Khadija POV
I walked into the office and Lenny asked, "Did you meet the terror head?"
"Yeah, he's alright, I guess," I replied, taking a seat at my desk.
"Probably ugly too," Tanya chimed in, giving us a mischievous grin.
Lenny and I were seated close to each other, so I was glad to be away from Tanya's sarcastic comments.
I asked in disbelief, "The head manager is ugly?"
Lenny chuckled, "Well, he's bald and old." He made a silly face, trying to lighten the mood.
Tanya wasn't done yet, "Maybe Khad finds that old man handsome!" she snickered, rolling her eyes.
I gave her a look, "No, that's not what I meant. The head manager was young, probably in his 30s. His name is Lucian Max." I crossed my arms, hoping to end the conversation because Tanya is being sarcastic again.
When I said what I said, their eyes went wide, and their mouths hung open like they saw a ghost. I was confused and put my hands up to ask if I missed something.
Tanya got up from her seat and walked over to my desk. "Wait, so the person you met was Lucian Maximus?" she asked, sounding surprised.
I nodded, and the group looked at each other with disbelief written all over their faces.
Lenny's response was quick and to the point. "Well, he's the owner, Khad!" she said. Her eyes never left me, nor did those of the other girls in the office.
As I watched their reaction, I couldn't help but feel a sense of disbelief. Was he really the boss? The one in charge of everything?
As I made my way to the pantry to collect the packed sandwiches for the staff, the door suddenly opened, and four men in suits walked in, with Lucian Max leading the way.
Lucian Max's towering presence was immediately felt in the room. All the girls working in the pantry seemed to be taken aback by his sudden appearance. He strode in with an air of confidence, and his piercing eyes scanned the entire room before fixating on me.
Tanya, one of the girls working in the pantry, noticed Lucian Max's presence and quickly approached him. With a warm smile on her face, she asked politely, "Good afternoon, sir! What can we do for you?"
To everyone's surprise, Lucian Max didn't even acknowledge Tanya's presence. Instead, he walked towards me slowly and deliberately. As he approached, I could feel my heart pounding in my chest.
Then, in a deep, commanding voice, Lucian Max spoke. "I have an important client, and I need you!" His voice reverberated through the room, and all the girls were left spellbound by his presence.
I was about to speak up, but then two men in fancy suits popped up on either side of me, like I was about to do something bad. My heart was pounding, and I had no clue what to do for the client or what steps to take. We got into the elevator, only me and Lucian Max, while the men in suits stayed behind.
It was so weird being alone with him, god. I had no idea why, but I felt super awkward and nervous. I just wanted to know what was expected of me and not screw things up.
Upon arriving at the office, Lucian Max finds the head manager, a man in his 60s, sitting in his swivel chair and reviewing files on his table.
"Vaun, did you arrange a meeting last week?" Lucian Max asks in an authoritative tone.
"Yes, Max. I'm about to meet with the Sheik now," Vaun calmly responds without even looking to Lucian Max
"Great! Miss Khadija is now under you. Let her shadow you so she knows what to do with the papers," Lucian Max says, while Vaun finally glances up at me and takes off his glasses.
"Is she the new hire?" Vaun the real head manager simply asks, while Lucian Max takes a seat on the couch in front of Vaun's table. I stand beside the couch, as Lucian Max doesn't offer me a seat.
Vaun, fixed the papers and put it on the bag. " We should head out Miss, the Sheiks is never been late!"
I just nodded and didn't talk.
I didn't take a glimpse on Lucian Max as we exited.
_________________________
As we stepped out of the office and started walking towards the elevator, the man turned to me and said, "Miss, your only task is to ensure that these papers are arranged numerically."
I responded quickly, "Yes, sir. I understand."
The man then explained the importance of the papers, "These papers are extremely important, Miss. They contain all the shipments handled by your agency for our clients' businesses. It is crucial that they are sorted correctly and in order to avoid any confusion or misunderstandings."
He emphasized the weight of the responsibility entrusted to me and made it clear that the proper organization of these papers was of utmost importance. I made sure to listen attentively and take note of his instructions.
*Tiiiiiiiiiiing*
As we stepped into the elevator, the familiar ringing sound echoed through the small space, making me feel even more nervous about the upcoming meeting.
Although I don't like having Lucian Max around, his presence brings a sense of comfort. However, I'm not sure why he's not with us right now.
Mr. Vaun, on the other hand, appeared calm and collected, dressed in a simple yet elegant suit that made him look very professional. His non-native white appearance, combined with his sharp features, made him stand out in the room. Despite his unassuming demeanor, there was something about him that made him seem more dangerous.
My heart raced as the elevator doors opened on fifth floor, signaling the start of what was sure to be a tense and challenging negotiation.
