Chapter 7: A Call From Susan.
The day passed uneventfully, and as the clock-out time approached, Mia found herself frequently glancing at the CEO's office door, waiting for him to leave so she could follow suit. Though she wasn't lazy, the day's stress had taken its toll, and sitting for hours had left her feeling drained.
As she waited, the CEO finally emerged from his office. Mia stood up, asking,
"Sir, do you need something?"
He replied,
"No, I don't," he said before heading out. Just as he was about to leave, he turned back and said with a hint of a smile,
"Don't work so late, go home."
He said before finally leaving the office.
Mia felt a wave of relief wash over her as she watched him leave.
"Finally, I can go home," she thought, smiling to herself.
She began packing her belongings and prepared to leave.
As she exited the office, she ran into some colleagues who were also heading home. However, Piper was nowhere to be seen, prompting Mia to ask,
"Where's Piper?"
Colleague A replied,
"She had something urgent to attend to, so she left work early."
Mia nodded understandingly, and the group chatted and laughed as they walked to the train station together.
As I arrived home, exhaustion washed over me, but a happy smile still lingered on my face.
"It was a fulfilling day,"
I thought to myself.
.....
It has been a year since have been working as the CEO's secretary at VEE Cooperations, and the past 1 year had been a wild ride.
I'd witnessed my boss's sharp wit, which had me totally stanning him.
The way he effortlessly skewered annoying partners had me giggling.
Plus, the company had given me an amazing car and house, and my pay had increased significantly. I no longer had to worry about rent, and the employee benefits were incredible.
However, there is always a down side to everything.The benefits came with a hefty workload, leaving me stressed.
"I feel like crying, but I have no tears," I said, my face mourning.
It was finally the weekend, and I was looking forward to some well-deserved rest. But life had other plans. Just as I settled into my sofa to watch a TV drama, my phone rang. It was Susan, my best friend whom I'd never met in person. We only talked on the phone.
The phone rang a few times before I answered. Seeing Susan's name on the screen brought a smile to my face. "What's up, baby girl?" I said, but there was only silence.
I checked my phone to see if the call had dropped, but it hadn't.
"Hello? Helloooo? Susan, are you there?"
I asked, growing worried. Still, there was no response. All I could hear was her faint breathing, which told me she was on the line, but she wasn't speaking.
Her silence was starting to annoy me.
"If you don't answer me in five seconds, I'll hang up and won't pick up your calls again,"
I warned, my tone stern.
"5, 4, 3, 2..." Before I could say "1," she interrupted me.
"Mia, you really don't have any chill," she said, her voice tinged with sadness.
I shot back, "Will having chill get me $8 billion or make me the richest woman on earth?"
Susan sounded unconvinced. "You really are unbelievable." I noticed her tone and asked,
"Are you okay? You don't sound like the Susan I know. Did something happen?"
She sighed and told me about a fierce argument with her family over an arranged marriage they had set up for her. She'd refused, and they'd thrown her out of the house. I was taken aback.
"Where are you staying now?" I asked, concerned.
"At a hotel," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
Then she asked,
"Mia, can you help me?"
"Help you?" I repeated, confused.
"Yes, help me. Can you take me in, please?"
Susan begged, her voice filled with desperation.
"What do you mean, take you in? You're staying at a hotel, right?" I asked, confused.
Susan explained,
"My dad cut off my credit card, and I'm broke. I don't even have money for the hotel bill, let alone food. Please help me, bestie. Your best friend is in big trouble."
Her voice cracked as she spoke, and I could imagine tears streaming down her face.
"The hotel staff says I'll get arrested if I don't pay. You're the only person I know who can help me, which is why I called you."
I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache coming on.
"So, I am the only person you know, and yet you checked into a hotel instead of calling me to take you in? Only now that you're in a bind did you think of me?"
I said, feeling offended.
Susan's response was pitiful.
"I didn't want to disturb you."
I raised an eyebrow.
"So, you're not disturbing me now?"
"Susan, if I didn't know you, I'd fall for that pitiful act. But we've been friends for a while. You know me, and I know you. We may not have met, but we know each other like the back of our hands. Stop pretending; I'm not buying it," I said with a disdainful smile.
Susan's face lit up with a sly grin.
"You caught me."
Her expression turned silly.
"You're a drama queen. When will you ever be serious?" I asked, shaking my head.
Susan laughed saying,
"Probably when pigs fly or chickens poop gold." I chuckled.
"You're a weird human being. Has anyone ever told you that?"
Susan's response was quick.
"You got it wrong. I'm not weird; I'm special, okay, wifey?"
"Whatever, I can never win an argument with you,"
I said with a smile.
"Anyway, where are you? Let me go there and be the knight that saves the damsel in distress," I said, playing along.
Susan laughed.
"How cheesy."
I chuckled.
"Whatever, let me change first, and then I'll come to you. Which hotel are you staying at?"
"SKY Hotel," she replied.
"Okay, on my way," I said. We wrapped up the call, exchanging "byes" before hanging up.
I got up, changed, and left the house, shaking my head.
"What a happy weekend," I muttered to myself, chuckling at the unexpected turn of events.