XY XX

MUSICAL CHAIRS

Xenia munched her Cesar salad, not adding another comment, and Niki started to brief her on the latest novel she was reading on wattpad.

"There's the Leftover woman and What Vincent Wants."

"Niki, why don't you write your books?"

"You know how embarrassed I am, and I would like to write a romance, but I feel like everyone has already imagined the best plots, and I won't be able to do better."

"Even if it's the case, what matters is the recipe, how you cook your dish. Do you want people to read your stories, or do you just want fame? I mean, you've been constipated for years with the stories in your head. Just let them out. I remember the work you did back in high school."

"Oh no, that was terrible. Xenia, come on, and what if I let out my stories and people say it's shit."

"No, you have talent. If you put your story on that site you love, you'll have thousands of fans. Trust me," said Xenia giving Niki a wink.

Niki supported her through so many trials; encouraging her was the least Xenia could do for her.

"By the way, it has nothing to do, but why are you still eating salads almost four years after giving birth.

"My stomach, since I've had Sia, it pops out as soon as I eat something. I managed to get rid of the zebra crossings of stretch marks. God bless Palmers Cocoa butter, now I only have this frigging stomach to go, and I have my nice figure back."

"You are crazy; everybody is always going on about how tight your body is, and what a shame it is that you're a lesbian."

"Well, serve them, right. I will never let a man lay his cheating hands on me again."

"You are such a drama queen. Never say never, dear. You never know what encounter you'll make in life."

Xenia glared at her friend before starting to attack her carrot cake.

XY XX

At another restaurant, nearby Gregory, too, had his fair share of questioning.

"So Gregory, how's your day so far?" asked Christophe Gaudet, one of the financial advisors.

"Good."

"And you, Mrs. Pratt?"

"It's perfect."

The quick and short answers created a little discomfort on the French side of the table.

"Don't worry about these two workaholics. They are happier to be here than you think," Wendon said, showing the managers a killer smile to unknot the gloomy atmosphere.

The other members of the director's team gave more detailed answers, which reassured the French side.

Everyone was tucking into dessert when Gregory got up.

"Monsieur Carlton, is there something wrong?"

"I think the duration of lunch is an hour; I have exactly 5 minutes to regain my position."

The whole table was silent; some even dropped their spoon along with their mouth.

"Quel fayot," Gregory heard someone whisper.

Jaila got up too, "Mr. Everett, I'll be going too."

They really can't keep a low profile even for a day, Wendon thought. The director smiled nervously, "well, hurry along, can't be late on your first day, can you."

The two managers left, leaving the others in an awkward position everyone started to get up to do the same.

Only Wendon remained with three old department heads whose habits were to have 3-hour lunches paid by the company.

Gregory, you are an accurate metronome. Even with this simple gesture, he singled out the people who overstepped certain privileges.

"Gentlemen, let's finish the last dessert which you'll be having as members of Astoria. Of course, the tab is on me, eat."

The men huffed in their chairs, and one even loosened his tie understanding the new team of managers' objective was a total, not partial wipeout.

Astoria was in a dangerous situation; it was Wendon's job to make the cuts where necessary.

XY XX

"You were hard back there. Raise your foot on the pedal," Jaila whispered in Gregory's ear as she got in the lift, which went up to the odd-numbered floors winking at him as the doors closed.

"Well, you are a serious one," Cassie said. The woman was the only member of the French team who dared talk to him.

"They pay me for it," Gregory said as he stepped into the lift, which filled up, forcing him to be a little too close to Cassie.

The women's perfume tickled his nostrils with its sweet accents, which made him a little nauseous. The journey to the 18th floor was long.

"Gregory, please don't hesitate to ask if you need anything," Cassie said as they parted in front of the lift.

"I won't hesitate," he replied with a small smile, which made the woman melt, thinking she had scored some point with the stern man.

Gregory walked away, wondering if Cassie had seen the smile the way he intended. Jaila told him to slow down a little; she was right; it was their first day; perhaps he was a bit overboard.

As he passed the office door, he wondered if Xenia was back too.

The man found her seated at the place he had sat earlier in the morning.

"Ehㅡ," before he could finish, Xenia was replying.

"It's an open space we can sit where ever," she said with a cocky smile, which stated CHECKMATE ON YOUR FACE.

Good Gregory thought, two can play that game, and I'm quite a player.