Bab 1: THE PROPOSAL
"Charlie! Come see! Be quick!" Natalie shouted, her eyes gleaming as she stared at her phone screen.
"What is it? You know I'm busy with paperwork while you just..." A lady in her mid twenties trailed off, rubbing the fatigue from her eyes, her blonde hair mussed from leaning on her hands as she came out from a room.
"Look." Natalie interrupted, shoving the phone in front of Charlie.
Charlie's emerald eyes widened as she looked at the screen. "What is this, Natalie? Is this true? Oh my God!" she exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hand.
Another woman trailed into the room behind Charlie, her face mirroring the same fatigue and curiosity that had been etched on Charlie's features just moments before.
As she walked to them frowning "What's all the commotion? It's only 10 am."
Natalie turned to her, opening her mouth to explain, but the woman didn't let her get a word out. She snatched the phone from Natalie's hand, her eyes locking onto the screen.
"I don't do patience, remember?" she said, her voice firm.
"Rachel, something has—" Natalie began, but the woman didn't let her finish.
"Ah!" Her eyes widened in astonishment as she read the message aloud, her voice trembling with excitement. "To Charlotte Bennett, CEO of CB Event Ltd... We are pleased to inform you that Elite Group has reviewed and accepted your proposal." Rachel's face lit up with a beaming smile as she turned to face Charlie and Natalie. "We did it! We actually got accepted! How on earth did we pull this off?"
"I don't know." Charlie shook her head slowly, trying to process everything. Was this a prank or an unexpected miracle? She wondered as she slumped onto the old couch beside her. Elite Group was one of the most prestigious companies in Meadow Brooke, owned by the Grande family, the wealthiest family in the city. This gala was going to be the highlight of the city, and they had just accepted her proposal to plan it! It was too good to be true. Out of all the biggest event planning companies, why had they chosen her small-scale company that was already struggling?
"Charlie, are you sure this isn't a mistake or typo from their organization?" Natalie asked, pulling her from her reverie.
"Huh?" Charlie looked up.
"She might be right," Rachel added. "It could be a mistake. You know, CBI Event Ltd. is kind of similar to our name, CB Event, and let's not forget, they are the biggest event planning company in Meadow Brooke..."
"No!" Charlie exclaimed, standing up from the couch. "I'm going to their headquarters now. This can't be a mistake."
****
ELITE GROUP HEADQUARTERS
COPORATE EVENTS DEPARTMENT
A petite young woman cowered as papers rained down on her, her voice trembling with apology. "I'm so sorry, sir. It was a mistake."
A middle-aged man standing in front of her, his large glasses slipping down his nose, sneered at her. "You're sorry?" He hurled another document at her, his anger boiling over.
The woman flinched, her words spilling out in a desperate bid to explain. "Mr. Hugh, I thought it was CBI Event Ltd., not CB..." She bit her lip, anticipating another onslaught, as Hugh's face turned red with rage.
"My God!" he exploded, clutching his temples. Someone would pay for this blunder, and it wouldn't be him. That incompetent intern who sent the acceptance email to the wrong company would face his wrath.
Mr. Hugh leaned in closer, his eyes blazing as he demanded, "Who told you to send the email?"
"Miss Grace, sir." The intern trembled, her hands shaky as she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose.
Mr. Hugh's glare narrowed, his voice dripping with disdain. "Miss Grace Owens?"
The intern nodded, wide-eyed. With a Curt gesture, Mr Hugh barked, "Call her right now." pointing towards the door.
The intern hurried to obey but was stopped by the desk secretary. "Sir, there's a lady in the reception room wanting to speak with the Corporate Event Team manager. She has an email from the company stating that..."
Mr. Hugh's frown deepened, and he waved his hand dismissively. "Let her in."
As the intern beat a hasty retreat, Mr. Hugh's voice boomed after her. "Call Grace now, and be sure to be here with her. You girls have some explaining to do for your mistakes."
