Chapter 2

“I’ll need you both to deliver coffee and a box of doughnuts to the staff at XM company.” Our manager at the café where I was working ordered Kimberly and I. 

Kim was my friend at work and she was more experienced than I was because she’d been working here before me. 

“Okay sir.” We made to leave when the manager called back Kim, I waited for her at the entrance of the door. “I’ll need you to personally get this cup of coffee to the CEO himself. Understood?” I heard him tell Kim.

“No problem sir.” She replied and we both went to get on with our delivery.

It was my first time taking a delivery to the XM company. The biggest company in the country. We had gotten there and began our delivery. Kim had her hands filled with delivery, I tried to help out.

“Ayla.” She called.

“Hm.” I looked up from the cups of coffee I was about to go deliver to some of the staff in the company. The building was a massive one and I needed the tip.

I had to find a way to pay Hailey’s hospital bills. Her parents were nothing to write home about, all they did was party and come home to sleep. Then they stay idle in the house, waiting for me to return and make dinner. 

Their ludicrous request for me to marry some CEO was not going to happen. I would not let it happen. I was not going to sell myself just to pay Hailey’s medical bills, marriage was a pretty big deal, getting into it for the wrong reasons was not a good idea.

“I’ll need you to help me deliver this cup specifically to the boss of the company.” She pleaded.

“Why? You know I don’t know anyone here, this is my first time here.” And it was the truth. How would I be able to face the CEO? I knew of him but I was not sure I could stand before him.

“It’s nothing, Ayla, please help me do this. I have so many deliveries the manager put me in charge of. Since we’re here, you could just help me get it to him while I stay here and try to round up the deliveries here. The CEO hates to be kept waiting so please help me.” She continued pleading.

I was confused, I had no idea what to do and I didn’t have the heart to refuse her. “Okay, give me his order.” I took his order and walked towards the elevator.

Remembering Kim had not told me where his office was situated, I ran back to her. “Hey Kim, you forgot to tell me where his office is.”

“Top floor.”

“Okay.” I took the elevator, looking a bit disoriented by this particular delivery.

The elevator dinged open and no sooner had I stepped out when I bumped into someone, the cup of coffee in my hand toppled and poured on this person. I lost my footing and landed with a thud on my butt. I winced slightly in pain.

I raised my face to see who I had bumped into. “I’m sorry.” He was quite a sight to behold. I gasped in shock when I realized I had stained his suit. I stood and quickly brought out my handkerchief and tried to wipe the coffee stain off, he glared at me, I gulped. “I-I’m s-s-sorry.”

“Don’t touch me.” His tone was low but chilled.

My hand froze mid-air, and I hastily withdrew it back to my side.

“Are you okay, Miss?” The young guy close to him asked. Concern blanketed his expression.

I managed a small grateful smile. “Yes, thank you.”

“Your heels, hope they didn’t hurt you?” He asked again.

I looked down at the heels I wore, they were a necessity for work. “Yes. I can manage.” I turned to the man whose feature was as handsome as they were stoic. “Can I offer to take your suit to the laundromat?”

Without a second glance my way or a reply from him, he walked away. He was handsome but rude. Such a pity my emotions were stirred despite his cold demeanor.

“Tell Miss Huttinson to get me new set of suit.” I heard him tell the younger guy.

I sighed, I was so stupid and clumsy, I berated myself. What would I do now? The CEO’s coffee was ruined. My phone chose that moment to ring, I plucked it out of the pocket of my work shirt. The name on the caller ID made my heart skip.

With a trembling hand, I swiped the green button and put the phone in my ear. “Hello, doctor.”

“Good day, Ayla.” His voice sounded grave, spiking my heart beat. “I called to inform you that your sister’s condition is getting worse. She might not last this week. I was th…”

The doctor was still talking but I was no longer listening, the phone slipped from my hand and fell to the floor. The two men had turned to my direction but I did not pay them any mind. I ran past them, towards the elevator I’d come in from, I opened to see it was full.

I made a beeline for the second elevator, I did not look at the sign written up to see it was a VIP lift. I pressed the button and when it opened, it was the same men. The younger one tried to stop me when I wanted to enter.

“Please, you will not understand. I need to be out of here.” I pleaded. I could not understand why he would not let me in but this was not my company, I had no idea how things were run.

“Let her enter.” The man whose suit I’d stained with coffee ordered.

“Yes sir.” The young man went out of my path and I entered.

“Thank you so much sir.” I had heard the young man refer to him as ‘sir’, he probably was a senior worker in the company.

The journey down was quiet but my head was anything but. I tried to control the panic that overwhelmed me. As soon as we had arrived, I was the first to dash out of the elevator without a glance to either men.