Chapter 1

Aplaud

Well, I wasn't expecting the amount of applause that followed my presentation. I had already set my expectations straight and very low.

No one wanted to give a lady her flowers, especially in a firm like Vance Innovations Company.

Henry Vance, the man behind the brains of the company, the CEO, was the first to applaud. He was shaking his head as if he had never heard that sort of strategy before.

He was even the first person to speak when the ovation died down, and I felt my heart almost melt like ice cream.

"Well, I have to say this, Naomi," he said, in his usual alloof manner. "You really do know how to move the market. And I am impressed."

"Thank you, sir," I said, as politely as I could. Though, I could not stop the smile that came to my face.

Being complimented by the Chief Executive Officer of Vance Innovations was no small feat at all. In fact, he hardly ever clapped for anyone.

"We are going to follow with that immediately. Are there any objections?" Henry asked, but didn't bother to look around the long conference table.

I waited.

Asher James raised his hand. My mouth fell open. Asher was my boyfriend. We worked in the same company. I wasn't expecting him to raise his hand to an objection. All eyes turned to him. Those who knew we were in a relationship, smiled wanly.

"Yes?" Henry asked.

"She mentioned something about our not putting our new products on the television medium. And I tend to disagree."

Henry looked at me, as if he was trying to decide whether to let Asher have his way, or let me back to my seat. He chose to leave me standing there.

"Go on, Asher. And tell us why you think that our adverts should be on the television."

Asher nodded his head and adjusted his suit flaps. Then he turned and faced the rest of the board. He didn't even look at me. "It's a digital turnover. And everyone's working from home, especially those who can. And most of those people have the means to afford what we put out there. We aren't Lamborghini."

"We can alway agree with Lamborghini, Asher," I cut in. "Do we think people who work from home have time to watch television channels when they are mostly on their laptops looking for the next big-paying client? And how are we going to choose the channels to dump our adverts on? I think we would all agree that our children watch TVs more than we do, or is that a lie?"

Silence in the room.

Asher looked beaten. But why would he even bring that up? I thought he'd support me, you know.

"I don't have children and I don't watch television anymore," Henry finally spoke. "Asher, do think about your objections before bringing them to the table. If we were wasting funds, your salary wouldn't be paid. This meeting is closed."

I packed my things and headed out through another door. Dumped them on my desk and dropped into my chair. I was really exhausted but overjoyed that my hardwork had finally paid off.

For once, I'd be leading a public relations team for Vance Innovations. The last PR stategist didn't do much of a good job even though he was allocated funds over two hundred million dollars.

Henry let him go a month later. But rumor had it, his life changed for the better.

My thoughts were broken by a knock on the door. I had left it open when I walked in earlier.

Asher walked in. He had a smug expression on his face.

"What was that about?" I asked him.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, pushed my laptop away and sat on my desk.

"Don't pretend as if you can't remember, Ash. Why did you raise your hand when the boss asked if there were any objections?"

He shrugged. "Because I had an objection."

I rolled my eyes. "That wasn't even an objection, Ash. You were just looking for ways to get me to loose composure."

"Maybe you are right."

"What?"

"Maybe that's what I wanted to do. I mean, you can't just have it easy."

"What are you talking about?" I wanted to know. Asher was acting strange all of a sudden.

"Look, this is Vance, alright? And everyone here is equally as ambitious as you are, love. I have been here more longer than you have been and I haven't even gotten such a response after delivering my own presentation." He exhaled. "But here you are, your first time in that room, and you already have the contract. Something most of us worked tirelessly for."

"And you think I didn't work tirelessly for mine?" I demanded.

He shrugged nonchalantly again. "Hmm. Can't say."

I scoffed and shook my head from side to side. There were a couple of things that I wanted to say, but I didn't. After all, he was my long time boyfriend and we were in our work place.

I had submitted my resume and letter to the company for a job. According to Ash, he was the one who had gotten me the job. Obviously poked the Hiring Manager and scored some points in my favor.

Though, that wasn't the only reason why I was indebted to him.

"See you later, love," Asher said, and left my corner.

Well, he didn't even mention anything about a celebration.

No sooner than he had left, Nelissa Cane, secretary to Henry Vance, stood at my door. She didn't enter as if there was some part of her that abhored the place.

"Mr. Vance will see you now," she said curtly.

I got to my feet at once, thinking that he was just right behind her. In the process, I hurt my knee. "He's... He's here?"

"No, in his office. Follow me." Nelissa turned and left.

I quickly grabbed my laptop and fell behind her.

***

We took the elevator to the top floor. It was more brighter there as all the windows were made of glass and let in more sunlight.

We stopped at a door marked CEO, which she opened.

Inside, the office was bigger than the conference room. Spacious. Everything looked like glass and I watched my steps, afraid to break anything.

Henry Vance looked up from his chair on the dais and walked over.

She stopped me with a hand.

"Thank you, Nelissa. I'll take it from here."

Up close, I saw what the man really looked like. He was tall, and the way his suit hugger his frame, probable muscular too. His hair was black and silky. And those eyes of his were green, like emeralds. Took the breath right out of me.

He offered me his hand. I hesitated. "Take it," he prompted.

I held his hand. Tough grip.

"You did a really good job out there, Miss Naomi."

"Thank you, sir."

"I hope you'll do better," he said, a note of expectation there.

"I can always do my best, sir."

"Good, and that is why I am giving you another project to take on," he said and handed me a file.

I opened it, glanced through, and gasped. "Sir, this is a Level 12 entry. I am not Level 12, sir."

"I know. Your level has been upgraded, as well as your payments and allowances. From now on, you'll be able to take on higher projects to people like Asher James and others."

That was the problem. Asher. He would certainly go mad when he heard that I had been promoted to his own level! And do would the rest of the ambitious board.

God, what was I going to do?