7. Preponed

♛

Aurora:

“So, when's the meeting supposed to be held?” I looked up from my laptop and asked Bonnie, who was standing across the office table.

She looked down at her tab, fixed her glasses on the bridge of her nose with a finger, then returned her gaze to me. “On the 14th, next Friday,” she muttered, pushing back a strand of her curly hair that had fallen on her face. Her warm black eyes stared down at me.

She was a petite young lady, around 5’5 in height. I stared at her, wondering exactly what made Mia have doubts about her. Bonnie was respectful and diligent in her work—exactly what I needed—so I couldn't just dismiss her because of Mia’s doubts.

I nodded in understanding before turning my attention back to the screen of my laptop.

It had been three days since the charity event, and the call-up meeting, where the major investors would meet to discuss the huge charity project, was set to take place in exactly four days.

Being the major consultant on the project, I had to be there.

I closed my eyes and rested my head against the headrest of the swivel chair. A sharp pang shot through my head, draining the last bit of energy I had left in my bones.

“I think you should take a rest. You've been working non-stop for the past few days,” Bonnie suggested, worry evident in her voice.

I opened my eyes and brushed my fingers through my brown hair. “I can't rest until I finish this up, Bonnie. At least before the meeting in the next couple of days.”

She nodded. “But the meeting isn’t happening until days from now. You could take a little rest and complete the work later.”

A deep sigh escaped my lips at her words. She wasn’t wrong—I could take a break and finish up later. I nodded in understanding and shut my laptop. “Alright. You can leave.”

Without another word, she turned toward the door and left.

My eyes trailed over the expanse of the office and landed on the neatly arranged pile of certificates and awards on the shelf.

A sigh escaped my lips. It was one thing to be successful and another to feel successful. Despite everything I had achieved over the years, I didn’t exactly feel successful—maybe because I had strived this hard after being pushed to the brink.

The major reason I took up the role of lead consultant on this project was to prove to myself that I wasn’t trying to prove anything to anyone. I was doing these things because I wanted to and because I had the means to.

I wasn’t the same person I was years ago. And the success of this big charity project would be exactly what I needed, which was why I was putting my all into it.

A knock on the door pulled me out of my thoughts. A frown creased my expression as I was about to turn around and ask Bonnie what she had come back for, but then the door was pushed open before I could say anything.

“I've been calling you day in, day out. Why haven’t you been answering?”

An angry Trish stood akimbo at my door, glaring straight at me as she stepped in.

A sigh escaped my lips, and I ignored her. Walking over to the fridge, I opened it, grabbed a bottle of water, and finally looked up at Trish, who was waiting for an answer.

Her ginger hair was swept to the side, and her dark brown eyes looked like they could burn me alive.

“I've been busy,” I explained.

She shook her head. “That’s not a good enough excuse.”

I shrugged. “Well then, it was intentional.”

She placed a hand on her heart, her expression dropping. “You’re kidding.”

“I am,” I muttered, and a breath escaped her lips. She stepped fully into my office, closing the door behind her.

“If it's about the incident from a few days back, I've already apologized. I really didn’t know Adrian was going to be there,” she said, apologizing again. “If I had known, there’s no way on earth I would have wanted you and him in the same place.”

I shook my head and poured the water into a cup before bringing it up to my lips. “I promise it’s not about that. I’ve really just been busy and haven’t had enough time to answer calls.”

Trish stared at me like she didn’t believe me, but after a while, she sighed. “Better. Let’s not let a man come between our soul-ship, alright?”

Despite myself, a smile tugged at my lips, and I muttered, “Alright.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

She scrolled through her phone and suddenly looked up at me. “Speaking of Adrian, I heard he’s been attending every event since he returned to New York that night.”

I frowned. “Why?” It wasn’t exactly my business, but since she had brought it up, it was a conversation worth having.

I walked over to my seat. “I wonder why too. Especially considering he’s never been one to show his face at events, but recently, it’s almost like he’s everywhere—”

She suddenly stopped talking and looked at me. “Don’t tell me…”

Silence fell between us, and I already knew what she was about to say.

I shook my head. “I doubt that’s the reason.”

“Oh my God!” Trish muttered loudly. “Don’t tell me he’s been going to all these events in hopes of seeing you there.” Her eyes widened in realization.

“Or there might be something else,” I told her, but she shook her head.

Trish stood up from her seat, then sat down again. I wasn’t sure whether she was excited or enraged that Adrian was looking for me at events. I wasn’t sure how to feel about it either.

A knock on the door pulled my attention back to the present. I looked up and answered, “Come in.”

As soon as I responded, the door was pushed open, and a frown creased my expression when I realized it was Bonnie. Bonnie never barged in like that—unless it was something important.

My brows furrowed when I saw her standing breathless by the door. “There’s an issue,” she suddenly said as she walked over to my table.

“What issue?” My frown deepened as she handed me her tab. I looked down and read through the email she had received a while back.

“The meeting, which was supposed to be in the next few days, was preponed.”

“To when?” I asked, reading through the lines.

Bonnie bit her lips, unable to comprehend what was happening either. “To the next three hours.”

“What?!”

“I heard the top investor is attending, and he requested the time for it should be changed.” I could feel my head pounding as Bonnie explained.

This didn't make any sense. Who could just suddenly sit and overrule a decision on the time and date for a meeting that was already planned.