The COO’s revenge.

Maeve. The buzzing sound of my phone pierced the air, as I took the stairs two at a time, my heart racing. “Hey baby girl”, I said immediately I placed the phone on my ears. “Mae, seriously you are still in the dorm?”, she shouted. “ Whatever happened to hey Mae, I'm sorry I couldn't call earlier, I was caught up with work. I just to remind you that you are my best friend in the whole wide world and I think you are going to kick asses today”, I said, my hands tightening around the straps of my bag. I rolled my eyes as I heard her go on and on. “Girl, don't try to change the subject, you are so late”, “Wasn't it yesterday that you said the only thing that I might come early to is my funeral? Moreover, this one wasn't even on me”. “Typical Mae”, she murmured, “go on, justify your actions”. I could feel her judgment through the phone and it infuriated me some much so. My love for this girl was the only thing that kept me from losing my mind over all these assumptions. Yes, I may or may not have a track record of coming late for everything, including her birthday party last month but she of all people knew that this day mattered way too much to me. “Josh happened”, I groaned with a sigh as I made it out of the dormitory gate. Instant regret at forgetting my glasses struck me as I had to close my eyes for a few seconds before continuing. “Oh my! I'm sorry that you had to go through that, are you okay?”, she whispered, her concern evident from a mile away. “Okay is such a foreign word, I just wish that today would go well”, I said, as I fastened my strides. A job interview at Hallmark was already a dream come through and considering that it was just a 15-minute walk away, I certainly could get there on time. “Did he pull a Josh or is this one like more?” “I honestly wished that motherfucker pulled a Josh yesterday but no, he got creative with frustrating my life and choose the night before my interview”, I shouted vexation filling my chest. “I'm sorry babe, just calm down, okay?”, she soothed. “Babe, I had to pull a grown-ass man from the gutters. Will you believe he said that I was acting like mum and trying to control his life? Like bro, I'm younger sister, shouldn't it be the other way around” “ I know you are pissed but that's your elder brother, I believe that one day, he will step up to it” “When, the day I die? ”, I screamed, The silence on the other side of the line made me feel twice as bad. She was only trying to make me feel better but I had gone and acted like it was her fault that my life was so messed up. “I’m so sorry babe”, I pacified, Hallmark was on the other side of the road and I could almost feel bile in my mouth, coupled with the fact that I was low on sleep and sugar. “I said I was sorry Hilda?”, I called into the phone, the traffic light was still red and although the cars on the road were few, I decided to wait it out. I detested when Hilda gave me the silent treatment, avoiding discussions instead of just expressing her displeasure. That coffee shop incident last week was particularly annoying when I bore the brunt of her anger over a mistaken order. The waiter was at fault, but instead of telling him that it wasn't what she ordered, she asked me to swap meals, which I refused immediately. With my mind already reeling, I couldn't handle an unresolved rift with my best friend, I did need to fix things but my patience was wearing slim. The traffic sign had just turned green when I began to walk into the road. “Babe, I'm working on my attitude when I get…” The rest of my words are lost with the screeching sound of the tire, my existence flashing before my eyes as I gaped at the white jeep in the distance. “Ohmygod, ohmygod, oh my god”, I screamed, my heart thumping loudly as I gripped my phone tightly and held it to my ears. “What is it?”, “Babe?”, “Maeve Ryan”, “Talk to me, what just happened?”, her voice grew more impatient with every passing second. “I'm fine, oh my god, I'm fine. Can I call you back? I almost got into an accident now”, I replied shakingly as I tried to catch my breath. I almost died. Panic squeezed at my chest when I saw the same white jeep reversing towards me, adrenaline surge kicked into my bones, and my muscles pulsed, ready to react. Without warning, the car stepped on the brakes and came to a halt right in front of me. “Are you here to finish what you started?”, I yelled, charging toward him as he stepped out of his car. Standing tall in his tailored blue suit and elegant brown tie, he loomed over me, but I refused to be cowered by his imposing presence or the aura of wealth that surrounded him. “I'm truly sorry, Are you by chance hurt?”, he questioned, his eyes roving, settling on my bust before coming back to my face. Irritation tightened the muscles of my heart and threatened to explode. The pent-up anger in me needed an outline and someone was bound to feel the brunt of my frustrations, it's only fair if it was the same guy that tried to kill me. “Is that what you would have preferred? I shot back, eyeing him. He smirked, further infuriating me as I crossed my arms across my chest. “You must have been terrified, but please don't get dramatic”. “Dramatic?”, I asked, my hands trembled, my eyes blurring as I began to tear up, every word that came out of this man’s mouth pushed me closer to the edge. “I didn't stutter sweetheart, I can see that you are not injured, why fuss about the entire thing?”