Contract Marriage; Fated Love

She walked steadily to the elevator and got in. She opened her office door and everything was normal. She heaved a sigh of relief. She didn’t know she was in for a shocker that morning. She input her codes on the drawer and pulled it open. Her design of a few days ago was missing. Where could it be? She had taken time to make that draft that day and she was not going to find it funny if it went missing. She ransacked her drawers in search of it but it had disappeared into thin air.

“I am sure I left it here. Right here. That’s where it was. I returned from the ceo’s office and thought of how to keep this safe. I checked the table and I guessed the drawer was the safest place. Yes. Then why is it not there?” she asked herself while calling to mind what happened that day.

She searched for about ten minutes in all possible and impossible places but she didn’t see it. She sat down on her seat in dejection and tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to fall at any moment.

There was a soft knock on the door. She wiped her tears and tried to act like all was well.

“Yes, come in.”

The ceo’s secretary walked in.

“Good morning Miss Muxin. The CEO wants to see you.”

“Alright. Thank you,” she replied but the secretary had already left.

“Please, he shouldn’t ask for the design till I figure out what to do,” she prayed.

Sadly, her prayer wasn’t answered.

“Can I see the design again?” President Night asked without waiting for any formalities.

“Good morning sir.”

“Morning. The design,” he answered almost impatiently.

Emily didn’t know what to do. Telling the CEO that she was looking for the design will portray her an undisciplined and incompetent person. At the same time, she didn’t want to tell lies that might lead her to trouble.

“Miss Muxin?” President Night called to her when she didn’t reply to his question.

She finally mustered courage and decided to tell the truth. It wasn’t her fault it happened after all.

“Sir… President.. Pre.. Sir…” she stammered.

His cold gaze swept through her and he studied her silently increasing her unease. The look on his face seemed he was expecting her to say something that would create a bad image and impression of her.

“Sir, I got to my office this morning and I found out that the design was missing. But I will make another one right away, sir. I am very sorry.”

She waited for him to yell at her and tell her how incompetent and inept she was but she didn’t hear anything. She raised her head and found him looking at her closely. She didn’t know what he was thinking. When he finally spoke, he asked a question that surprised her.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“Where did you keep it?”

“Sir… in my drawers sir.”

“And what’s the pass code?”

“6205”

“Default?”

“Yes sir.”

“Why didn’t you change it? Do you never think security?”

“I am sorry sir. I never thought it could go missing from the office. I promise to be more careful next time.”

“When will the new design be ready?”

“Tomorrow morning sir.”

“No. I want it today. We don’t have time on our side.”

“Okay sir.”

“Go then and be fast about it.”

“Thank you sir.”

Emily sighed and looked wearily at her table. She didn’t know where and how to begin again. She was also given a time limit. It had to be ready that day! She took out her phone and decided to do something that will calm her a bit so that she would be ready for work.

President Night smiled after she left. He had wanted to tell her that he had taken a photo of her design that day but he didn’t want her to have things done easier. It might make her careless next time. He had snapped the design that day so that he would study it further. He wanted nothing but the best and devoted his time and energy to it. When he showed the design to his best friend, he was amazed and he told him that was the best design he could ever come across. He further told him to hold Emily tight and not let her go. His friend believed that if Emily continued at that rate and pace, the Ye Sheting company would win the competition.

His friend’s opinion on the matter made him admire Emily and he started to see her in a different light. He saw her as an industrious and competent young girl. He no longer thought her too young for her job.

Earlier that morning, Xian had come to his office to lay a complaint about the new designer.

“Good morning President Night.”

“How are you Xian?”

Xian was Night’s friend and employee. He enjoyed a few privileges as a result of their friendly relationship.

“Sit, Xian. What’s with the troubled look on your face?”

“It’s about the new fashion designer. She isn’t who we think she is. She is highly unskilled.”

“Why do you say so? Haven’t you seen some of her designs?”

“That’s the problem. Those designs aren’t hers probably. She must have taken them from somewhere. You know how a lot of people eyed this position.”

“This is serious. How did you find out?”

“She submitted her design to me yesterday and it was qwack. I asked her a few things about it and she was unable to explain in professional terms. You know how much we want this prize and can’t settle for less. We need to hire someone better. Someone who will give us what we want and in record time.”

“Okay. I will look into the matter and take necessary actions. Thanks for your findings.”

It was then that it dawned on President Night that Xian was not happy about the selection. He had rejected his candidate and and he was bitter. He could have believed the story but Xian hadn’t done his findings well. Fortunately for Emily, she scaled through.