Shay's POV
The next morning, I sat down for breakfast, bracing myself for what I knew was coming. Mom gave me that lookâthe one I hatedâand signaled for the maid to refill her coffee. I ignored her and kept my focus on my food, eating faster, anticipating the lecture that was sure to follow.
"Well, this is new," she said, raising an eyebrow. "I thought you always had something to do in the mornings, which is why you never eat breakfast at home."
"I do have things to do," I replied quickly, shoveling some food into my mouth. "But today seemed like a nice day to enjoy my breakfast for once."
It was a lie, of course, but one I knew she wouldn't question.
She wasn't aware that I'd been working at C&E Holdings in secret. The job was a way out, a chance for me to take control of my life, but my parents had no idea. They already had their plans for meâplans that didn't include working for someone else or pursuing my own dreams.
"Remember my friend Topanga?" she began again. "She has a son, same age as you. He graduated from Stanford with a Business Administration degree. He even showed up at the restaurant yesterday to take her to the salon. He's very handsome in personâwell-mannered, sweet, and such a catch."
There it was, the dreaded conversation I'd heard a thousand times before. I forced myself to take a sip of my coffee, then put the cup down in front of me, meeting her eyes.
"And your point is?" I asked, my voice flat.
She leaned back in her chair, wearing that look she always wore when she was trying to convince me of something.
"He's husband material."
I groaned and rolled my eyes, throwing my napkin on the table in frustration.
"Oh for god's sake, Mom! Not this again."
"We will keep having this conversation until we find the right guy for you, whether you like it or not," she retorted, her voice unwavering. "Your father and I have already discussed it. If you don't want to join the family business, then marriage is your option."
A sharp, bitter taste filled my mouth as I folded my arms. This was their plan: control me more by forcing me into a marriage I didn't want.
"Like I've told you a hundred times, I don't want to get married!" My voice rose, frustration bubbling over. "I have plans for my future, for things I want to do. Getting married to someone I don't even know is not part of the plan!"
She didn't flinch, just took another sip of her coffee and shrugged.
"He won't be a stranger for long. We can arrange dates for you two to meet and get to know each other better before we discuss wedding details with his family."
I felt the rage and sadness building inside me, threatening to explode. My fists clenched tightly as I tried to hold back the tears threatening to fall. I knew this fight was far from over, but I wasn't giving in.
"Momâ" I started, but my sentence was cut off when one of the maids suddenly appeared with my phone in hand.
"Your phone, miss."
I took the phone from her, still confused, and glanced at the missed call. Before I could even check the number, it rang again, and when I saw the first three digits of the number, my heart skipped a beat.
It was from C&E Holdings.
I looked at Mom, and before she could say anything, I stood up.
"Excuse me," I said, trying to sound casual as I walked away. Her eyes narrowed at me, but I didn't give her a chance to protest before I walked out the back patio door.
I answered the phone, already dreading the conversation.
"Hello?"
"Hi, this is Maryanne from C&E Holdings. I'm calling to speak with Miss Kellen." Her voice was as monotone as ever.
"This is she," I replied, glancing over my shoulder as I stepped outside.
"Hello, Miss Kellen. I'm calling on behalf of Mr. Cartwright. He would like to speak with you about an important matter today. If you're free, could you please drop by around noon?"
An important matter?
My confusion deepened. What could Jason possibly want to discuss with me?
"Did he say what it's about?"
"I'm afraid not," she answered. "But please make your way to the boardroom on the third floor when you arrive. That will be all. Have a good day."
The call ended abruptly, and I stared at my phone, still processing the strange request.
What could Jason possibly want with me?
As much as I wasn't looking forward to seeing him again, at least I'd be able to see Sylvia there, too.
I sighed deeply, wondering what kind of mess I was walking into.
OoO
As soon as I stepped into the building, a wave of nostalgia hit me.
The familiar scent of the place, the hum of the elevator, the hustle of everyone rushing aroundâit all brought back memories of my old routine. I had missed the daily grind. Even though it had only been two days since I was fired, I already longed for the hustle of rushing into the elevator, balancing my coffee while trying not to spill it.
Now that I wasn't working anymore, everything felt stagnant and boring.
I took the elevator up to the third floor, my heart racing a little as I made my way toward the boardroom. The nerves were creeping in now that I was here. As I stopped in front of the double doors, I took a deep breath and forced a small smile, pushing the door open and stepping inside.
But when I saw who was waiting for me, my heart sank. Jason and Jaliyah both stood there, looking at me with an intensity that made me feel like I had walked into something I wasn't prepared for.
"Miss Kellen, glad you came," Jason said with a tight-lipped smile.
I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the tight knot in my throat, and forced myself to step inside.
