Bab 3: I'll show them all
The chirping of birds rose to a crescendo as the sun shone bright and clear through the glass walls of Averna's penthouse, flooding the spacious room with a luminescent glow.
"And another glorious day, Miss Averna," SAI said.
"True, my dear SAI, and I hope you have a great day planned for me today."
Averna rolls over and sits up, her brunette hair in an auburn tangle. "SAI? What time is it?" She yawned and stretched.
"It is almost six o'clock, Miss Averna. Do you need to get ready for today's event?"
"Yes, I suppose I'll have to get ready." Averna twirled her fingers into her tangled bird nest of hair.
"May I suggest you spend a moment reviewing this morning's schedule to prepare you for the day's events?"
"Sure, SAI, please do." She yawned once more, looking around her penthouse.
The board of directors of Verna has scheduled a press conference for eight o'clock this morning. You will be going over the company's new product launch with them."
"Do I ever get a moment of rest?" She groaned, wiping down her face with the tan handkerchief she always carried with her.
"Should I continue?" SAI asked, and a holographic image of a lady's head appeared a few meters in front of Averna.
"I'm fine, SAI. Could you get on with it?" She flung her tan handkerchief across the room.
"Yes, Miss Averna, directors have been in contact with the company's PR department. They have prepared a press release with 10 minutes to go before the scheduled press conference. Should I read it to you now?"
"Not now, SAI." Averna settled in her bed again, with her legs crossed.
"I'll show you a video collage of their plans instead. After you finish the press release, you may find it helpful to see to what lengths they are going to generate support for the new product."
"Sounds like a pain, but sure, SAI. Could you show me?" Averna straightened her posture as the folds on her window closed, the natural source of light gone, then a projection cast its bright light on the makeshift background of file footage of people gathered en masse and speaking in unison about the new product.
"Now, Miss Averna. You may choose to watch this video, or you may read the accompanying press release."
"I'll read the press release, SAI." She rolled her eyes.
"Very well."
Averna sat up in bed, her eyes fixed on the projection and her lips moving as she read the article. Her eyes started to shimmer with emotion as she read the final line: "Verna's new product has been tested on various individuals under controlled conditions with no adverse side effects and can be used for both personal and professional purposes."
She sat up as the projection faded. The window folds open up, allowing natural air in.
"I'll have to call my PR department and make sure they have prepared a proper response to the press. Thank you, SAI."
Averna stood up, removed her white silk robe, and headed towards the bathroom.
"Is there anything else?" Averna inquired as she made her way towards the bathroom.
"This is all I had prepared for today. Is there anything else you need to do?" SAI questioned.
"Not really, SAI. I'll be having my bath and getting ready for the day's work. You have been of great help." She smiled.
"Thank you, Miss Averna. Have a pleasant day."
SAI's holographic head disappeared as Averna entered her bathroom. She turned on the taps to run a bath with a few drops of her favorite bath oil, then she removed her clothes and slipped into the cool water. Soon, with the application of the oil, her skin was aglow.
She lay back and let the water wash over her. She closed her eyes and let her mind wander as the cool water lapped around her and ran down her skin.
She thought back to her years growing up, to the time when she first introduced her perfume Verna to the world. She had been very young then, and she could remember the thrill of that first press conference.
Now she was twenty-four, a beautiful young woman, rich beyond her wildest dreams, yet her success has only gotten bigger as the years have passed, as have untold rivalries and enemies trying to take her down.
She sat up, wiping down her arms and legs.
"Grandfather, I miss you so much." She sniffled, wiping the stray tears away.
Averna made her way out of her bath, grabbed her towel, and changed into her silk dressing gown. She went through her routine every morning. As she clipped her long brunette hair with her plush emerald green cuticles, she remembered the times when she had laid in bed, her grandfather by her side, holding her hand as she fell asleep.
"I have grown stronger, just as you intended. Now I can live on my own and become the person you always wanted me to be. Now no one can trample on me and get away with it. I'll show them, grandfather; I'll show them all." With unwavering determination, Averna straightened her posture, turning her attention away from the mirror and towards the balcony.
The waterfall of natural air pouring into her penthouse, mingled with the scent of her favorite bath oil, seemed to give her strength as she pulled the door and turned her head towards her digital wall clock to get a proper look at the time, which read: '7:35'.
She sucked in a breath. "SAI, I have to leave."
"As you wish, Miss Averna." SAI said. "You have twenty-five minutes before it's eight o'clock in the morning."
"Yeah–yeah !" Averna laughed. "It's not like they could fire me anyway; they work for me, remember?" She reminded her AI.
"Yes, Miss Averna. This gives you even more incentive to depart promptly, enabling you to track down those who neglect their tasks. SAI let out a dry laugh in a few bouts of 'hahaha' to compliment her supposed devious plan.
"You do know that's not funny, don't you, SAI?" Averna retorted.
"It is, if you say it with a 'hahaha', Miss Averna." SAI went back to being serious.
"You are learning; I like that." Averna nodded. "I suppose your idea isn't that bad."
She stepped out of her penthouse, clutching a plush emerald green handbag. "Jared, you know where we are going." She nodded towards her chauffeur.
"Yes ma'am." He nodded, closing the door right after she sat comfortably inside the car.
Hadiah
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