EMBEROn her second call, the car pulled over to the side of the road and pissed, Zaire turned to Ember to get to know what her deal was, why was she doing that when he was already late for office."What does that mean? What are you trying to do?" He asked, concerned, because she was mad and hyperventilating, her eyes filled with sourness. That's when she turned her body completely towards Zaire and stared at him till he caught her glance.She held her gaze for quite some time before pulling her up as she moved her way towards him, got up and placed himself right on his lap. She was sitting on top of him, in the driver seat, her hands on both of his shoulders and eyes pouring into his. He was shocked for a second but as if unconsciously, his hands rose to grab her waist to provide support as she sat on his lap."What is this?" He whispered, she could feel the desire take over his eyes as well and she knew her trick had worked. Just one more step and then she'd win this race."Look into
EMBER"What did you do when you were asked about he display of the preparations?" He asked, holding a neutral expression to not scare them too much. They all gulped and looked nervously at each other. "QUICK.""Sir, we told them we need a little more time.. that.. we are left with some more last minute details and the display will be ready by..", Will dragged his words. Ember knew they had messed up. They had clearly panicked because Zaire was unreachable and without telling them the truth, they had just lied that there were no issues with the preparation to get some more time at hand."By what? When did you reschedule the display to?""T-tomorrow," Jameson choked out, depicting this idea was his, that's why he was that reluctant to speak out. Zaire ran a hand on his face, pushing his hair back, clearly thrown to despair. They didn't even have 3 days to fix it anymore, they had 12 hours approximately. It was impossible, Ember could feel the same despair coursing through her viens."Wha
EMBER"We need to brainstorm. Nothing can happen without a basic idea of what to do next. We have just about 3 hours to come up with a solution and then only we can start the real work. If there's no idea, we have lost. Everything is over, even our career as an event management company," Zaire said, warning everyone so they participate equally in the conversation to get a wider perspective. "Whoever doesn't speak up, is out of here.""Sir!" Gilbert said, catching his interest. "Is it really impossible to arrange the Hell themed decorations and preparations in a day? Will it be that difficult?" He sounded actually very confused even though the answer was obvious."Gilbert.. don't waste the time by asking stupid questions. Do you even have something in your mind?" Charles said, berating him because of the ticking time."No.. wait. That isn't a stupid question until I declare it to be," Zaire said, making Charles's mouth sealed. "So, like he said, is it entirely impossible? It's not. I c
EMBER"If we don't fix this, you'll never even get the chance of doing it again," he said, cunningly, that made her gulp. Technically it was all their responsibility to check if everything was going according to the plan and not Zaire because his job was to check progress, attend meetings and do the approvals. Zaire couldn't be blamed for a thing. "We'll get to the people who tricked us after we solve the issue. So, do better, fix this mess.""So, does anyone have an idea till now? Anything, you can say anything," Samantha encouraged them to at least start the conversation as everyone looked around but no one spoke up. Zaire buried his head in his hands. Everyone had given an idea once but all of them went in vain, the second discussion was even lesser in fruitfulness.The meeting went on and on and on without any stopping. The ideas surfacing were redoing the whole theme for Hell but that would never be done on that short time. The next was to talk to Mr and Mrs Davis to ask for more
EMBER"But Mr and Mrs Davis are very creative artsy people, I think they would understand how much more impactful the addition of Heaven brings to the theme," Ashley added, striking another chord in Ember's head."Also.. recently Florence introduced a heaven themed cosmetics line as well. We could propose this idea to them as a promotion to both of the heaven and hell cosmetics line as a tribute to their bestsellers, I think they would buy it if we put it this way," Ember added, making everyone excited immediately as the solution arose among them. Zaire nodded with understanding as well, the same proud smile on his lips."You are on a roll, Ember. Did you stay quiet all this time on purpose? To test us?" Prett said, making everyone laugh out. "No I just-""Proud of you, Ember. You're really saving our asses here," Charles said and it filled up her heart with warmth and comfort. She was relieved she could help. "Right, boss?"Zaire turned to look at Ember once with a raised eyebrow and
EMBER"Wait.. a minute," he said in his low voice, they were the only two people in the conference room and he wanted her to stay right there. Ember's chest rose and fell and she knew she shouldn't get ahead of herself by getting her hopes too high but she couldn't help it, she could already feel it happening. The awaiting."Y-yes sir," she said. He waited for a moment and then pulled on her hand to flip her body towards him. Then he slightly pushed her by her waist till her back was exactly against the wall and her bewildered eyes trying to scan every inch of his face. He just was so confident in himself and the way he always knew what he was doing to her turned her on even more. He was never afraid to show how much he actually wanted her."Is calling me Sir turning you on?" He asked in his raspy voice that sucked all the breath out of her throat. How did she keep falling for him ignoring everything over and over again? How did she do that to herself? But he was Jack. He was a mystery
