When Forever Changed Sides

The Query

Chapter 3

Bluebell POV

“Aaaaarrrrhhhh!!!!”

I needed to work.

I opened my schedule.

9:00 a.m.: Review vehicle failure reports.

10:30 a.m.: Meeting with engineers about a component showing unusual failure rates.

Lunch: 12:00–1:30 p.m.

1:30 p.m.: Analyze data in Excel/Python/SQL.

3:00 p.m.: Meet with supply-chain managers.

4:30 p.m.: Build a risk model and calculate potential financial impact.

6:00 p.m.: Present findings to senior management.

Nothing new.

It was basically my schedule since I arrived.

I drowned myself in Excel work, occasionally looking up to scan the cameras around the office.

If the attendance records could be taken, the CCTV could be watched too.

I wasn't taking any chances.

I was working when I heard a knock on the door.

I straightened immediately.

Fear crept into me.

“Come in.”

The door clicked open.

I immediately faced my laptop, pretending to be completely absorbed in my work.

A shadow fell over me, but whoever it was didn't reprimand me.

I looked up to see my colleague, Miller.

“Hey there.”

I wasn't in the mood for pleasantries, but I didn't have a choice.

“Hi, Miller.”

I turned slightly toward him.

“How may I be of help to you?”

“The meeting is getting started.”

He paused.

“Wanted to inform you.”

“Meeting?”

I asked, confused.

“We were all sent emails around 9:00 a.m. All staff should be present.”

Yeah, true.

I was so invested in why the CEO had appeared out of the blue that I hadn't even gone through my emails.

“Yeah, right.”

I quickly nodded.

“It skipped.”

I lied professionally.

“I'll be right there.”

“I'll leave you be.”

He smiled.

“See you.”

He walked away.

I stood up and shut the door.

I rested against the door frame, summoning my courage from the ends of the earth.

Eventually, I straightened.

I adjusted my coat, took a deep breath, and opened the door.

The hallway was quiet.

Not usually noisy.

This was the eighth floor.

To think this was a skyscraper with over fifty floors.

The meeting was meant to be in the General Hall on the first floor.

I entered the lift.

It seemed I was the only one headed for the first floor by this time.

No one joined me.

I was so nervous that I could practically hear my own heartbeat.

I arrived at the first floor.

Now, why was it quiet here too?

I walked into the hall.

It was filled to the brim, and everyone was mute.

It was so quiet you could literally find a pin if it dropped.

I found a corner to stand in since the chairs were already occupied.

What I got for ignoring an email and coming late.

I kept glancing at the door, expecting him to show up.

But instead, a senior executive showed up.

He ran through the new rules.

I didn't hear one thing.

He was audible enough, but my mind was clouded with one question:

Why would a CEO need something as petty as attendance records?

I think I spaced out because a tap on my shoulder brought me back.

Everyone had left.

The supervisor was standing right in front of me.

Except…

At that moment, I knew.

I f****d up big.

“Sir?”

“Are you with us?”

“Yes, sir.”

“You looked distracted.”

“I'm so sorry, sir.”

“Everyone left about thirty minutes ago.”

He frowned.

“That was unprofessional of you, to space out at work.”

“I just feel a bit sick, but I'm fine, sir.”

“What department are you under?”

“Analysis. I'm the risk analyst.”

He nodded.

“Go ahead. Lunch ends in thirty minutes.”

I walked out of the hall.

The office was busy as usual. It was lunch time.

I stepped into the lift.

I was alone again.

I arrived at the Analysis department and headed to my office.

I saw Maya standing at my office door.

“Hey there.”

“Where did you spend your lunch break?”

“In space. I spaced out.”

I opened the door.

She walked in behind me.

I took my seat, and only then did I notice she had come with a lunch pack.

“Grabbed you lunch. I thought you would need it.”

She handed it over.

I grabbed it.

“Thank you.”

She opened hers.

So did I.

I couldn't hold the joy inside me.

She had brought my favorite.

“Grilled chicken Caesar salad.”

I looked at the bottle beside it.

“And sparkling water.”

My eyes went to the bottles of water.

“Whatever.”

I rolled my eyes.

We both dove into our meals.

“You looked tense when you got here,” she said.

“I am.”

“Loosen up, girl. Except you've done quite the number.”

“Loosen up?”

I asked with disbelief.

“Yeah.”

“I have worked for twenty-six days, been late for six, and I shouldn't be tense?”

“Not like you considered that before the arrival of the boss.”

“Aaaarrggg.”

I stabbed my fork into my salad.

“I do now.”

I looked up.

She had almost finished her lunch.

“Girl, why are you eating so fast?”

“Trying to give you space to talk to your Hawthorne. Besides, I need to see my man.”

“Match made by God.”

“You mean heaven, baby.”

She gave me that mocking look.

“Whatever.”

She stood up, clearing the dishes.

