The hall was resplendent in a warm, celebratory ambience, elegantly set for the prestigious award celebration. The walls, adorned with golden accents, gleamed in the soft light, while the polished marble floor shimmered like a canvas of elegance. Round tables, covered in crisp white linens, were arranged throughout the hall, each one adorned with a stunning floral centrepiece that added a pop of colour to the sophisticated setting. The chairs, upholstered in rich velvet, were positioned with precision, inviting guests to linger and mingle. A grand stage, adorned with a gleaming podium and a majestic backdrop, stood proudly at the front of the hall, awaiting speeches on the award. The lighting was dimmed to create an intimate atmosphere, with spotlights strategically placed to highlight the award recipients and guest speakers. The walls were beautified with sleek, modern displays showcasing the achievements and contributions of the Black Bricks entire team, who were indeed the awar
Little did the attendees know that the event was about to take a whole new turn that they hadn’t expected. After the music band had dazzled the audience, Cameron was invited on stage to give a speech in honour of the award. He stepped onto the podium, his baritone-filled voice echoing through the room. He held up the award in his hand, the evidence of excellence glittering in the bright reflection of the hall’s bulbs. “Good evening, distinguished ladies and gentlemen of society. A special thanks to the organisers of this event for giving us this award. We really appreciate it.” There were clicks and flashes from cameras from different angles. He flinched from the sudden light attack but regained his composure, picking up the microphone. He dropped the award on the floor, much to the amazement of everyone, and got down from the podium with one hand in his pocket. “This award, once again, is not mine; it is ours. My thanks go to the entire team, from welfare, who are making sure we
Despite it not being the first time that Lana would be thrown such a question, this was definitely the most special. She couldn’t control her tears as they flowed down their cheeks, and she tried to choke them back. She suddenly felt a buildup of heat all over her body, despite the high-efficiency air conditioning machines in the event centre at full blast. Cameron was still kneeling down in front of her, and the crowd was already screaming. Their shouts echoed through her system and reverberated around the room, bouncing through her skull. Right in front of her was the best man in the world; he treated her like there was no other girl in the whole wide world, and if there was a chance to finally have a life with him, she would take it. With all the courage and composure she could muster, she muttered her yes in the loudest way possible, even though it was barely audible to her, and stretched her hand to receive the ring. Without thinking, the guy who was holding the microphone b
This was the night of their lives. It was a time worth celebrating; this time was going to herald in a whole new era. A new era of happiness, joy, and a new beginning—they were both bubbling as the limo made its way to the Oriental Pearl Hotel, the most luxurious hotel in the city. The side windows rolled down to reveal the opulent insides of the hotel’s car park, decorated with red roses and sweet-smelling perfumes. Lana was surprised to see the usually full hotel’s car park empty. What could possibly make the Oriental Pearl empty? A staff member of the hotel came on each side, opening the door for the couples as they stepped out. “I thought we were going home.” Lana was confused. “Yes. But we celebrate here first.” He answered, taking her by the hand and leading her inside the hotel lobby. She was more surprised to find the hotel lobby decorated and empty, except for the receptionist who sat behind her desk, flipping through a social magazine. She straightened up when she saw
Andre had been properly disgraced at the award-giving ceremony, or, as he should put it, improperly disgraced. He paced around in his room, shaken by what he had just seen. He tried to get it all together and ordered the strongest bottle of alcohol from the cellars downstairs. Alcohol wasn’t going to solve anything, he knew, but he still wanted it. He needed something to just get it off his chest. His own awards ceremony had been the previous day, and here he was, sulking over the matter. He ignored the cup that came with the drink and instead took a swig from the bottle, downing half of it in one go. Cameron and Lana, with their little friends, had hurt his ego, and he was surely going to pay them back. He looked at the naked, sleeping secretary on his bed and suddenly became irritated at her sight. He tried to remember what had transpired between them, and the disgust on his face deepened. Andre tapped her lightly; it was time to go. “Good morning, sunshine.” She yawned, stretc
Sally was just done reviewing the documents that had been sent in from the archives. Right after the awards, she had scored a multimillion-dollar contract that would take her to three different continents. But before she was able to score that, she had to sit in front of a ten-man panel in one of the biggest interviews of her life. If she wasn’t going to prepare for anything, she had to prepare for this. She called the staff and had them bring all the files in the archive to her office, totaling over three thousand pieces. Of course, she wasn’t going to go through them all; she was not Jarvis in the Iron Man trilogy. She sat down with a steaming cup of coffee as the staff brought in the documents in carts, wheels after wheels rolling into her office. She had been hinted at by Megumi, who provided the connection that this was supposed to be a special intelligence force that needs some sort of legal backup wherever they are going on missions. Part of the job description was that sh
When he was sure that the house was deserted except for the two of them in the sitting room, Marcus moved closer to Andre, bringing out another big brown envelope from beneath his coat. He handed it over to Andre and spoke in a fake tone. “My digging has brought me close to the answer. While she was working immediately after she left, she had a baby. Babies, actually; it was twins.” Andre looked at him in surprise. His suspicion was actually true; Lana was already seeing Cameron when they were together. “How was she able to instantly get a job at Black Bricks with a degree she had abandoned?” “My findings indicate that she didn’t get to work at Black Bricks until two years later. She worked multiple shifts at a restaurant owned by a recorded Darby of no other name and at a bar owned by an Elan. She worked them together until she resigned from Elan after she was harassed.” “Harassed? How?” He felt surprised at how he still felt so concerned after all this time. “A customer reput
“What do you mean by a losing the company type of threat?” Andre fired, the chicken pie dropping from his hand in fear. Freda looked at the mess he had created on the floor in a disgruntled manner, looking back to the landline phone as if the caller was still stuck there. Her face looked flushed, as if she had just seen a ghost. She looked at Andre, mouth agape, and quietly took her seat, looking around the room as if soliciting for help from viewers. As she dropped the phone, Freda’s face drained of its warm, golden glow, leaving her complexion a stark, ashen gray. Her skin seemed to tighten, pulling taut over her cheekbones and forehead, as if the very life force was being sucked from her pores. The vibrant pink of her lips faded to a pale, tremulous whisper, and her eyes, once icy and cold, dimmed to a dull, glassy stare. As she sat there, frozen in shock, her entire presence seemed to whisper a silent scream, a haunting testament of impending doom about to throw their lives i