EMBER"I like you, I do have feelings for you and you are the only person.. but I have needs. You do all these things maybe because you're uninterested, so it puts me under no obligation to just be yours or even stay loyal. I can fuck around but I am choosing to be here. So you.. teasing me.. is only making me look for other easier ways. I need to escape as well, you know?" She said, and when she smiled a little, she could clearly see it on his face that she had messed with his mind successfully.He looked at her in silence like he didn't even recognise it was her words, he was in disbelief. He also looked insecure and troubled because of the way she explained that she had other options too but she was choosing to be here. That was true but Ember never actually considered any of them an option, he didn't need to know that."I see how it is," he said with cruel eyes and a slight nod like he was using his calculative brain for something unpredictable. But she was just proud her trick had
EMBER"What are you thinking?" He asked, finally breaking the silence."So, anything, right? Anything I ask you, without questions," she made sure, as a trick to test him."I already said it, anything you want," he answered right then, with no hesitation at all. Ember thought, if he wasn't hesitant, what was her excuse? The drive was still going on and the wild idea took over her. "Okay so..", she started, not giving him time to comprehend he was going to be given a task right at that moment. "Stop this car in the middle of the road and kiss me."His head snapped to her at that rash and unusual task but Ember knew she was doing it to see to what extremes he would go. That seemed fit enough for the first task. He scanned her face and realised she was serious. A quick look behind him and he immediately brought the car to a stop at that exact moment, 0 questions or hesitations.Hurrying, he leaned in and snapped off her seatbelt and in one moment, he had swept her off her seat and placed
EMBER"But I never talked to you because I knew I didn't deserve you yet. You were all I could imagine wanting and it only grew after that night when I tried to make you stay but you left the next morning. I knew I'd see you again and I was determined to have you the next chance I got with you," Zaire said with a grin because she knew he meant that the next chance meant them right at that moment."I.. had no idea.. but.. why me?" She asked, not being able to understand."You're seriously asking me that question? Have you ever known yourself enough? What exactly do you think you don't have? You're perfect, you're absolutely perfect. And you're the only one I need. I'm sorry for all the times I've hurt you, it was all because of shortcomings. But none of that would happen again. I promise to keep you happy with all I have," he said and it sounded so genuine, it wrenched Ember's guts. She was too high up on the clouds."I think I'm falling for you," Ember let the words slip out."Glad. I'
EMBER"We totally understand and apologize for this regrettable situation and we are deeply sorry-"."For nothing," a voice came from the opposite side of them that dragged all the attention. Someone had walked in with a bold voice and a knowing smile on their face. Ember's eyes widened and so did others. That's when Ruby Ramirez walked into the scene, bringing a wave of shock and confusion. "They have to apologize for absolutely nothing.""What do you mean.. and who are you?" Mrs. Davis asked but not with conviction but curiosity. Her eyes widened as she recognized her from the news all over, Travis Prescott's alleged girlfriend."I am Ruby, a former employee of Sarte and currently an employee in Iris. And I can assure you that you'll believe me when I saw Sarte has done nothing unprofessional," Ruby said, confidently."Hey! What are you talking about?" Melvin Harvey chimed in, trying to control the situation."That's right, I should just show you what I'm talking about," Ruby said wi
EMBER"We'll see," she muttered. His hold only got tighter on her, making her lips part a little."I'll show you. You're trapped, I'll show you how long you can be trapped here, hmm?" He said, and Ember's blush turned into something just a little more sinister. The game wasn't over yet. She looked to her side to see someone passing by, towards their direction. Zaire saw Ember look at people passing by who can easily spot him holding her, which would be quite scandalous. But her eyes were set, and afraid he would read into it wrong, he started moving his hand away to not be noticeable. That's when Ember's eyes snapped up towards him."Keep holding me, that's the next challenge," she said, knowing for sure that this would push him way out of accepting. Her job was only to make the challenges hard enough for him to back down. And he definitely wouldn't want a scandal so he would surely accept defeat. He surely wouldn't..."Perfect," he said immediately and that's when his hand wrapped ar
