C̶H̶A̶P̶T̶E̶R̶ 2̶
"What the hell are you doing, Caroline?!"
Shit!
He snatched my paper—wait, no!
"What have you even written?" Ugh. Blah blah!
"This is so bad, even pizza without cheese looks gourmet in front of this, oh lord!" Charles, my fearsome manager who has an oh-my-lord syndrome.
And that insult is beyond what I can call unfair.
"This is so bad, my son's toy fight has better storytelling than thi—"
I grabbed his jaw with my hands. Ouch! These thorny hairs on his chin are more horrifying than a headless monkey.
"Enough, sir! I do not deserve this kind of treatment!"
If he tried force, I'd sue his ass. I got the laws, bud.
"Do not deserve this? Oh-my-dearest-lord. We lost our contract with the best construction company because you uploaded your Wattpad—fanfic on my goddamn presentation!"
He pointed his finger at my third eye.
Well, what can we do if this company treats us like trash?
I came here thinking they'd pay well, I'd get a good man. Then I'd settle. But no! What a gig-worker I'm tied with here.
"Sir! I respect you because you are older. But that does not give you! Any! Right! To—!"
My finger bumped on his neck.
He looked at my finger for three absolute seconds, and then—
"Argh! Oh my lord, she is trying to kill me! Everyone here saw, right?!"
He dropped his gaze on every worker.
Well, who'd go against this cruel manager and help me… the princess, the damsel in this lawless world.
"I saw."
"Me too."
"We too."
Shit, loads of frogs filled in this muddy workload. Reverse psychology? No, they need reverse life-logy.
"Now if you did not! Do overtime today! I'll sue you! Then happily rot behind the bars!!" He stuffed his hands in his pocket and cracked his neck like an alpha-...raptor.
"Okay! Okay! I'll do it. Fine!" I raised both of my hands as if I'm caught stealing my manager's black money or some kind of... jewel? Nah, he's not the type to have jewels.
He showed me his back and was leaving.
"I'm going to play golf with some clients, but my eyes will always be on you!"
"Beware, Mr. Charles, if a girl comes into your vanity and gets locked."
He tripped and nearly fell. Was it because of my joke or his weird walking manner? I also know what he meant by 'eyes'—some snitches are here in this 'project' working.
My neighbours.
"I'm married," he muttered as he slammed the door open and left the office.
"Damn." Who was that?
Suzie, enjoying this banter with eyes wider than cameras.
"What are you looking at?" I gave a side-eye. I looked cool, right? I guess. I hope.
Suzie then moved her hand, signaling someone to come here quickly.
Is that... Julius?
"Hide it, quickly." He handed me a phone. I hid it in my pocket as we both stared opposite the meeting room like we were about to be sacrificed for a ritual.
"The birds look pretty today."
"Yeah, I never looked at them like that."
"At the very least, for God's sake. Leave those pretty birds."
"Shut up! I'm not a bird-o-phile. Idiot girl!"
We whispered, moving our heads, as the CEO—yeah, this word has weight—
Gehrmensch Dot. I heard he's pretty hot. If I could have just one chance, I'd have him thirsting for my feet.
And a very big businessman left the meeting room. What was his name?
"Hey Caroline." Yeah, his name was Welver.
Julius was calling me, but I was floating over clouds like a fairy from BARBIE.
Welver from a place named... Versa... Verven... I don't know. My sister also studies in that city.
I badly wanted to be a writer, because my sister does it way better than me. But instead of crashing into a hot, mysterious man, my diary always ends up in the bin.
I guess I'm just good as a reader. Although I never completed a book, it's not my problem.
As soon as those two havocs left, I pulled out the phone.
"What did you do?"
Did he record some illegal deals of our boss? What if they are running a illegal drug-farm? Ooooh, it gives me chills just thinking about that.
"I recorded something," he snickered. What? Am I right for the first time? Is this my detective power? I clueless-ly stared at Julius's face like a ghoul.
"It's their chit-chats I got. Please, please don't leak this info. Or I'll be fired." He then turned the phone on and started the voice recording.
<"You sound like one of the annoying guys I killed.">
As if a snake bit him, Julius switched off the phone and started walking away. Poor guy.
"Hey!" Suzie stopped him. Yeah, we need to know the end.
"Let's hear till the end so you won't be fired," I said kindly. I have never ever threatened anyone in my life.
<"Can... krkr..."> The sound of the phone was crackling and unclear.
<"I need this contract."> Looks like a serious matter. Is he threatening our boss?
<"What if I don't?"> Yeah, boss, show him who's the real one here.
<"...">
"What did they say?"
"Shut up and keep listening."
"Shhh!!"
<"Ok, contract is yours!">
"That easily?" I can't believe that. My emotions so high, I slapped Julius's back.
"Something must've happened," Suzie commented. What could've happened? Gun? A secret?
Whatever happened, this Welver guy seems dangerous as hell.
"Hey!"