****
Charlotte let out a sigh tapping her foot anxiously. She gazed at her fingers fighting the temptation to bite on them. While attempting to compose herself she observed the decor of the waiting area appreciating its elegance. It was her first time in Elite Group Company. She found herself in awe of its grandeur. Gaining entry hadn't been easy; she had to show the email to confirm her purpose. Biting her lips, she watched the receptionist speaking on the phone. It seemed the receptionist was talking about her arrival, as she occasionally glanced in her direction. Despite the air conditioner being set to its highest, Charlie suddenly began to feel uncomfortably hot.
"Come with me, please." The receptionist smiled as she stood up.
"Of course." Charlotte sprang up, as she exhaled deeply as she followed the receptionist.
SOME MINUTES LATER
Charlotte felt her legs grow weak, wondering why she was disappointed when she had considered the possibility of the acceptance being a mistake. After all, why would a large company like Elite Group choose her small-scale business, which was on the verge of collapsing due to debt, to host their gala?
"What am I going to tell the girls?" she whispered to herself, as she felt like crying. Quickening her pace, she walked down the hallway lost in her thoughts and suddenly bumped into someone, sending the files scattering across the floor.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! I wasn't paying attention," she exclaimed, crouching down to gather her papers.
The man bent down to help her. "No problem at all. Let me help you with these. Are you alright, Orchid?" he asked, a playful smile on his face.
Charlotte looked up, puzzled and slightly flustered. The first thing she noticed were his striking blue eyes, followed by his chiseled features and annoying yet charming smile. He was, undeniably, extremely handsome. "Um, my name is Charlotte, not Orchid."
"I know. You just remind me of an orchid. Delicate and beautiful," he replied, handing her a stack of papers.
"Uh, thank you, I guess. But I really need to get going," she said, trying to hide her embarrassment.
"In a hurry to get somewhere? Or just away from me?" he teased, his blue eyes twinkling with amusement.
"No...? I just have a lot on my mind. I've got go." Charlotte explained, standing up and adjusting her files.
At that moment, another man approached them. "Hey, she's not the new secretary you were planning to flirt with," he informed the handsome man, glancing at Charlotte.
The handsome man shook his head, smirking. "Doesn't matter. She's worth a try anyway." He turned back to Charlotte, his expression nonchalant. "How about you give me your number? We could grab a coffee sometime."
Charlotte's eyes widened in disbelief and anger. "Excuse me? I'm not some random girl you can just hit on," she snapped, her tone sharp but polite.
The man's annoying smile didn't falter. "Come on, it's just a number. No harm in that."
Charlotte sighed deeply, her frustration boiling over. "I don't appreciate being treated like some object of your amusement. Have a good day," she said firmly, turning to leave.
"Hey, no need to get so defensive," he called after her, still smiling. "I'll be seeing you around, Orchid,"
Charlotte walked away, her thoughts now a mix of frustration and curiosity about the handsome but infuriating stranger she had just met.
"What was that, Sebastian? That girl just rejected you," the man commented, placing a hand on his shoulder as if to comfort him.
"I know, Raymond. I'm as surprised as you are," Sebastian said, sticking out his tongue in amusement as his eyes followed the direction Charlotte had walked.
Just then, the intern hurried past them, but Sebastian caught up to her. "Hey, Pretty Rose, where are you off to?" he asked, his tone friendly.
The intern paused, turning to face them with a slight bow. "Good afternoon Vice President and Senior Team Manager."
Sebastian's expression turned playful, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Pretty Rose, I told you to always call me Sebastian or Mr. Sebastian for formalities."
The intern apologized, her eyes darting down the hallway. "I am sorry sir."
Sebastian's gaze followed hers, his curiosity piqued. "Who does the wallet belong to?" he asked, nodding toward her hand.
The intern explained, "A lady who just left the office forgot her wallet, so I'm returning it."
Suddenly his smirk grew, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Is this lady in question, a blonde?"
The intern nodded quickly, "Yes sir."
Sebastian chuckled, glancing at Raymond with a knowing look. "I knew I'd be seeing her around."
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