Leave Me If You Dare

Arabella woke up with her phone ringing.

That was the only time she realized that she was almost late for work again.

“Hello?” She hurriedly answered her phone preparing her ears for another roaring morning of her manager.

“You don’t need to report in the office now.” Her manager frankly said.

Hearing clearly her manager, Arabella was dumbfounded.

“Sir, please do not fire me. I promise not to be late anymore and I promise to go to the office 1 hour ahead of our regular office time.” Arabella got all her words straight out before her manager could hang up the phone.

“Who said I am firing you?” The manager almost choked himself from laughing.

“What? But you said I’m not going to report in our office.” Arabella was confused and a little relieved.

“You got the promotion in our head office. Pack your things now and head to Capital Z. You will be the manager of NZ cosmetic in Capital Z.” The manager announced.

Froze on her spot, Arabella was trying to absorb her manager’s words. Capital Z was like waving at her to come back. She could always decline her mom’s request, but not her job. Anyway, what was she afraid of? She already saw Bill’s wedding with Brittany. There’s no more reason for her to feel like they have unfinished business with Bill. Letting go of all that concern about Bill Sky would be her best option to get her own happiness in life.

“Arabella are you okay?” Jamie had pitied her daughter. She always caught her uneasy and not in her usual self.

“Mom, I have decided to go back to Capital Z now.” Arabella simply answered her. Her voice was unhappy nor happy. It was just cold and tiring.

“What made you do my request?” Jaime was excited that finally, her daughter would go back to her husband.

“It’s my work mom. They transferred me there and I got promoted.” Arabella glinted with excitement when she thought of her promotion.

“Well then, that’s good. Maybe destiny made its way for you to come back to your husband.” Jaime was happy that showed in her voice. She had full of hope with their love for each other. If she only knew the true relationship of Bill and her daughter.

Arabella didn’t move and sighed heavily.

“Okay, mom. I have to go now. Please take care and dad. I will visit you once in a while.” Arabella checked on her dad and went out quietly.

In Capital Z.

NZ cosmetics welcomed her as their new manager. Someone ushered her to her office and introduced the staff, after roaming around the entire 5-story building. The head office was enormous compared to its 3-story building in N city.

Tall and huge buildings, full of busy people, streets with luxury cars, so Capital Z. In the café just across their building, she sat while drinking her coffee. She was prepared for her new job role in this city and she was open to any opportunities including new romance.

When her coffee break was over, she headed back to her office. Just when she was about to press the elevator’s close button, a man suddenly put her arm in the middle of the opening to block the closing then he quickly jumped inside. The vibe he brought send Arabella a little curious. He was wearing a suit and a tie, but he paired it with jeans and sneakers. The look was not odd, but more like fashionable. He was striking hot with his tall and sexy figure.

“New here?” The voice of the man echoed inside the elevator.

Feeling a little shame on herself, that she realized that she had been staring at the man for quite a long time.

“Hmm… Yes.” She smiled with blushy cheeks.

“Your name?” The man asked with a cute smile.

“Oh! I’m Arabella Jones, I’m the newly assigned manager.” She smiled sweetly. It was just appropriate for her to be friendly with her co-employees. Her fresh start would require a good environment, especially in her working place.

“Oh! So, you’re the new operation manager.” The man was quite satisfied with her answer and smiled back at her.

“Ding!” The elevator sounded that meant Arabella had reached her floor.

“I’m going. Bye!” She hurriedly strode out. Then on her way, she realized, she hadn’t got his name but when she turned around the elevator was already closed. She sighed and continued her walk to her office.

“Ms. Jones, we have a meeting with the director today at 3 pm. It was required that every Wednesday all managers and assistants will meet him for reporting.” Lizzy, her assistant manager said.

“Sure. Please give me an hour to study every document here on my table. Then will go up.” Arabella said while inspecting the time in her watch. They still have 30 minutes left after 1 hour enough for them to go up to the director’s floor.

One hour was too fast, they head up to the director’s floor and went to the conference room directly. In a long rectangular table, almost all of the managers and their assistants were already there. Though she was the newest, Arabella entered the room full of confidence and wore her friendliest smile. She was dazzling with her formal coat paired with a short skirt that exposed her long white flawless legs. Heads were all turned at the presence that made her a little nervous but still managed to display her cool in front of everyone.

She sat in her designated place and behind her was Lizzy, her assistant who was all prepared for taking notes and minutes of the meeting.

Just when the door on the side of the conference opened.

Arabella was stunned at the man who was approaching inside the door. Everyone stood up and bowed at him while Arabella left unmoved on her seat. The guy in the elevator with a fashionable taste was their director, the head of NZ Cosmetics. She couldn’t believe that they already bumped each other before they were properly introduced.

“Ms. Jones, he’s our director, Mr. William Zimmer.” Lizzy whispered Arabella when she saw her manager was not moving in her seat.

