Chapter 4

DAWN

I punch the send 'button' on my email, and it sends the folder with the newly designed graphics to the team lead, Fiona's business email. She needs the folder for the afternoon meeting. Just processing the thought of showing up to the business meeting in the back of my mind, knowing that Kyle will be there, sends shivers down my spine.

Why did he have to work for my company?

Well, scratch that.

Why did I have to work for his firm?

Why couldn't I have found a better job elsewhere?

And why does my new husband also have to be my new boss?

As I'm busy formulating these thoughts in my head, Fiona knocks on my door, putting her steely gaze on me. My eyes snap from my computer's screen to meet hers.

"What's going on, Dawn?" She clears her throat. "Didn't I ask you to go and see the new CEO soon?" Then she shakes her head, looking down at me as she crosses her arms across her chest. "What are you going to do about your bad memory? I had reminded you to see the new CEO in his office for annual appraisals, but here you are, still sitting in your chair, lost in your thoughts."

Before I can answer her, she talks again.

"Well, you should get going before he loses his marbles." She smiles condescendingly at me. "He probably won't take nicely to your lateness for your periodic evaluation in the company."

Shaking my head at her words, I announce the new information loudly.

"I have already seen him in his office." Then I put my eyes back on the screen as I tinker with a new video ad. "And I passed my appraisals. Thank you so much for caring about me, though."

She stills in her steps while her eyes widen in realisation. For some reason, she misses the sarcasm in my voice.

"Oh, right. Great." Fiona puts her hands up defensively when she regains composure. "Good for you!" Then she moves towards the door of the room. "See you at the afternoon meeting. Don't forget to send me the graphics for the meeting."

Staring at her, I smile, nodding my head at her parting words. Then I watch her scramble out of our office space as deftly as she can. It's a fun little episode since not much changed when Fiona walked through the door with a ploy to make me feel bad less than three minutes ago. When her plans go awry, it's amusing to watch Fiona walk around with her head all low around the office.

"Isn't Fiona acting really weird lately?" Julie chimes in from her seat. "Something is off about her."

"Yeah? You think so?" I respond without looking up from my computer. "I sure haven't noticed."

"Oh well, if you say so."

With that, Julie goes back to the document she's working on, and I direct my focus to the advertisement glowing on my screen.

***

"Are you focusing on what we are discussing about the marketing strategy, Ms Brooks?" Kyle's loud voice bounces around in the conference room. "Or am I just watching you count sheep in your head? Why aren't you taking down any notes about the campaign? Especially after I crossed down the recent adjustments you have made to the marketing campaign?"

Fiona softly snickers at his statements which makes Mr Waugh throw a reprimanding look in her direction after he has stared me down enough to make me feel bad.

"Huh?" I say aloud. Then I pull my tablet closer to my chest, blinking a few times. "Are you speaking to me, Mr Waugh?"

He stares at me with a pointed look, unsure what he'll say to my question.

"Yes, I'm talking to you, Ms Brooks." He puts up a pen from his desk and throws it at me. "That's a pen you can use to take notes or get out of the business meeting and stop wasting everyone's time. I feel sorry for the state of your mind if you can't even pay attention during work hours."

Keeping my head down, I nod.

"I'm sorry, Mr Waugh."

"Make sure to pay attention, Ms Brooks." He clears his throat. "You're still working on company hours, and you're on the company's payroll. I won't bear any disrespect to my company or my leadership." And then he throws an angry look towards everyone. "These things won't fly anymore, not under my watch."

The workers around the table share uncomfortable looks and exchange nods between themselves. Fiona starts speaking again, diverting Kyle's attention to a different aspect of the marketing campaign while I sigh, realising that she's not utterly useless.

Julie tsks under her breath, and I move my gaze to her face to humour her.

"Are you sure you haven't met Mr Waugh before?" She snorts. "He seems to have some kind of personal vendetta simmering in the background for you."

I offer her an embarrassed smile.

"I can't recall that I have met him somewhere." I scoff, shaking my head. "Anyhow, please focus. I don't want to hear an earful again this afternoon."

Julie looks at me with suspicion but takes my lack of vigour to have anything to do with Mr Waugh as confirmation of not being connected to him in any significant way. She quietens down and directs her focus back to the meeting, and I follow her lead.

Nobody asks me more questions for the rest of the business meeting.

And I couldn't be more thankful for that.