"I'm really happy that you could come," Jaliyah added, her smile a little too bright for my comfort.
I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow, my confusion evident. Seeing Jaliyah again made me resent this whole situation. I regretted answering the phone now, especially if she was involved.
"Why am I here?" I asked, cutting to the chase.
Jason opened his mouth, but Jaliyah quickly interrupted, stepping forward with a look of desperationâone that I was sure was fake.
"Please, Shay, I really needed to talk to you. Just give me a chance," she pleaded.
I rolled my eyes internally. Whatever this was, I was already over it.
"Fine, whatever. Let's just get this over with," I said, taking a seat at the table.
Jaliyah's face lit up, and I caught a glimpse of Jason smiling at her. He nodded at us both and excused himself, leaving us alone in the room.
"Well, I'll leave you ladies to talk in private. I'll check in with you two later," he said, walking toward the door.
Just before he opened it, he leaned in closer to me, his breath brushing my ear.
"Try to be nice this time," he whispered, sending a shiver down my spine, before smirking and leaving the room.
I couldn't help but feel hot all over. What was that? Why did that moment feel so...charged? I quickly shook off the thought. I wasn't here to analyze Jason's weird energy.
I turned my attention back to Jaliyah, who was seated across from me, still wearing that smile.
"Have a seat," she gestured, and I walked over, sitting down with confusion still swirling in my mind.
"I owe you an apology for what happened the other day," Jaliyah started, her voice more sincere than I expected. "It was all my fault, and you lost your job because of me. I'm really sorry, Shay. I never meant for that to happen."
I raised an eyebrow, suspicious of her sudden change in tone.
"That's it? That's what you wanted to talk about?" I asked.
She closed her eyes for a moment, looking like she was holding back tears, before opening them again, her gaze pleading.
"Look, I don't know what kind of connections you have, but please, I'm begging you, I don't want any trouble for my business. My father and I have already gone through bankruptcy once, and I can't go through that again. I'm begging you to forgive me. I've already spoken to Jason, and he'll give you your position back. It's all settled. Can we just pretend like what happened never happened?"
I almost laughed at how easily she slipped into the role of a desperate woman, begging for forgiveness. It was obvious this was just another move to protect herself.
"Okay. We'll pretend it never happened," I said, leaning back in my chair. "But just so we're clear, if you try anything funny again, bankruptcy won't be the only thing you'll face."
She nodded quickly, wiping away what I assumed were fake tears, and smiled at me gratefully.
"Thank you, Shay. Maybe we can hang out someday, become friends?" she suggested.
I shot her a tight-lipped smile. "Don't count on it."
She got up, smiled one last time, and walked out of the room. I sat there for a few more minutes, processing everything that had just happened. I was getting my job back, but I wasn't sure what the cost of this would be.
I left the boardroom, heading to the elevator, and smiled when I saw Sylvia coming through the front entrance. I jogged toward her, my heart lifting with the thought of seeing her again.
"Um, hi! What are you doing here?" she asked, surprised.
"Something happened today," I replied with excitement in my voice.
"Oh yeah?" she asked, intrigued.
"I got my job back," I said with a grin. "And an apology from someone."
She frowned. "From who?"
I shrugged, shaking my head.
"It doesn't matter. The important thing is that I'm back and we'll be working together again!"
We both laughed, the excitement bubbling between us. But before we could say more, Jason suddenly appeared in front of us.
"Miss Kellen," he said, giving me a sharp look. "How was the talk with Jaliyah Keng?"
I glanced at Sylvia, who shot me a look before quickly looking away and smiling at Jason. I could see the tension between them, but I wasn't about to comment on it.
"It was okay," I said. "We've decided to resolve things with no hard feelings, so we're good."
Jason nodded, slipping his hands into his pockets.
"I'm glad that worked out. Did she mention that you'll be getting your job back?"
I smiled and nodded. "She did."
"Good," he said, giving me a hard look. "You can start tomorrow. Also, we're hosting a company dinner to celebrate our new partnership with a client, and you're invited. Just so you know, Jaliyah may have begged for you to come back, but I didn't. I'm still not pleased with your behavior, so I hope we can avoid any more conflicts in the future. Are we clear, Miss Kellen?"
I nodded slowly, feeling small under his intense gaze. It was impossible not to feel like I was under a microscope when he looked at me that way.
"Good. I'll see you tomorrow," he said, walking past us and out the door.
I turned to watch him leave, feeling that familiar, strange pull in my chest. I couldn't explain itâthis connection I felt with him, this odd energy that seemed to follow him everywhere he went. Whatever it was, I couldn't shake it, and I wasn't sure if I even wanted to.
But one thing was for sureâI was willing to find out, even if it meant more awkward moments and embarrassing conversations.