. The audacity of men! “Oh, the sockets on your face have a function. I will make all the fuss in this entire world, it wasn't you who was almost killed”, I finished off. His eyes softened, before doing a fast glance at his wristwatch and back at me. “Alright, I apologize”, he moaned. “Should have said before acting curt”, I throw back, my irritation spiked, first he thought this interaction was a waste of time, then there was that half-assed apology he just rendered. “Curt?”, his eyes widened, for what felt like the tenth time since we started talking, well yelling at each other. The fury that coursed through my veins was destructive, if I had a gun, I knew who would be lying down on this street dead and it certainly wouldn't be me. “I believe I didn't stutter”, I reply, standing on my toes and regretting why I chose a loafer and not my 5-inch heels. “Anyways”, he dismissed, “Good grief, your clothes are a mess, there is a boutique down the street, getting you something other than the rags you have on, wouldn't cost me anything”, Never have I ever felt so small in my entire life, A lump formed in my throat as I tried to come up with a comeback but there was absolutely nothing wrong with the way he looked. “Who do the f**k do you think you are?”, I questioned, moving closer to him as I watched him take a few steps backward, “first you tried to kill me and now you are shoving your wealth down my throat” With hands in the air, “You know what, do whatever it is, you want”, he screamed, “I don't have time for this nonsense”. I glanced at my side and realized that we had company, gossipmongers who were looking for the next thing to whisper about. “You should have thought of that before you tried to murder me”, I yelled, deciding that I was going to give them a show. “I didn't try to murder you, ma'am, you walked into the road when the light was still red”, I groaned in defeat. “Alright then, let’s see what the police have to say about all of this”, I said, hand crossed as I watched his eyes widen even more. “I'm truly sorry, can just let it slide?”, he begged. “Has anyone ever told you that you are the worst liar on this?”, I said, “your apology sounds as fake as your gold watch”. “Oh baby, this is real gold, my dad…”, he rambled as I stared back at him, wondering how terrible my luck was, to be faced with a nitwit so early this morning. “I'm truly sorry, please forgive me”. My phone’s alert tone snapped back my attention, I was already contemplating if pressing charges might earn me better than a job at Hallmark. My screen revealed a text from Hilda, saying that she was worried and if the interview had started. “Whatever, I don't have time for this, it's Monday morning and I have somewhere to be rather than off squandering daddy’s money in a fancy suit and zero experience at handling wheels”. I took a deep breath as I stared at the entrance of Hallmark, it was the first time I was standing in front of it, and boy did I feel scared. The security man smiled at me enthusiastically as I wondered if he was truly happy with his job. I contemplated running back toward the door when I finally summoned the courage and walked into the building. But my mum didn't raise a quitter, my legs moved until I was in front of the receptionist's desk. “Hello Good morning”, I said, waiting until the head with a rough bun faced me, “I'm here for the interview”, I announced, “You are late, Miss…”, she trailed off, her eyes searching her files when she could save her stress and ask me. “Maeve Ryan”, I replied quickly, deciding that this suspense had gone on for way too long. Was I getting this job or not? “Have your seat, you are lucky our interviewer just pulled in”, she said, with a wide smile on her face, and I pretty much knew that she was more excited that the interviewer just pulled in, than my luck. My eyes were, particularly fixated on a painting that hung on the white wall, just above the door she just entered into. I had no bones for art but even I could tell a captivating piece of art and that one was definitely it. She had gone in, a few minutes ago, after reapplying her perfume on her wrist and checking herself out at the glass door. “Mr Stewart will have you now”, she said, dismissively, her spirits dropped, whoever was behind that door had zero interest in her and it was most glaring. The lady was downright pissed. “Is this supposed to be some sort of sick joke”, I heard him say and instantly I knew that voice was the very bane of my existence.