Chapter 3: Megan, the big boss
Chapter - 03
'Mind your steps,' it was after she entered the room that Habiba understood the meaning behind the words spoken by Amber.
While Habiba had this certain image built in her head of the boss, they were about to meet, and she was expecting a clean and tidy office when she entered, with the boss elegantly working on her desk. Contrary to her expectations, the office was a mess. Even calling it a dumpsite won't be an exaggeration.
Numerous dresses were dumped all over the place, be it on the table or the sofa. As Habiba looked around the room, all she could see were various pieces of fabric, mannequins wearing beautiful dresses and countless sheets of paper with drawings drawn on them scattered all over the floor.
Habiba looked around to find a single tidy place to set her foot when her gaze stopped on the woman wearing a black skirt and white shirt. She was surely the boss. With her back towards them, the woman leaned on her desk. And she was so into whatever she was doing that she didn't even turn around to greet the guests.
"Megan," Amber called out from behind.
"Hmmm..." the lady boss responded without turning back.
"The new joinee is here," Amber told Megan, the boss.
"Unhuun..."
"Will you pay attention to me? I have more things to do and not just stand here, attending to you," Amber hit out at Megan.
"Fine... Fine... Fine... Just take a chill pill, Timber. I am really doing something important here," Megan placed back the pen she had in her hand and turned to look at Amber.
'Timber?' Habiba looked around in confusion, 'Where is the timber here?' But when she saw the lady turn towards them, this question was not the only thing she had in her mind. With her chestnut-coloured hair done in a bun, the lady in front of her was wearing round, rimless glasses, and she looked absolutely stunning. Habiba could not take her eyes off Megan's face.
Megan, on the other hand, was confused to see a complete stranger in the room. Raising her eyebrows, Megan turned towards Amber, hoping that she would explain the situation to her.
"Were you even listening to what I was saying earlier?" Amber asked with her arms crossed across her chest. She was not giving any face to her boss in front of Habiba.
"Of... Of course, I was listening to you. My eyes were there," Megan said as she pointed to her desk, "But my ears... They were all towards you... Yeah... Yeah, totally on you..." Megan said as she stammered, trying to make Amber believe.
"Then what did I say?" Amber asked. She was on point with every word of hers instead of beating around the bush.
"You said about... about that thing... you know... the thing about," Megan had no idea what excuse to make, then her eyes suddenly found hope in the unknown girl, "Leave me aside for a while. But where are your manners? How can you ignore our guest so brazenly?"
"Hello, Miss...?" Megan averted her eyes from Amber. She then very politely greeted Habiba, who was standing beside Amber but a couple of steps back.
"H... Hi. I am..." Getting Megan's attention on her, Habiba nodded and was about to introduce herself when Amber showed the back of her palm to Habiba and stopped her.
'Shit!' Megan thought in her mind, but with a smile on her face, she asked Amber, "Why did you interrupt her?"
Amber, on the other hand, continued to stare at Megan with her deadly, piercing eyes without saying a word.
"C'mon... Don't be like that. Fine... I admit I was not paying attention, but it won't happen again. Promise," with her hand up in the air, Megan admitted, "But I was really doing something important."
Amber nodded and put her hand down. "Now that you have admitted your mistake, I will let go of this matter for now."
"Hitler," Megan muttered to herself.
But Amber ignored the murmuring and looked at Habiba, gesturing for her to come forward, "She is our new joinee, Habiba. You remember the spring designs I showed you last week?" Amber introduced Habiba to Megan once again.
"The spring designs?" Megan did not remember when she heard Amber. Putting her fingers on her chin, she gave it some thought.
"Oh, are you talking about that one? Which we thought was kind of unique but not very refined?" Megan asked as she remembered the designs.
"Yeah, those. We decided to set up a meeting with the designer and offer the contract. So, here she is, Habiba, the designer behind those designs," Amber introduced.