After hearing Lizzy, Arabella then got up and nodded at the man in front. Their eyes met. He smiled at her. Then he sat at the center facing the rectangular table.

The meeting went well and Arabella was very astonished by their new director. He was very good at handling problems and decision makings. He was very witty and very different from the other cold executive she had met. He was more like the outgoing type, but he still possessed a respectable aura that one couldn’t afford to disrespect.

“Director Zimmer graduated as a summa cum laude in Queens University.” Lizzy whispered at her again. Queens University was the most expensive and famous school abroad. It was said, 10,000 students from the richest families had taken the entrance exam, but only 50 students had passed. How much more if you had graduated a summa cum laude from the school?

“Well, that proves it and he's hot!” Arabella uttered subconsciously.

“Proves it what and his hot, Ms. Jones?” Director Zimmer asked the girl who out of nowhere her words came out.

That was the only time, Arabella realized that her nasty thoughts were out of the meeting and that time she uttered those words while people around her were thinking of solving something. She was just supposed to whisper it back to Lizzy, but since it was silent, her voice came out clear and loud.

‘Oops!’ Arabella felt her cheeks were bursting due to embarrassment.

“Hmm... As I was saying, It’s summer… It’s hot, so, we need something refreshing to offer to our clients and customers. For example, our cosmetics should have the taste and color of summer and our foundations should not too heavy and aside from UV protection, we should have a cooling effect on the face to beat the heat. My experience with my clients got me these ideas. ” Arabella finished it with a smile and a sigh of relief. Seeing other managers nodded their heads, it seemed she got away this time. She would not commit this kind of mistake again or she would die from a heart attack. After, she got her glass of water from her side and drank it in one go.

Director Zimmer saw Arabella’s action, he smiled at her wits. She could easily persuade the people in the room, but not him.

The meeting ended well. Everyone was busy wrapping up to head out.

“Ms. Jones? In my office now.” Director Zimmer said while on his way out using the side door that was adjacent to his office.

Feeling puzzled, Arabella followed.

“Sit.” Director Zimmer pointed the chair in front of his table while he sat on his leather swivel chair.

Arabella followed her order.

“May I know why you want to see me?” Arabella had already some idea on her mind. Maybe he was going to assign another work for her or maybe he would ask for a particular report in her department.

“Hmm… I just want to talk about that hotness you mentioned in the meeting.” Director Zimmer said while letting go of a playful smile. Judging from his smile, it was pretty obvious that he picked up the right idea rather than believing her invented idea to cover up her real nasty thought.

“Hmm… Director Zimmer, it has been just a bit of an expression.” Arabella headed her reasoning up before she would be cornered. After all, he was not a summa cum laude for nothing.

“Please drop the formalities. Call me William when just the two of us. Besides, If I am not mistaken, we’re the same age.” William said coolly.

“I don’t think so. Maybe your way older than me?” She let out with a slight laugh. This person in front of her made her laugh even in their small talk. She never laughed again after 3 months and at that moment she felt alive again.

“So, you found me hot?” William let go again, his playful smile but his eyes were serious. His dimples were too cute to handle.

“You already knew the answer. I presumed. You heard that often from other girls.” She felt William had full of tolerance with this kind of open talk.

“But I like it to hear better from you.” William's smile was not fading. He looked at her with her cheeks blushed.

“Okay! You’re hot! So, may I go out now? Do you have anything for me, Director?” She felt like having a younger brother. William was approachable and cute which could easily get everyone to get close to him.

“Okay. You may go.” Feeling satisfied with Arabella’s answer, William smiled at her and his eyes ushered her way out.

When Arabella was out, William caught himself still smiling. Arabella was such a stunner, but not only that her wits made her more attractive. People thought, he was a womanizer, but little did they knew, he only had an interest in women with high IQ exactly like Arabella. When he first saw her in the elevator, he was captured by her enchanting beauty. He couldn’t wait to see her again at the meeting. Knowing her more at the meeting and now, made his interest grew stronger.

“Ms. Jones, the Director had announced that we will have a welcome party after office for you. All managers were invited and all your staff.” Lizzy said with full of excitement.

“Sure. Now let us continue our work and finished it on time before the party.” Arabella said. She felt her life was getting better with her new friends and co-employees. The feeling of acceptance for her was merely shown in her new working environment.

Night came so fast. Lizzy was very excited fixing herself in front of the mirror for the party while Arabella was still reading some of the documents on her table. She really had to push herself to study everything if she wanted to get uphold her position. Admittedly, she had a lot to learn.

Seeing Lizzy had finished everything, she asked her to head out first to the bar.

After a couple of times, Arabella looked at the time in her watch and hurriedly left the building.

On her way out, a black Porsche sports car stopped in front of her. The window rolled down and William’s handsome face revealed.

“Hop on!” He said wearing a sweet smile on his face.