02

Ian tilted his head up and looked at me. Our gazes locked. For a moment I felt breathless as I stared at those eyes of his, the colour of midwinter sky that swirled with a thousand hues of blue. They were cold but warm at the same time and I felt hypnotised, wanting to get myself lost in them.

His face showed no rage, completely blank just like everyone else had said. A man void of emotions.

And then I did it again. I hiccuped.

I gasped and covered my mouth with my hand. Dear lord what have I done?

He raised a brow and I could already see the impending results of my actions in his eyes. The call I would receive from the HR department. My resignation letter.

“Ian!” A high pitched voice came from the hallway and Ian wrenched his gaze away from mine.

“Darling you there?” A tall red haired woman in a white tight dress came to the door. “Oh I didn’t know you were in a meeting” She giggled.

A look of utter annoyance crossed over Ian’s face.

“By the way” She approached him. “I bought two dresses but I don’t know what to wear for dinner-“

“Take her away!” Ian barked loudly, anger lacing his voice.

Everyone standing and sitting looked up at Ian in shock and it took me a moment to realise what he just did. He reacted!

He never gets angry, never gets happy but now the woman’s presence made him go mad. And his mad self is more scarier than the calm deadly self. And for once I thought the HR call is an act of mercy.

I’d be happy to get the call than be the receiving end of his anger.

Several people came and dragged the woman away, who screamed and yelled, demanding to be released. After the door closed behind them, Ian sat on his seat and started the meeting.

I helped our chief with the files and from time to time I noticed him giving me looks of sympathy. Guess it’s confirmed then. I’m going to get fired. There goes all my dreams down the drain.

ATC is one of the most highest paying companies in the states and it’s an honour to get employed here. They only choose the best and I was a lucky one. But not now. A damn hiccup ruined it all.

How can life be this unfair?

The meeting went on for another hour and thankfully Ian didn’t glance at me even once. He only spoke a little words and mostly listened to others’ ideas.

Maybe it was because he was interested in them or maybe he was too bored to even speak. And I had a feeling it was the latter.

And can somebody please tell me why I’m calling him Ian and not Mr. Kingston?

Jeez woman first name basis huh?

Probably because he wouldn’t be my boss at the end of the day.

And why is that? A damn hiccup caused it.

I was already preparing mentally for the call. But it was hard to make up my mind to let go of this job. I have friends here and the salary is very high. I don’t want to leave.

After the meeting ended I went back to the marketing department with a dejected look on my face.

“Yoo what happened? Did you see the hottie?” Lexi came and nudged my elbow.

I nodded. “And I hiccuped in front of the hottie”

Brian let out a laugh. “That’s a good joke”

I neither smiled nor laughed, just gave him the same sorrowful expression I’d been wearing all the way down the elevator.

Seeing my humourless face Brian leaned forward in his chair. “You don’t- you really didn’t?”

“Hailey” Lexi said in alarm. “You really didn’t hiccup, did you? Please tell me you didn’t”

I sighed. “I did”

“What do you mean you hiccuped?” Brian shrieked and stood up from his chair.

“It means I hiccuped”

“In front of Mr. Kingston?” Lexi asked.

“Yep” I sighed again. Oh my poor life. Oh my pathetic life.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Lexi smacked my head and I groaned in pain. “Ouch. It hurts”

“Are you insane? Why did you do that?”

“He was so handsome” I complained as if that would make any sense.

“What the fuck does it have to do with that?” Brian yelled and our coordinator hushed us. We gave him a small apology and sat in our chairs, pretending to go back to work.

“You’re gonna get fired, you know?” Lexi whispered.

“I know, I know” I threw my hands up. “I could literally feel the Prescott dream leaving my bones”

“That Prescott dream is bullshit” Brian whispered loudly. “You can never buy an apartment at the Prescott’s”

“Why can’t I? Try try one day you can fly”

“You dumb or what?” Lexi asked. “Only millionaires and billionaires live at the Prescott’s”

“Hey! I’ve been saving up for four years” I argued back.

“Right” Lexi rolled her eyes. “Four years. Save up for another ten years and still you won’t be able to even buy a toilet paper from the Prescott’s”

“Have some faith people”

“And where did that faith ended up? With you getting fired”

I looked at both of them in disbelief. “Jeez people, don’t rub it on my face”

Across the table, Alan, who heard less important parts of our conversation, leaned in and whispered. “Did you know that Mr. Kingston lives in a penthouse at the Prescott’s?”

My eyes widened and I turned to Lexi. “Really? He does?”

“Yeah” She shrugged. “He lives in the most expensive one”

“Damn. I suddenly want to be chairman’s daughter”

“Chairman is a douchebag. So is his wife” Brian made a retching sound and I narrowed my eyes at him.

He shrugged and leaned back on his chair. “Ahh work is so boring” Brian yawned and put on his headphones and selected a song in his phone.

“Mr. Scott‼” The VP bellowed from the door. “Are you listening to music?”

Brian straighted up and hastily removed his headphones. “No ma’am. I was umm… video calling with the sales department”

Everyone in the room laughed and the VP’s nostrils flared in anger. “You take me for a fool Mr. Scott?”

“No ma’am”

“Then get back to work! Calculate the budget for the next campaign and send it to me in one hour”

“One hour?” Brian’s pupils dilated.

“Yes”

“But we haven’t even discussed anything or-“

“Just do what I say‼!” She screamed and everyone’s winced at the sound. Then she turned on her heels and stormed out of the room.

“What a witch” Brian cursed and went back to working.

I wasn’t in a mood to work knowing this was my last day but nevertheless I gave it a shot. Better do a majestic leaving right?

I spent the day running from marketing to finance and then back again, doing the usual. At the end of the day it wasn’t a majestic leaving but a typical and a sad one.

I still didn’t receive the call so I assumed I might get it later today or tomorrow morning. Nevertheless the result was the same. Me dropping to the position ‘jobless’.

As I was packing my things Ashley, one of the employees here came running to us.

“Hey guys did you hear?” She panted heavily, her breathing ragged.

“Hear what?” Lexi asked.

“Mr. Kingston fired our chief’s secretary”