CHAPTER FIVE

Lucy let out a moan and sighed deeply.

Micheal stopped and went into the washroom. He washed his hand and bid her goodnight.

Before Lucy could collect herself, he was out of her room. She wanted to run after him but felt very tired. She slept off then and there.

A continuous beeping sound from a cellphone jolted Lucy up from her deep sleep. Her right hand searched the bed area to switch off the device but she couldn’t find it. Slowly, she opened her eyes and rubbed it gently to have a clear vision. The sound already went off but she found her cellphone on the bedside drawer.

Lucy reached out to see who was calling her. The missed call’s ID showed “boss”. She gathered herself immediately. The device began to beep immediately and she picked up.

“Good morning sir” she said hiding her yawn

“Good morning Lucy. How was your night and how are you feeling now” George said from the other end of the call.

“I’m feeling better now thank you” she replied

“I got a report from the hospital that you were discharged yesterday evening. You’ll be coming to work today yeah?” He asked

“Yes sir. I will” Lucy replied getting out of bed

“Okay then. See you at work” he said and dropped the call.

****

As Lucy walked into the office, her heart raced with anticipation. She had gotten into an accident on her first day of work and had stayed the rest of that day and the next day outside the office.

“Everyone must have developed wrong impression about me” she thought to herself.

To her surprise, Mr. George approached her with a warm smile and an air of excitement.

“Lucy,” he said, “I have a special assignment for you. We have just secured a major client, and I believe you are the perfect person to lead the account. It’s a challenging project, but I have complete faith in your abilities.”

Lucy’s eyes widened with excitement and a touch of nervousness. She couldn’t believe that Mr. Johnson had entrusted her with such an important task. She was a newbie ; what would others think of her. She had lots of thoughts in her head but then it was an opportunity of a lifetime, and she was determined to make the most of it.

As the days went by, Lucy threw herself into the project, pouring her heart and soul into every detail. She worked closely with the team, guiding them, and ensuring that everything was executed flawlessly. Her passion and dedication shone through, earning her the respect and admiration of her colleagues in less than a month.

Meanwhile, Mr. George made it a point to have regular one-on-one meetings with Lucy. He provided guidance, shared valuable insights, and encouraged her to reach new heights. His attention and mentorship made Lucy feel both grateful and conflicted. She appreciated his support but couldn’t help but question the blurred lines between their professional and personal relationship.

Soon words of Lucy’s special treatment began to spread throughout the office, causing a mix of envy and curiosity among her coworkers. Some admired her talent and the recognition she received, while others felt resentful, believing that she was receiving preferential treatment Admist them was Sharon Talker whose jealousy towards Lucy grew every minute. She couldn’t stand the attention Lucy was receiving from both Mr George and the team members.

It’s been a week already without Neo reaching out to Lucy. Lucy, feeling hurt and confused, decided to confront Neo about his lack of concern after his driver had hit her and she had ended up in the hospital. She mustered up the courage to go see him in his office during lunch so as to express her disappointment and seek an explanation.

She knocked on the door once and Stephany answered.

“Yes how may I help you” Stephany asked

“I seek Mr Neo’s audience” Lucy replied

“Do you have an appointment with him?” Stephany asked further

“ Not really. Just tell him Lucy from the marketing department wants to see him” Lucy replied boldly

Stephany nodded her head and shut the door.

“Mr Neo. One Ms Lucy from the Marketing department is here to see you” Stephany said carefully

“Let her in and excuse us for a while” Neo commanded

Stephany let Lucy in and went to the cafeteria to have her lunch while the two discuss.

“Hey Neo, Wassup. I just wanted to talk about something that’s been bothering me. Remember when I ended up in the hospital? I thought you would at least check up on me since you confirmed my phone numbers. It hurt that you didn’t reach out.” Lucy said as soon as she had sat down.

Neo’s reply was not what Lucy expected. Instead of showing remorse or understanding, he responded with a dismissive and rude remark.

“And so what? Look, Lucy, I don’t owe you anything. I got you admitted, paid the bills, gave you food and even assigned the best doctor to treat you so there won’t be any complications later on. Just because i asked if you still use your old phone numbers doesn’t mean I have to be there for you. Get that right into your skull.” Neo replied rudely.

Lucy felt a mix of shock and disappointment wash over her. She couldn’t believe Neo’s callous response.

Despite the hurt, Lucy chose to rise above Neo’s rude reply.

“You make expensive Jokes Neo” she said with smile on her face.

“I can see you’ve got nothing better to do.Does that sound like a joke to you. Please leave if theres nothing more to talk about” Neo said with sheer disgust in his voice

It then became clear that he didn’t value her feelings or the connection they had once established. She realized that she would never be forgiven.

Lucy stood up and left his office.

On getting to the third floor, she accidentally collided with Micheal who was walking towards her with his head buried in a book that looked like a proposal. He slightly raised his head and his eyes met Lucy’s.

As Lucy and Michael locked eyes, a mix of surprise and discomfort washed over them. They both knew that their encounter was bound to be filled with tension and unspoken emotions. Awkwardly, they both stopped halfway staring at each other without uttering a word.

The silence between them was deafening as they stood there, unsure of what to say or how to address each other. Memories of their passionate moments together flooded their minds, making it even more difficult to find the right words.