3 years ago
Sometimes, I feel like I am surrounded by idiots and I have no way of getting rid of them. The people infront of me are screaming like they are in the middle of a fish market and not in a board meeting with their boss, that is me.
I have all the departments, marketing, finance, HR, and production heads, sitting with me to have the annual reports showcased and the whole downfall of one product, resulting in me losing millions of pounds, is being blamed from one person to another.
"If the product was marketed properly, we wouldn't be having this discussion." My head of the HR departments, Mrs. Sherly points her disapproving gaze at the marketing head. He in turn pushes it back on the production. "If the product was made to be good enough, it would have been easier to sell."
For fucks sake.
The production supervisor turns to glare at Mrs. Sherly. "The technology was perfect and described properly, but we didn't have good enough employees."
Yes, Raymond, you and I both think that and the the first to be fired would be you.
I own a technical company that mainly deals with creating the technology and softwares used in laptops, tablets, phones etc. made by other companies. But it was the first time we tried to make our own phones with the software. And it was a disaster.
"This is weird. The funds are missing." My company's CFO, Lana Shelby points the obvious out. I read the file, I know. Her job is to figure out why? Who took the funds? Why the hell are there more losses than necessary. Over five hundred thousand pounds are missing without a trace.
"Yes Lana, I know. Help me figure out why?" For the first time since this meeting started, it's quiet. All eyes turn to me and Lana shifts in her seat. I might be a nice, gentle person but if anyone fucks with the business I made with my own sweat and blood, I won't be anything my reputation let's on.
"I think we should go meet the accounts departments. They would be able to clarify. They are the only ones with straight access to the company's money." Everyone nods at Lana. She is pretty and for some reason everyone sucks up to her for that. I don't care. Until she is getting the work done, she is fine.
We walk down to the finance department's floor. It's bustling with people who all straighten up when they see us all. "I need to talk to the person incharge of all our finances. Whoever it is, come forward." I stand at the edge of a cubicle, not looking at anyone in particular. The person seated in that very cubicle, one that I somehow missed was there all along, stands, and stares me down.
Holy shit!
She is shorter than me, alot shorter, and she still stares me down. She is also the only other Indian in this office. Probably, I am not sure exactly. I sigh. Wow. How have I not seen her before? She has brown skin, slightly darker than mine, light brown eyes that reflect the sun and look even lighter. Her black hair is wavy, it walls till her lower back. She has pushed the stands on the front of her head back with some clips.
I never really set a dressing code in the office. I've seen people working here in their sweatpants too. And some dress to the stars. They could walk into a club right after they walk out of here and be dressed appropriately. I don't care what they wear, they should just do their job.
This girl, is wearing dark denim jeans that are ripped at the knees with a pale yellow kurta. It's long and end a few inches below her knees. She has a watch on one wrist and big silver jhumkas in her ears. She also wears a nose ring. She raises a brow in question and I blink.
Right. I have questions to ask.
"Are you the head accountant?" She nods. Well okay. "Ahem. We have been missing nearly five hundred grand from our company funds. Care to explain why?" She stares for a while.
"Who are you?" I gape at her. People all around us do. Lara clears her throat. "He is the CEO." The girl infront of me nods again. Then she scrutinizes me and jabs another arrow at my already bruised ego.
"Are you new here?" What is with her? She has zero regard for who I am. It's surprisingly refreshing. I shake my head in answer.
"Well I am. And I still know more than you do." I frown. "Speak clearly, miss?"
"Seher." Ah. She has a pretty name. I take her in. She has a round face. Pretty nose and lips. She is not unbelievably thin. She is mid sized, great figure with curves. Not very tall but she is cute. 5'5 I think.
"Do you want brutal honesty or a sugar-coated one, sir?" She is also a tough nut to crack.
"Brutal honesty."
"Your company hires incompetent idiots." People around us pull away slightly. Taken aback. "I've joined a month ago, and I've been cleaning up the mess the person before me made every single day. And the worst part, is that I am not even halfway done. Whoever the person was, they stole the money from the company, cutting back costs, resulting in a shit product. And rather than complaining or checking in, your tech team made whatever could be made in the provided funding. Since I've come here I've raised my concerns with my boss but he clearly forgot to tell you." She glares at the man behind me, the head of the finance department.
I stand there stunned. Staring at Seher. God! She is beautiful. And strong. "No one has ever talked to me like that." She doesn't say anything just stares.
"You're brave. It's rare nowadays. You're clever too. Something your boss clearly isn't." I stare at the man behind me who looks way too flustered to be innocent. I turn back to Seher. "Would you like to take his job?"
"I have no interest in other people's jobs."
"Well then, I assume you have a solution for our problem?" She nods. "Great. I need you to present your solution to me. Nobody else but me. You have a week." She nods again.
I went away from there, very much aware of the hollow feeling in my chest. I don't believe in love at first sight but this girl intrigued me. I knew I needed a place in her life. Whatever that might be.
I often found ways to look at her from afar. She didn't talk much. She did her job and left. She came on time, and left on time. Not a minute displaced.
She gave me her presentation in a week and her idea was honesty admirable. We filed an official police report against the person who stole from us and changed up our technology for the next product. The funds were signed by me now. And the company was under strict scrutiny. I fired a few incompetent asses from my office too.
All because she suggested it. I asked myself why am I acting like a fool. I got no answer until one day I bumped into her accidentally. It truly was an accident. I hadn't seen her in a while and she hadn't met me since her presentation almost two months ago.
"Hi."
She stared at me. Blankly. Did she not remember me? I've never seen someone forget their own boss this quickly. Her blank expression turned and she frowned. "Do I know you?"
It was my turn to frown. I am not that forgettable. Am I? She sure knows how stomp all over my ego with her sandals. "I am Reyansh?" Why the fuck does it sound like a question? She still just stares. Blankly. Is that her default expression?
"I am the CEO? You gave me a presentation a while back? Do you not remember?" None of my words had bothered her the way my last sentence did. Something snapped in her. She stepped away a little, her expression darkened but not for me, she was just glaring into space. Her fists clenched. She carved crescents into her palms with her nails.
"It's okay." Her hands drop at my words. Thank fuck. "I forget things too." She raises a brow. "I once forgot to feed my fish. So she ate her children." Her eyes widen and she looks appalled.
"That was my exact reaction. Couldn't she have just waited a few hours?" Seher cracks a smile. The first one I've ever seen. Strings tug at my heart. I need to see it again. She stares up at me and pulls her bag up her shoulder. Right, she was leaving. She nods at me.
"You're sweet." With that she was off. Tugging another string. Dragging my heart behind her.
🥀
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