STOP STUTTERING AND SPEAK
1255 Words
Isabella melted in his arms as she drank her woes away. Jason sought for the right words to comfort his girlfriend so he just let her vent.
“Why would he do that to me?! I deserved that position!” Taking more generous gulp, “why aren’t you saying anything?”
Heaving a sigh, “you deserve the position, Isabella but I don’t want you getting yourself worked up for nothing.”
“Nothing?” Slapping his hands off her, “how can you call my dream nothing? I worked hard for it?!”
“If it’s about the money, I can always double the salary for you.” Already tired of her nagging. He had to focus on his work too.
“It’s not about the money. It’s about the reward for my hard work!” Slamming her drink bottle against the tile. He didn’t flinch, two years of dating had taught him that Isabella was best for throwing tantrums.
“The rest people’s hard work was also rewarded. I’m sure the CEO was unbiased about his choices.”
“Lie!” Kissing her teeth, “he only promoted that inexperienced fresh graduate over me because he has a thing for her. She’s as incompetent as a toilet fly!” Her breath roughening,
“Isabella, you and I know the CEO is a fair and unbiased judge. That’s why you were promoted to supervisor position two months ago.”
“I don’t care!” Shrugging her shoulders, “he changed. He’s obviously just favoring her because she’s fresh blood.”
Lifting his hands in retreat, “look on the bright side, if she’s as incompetent and inexperienced as you claim, she would be working directly under me and that means…she would have it hotter.”
Isabella’s face lit up, a mark crossing her cheeks. She stretched her hands over his chest, “babe, I want you to make life miserable for her. So much that she runs out of my position, crying like a child that she is.”
“That’s not a big deal.” Nibbling her cheeks, “are you fine now?”
“Yeah…” staring dreamily, “I can’t wait for her to write her letter of resignation!”
>>>
Liora rose up early as usual for her daily workouts before getting dressed and driving to work. She left her old car for Genevieve to drive to work. As usual, she got to work an hour earlier. Quickly getting into the records that Lovelyn, her assistant, dropped on her table.
Sticking to sorting out the files up until Lovelyn resumed. “Good morning, ma’am.”
“Good morning.” Liora smiled back, “again it’s, Liora.”
Lovelyn apologized for the slip of her tongue. “Should I get you coffee?”
“Nah,” wagging her head, “I’ve just been worried that the audit files you brought yesterday are a little inconsistent and incomplete.”
“Oh that!” Lovelyn's face lighting up, “the rest of the files are with Mr. Jason Reeds upstairs.”
The name again forced Liora to swallow hard. “Can you please get it for me?”
Lovelyn stared in shock, “me? I can’t. Only the managers and other summoned executives go to Mr. Jason’s office. Not even on important occasions.”
Liora calmed herself with a deep breath, “alright.”
“Talking about occasions, Ma’am, are you done with his daily briefings?”
Liora's ears tingled, “daily briefings? What’s that?”
Lovelyn’s jaws dropped, her eyes displaying her worry for Liora. “I thought you knew, it’s the daily briefings he has with the manager and other company associates thirty minutes before work hours.”
Liora swiftly lifting her wristwatch to her face. “s**t! It’s just ten minutes before work hours!” jolting to her feet and dashing out of her office towards the elevator but it was filled up.
Her legs fidgeting, “stairs!” Dashing for it with all of her might. By the time she stood on his floor and in front of his office, she was dripping of sweat.
KNOCK KNOCK
“Come in!” a femme voice responded from within. The door opened automatically. His glass walls, instead of transparent were tinted black. Such that those within would see you clearly while from the outside, seeing was nearly impossible.
“You must be the new manager?” With a smile she knocked on another decoded office, the glass automatically parted. “Goodluck!” She said with a thumbs up as Liora stepped into the office.
The first thing she felt was the tension in the room. All the associates seated, cold sweats breaking on their foreheads despite the air conditioning.
“Look who finally decided to join us!” Jason hurled at her.
Her eyes stared at him hungrily. It was their first encounter. Noticing his height, broad shoulders, perfectly shaved beards on his chiseled chin. Blonde hair was permed and styled to match his outfit. If only he wore a smile she would jump at him instead his stern expression amplified the strictness she heard about.
“Are you done staring?” Jason asked with his hands locked behind him.
“I’m…sorry…I…didn’t…”
“Would you stop stuttering and speak fluently?!” His firm tone gave her swift composure.
“Sorry sir…I was unaware of this meeting.”
He giggled, facing the other associates. “I’m sure this kid thought being a manager just means having a fancy office and driving a nice car.”
They all forced a laughter to please his ego.
Liora, a little spite, made subtle steps towards a chair.
“What do you think you are doing?”
Widening her eyes to stare at the obvious, “pulling a chair to sit.”
A stifled laughter escaped his lips, “You don’t get to come late and sit. Stand there and ensure you take note of every detail of this meeting.”
Her mouth opened, but there were no words, just obedience.
“So gentlemen, as we were saying before, we were rudely interrupted.”
Facing the drawing board, he spoke about company goals at a very fast pace. Querying associates whose daily target was low.
“That will be all for today.”
Liora nearly jumped in excitement, her legs were aching from standing so long in her pointy heels. All associates marched out with relief. “Goodluck!” They muffled at her as they exited.
Attempting to join them when her name echoed in the boardroom.
Technically, not her name but, “kiddo!”
Biting her tongue from arguing, “Yes?” pulling back into the room.
“Here!” Pulling a huge heap of dusty documents. These are the audit reports for the last six months. I need you to tally them up and make a detailed report of how the company's finances were spent for me.”
Just nodding, she dragged the documents to herself.
“And I need it before the day runs out.” Her ears tingled, leg froze as she turned. “Sir?” Just the few audit files for one week she was unable to finish reviewing them the previous day. How on earth could she finish the audit for six months in a day?
“Are you deaf? I said, tally them up and bring them before the day runs out.” His eyes narrowing, “if I were you I’ll order a ton of coffee.”
- Writer
