly styled. “Oh Kiki, this dress is too short. I’m not comfortable.” “Madam, the Uber is here. Let’s go. It’s not like you’re naked.” Tipsy Club The room was filled with loud music and colorful shining lights. The clean marbled floor reflected the glow. Girls were dancing, and the air was thick with the smell of alcohol. “Kiki, let’s go!” “I can’t hear you! Just vibe—I need to say hi to a friend!” And just like that, she was gone. Left alone, Emma had no choice but to find an empty bar seat. “A glass of wine, please.” Sipping her wine, she couldn’t help but regret coming to the club. She was alone… and couldn’t even find Kiki. Then she saw him. Tall. Cute. Unapologetically stunning—like a semi Greek god. He gave her a breathtaking smile, and she found herself returning it. Embarrassed, she looked away—but when she peeked again, he was still staring. He was tempting, but she tried to distract herself with her phone. Soon, she noticed him talking to a waiter… and then the waiter started walking toward her. “Excuse me, ma’am. The man over there asked me to give you this.” On the tray was a bottle of expensive champagne and a note. “Can I have your contact?” She looked up—he was smiling. Then he winked. Her heart skipped. “Tell him to come get it himself… or forget about it.” The waiter nodded and left. “Why did I do that?” she muttered. “Emma… it’s not like you don’t like him.” She couldn’t even bring herself to look up again. Moments later, she smelled a strong, rich cologne. “Hey,” he said with a smile. “Umm… hi.” “I wanted to get your contact, but you—” “Emma, let’s go!” Kiki suddenly appeared and dragged her away. She didn’t even get his name. Deep down, she was annoyed—but she kept quiet. The Next Day🍁 “Welcome to R&H Tech World. I’m Esty, your senior supervisor. Feel free to ask me anything. “Here is your desk—” “The boss is here.” Instantly, everywhere went silent. Curious, Emma turned to look— —and froze. “You?”