It was the board's decision

Aurora's pov 

  The phone call from my boss not only robbed me of sleep but also shattered my confidence. It made me feel like a nervous teenager standing in front of new classmates after switching schools. My heart raced, and I could feel my breath quicken. I never imagined I would come face-to-face with my ex-husband in my entire life. I got up from my bed, still in my nightgown, and paced around the room with my hands behind my back. Every time I closed my eyes, flashbacks of my past life flooded my mind. The memory of Lucas sending me out of his house for what I knew nothing about. It hurt to remember how his childhood sweetheart was delighted at our misunderstanding.

  "Why this call when my life is finally going well?" I muttered to myself. Just then, a message notification chimed on my phone, and I quickly turned to grab it, hoping for something that seemed unlikely. Maybe a message from my boss saying they had changed their minds and appointed someone else.

  "Hi Dearie, I've heard about your promotion. Congratulations! What a coincidence. Our dinner at my parents' house tonight will be a celebration of your new achievement. I'm so proud of you."

  Is it a promotion or an assignment? This message is confusing me. In that case, I need to go to the office and meet my boss today. I know today was supposed to be my day off, but the call from my boss has left me completely bewildered. People often say there's a thin line between love and hatred, but when Lucas broke up with me, I disagreed. What I saw between love and hate wasn't just a thin line; it was more like a shadow. Lucas was someone I loved with all my heart, someone I envisioned a future with. We had even planned the names of our future children. Why would he ever believe I took abortion pills?

  When he handed me the divorce agreement, my first thought was of Marian. My separation from Lucas was a victory for her. I experienced tears of joy when I fell in love with Lucas, but also tears of sorrow when I came to hate him. He rescued me from a life filled with uncertainty, as my father drowned himself in alcoholism. But he also pushed me into a world of challenges, crashing against the rocky shores of life. It took immense determination for me to rise above it all and reach where I am now.  

  Lost in my thoughts, I was interrupted by the ringing of my phone. When I glanced at the screen, it was Sebastian, the sender of the congratulatory message. Placing the phone in front of me, I watched his name scroll up and down. He always finds a way to change his name in my contacts to "Honey" whenever he gets hold of my phone, playfully saving it with my finger. He never fails to bring a smile to my face. He's determined to be a part of my life. Sebastian once told me that if I publicly accepted him as my boyfriend, he would cause a traffic jam out of sheer excitement on the busiest city roads.

  Truth be told, Sebastian has been my rock, especially since I had no prior work experience. He invested his time and energy into guiding me when I got employed, and I surprised my boss with my effortless performance. Then he cautioned me to keep his assistance a secret, wanting me to take the credit for myself. But as the call ended, instead of answering, I found myself lost in thoughts about how much Sebastian had helped me. Shortly after, my phone beeped with a text message.

  "Dearie, I know you're probably still asleep. You deserve it. Today is your day off, and besides, you didn't get much sleep last night. I'll catch up with you later. I'm on my way to work." He attached a rose emoji to his message. I hesitated to return the call, aware that my behavior might seem unpleasant. Most men would have given up on me by now. Is this my way of testing a man's endurance through the toughest times in a relationship? I don't think so. My ex-husband’s action taught me never to trust anyone. 

  I stood up and headed to the bathroom for a shower. Deliberately avoiding the water heater, I wanted to use cold water to calm my racing heart. As I emerged from the bathroom, I grabbed my phone and dialed my boss' number.

  "Good morning, sir. Are you in the office? I have something important to discuss with you."

  "I'm currently in the office."

  "Okay, sir."

I hung up the call, still clutching the white towel around my wrist. I quickly got dressed in a navy blue gown, tied my hair into a ponytail as usual, grabbed my leather bag, and headed out to my car. It felt like any other day going to work. I hopped into my car and drove away.

  Twenty minutes later, I stood in front of our office complex. If it were a regular day, I would have considered myself late for work. The parking lot was filled with numerous cars, and after stepping out of my car and locking the door, I made my way inside.

As I entered the complex, the first person I spotted was Sebastian. He was giving instructions to the two female receptionists in the waiting hall and he was one of the top personnel in HR. When he caught sight of me, he looked astonished and walked over. I had burned bridges for him, granting him an opportunity I hadn't given any man since leaving Lucas. Some, if not many, assumed we were already dating.

  "Miss Daisy,” he smiled and continued, “you're as stubborn as you are beautiful," he said, standing before me. As one of the senior staff in his own department, he had a few people to report to within the complex. When I glimpsed his smile, a thought crossed my mind that I had never considered before.

  "Who knows if he was the one who ensured I got this special assignment?" I wondered silently. And he interrupted my thoughts, saying, 

  "What have you come here for? Today is your day off. Don't tell me you came because of my calls? I called to congratulate you on your new promotion."

  I looked at him, from his well-groomed hair to his sparkling black shoes. He was funny, handsome, and impeccably organized. Some even told me that before I arrived, he never used to smile, and some people would ask me what I had done to him. Sebastian was confusing me once again. Was I being promoted or did I have an assignment?

  "I came to see my boss," I finally replied.

  "Once you're done, I'll be waiting in my office..." he began to say.

  "Okay," I interrupted him, walking towards the stairs at the right of the entrance hall. There was a sense of satisfaction in the way he looked at me. When I reached my boss' office, I knocked on the door, and his deep, crackling voice permitted me to enter.

  "Good morning, sir," I greeted.

  "Please, take a seat," he said, adjusting his black suit. He had full cheeks, something I once possessed. I placed my bag on the edge of the table and settled into the armchair facing Mr. Simon Whyte.

  "Sir, I'm getting confused about something. Am I being promoted or do I have an assignment at Macpet Investment?"

  "It appears you haven't checked your email or my secretary has not sent you the email. You've been promoted, and that qualifies you for your assignment to audit the Macpet Investment financial crisis."

  "Sir, I don't believe I'm qualified for this assignment. Could the board of directors assign someone else?" My request left my boss visibly shocked.

  "Miss Daisy, this is something you've been working towards and you have always shown great zeal in your previous assignment. What's happening that I don't understand? You've been a dedicated employee of this company and have consistently proven yourself capable of handling any assignment given to you."

  "Please, can someone else go instead of me?"

My boss' surprise grew as he leaned back in his chair.

  "Are you certain about what you just said?"

  "Yes, sir."

  "Unfortunately, you are the one chosen by the board of directors and there is nothing personally that I can do about it. It was a joint agreement."