Someone peeked.
"Hey! What are you guys talking about?"
Natasha? She's famous in our whole building for her crazy coding skills and tech knowledge. She's a living computer, but also a chill person when it comes to social skills.
Not too dim, not too bright.
"Nothing much."
But still, we can't trust her. Although there's no problem...
Some things should just stay far from being spilled..
There are even rumours that she is the daughter of our director. Some crackhead even spread that she might be—remember, might be—dating the director. The second one would be more than just scandalous.
Imagine if both are true. It would be one of the biggest scandals ever.
"Caroline!!"
I was daydreaming, as I always do. Why not? It's better than this boring world.
"Huh? Yes? Who?"
I panicked, because once I got called out while daydreaming in the middle of a presentation.
"What are you doing?"
Julius stacked some consciousness in me again. I looked at him with a twitching brow and ticking cheek.
"Don't make that face now."
Julius pinched his nose and shut his eyes in concern. Do I look that bad?
"Hey, you look cute too!"
Suzie! My only supporter and real friend here.
"Thanks."
I wiped my non-existent tears and then all three of us stared at Natasha, thinking what to do.
"Hey, do you and dire—Mhmmhnm..!!"
Julius was about to ask that. Doesn't he know the rule? Never ask any rumour directly to the rumoured person.
Well, now that I think again... I should've let him say.
We might have found something even better.
Julius struggled as if he's about to pass out.
"Don't worry! I know what you meant. Leave him."
Natasha spoke in a calm and depressing tone. Why? I think we might hear the truth. She's about to confess.
"Huh?"
Suzie let Julius go and tightened her eyebrows in a complex emotion.
"UGH!!!" A man walked in with blood coming from his lips.
Are we in danger?
Charles?
"Charles! Manager Charles, are you..." There was blood flowing down from his nose and lips, and his eyes were deep red. Suzie and Natasha stood up, Julius gave him a shoulder to stand on. He was coughing badly—God, please, I don't want anything now, please.
He sat down as we asked what happened. He coughed blood. Some worker brought a medical kit and tissue papers. Someone got an ice pack and water.
"Don't worry, there there. Tell us what happened, how did you—" His hand moved and took the glass of water, but his ankle pressed on my breast a bit. I didn't want to pay attention to petty things, but this...
It hurts.
"He..." Manager started to speak, as no one had ever seen something like this happen. A tear formed in his eyes. No, no, no, no, no...
"That bastard!" Suzie and Natasha wiped off his blood, and he laid on the ground with the ice pack on his face.
"Someone call the doctor!" Suzie, out of her personality, cried out.
Relax, relax, Caroline. Everything's fine. He's fine now. God, please don't. I don't want anything to happen to him.
"Hey, every...one. I'm fine."
He sat and took some deep breaths.
"It sucks being a patient."
He's fine now, relax Caroline. Relax.
"How did this happen?" Julius rubbed his back and asked. Did he get hit by a vehicle on his way? No, he only has internal bleeding, no external wounds.
"That bastard Welver. He did it because I was in his way." Charles clenched his fist in anger. I don't know much about him, but if something had happened today... I couldn't imagine the state his family would end up in.
"Welver? That guy in the meeting with our boss?" Julius took the glass cup and slid it to the side.
"He seemed dangerous to me already!" Suzie was acting out of her character. That's how much we all care for him—he's like a close mentor to all of us.
"Should we file a case against him?" Natasha suggested, crouching near us as her legs were covered in thigh-high fishnet stockings.
"We can't win. Even our boss took a step back against him." Charles tried and stood up, wiping off his face.
"Just today was my bad day. Let's forget it."
Surprisingly, no one dared to click a picture this time. Every time something happened, it was already found on social media. But this time? They had fear.
Just who is this Welver?
The sun was going down. I was punching the keyboard with my fingers, preparing the report. Hash! It's nearly done.
"Hey, Caroline!" Charles stood beside me. What is it?
"Yeah?" I looked up at him with doe-eyes, trying to get done with today's overtime.
"Leave already, it's nearly nighttime."
He said what? But the report?
"But the report, sir? Who'll do the report? The presentation is tomorrow."
"I'll do it. Just leave. There isn't good news I'm hearing in this area. You are like a daughter to me. Just call me after you reach home."
Why is he being so nice? Did that guy punch some sense into him? I shouldn't be saying this, but I...
"I can't."
"What?"
"I can't, Sir! I have to complete this report."
"But I'm doing it in your stead. You should be celebrating."
I can't. He's injured yet looking after us since evening.
"You should take some bed rest. I'll be fine." I declared with confident eyes in his. Yet there was a creep surging somewhere within me.
"At the least, here, take some cash and call a trusted cab."
Should I? No, I don't know why but...
I shouldn't.
I refused him and forced him to go. The sun had already set, and my work was done. The whole office was empty, like a creepy haunted house. I locked the glass-framed sliding doors and left the building