“I'll be on my way now.”

“Thanks for the meal.”

“Sure.”

She said it before leaving.

I finally got some time to talk to my man.

I called him.

On the second ring, he picked up.

“Blue.”

“Babe.”

I said it in a tired voice.

“Why do you sound like you ran a marathon?”

“A marathon is better.”

“What's the problem?”

“You won't understand.”

“Try me.”

I told him about being late, the CEO, the meeting, every single thing.

“So you're scared because you think you'll get sacked?”

“Won't you be?”

“I honestly don't see a reason to be.”

“Easy for you to say.”

He was quiet for a moment.

“I received a call from the hospital this morning.”

“About?”

“I would be going to LA to represent the hospital at a medical conference in neurosurgery.”

“When is that?”

“In three weeks.”

“So I'm not going to be seeing you for another month.”

The fear in me dissolved into sadness.

“Blue.”

He softened his voice.

“Calm down. I would be taking a leave once I return from LA.”

“How long will you be there?”

“A week.”

“I miss you.”

I sighed.

“You weren't even there when I started working.”

“And we are getting married soon. Is it going to be soon?”

I frowned.

“It's going to be long distance.”

“s****l urges, is that you?”

He said it in a mocking voice.

I remained quiet.

“That is why I want to attend it.”

He continued.

“I need to be transferred back to London, but I need to win them over to request that.”

“Okay.”

“That's Daddy's girl.”

I giggled.

My smile widened.

We stayed on the phone.

Talking about nothing.

Then everything.

His day.

My morning.

The wedding.

A restaurant he'd found.

A trip we might take after the wedding.

Children.

The kind of conversations we'd had a hundred times before.

And somehow, I never got tired of them.

I glanced at my computer clock.

12:47 p.m.

I frowned.

“Wait.”

“What?”

“How long have we been talking?”

“I don't know.”

I checked the time again.

My eyes widened.

“We've been talking for almost forty minutes.”

“And?”

“And I'm supposed to be working.”

“You're on your lunch break.”

“My lunch break ended seven minutes ago.”

He laughed.

“Then go back to work.”

“I know.”

I was smiling when I said it.

“I'm hanging up.”

“You're not.”

“I am.”

“You're still talking.”

“Wren.”

“Blue.”

I laughed.

“You're impossible.”

“Tell me you love me first.”

“I love you.”

“Again.”

“No.”

“Blue.”

“Bye.”

I ended the call.

Or at least I thought I did.

I turned back toward my computer.

Then I heard footsteps.

“Bluebell.”

I looked up.

My supervisor stood in front of my desk.

Her expression wasn't amused.

My stomach dropped.

“Yes?”

“Were you on a personal call?”

I opened my mouth.

“Yes.”

Then I remembered.

My phone.

I looked down.

The call screen was still open.

My blood ran cold.

“Oh my God.”

I scrambled to end the call.

“I'm so sorry.”

My supervisor's eyes narrowed.

“You've been on the phone since your lunch break ended.”

“I know. I'm sorry.”

“And you've spent a significant part of the morning distracted.”

“I know.”

I stood.

“I apologize. It won't happen again.”

She held out a sheet of paper.

“Then sign this.”

I stared at it.

The word at the top was printed in bold.

QUERY.

My stomach sank.

“A query?”

“Yes.”

I took the paper.

“I understand.”

“You're being formally queried for your conduct and failure to adhere to working hours.”

“I understand.”

“I need a response by the end of the day.”

“Yes.”

“And, Bluebell?”

“Yes?”

“This is a workplace.”

“I know.”

“I don't want to have this conversation again.”

“I understand.”

I nodded repeatedly.

“I'm sorry.”

She sighed.

“Good.”

She walked away.

I stared at the paper in my hands.

A query.

My first formal query.

In my first month.

Fantastic.

My phone buzzed.

I looked at the screen.

Wren.

He was still on the line.

I had forgotten to hang up.

“Blue?”

I lifted the phone to my ear.

“I'm here.”

“What just happened?”

I closed my eyes.

“I got a query.”

“What?”

“I got a query.”

“Why?”

“Because I was talking to you.”

There was silence.

Then his voice changed.

“You're apologizing to me?”

“What?”

“You're apologizing because you were talking to me?”

“Wren, please.”

“No. Absolutely not.”

I could hear the irritation in his voice.

“You didn't commit a crime.”

“I used work time.”

“You were on your lunch break.”

“Not entirely.”

“Blue.”

“It's fine.”

“No, it isn't.”

I rubbed my forehead.

“I have to go.”

“Wait.”

“I need to deal with this.”

“I'll call you later.”

“Okay.”

“Blue?”

“Yes?”

“Stop apologizing.”

I smiled faintly.

“I'll try.”

“Good.”

“Bye.”

“Bye, beautiful.”

This time, I ended the call.

I placed my phone on the desk.