EMBEREverything looked exceptional. So magestic and gorgeous that there was no way anyone could even think of a better way than this. Every inch of it looked straight out of a mythical movie.Ember sure had to know they were all professional and talented enough to modify the theme "heaven" given to them to something like this. Sarte has added lots and lots of detailings that embraces the dark elements. Like black vines and rust like textures on the while that looks like the darkness or hell is infiltrating the heaven's gate.It was grand and if Ember could recall it properly, she knew the kind of costumes Iris had prepared, it would look so good together. If only the whole idea passes and no one steps in to say a word against it. Technically, Sarte was breaking the rules by not following the theme entirely but incorporating heaven theme into hell because they were misled by Sarte.The only saviour would be if the fashion show preparations overall look so good that it impresses Mr and
RUBYIt went on and on, the only entertainment being Melvin Harvey's scowling face at her. She tried not to laugh at his face every time, it was weirdly entertaining."So, because Sarte asked for some more time, we are going to have to display the fashion show we prepared once again so we need to get everything ready by the end of the day," Max said and everyone noted something down but Ruby didn't bother."And what about the models? What timing were they given to report here so that we can do the rehearsals beforehand?" Travis asked and suddenly it got a little silent as they all looked at each other. "What's going on?""W-we didn't know we had to give them the time right away before the meeting so we didn't give them the time yet," Cara explained and that made Travis visibly annoyed."What does that mean? Shouldn't you have completed that before coming here? I didn't expect this from you," Travis said but Ruby noticed something very strange. It was unusual but not surprising but prob
RUBY"W-what did you just say? What does that-""You know exactly what that means. I am demeaning you for the way you run your team by gaslighting hate into them. You're misusing your authority, bet half of them don't even know why they actually hate Sarte," she shrugged like she had said enough."You think you can badmouth our company and I'll just stand here and hear you out?" He was visibly running out of words to say because of being caught off guard. He was threatening to report her to someone but that was just funny at that point."You can say whatever you want. You can even bring the board of directors, the managers, even your Chairman out here and I'll still repeat the exact same words. Don't take me for a fool like you do with everyone around you, you are a coward anyways," Ruby could feel the satisfaction coursing through her veins as she told him off, watching the colours fade from his face too fast. "It doesn't matter who I am dating, I'm not afraid to speak up so don't ev
RUBY"Fine then, you really think you're that slick when you are anything but that. If that's what you're deciding to do then I'll do something too. And something that you won't be able to hold against me because in your style, technically, I am not going against the deal as well. That's okay, I'm guessing?" She said, with a menacing look on her face that emitted what she actually felt and it certainly cannot be faked."You can't do that, it will be a clear breach of the contract and it certainly would not be as well explained as mine because there's no such detail written in the papers as well," he said, a little defensive in her opinion but something that can be very well recognised through his body language. She knew she didn't have to work that hard to unleash the goal.Ruby offered him a bitter smile before turning around and pulling out a piece of paper. It was the copy of the contract they signed and Travis watched her carefully as she opened the paper and started running her ey
RUBYRuby didn't know on a scale of one to ten, how angry she was and how larger it can grow. Maybe her anger might just break and split open the scale because she was furious.She had no idea how this happened or how it was even possible because when she agreed to the deal with the unscrupulous man he clearly said he wouldn't come in the way of Sarte or disrupt the project at all. But they did it, they completely sabotaged Sarte by giving them information about a fake theme. They had been planning on doing Hell as the theme the whole time but Sarte was told the theme was Heaven.This was clearly breaking the deal and the rules, it was totally unacceptable.Ruby could feel her mind going blank with anger as she rushed through the gate of Florence building and up to the floor given to Sarte and Iris. This was her first day of work as a member of Iris and it was bound to be strange. But when she got the news from the Iris group chat, how they fooled Sarte into believing a completely diff
EMBER"What are you thinking?" He asked, finally breaking the silence."So, anything, right? Anything I ask you, without questions," she made sure, as a trick to test him."I already said it, anything you want," he answered right then, with no hesitation at all. Ember thought, if he wasn't hesitant, what was her excuse? The drive was still going on and the wild idea took over her. "Okay so..", she started, not giving him time to comprehend he was going to be given a task right at that moment. "Stop this car in the middle of the road and kiss me."His head snapped to her at that rash and unusual task but Ember knew she was doing it to see to what extremes he would go. That seemed fit enough for the first task. He scanned her face and realised she was serious. A quick look behind him and he immediately brought the car to a stop at that exact moment, 0 questions or hesitations.Hurrying, he leaned in and snapped off her seatbelt and in one moment, he had swept her off her seat and placed