"Aahh... Nice to meet you. I am Megan, the one behind the running of this company," Megan extended her hand for a handshake and introduced herself. Habiba reciprocated with a handshake.
"Ahem... Ahemm..." Amber coughed, clearing her throat when she heard Megan.
"Hehehe... Well, one of many running this company," Megan gave a sheepish smile to Habiba and changed her words.
"By the way, why are you saying she is the new joinee? We still haven't offered the job, and she still hasn't signed the contract," Megan asked.
"Well, as long as you don't blow it up and make her think of this place as nothing but a circus run by a klutz. I am sure I can get her to join," Megan replied.
Hearing Amber, Megan hurried towards her and entangled her arms around hers, "Can't you be a tad bit less brutal and criticising in front of the stranger? After all, even though I am the one burning all the money in this company and don't like to throw my weight around. I am still the CEO of this company," Megan whispered to Amber. She was indirectly trying to imply a lot of things.
"I will," Amber nodded to Megan's surprise. Hearing Amber, Megan sighed in relief. But her following words stumped Megan over, "I will, the day you act like my CEO," Amber said and turned towards Habiba with a smile, "Let's sit down and discuss the details."
Walking past Megan, Amber led Habiba, and the two of them sat on the chairs in front of Megan's desk. Appalled by Amber's words, Megan stood there rooted on the spot processing the former's words.
"Aren't you going to join us, boss?" Amber called out from behind. It was Amber's voice that brought Megan out of her stupor. She turned around and found Amber and Habiba sitting comfortably, waiting for her to join.
"Oh, yes... yes..." Megan walked back to her chair and sat in front of the two of them.
What followed was an awkward silence. On one hand, Megan, with a pleasant smile, continued to stare at Habiba while Habiba was nervously looking at the two other ladies in turns.
"Boss, shall we start?" Amber politely reminded Megan that it was her turn to speak up.
Surprised, Megan leaned back and looked at Amber, confused. And pointing the finger at herself, she gestured, 'Is it my turn now?'
Amber nodded, 'Oh well, what can I do? You are, after all, the CEO. But if you are willing to make me the CEO, I am more than happy to take over.'
Megan shook her head hard, 'Not in your wildest dreams.'
Amber shrugged, 'Not that I am coveting it. I don't care.'
Habiba, on the other hand, looked at Megan and Amber, raising their eyebrows, nodding and shrugging at one another. She was confused by their conduct. But she had no idea that just with the flickering of their eyebrows, the CEO's seat was being negotiated.
It took some time, but when Megan and Amber remembered Habiba, Megan awkwardly laughed, looking at her, "Haha...ha... I am really sorry. We were just discussing something."
"... Well, Alibaba, I have to say your designs were really interesting. Everyone in the design department felt that with a bit of polishing, your designs are worth taking forward." Megan sat straight and asked, "Can I ask where did you graduate from?"
Habiba, on the other hand, lost track of what Megan said after Alibaba. She already was confused with the timber thing, but now Alibaba? She could connect the dots and conclude that Timber was for Amber and Alibaba for her.
Confused, Habiba turned to Amber, who was already smiling at her. Amber was expecting Habiba to look at her for answers.
Amber leaned forward and whispered in Habiba's ear, "Don't mind what she calls you. Megan has..." Amber paused, "A thing for forgetting names."
'What?' Though she did not say it out loud, the expression on Habiba's face was more than enough to understand how odd she found the situation to be.
"Is there some problem?" Megan, when saw the two of them whisper to each other and the odd, confused expression on Habiba's face, couldn't help but ask.
"It's nothing," Habiba hurriedly got her emotions in check and replied, "Could you please repeat what you asked?"
"I wanted to know which fashion school you graduated from?" Megan also chose not to dwell on the matter and asked again.
"Sorry, I haven't graduated yet, and I am not from any fashion or design school," Habiba dropped the bomb on the two others in the room.
* * * * *
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone