CHAPTER FIVE
1210 Words
THE ENCOUNTER
Phone ringing....
"Hello, Jane
“Hello, Denise your permission letter has been approved. You're only given seven days leave". Jane said.
“Thanks so much Jane, I appreciate your kindness".
“What are friends for? Take care of your mom. Hope I can come and visit so that we can spend the weekends taking care of mummy...?" She asked waiting to be approved.
"Of course you can come. I will send you my location ".
“Yippee. I need to go now. Bye...
Denise smiled with her friends charming behavior.
After the preparation she quickly took her bath to take a quick nap.
She couldn't sleep at the hospital due to the new environment, noise and the anxiety pertaining to her mom's condition.
Meanwhile, at the multimillionaire Eterna Global Enterprise, the steady rhythm of the office shifted the instant the doors slide open.
Conversations stuttered, keyboards slowed, and a quiet tension rippled through the lobby.
Heads turned just enough to glimpse the figure striding in—sharp suit, measured steps, cold aura, presence heavy as a shadow.
Though no words were spoken, everyone straightened in their seats, papers shuffled faster, and the air thickened with a nervous energy.
The CEO of Eterna Global Enterprise had entered with his secretary, and with them came the unspoken reminder that every detail mattered.
"Thank God it's Friday today, I can't wait to go home". One employee whispered.
“Quit and stop whining every time". Another teased.
“Quit, the pay here is very lucrative and there's free lunch too. I can't afford that luxury".
They both laughed secretly in unison.
The Eterna Global Enterprise rises in the heart of the city symbolizing endurance and prestige.
The Inside breathes air of sophistication and innovation.
The lobby is wide and bright, with a tall glass roof that lets in plenty of sunlight.
The floor shines with marble, balanced by warm wooden touches.
On the walls, screens show the company’s work—fashion shows, modern city designs, and new medical ideas.
Employees dress neatly —walk with calm confidence.
The upper floors house fashion design studios filled with fabrics, sketches, and mannequins dressed in works of art.
Another wing is dedicated to real estate planning, where holographic models of future eco-cities glow on tables.
Higher still, the pharmaceutical division maintains state-of-the-art laboratories—sterile, bright, and buzzing with discovery.
At the very top, the executive floor is where Clyde's office is.
A blend of glass-walled offices and serene lounge— offering panoramic views of the city.
The CEO of Eterna Global Enterprise carried power that his presence alone was enough to command obedience.
Clyde dressed in a black tuxedo suit that never showed a crease, he moves with the precision of someone who had never once been questioned.
Even his silence was heavy —a single raised eyebrow could unravel a meeting.
Clyde walked pass everyone taking all details without a word — took his private elevator to his office.
“Kendal, did you get what I asked you to? I mean the young woman". Clyde asked
“Yes Boss. I did".
"Brief me before we start the meeting
She's called Denise, the only daughter of her mom.
Her dad passed away before she was born.
Both families abandoned them even before she was born.
The mother struggle with a small bakery business and that's what she used to cater for her till now.
She is twenty-three years old now and currently a university student at Brooklyn Medical institute.
He mom was diagnosed with stomach cancer and needs an urgent surgery.
Denise is responsible and disciplined — emotionally vulnerable.
She maintains a quiet lifestyle, dedicating most of her time to her studies and caring for her mother.
Her circle of friends is limited, and she avoids unnecessary attention.
She's currently at home taking care of her mom".
"Hmm— that's quite a lot for a young woman". Clyde thought.
Let's finish with the meeting and get prepared for the auctioning this evening".
"Yes Boss ". Kendal responded.
Denise awoke from sleep in the evening.
The simple nap had turned to hours of sleep.
Her body still screamed for enough rest, yet the thought of her mom’s condition, financial challenges and the thought of being absent from school when her colleagues are learning ahead of her was overwhelming.
But she learned that love overshadows every obstacle.
She dragged herself to the bathroom to freshen up before going to the pharmacy to get her mom’s remaining drugs.
After showering, she dressed up simply in a short floral straight dress, styling her hair to a ponytail, moisturizing her lips with lip balm and putting on her canvas.
She bid her mom goodbye and left to the pharmacy.
Denise steps into the pharmacy, clutching her mom’s prescription.
She waits patiently in line at the lounge waiting for her turn.
The pharmacy was quiet that evening, the faint smell of antiseptic in the air.
She noticed an elderly woman a few seats away, shifting uncomfortably, her hand rubbing at her knee.
Denise noticed the way people in the pharmacy cast furtive glances at her, yet no one dared to approach.
Denise hesitated for a moment, and then stepped closer to the woman. To her, she was just a soul in need of kindness.
“Grandma, are you alright?” Denise asked gently.
Grandma Ashley gave a small sigh and said “Ah, it’s these legs. They’ve carried me far, but now they ache as if they want to betray me.”
Denise chuckled due to grandma’s funny expression.
Without thinking twice, Denise bends down beside her.
“May I? Sometimes a little massage is all you need.” Denise asked
Before Grandma Ashley could protest, Denise’s gentle hands were already working in slow circles over her knee.
Her hand gentle but firm. Ashley’s eyes widened in surprise, and then softened at the unexpected kindness of the unknown young lady.
Grandma Ashley smiled faintly. “You’re a bold one, aren’t you? Most young people would have just walked away not caring about a stranger.”
Denise smiled shyly. “I couldn’t just ignore you when I know you’re in pain. That would be inhuman”
Just then, a tall figure appeared clad in black suit strode into the pharmacy.
His sharp eyes locked on Denise_ a stranger touching the matriarch. He moved quickly with a stern voice.
"Step away from herr…."
Grandma Ashley lifted her hand slightly but very commanding.
Denise didn’t even look up focusing on soothing grandma’s pain.
The bodyguard froze in confusion. No one gets close to Grandma Ashley due to security reasons without permission and except Mr. Clyde.
He stepped back watching in total silence.
Grandma watched her closely, her lips curving into a satisfactory smile as Denise continues her massage.
The two shared a quiet moment — Grandma Ashley studying the Denise’s face, while Denise focused on easing the pain, when the pharmacist finally called out Denise name.
‘’Grandma I have to go now. Please take care of yourself. Your health is very important.
Grandma nodded in agreement smiling gently. For a fleeting second, Grandma Ashley felt as though fate had nudged this girl into her path.
wouldn`t she be good for my Clyde?
- Writer
