The champagne glasses clinked as the employees of Fraser's Gemonds Jewelry Inc. toasted to the company's fifth anniversary. The elegant ballroom was filled with laughter and applause as Gerald took the stage to deliver his speech. "Thank you, thank you, thank you all for being here tonight. You can't understand how this meant to me. But truth to be told, I am so so overwhelmed. You are not just my colleagues, you are my family. And I'm so proud of what we have achieved together in these five years. We started from nothing, and now we are one of the leading firms in the country. We have faced many challenges, but we have overcome them with hard work, innovation and teamwork. And I couldn't have done it without you. Especially without my loyal and efficient personal assistant, Arin. Arin, please stand up and take a bow." The crowd cheered as Arin, stood up from her seat near the stage. She smiled nervously and waved her hand, feeling a surge of pride and gratitude. She had been
It was a sunny Wednesday and the board of directors had gathered in Gerald's office. They were all sitting in front of his desk, waiting for him to arrive. Gerald had been informed of the meeting earlier in the day, but he had not shown up yet, causing some anxiety among the board members. "Why is Gerald behaving like this? I am sure he is doing this intentionally because he knows why we are here." A woman complained, glancing at her wrist watch now and then. "Remember that Gerald is the top senior executive over the management. Even if we have to handle this with force, you know that Gerald has built this name for himself. We can't just say what we want to say and expect him to do it the way we want him to do it. He is a billionaire, he has several connections with the government of most countries." Another said, trying to sound cool. "Why are you speaking like this Paul?" "Just wait and watch. When Gerald's comes in we know what to do." After a few minutes, the door opened, and
ARIN'S POV I walked into the office building with a mixture of relief and dread. I still couldn't imagine that I had been fired by Gerald, for not supporting his relationship with Hazel, a kleptomaniac who had stolen from him several times. It just doesn't make sense. He wouldn't expect me to just sit there and watch him do that rubbish. I had tried to warn Gerald about Hazel's condition, but he had accused me of being jealous and meddling in his personal life. He had told me to pack her things and leave immediately. That was probably nice and to him, her perhaps thought he had done the smartest thing. What a failure. Definitely, I am jealous, that's undeniable. But I was not ready to give up my job as Gerald's personal assistant. I had worked hard for years to earn his trust and respect, and I enjoyed the challenges and perks of being by his side. I had a open crush on him simply because I didn't care, which I had dared to confess but eventually landed me out of here.
Arin stood there, stunned and heartbroken. She felt tears streaming down her face. She had lost him. She had lost him to Hazel. This wasn't Gerald she knew. Gerald who was not interested in anyone. Who could ever think that he would fall for no one but a Kleptomaniac? She wiped her eyes and looked around the office. She saw his papers, his computer, his phone, his photos... everything reminded her of how they had been from the start. She remembered the period they got everything new and she was part of those who decorated Gerald's office, just for her to be in his good book but he never gave her a chance. Not even once. She never knew that his extreme professionalism would make him so vulnerable. She felt a surge of anger and resentment. She hated Hazel. She hated her for stealing Gerald from her. She hated her for ruining her life. "I have to take back what is mine at all cost and even if I can't get him, I will never allow her get Gerald." She thought. She picked up
Gerald stepped into his house, tired from a long day at work. He was surprised to see his sister, Cheryl, waiting for him in his bed room. "Hey sis, what brings you here?" he asked, giving her a quick hug. Cheryl's face was serious. "We need to talk," she said, her voice low. Gerald raised an eyebrow. "Okay, what's on your mind?" Cheryl took a deep breath. "Arin told me something that I find hard to believe. He said that you're in a relationship with a kleptomaniac named Hazel or something like that. I am sure this is not true, is it?" Gerald's heart sank. He had been hoping to at least keep Hazel's condition from her until he finds a solution to Hazel's obsessive theft, for a while longer. But now that it was out in the open, he didn't want to lie to his sister. "Yes, it's true," he said, his voice quiet. Cheryl looked at him, shocked. "Gerald, how could you be in a relationship with someone like that? Do you know how dangerous that is? Do you even know what
The staff members of the office were gathered in the conference room, all looking tense and worried. They were all there to discuss the elephant in the company - Hazel, who had obviously been stealing from them for months. Initially, it wasn't obvious. They did deemed it as their carelessness and irresponsibility only until they found out that Hazel was behind it all. They all laughed when Arin narrated what they did to her in the supermarket. "That is exactly what she deserves." One of them commented amidst wild laughter. That was all they kept mulling over as Gerald was not present at that moment and most of them didn't have any project at hand. And those of them that have it, they decided to postpone it for the unnecessary conversation. "I can't believe she's still doing this," said Kira, the office manager. "We've caught her red-handed so many times, and yet she still keeps stealing from us. Is it really so difficult for her to control herself? I feel this is nothing
Hazel took a deep breath as she knocked on the door of Gerald’s office. She clutched the envelope in her hand, feeling a surge of mixed emotions. She loved Gerald, but she couldn’t work for him anymore. She had to do this for her own sake. “Come in,” Gerald’s voice said from inside. Hazel opened the door and stepped into the spacious office. She saw Gerald sitting behind his desk, looking at his laptop. He was wearing a navy blue suit and a white shirt, his dark hair neatly combed. He looked up and smiled when he saw her. “Hey, babe. What brings you here?” he asked, his eyes sparkling. Hazel felt a pang in her heart. She wished she could just hug him and forget about everything. But she knew she had to be strong. “Hi, Gerald. I need to talk to you about something important,” she said, trying to sound calm. Gerald frowned, sensing something was wrong. He closed his laptop and gestured for her to sit on the couch across from him. “Sure, what is it?” he as
Gerald checked his watch as he got into his car. It was 5:30 am, and the sky was still dark. He felt a surge of excitement and nervousness as he started the engine and drove out of his driveway. He had been planning this surprise for Hazel for months, and today was the day he would finally reveal it to her. He hoped she would love it as much as he did. He had fallen in love with her the moment he saw her at a charity gala, where she was working as a photographer. She had captured his attention with her bright smile, her sparkling eyes, and her passion for her work. He had asked her out, and she had agreed, much to his delight.They had been dating for six months now, and he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He wanted to give her everything she deserved, and more. He wanted to make her happy, and he hoped this surprise would do that.He drove through the empty streets, feeling the cold air seeping through the windows. He turned on the heater and the rad