The Big Boss

One week earlier

Aira finished the last touches on the magician’s eyes she was drawing and leaned back admiring her work for a few moments.

‘Not bad for a first draft…’ She pondered as she looked up at the clock on the wall in front of her atelier.

Sighing she stood up stretching and letting her muscles protest to her about the long hours she just spent bent over the table not moving.

Aira stopped by the fridge for a bottle of water and picked her phone up turning it on. Her phone immediately started binging furiously startling her so much that she almost dropped it.

Her mother had called almost ten times, a call from her brother and a few congratulatory messages from her acquaintances. She tapped on her mother’s name put on her pods and wandered toward her room.

She picked up before Aira could reach her room making her smile. Her mother’s impatience was always a source of entertainment for her.

“Aira! Why aren’t you answering your phone?! Do you know what time it is?!” Her mother’s worried voice echoed through the line making her cringe.

She was definitely starting to panic…

“Hi, mom,” She responded, “Of course I know what time it is, it’s thirteen o’clock and there’s enough time for me to get ready and head to the center and sit there waiting for the exhibition to begin for another two or three hours,”

“Why do you sound so relaxed?! This is your first exhibition and you don’t even sound like you’re worried!” Her mother ranted, “You even had your phone off all morning,”

“I was working, mom…” Aira responded as she entered her walk-in closet and eying the dress she had hung and sighed as her mother went on over the preparations panicking over every potential screw up that may happen.

“Mom, I talked to the organizer this morning and she assured me that everything was running smoothly. Valory Security is taking care of everything in exchange of me exclusively working on one of their projects’ illustrations,”

“I know, baby. I’m just worried because this is your first,”

“I know, mom… But you don’t have to worry, because I’ve been assisting at your exhibitions since I was old enough to walk. I’ve learned from the best,”

Her mother chuckled and exhaled her worries temporarily easing, “When are you heading there, is Jace going to pick you up?”

Aira froze as she realized that she had all but forgotten about her fiancé,

“No, he has to work. He will be joining me there later,” she said

Her mother remained silent for a beat and Aira could feel the wheels on her mind working again, but her mother was gracious enough not to say anything taking her answer for what it was.

Aira sighed as she hung up, there was nothing that she could do about her mother’s doubts about her fiancé. Partly because she was starting to have them too.

Jace had been acting weird for the last few weeks, he was always busy and preoccupied whenever Aira suggested that they do something together.

Six months ago, when they’d first started dating, Aira had been surprised if not a little bit bothered by his exuberance. They’d known each other forever since they ran in the same circles.

One day, Jace had asked her out at one of her parent’s parties. They were nothing more than acquaintances at best, and she had been hesitant to accept his invitation. Seeing as he wasn’t her type.

She was more used to people with an artistic sense and a free lifestyle. Not those whose lives consisted of business deals and suits and constant working hours.

Jace was exactly that, and more being the only son of his parents he was expected to inherit the family company he was the rich successor businessman from a well-known family.

Still, he had won her over with his earnestness and insistence, making her go out when she was holed in her apartment for days, and stopping by to bring her food when she was too swamped up to eat…

Smiling at those memories Aira shook her head. Maybe she was overthinking things. She should give him the time he needed if he was dealing with too much at work…

Aira was coming out of the shower when her phone started ringing again. She picked up seeing her friend’s name on the screen,

“Yo! Big day girl!” Meghan said through the line and Aira rolled her eyes,

“Hi, Meg. Please tell me that what I’m hearing isn’t a panicking squeal and that everything is running smoothly,”

“What?! Noooo…” Her friend stalled and Aira sighed, “Everything is alright! Why wouldn’t it be?! Everything is running perfectly and smoothly!”

“Hmmm…”

“Well… There’s just this slightly unnoticeable change in your schedule tonight…”

“If it’s unnoticeable you wouldn’t be calling me sweating your ass off megs. Is it something that I should be worried about?” Aira asked as she sat down putting the towel down, forgetting about drying her hair for a moment.

“Well, it’s not something worrisome… I think. But it’s kind of a big deal…” Her friend Rambled making Aira more nervous.

“What is it Meghan? Just tell me.” Aira said as her friend remained silent too long for Aira’s patience.

“Our boss wants to have a meeting with you tonight,” Meghan threw out and Aira rolled her eyes and exhalled.

“Your boss as if the head of the management department at Valory Security?” Aira asked wondering why Meghan was making a big deal out of this, “You were supposed to introduce us at the exhibition anyway…”

But still, She couldn’t fathom what the man would want to talk about with her. Since it was decided that Aira was going to work with the company, Meghan had been the one to introduce her to the graphics team as their new Illustrator, it had been decided that she would be her liaison. Since she was the one who suggested that Aira work on their project in the first place.

And that’s why Meghan was in charge of managing her exhibition…

“No, Not that boss…” Meghan said nervously, “Our boss as in the big boss,”

“You mean…” Aira said shocked and at a loss of words,

“Yeah, I mean The CEO of Valory Security, Vincent Valory… THE Big boss.”