Wait? Sheik?
Ahmed has a Sheik on his name!
I guess not! It will not be him I'm sure!
I took a deep breath, trying to calm down my nerves as Mr. Vaun opened the final door. The room was dimly lit and had two guys inside, both wearing gray thobes.
As we made eye contact, I recognized one of the guys, and my mind immediately went back to the first Consulate meeting. Despite feeling let down, I tried to give him a meaningful look, hoping to convey my message without saying anything. It was hard to believe that he might be the one we were negotiating with now, but I couldn't let my emotions ruin the outcome for our team.
Mr. Vaun approached Ahmed and greeted him with a warm smile. I was standing behind Mr. Vaun, and I could feel Ahmed's gaze on me from time to time. He looked serious, so serious that it made me feel a bit uneasy.
As they both shook hands, Ahmed greeted Mr. Vaun with his Arabic accent, "Hello Vaun! Thank you for coming!" Mr. Vaun responded, "Pleasure always, Mr. Stan!"
Ahmed didn't make a big deal about my presence until Mr. Vaun introduced me to Ahmed. "Oh, this is our newest exchange, Mr. Stan. She's Khadija!" Mr. Vaun nodded in agreement. I was surprised by Mr. Vaun's introduction of me to Ahmed.
He gave me a nod and said, "Nice to meet you, Khadija!"
I couldn't help but feel hurt and a sense of unease. I wondered if he was trying to hide me from others due to my lower social status, while he belonged to a higher and more respected class. The thought of being judged by others based on our backgrounds made me uneasy. I couldn't help but question his intentions and whether he truly wanted me.
I managed to smile and say, "Hello, Mr. Stanley. It's nice to meet you."
I was given the responsibility of organizing the papers that were scattered on the table. Being a diligent assistant, I quickly took charge of the task and began arranging them in a neat stack.
As I was sorting the papers, Mr. Vaun suddenly excused himself and made his way down to his office on the floor below. Before leaving, he turned to Mr. Stanley and said, "May I excuse myself, Mr. Stanley? I will leave Ms. Khadija to handle the papers."
With Mr. Vaun gone, I continued to work on the papers.
My emotions suddenly burst out into tears, as if a dam had broken. I couldn't stop myself from crying. The pain in my heart was too much to bear. I let it out, not caring who saw me. My tears were like a river, slowly rolling down my cheeks, wetting my face.
Suddenly, I heard his voice behind me, "My Lady! I missed you so much! Sorry if I didn't chat or even update you. I was busy!" The voice belonged to someone I knew, but I couldn't see who it was because my vision was blurred with tears.
"Are you denying me?" I asked directly without any hesitation using my normal tone, trying to control my emotions.
As I was sorting the papers, he immediately back hugged me tight. His warmth and support felt like a comforting embrace.
I untie Ahmed's hand from my waist as he back hugs me. I am not feeling comfortable with the hug, and I express my confusion by saying, "It's fine, but I really don't get it, Ahmed! I feel so left behind."
Ahmed responds, "I have duties, my lady! And it might affect you."
Feeling my hands tremble, I stood there anxiously waiting. Suddenly, the door swung open, and I was relieved that I had untied his hands from my waist where he had back hugged me.
To my surprise, instead of Mr. Vaun, Lucian Max stepped into the room. His eyes met mine, and for a moment, he seemed taken aback. However, he quickly composed himself and approached me with a warm smile.
"Are the papers finished?" he asked. His eyes were fixed on me. "I see your colleagues have already left. Why don't you wait for me outside? I'll give you a ride!" He grinned at me.
As I tried to wipe away my tears, Lucian reached out and tenderly brushed a hand across my cheek.
As I stood there, I found myself completely stuck in the situation. My mind was racing, but I couldn't think of what to say or do.
Suddenly, Lucian Max stepped forward and offered to walk me home. I was grateful for the offer, but still in shock over what had just happened. Ahmed was standing right there, and I couldn't believe that Lucian Max had acted that way in front of him.
"It's okay, Mr. Lucian Max, I can walk home!" I managed to blurt out. But his response caught me off guard.
"Just wait outside!" he said, his eyes turning serious. It was clear that he meant it, and I could sense the danger in his expression. There was something about his sudden grin that seemed almost poisonous, as if it could manipulate anyone.
As Lucian Max turned to greet Ahmed behind me, I struggled to compose myself. I couldn't bring myself to face them, not after what had just happened.
"Hi Stan!" Lucian Max exclaimed, his voice cheerful. I strained to listen to their conversation, but I couldn't make out everything he said. All I knew was that he had seen Stan with some girls earlier.
In that moment, I was still too stunned to process everything that was going on around me.