章節 11: Between desire and duty. AR
Brittany
Four days, two hours and several seconds after the disastrous meeting with my latest client–who is supposed to be a businessman and not Lucas, I have had enough. Enough of thinking about what happened and what would happen if I stayed at that restaurant a minute longer. Don't give me those eyes, I have been without men for too long and he lit a fire in my belly. Sighs
Everything in my life has been affected just by reconnecting–no, meeting again. A date that I planned before even setting a meeting was cancelled. My mother called and reminded me that I was growing old.
Brand also called yesterday; he would be in California for a few days and we would meet. I wouldn't be concerned but Brand is a human detector. His legalese background and our relationship gave him the upper hand.
To survive the meet-up with Brand, I would have to pretend extra that everything was fine. There would be no room for him to be suspicious because if he did, the whole family–David and Mum- would know and they might ask me to leave California out of worry.
I wasn't doing excellently at work for obvious reasons but leaving California was not an option. I could not give Lucas, Ben and his wife any reason to see me fail. Hence, the need to act when Brand visits California.
To top it all up, I have been in a constant state of arousal since that day. My period was around the corner but we both know the main reason. I felt betrayed by my body but, even when I was seventeen, there were butterflies in my belly at the sight of Lucas.
Because I would rather think of solutions and what forward instead of dwelling on the past, I have decided on the best solution. Get rid of Lucas. I wasn't talking about killing him, I meant cutting off anything that would make our paths cross again and that as you might have guessed was work.
Yes, the only solution was to pass the job of redecorating the Fergusons' Villa to Clarrisa or whoever Ben deemed fit. At that point, I didn't care. The only difficulty of that simple task was to get Ben or his wife to agree.
They would want to know the exact reason I was pawning off one of our biggest clients and my brain had not produced solid reasons. I picked a pen on my desk and scribbled down my reasons.
Why I am not interested in the Fergusons' Job
*Carlisle Ferguson is a bad, mean man.
*Lucas doesn't keep his promise. I know from personal experience.
*I might want to jump him and the company policy which I helped to draft says otherwise.
No valid reasons.
I tore off the sheet of paper, squeezed it and threw it into a small waste bin close to my desk. The main issue was that I didn't want anyone to know about my previous relationship with the Fergusons. And there was no way I could get Ben or his wife off my back without admitting that I was once pals with the Client.
That was not a reason to give up though, I was going to try and hope that Ben would accept. The fact that I had never done anything like that should be an advantage, right? But, I know that Ben was a bastard and he would not allow me to stand in his way of locking down one of the richest families in California.
Ben's wife was an even more impossible person. Aside from the fact that she hated that her husband was once my boyfriend, I think she hated that I rose quickly to the top of the ladder in Endless Glamour. My position was hard-earned and what's with people hating other people who are making progress?
She was the trust fund baby, I wasn't. She had a loving husband and I didn't even have a boyfriend. But like they say, joy is internal and Ben's wife had no joy.
There was no need to procrastinate any longer. I picked up the client folder and headed to Ben's office. He was a floor higher than the senior decorators' and instead of using the elevator, I used the stairs.
Even the stairs could not clear my head.
The situation became extra bad because I met both Ben and his wife in his office. I could deal with one person at a time, but together, I was at a loss.
Also, I couldn't bolt back to my office because that would send a signal that I had a 'mental issue' because who ran from their boss's office just after entering?
"Good Morning, Ben. I was wondering if I could speak to you. Alone."
Before he could answer, His wife, whose back was initially to me, turned to look at me. I felt the glare from my head to toe but damn if she got the reaction that she wanted. I would not cower.
The next words from Ben shouldn't surprise me but they did "She stays, Brittany. Otherwise, You can kiss whatever you want to tell me goodbye." It hurts but what can man do?
"It is not that serious, I just thought you were alone, That's all," I said as I walked closer to take a seat beside His wife and opposite him.
They were both looking at me as I placed the folder on my lap and looked around Ben's office. The office was bigger than mine and had two more couches as opposed to mine. I compared his office to mine because that was the only room in the company that I didn't design or decorate.
The coaches were too big for the office. I thought of a better way to place the pictures on the wall and an even better colour. And I examined his office every time I was there because, for an interior decoration company, his office sucked.
On the far side of the wall, I could see awards and recognition plaques. My work brought most of the awards and I felt the familiar heat of success.
"Well, what is it that you want to discuss with my husband?"
I have never been a violent person but I wondered how good it might feel if I slap her face like I wanted to. Instead, I averted my eyes to Ben "For some reason, I would like you to allow Clarissa to be on the front of the home redecoration in Los Altos."
"No problem, if you want Clarissa to take the credits, that's hardly our concern. Just make sure that the client is pleased," she replied again.
Ben was shaking his head even before his wife was done speaking "No baby, she is talking about Ferguson's job. I can't let anyone make a mistake in that job. We all know Clarrissa's strengths and weaknesses. No, no. She can't take the lead on that job." He said all of that while looking at his wife.
He turned to me next "Brittany, It is important that we retain the clients. Success on that job will yield referrals that would boost our income. I need the best hands on the project."
"You can ask any of the senior staff on the jo–"
He cut me off in an angry voice "You are teaching me how to do my job? Are you HR? What is this, Brittany? You don't reject projects, especially ones as big. Is there anything happening that I don't know?"
There are a lot of things going on that he didn't know but it was not my place to tell him. Teaching him how to do his job? As if he does the job. And like I said there is no way that I would admit knowing the Ferguson's.
"Brittany, you are one of our best. I gave you the opportunity to work on this job because of how much experience you have with the kind of house and client. Can I trust that you will do your best on this Project? You can pick your team yourself but I need you to lead the team. Can we trust you? Can Endless Glamor rely on your expertise?"
Did you see how he went from cold to hot? Going all appreciative on me after he already subtly insulted me? Am I HR? Ben wasn't asking a question but I answered anyway "Yes"
He visibly relaxed "Good. Please let me know if you need anything while on this project. I will also check in periodically."
I knew when I was being dismissed and so I stood up and left his office without saying anything else. Good thing I didn't have much hope. Funny how Ben's wife would have accepted if I met her alone. Guess Luck was not on my side.
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