"Jim, what's wrong?" Cassandra pressed, her voice laced with concern.
Jim's eyes darted to Mildred's, then back to Cassandra's. "I just think it's best if you... and Mildred... stay away from me." Cassandra's brow furrowed. "But you said it was about Mildred's behavior and yours." Jim's jaw clenched. "I know, I... I meant what I said." Mildred's leg continued its subtle manipulation under the table, fueling Jim's inner turmoil. "Stay away from you?" Cassandra repeated, confusion etched on her face. "What's going on, Jim?" Jim's hands fisted beneath the table, fighting the desire sparked by Mildred's touch. Cassandra's eyes flashed with anger. "This is between you and me. You left me at the altar without hearing me out." Jim's gaze dropped and Mildred shifted uncomfortably, her leg withdrawing from its subtle manipulation. "Besides, I haven't bothered you since that day," Cassandra continued, her voice rising. "Explain yourself." Jim's eyes met Cassandra's, "Mildred's been... embarrassing me," he said. "Whenever our paths cross, she insults me, accuses me of leaving you. She thinks she's your fighter." Mildred's expression transformed from seductive to icy, her eyes narrowing at Jim. She let out an inaudible sigh of relief. Cassandra's gaze turned to Mildred. "Mill, is this true?" She asked, her voice laced with disappointment. Mildred's mask slipped, revealing a glimpse of malice. "Of course not," Mildred replied, squeezing her face. The tension between them thickened, secrets and lies hanging precariously. Cassandra's gaze shifted between Jim and Mildred, sensing the underlying tension. "Is there something I should know?" Cassandra asked, her voice tinged with suspicion. Jim's eyes locked onto Mildred's, a silent plea to stop, as her leg resumed,but her eyes never left Jim's face. The silence hung heavy, weighted with unspoken secrets. Suddenly, Mildred stood, her chair scraping against the floor. "I think we've discussed enough," she said, her voice dripping with innocence. "Cass, let's leave Jim to his thoughts. Since it's obvious, he didn't call to hear you out." Cassandra's eyes narrowed, her gaze lingering on Jim. "Fine," Cassandra said, rising from her seat. As they exited the café, Jim's eyes remained fixed on Mildred's retreating back. Cassandra trudged back to the guest house, her heart heavy. She assured Mildred she was fine, but tears streamed down her face as soon as she closed the door. Exhaustion claimed her, and she cried herself to sleep. Next morning, Cassandra entered the guest house cafeteria, determined to indulge. "I'll take the full breakfast plate, please," she told the chef. No worries about expenses; she'd spend every penny if it meant fleeting happiness. Cassandra sat alone, savoring each bite. Her phone rang. Mildred. "Hey, Cass. Continuing the job hunt today?" Mildred asked. Cassandra sighed. "I'm tired, Mill." Mildred's concern was laced with annoyance. "You can't give up." "And I can't focus as well. Business management isn't child's play Mill. I need this job badly but I also need to focus." She replied. "You're a smart woman, give it try again." Mildred persisted. "I will find a Job, but I don't know when. I didn't strife hard to get a good degree in business management just to dump it." Cassandra said. "Very well then, good luck." Cassandra ended the call, her patience worn thin. Just then, a poised woman in her late 20s, approached Cassandra. Her raven-black hair cascaded down her back, framing her heart-shaped face. A subtle smile played on her lips as she sat opposite Cassandra. Emma's tailored blazer and crisp white blouse exuded confidence and professionalism. A sleek silver watch adorned her wrist, complementing her elegant demeanor, and her eyes sparkled with warmth and genuine interest. Cassandra's eyes travelled from the woman's head to her sparkling black stiletto which looked quite expensive. "I'm Emma" she said, her voice melodious and assured. With that introduction, Emma's presence commanded attention, and Cassandra's life was about to take an unexpected turn. Cassandra nodded, curiosity piqued. "I overheard your conversation. You sound incredibly intelligent," Emma said. Cassandra's eyes widened but guarded. "Ouh. What brings you here?" Emma smiled. "My boyfriend's in town, here at this guest house actually. Man is a low-key human, I just came down here and thankfully I saw you, plus you sounded like you really need a job. I work with Clade Industries. We're hiring." Cassandra's heart skipped a beat. "Really?" she asked. Emma nodded. "Yes." "And you think I'm good for the Job, just by looking at me?" Cassandra asked. "Oh, you'll undergo a critical scrutiny that's if you are interested but my instincts never lie." Emma replied flashing her white set of teeth. "So I come in tomorrow?" Cassandra asked. "Yes if you can, here's the company's card." Emma said as she handed a cream coloured small card. The card read 'Clearview Enterprises'. "Clearview?" Cassandra asked. "Oh I understand your confusion, there are smaller companies all under Clade industries. We do the hiring at Clade, and fix the employees into the smaller companies. The woman explained. Cassandra nodded in understanding and smiled to the woman who stood to leave. She sighed heavily as she looked back at her food, fate's door creaked open. Emma settled into her office, phone in hand, and dialed Claus's extension. "Emma here. Need to brief you on a potential candidate," Emma said. Claus's deep voice came on the line. "Emma, what's this about?" "I met a woman,at a guest house cafeteria. Intelligent, eloquent, and fluent. I think she'd be perfect for the open position." "A guest house Emma?" Claus asked. "My boyfriend is in town, sir." Emma cleared the confusion "Cheap of him." Claus muttered, but Emma remained silent. She is used to these. Claus's interest piqued. "Go on." "I invited her for an interview tomorrow. Should I arrange for Mr Gad to conduct the interview since he is the manager of Clearview?" Emma asked. "No," Claus replied firmly. "I'll handle it myself." Emma raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Sir?" "I want to assess this candidate personally, it's a sensitive position" Claus clarified. Emma nodded, though he couldn't see her. "Understood, sir. I'll schedule the interview for 10 am tomorrow." "See that she's prepared, Emma," Claus instructed. "Will do, sir." The line went dead.Jim's restlessness plagued him throughout the night. Cassandra's memory lingered, refusing to be extinguished. He yearned for her, but the weight of his actions forbade him from pursuing her. The intimacy he shared with her sister, Mildred complicated matters further. Determined to make amends and avoid appearing opportunistic, Jim struggled to reconcile his feelings.As the darkness receded, Jim's longing for Cassandra became unbearable. He reached for his phone, his fingers hesitating before dialing her number. The call connected, and Jim's heart skipped a beat as he awaited her response.On the other end, Cassandra gazed at her phone through tear-stained eyes. Jim's name flashed on the screen, but she was in no state to converse. The wounds of the evening's events still bled, and the pain had awakened a deep-seated resentment toward men. Her life, once full of promise, now lay in shambles.The phone call only intensified Cassandra's sorrow, and she wept uncontrollably. Jim's persis
The figure walked quietly to the dining area, giving Cassandra the chance to cover up. "It's the boss," Mr. Gad whispered, causing her to shiver in fear.She had looked forward to meeting him, but mentally scolded herself for meeting him in such circumstances. "Well, it's nothing big," she assured herself, "just a couple making out. Everyone has feelings, including the boss.""Don't keep me waiting," his voice said from the dining area.Quickly, Mr. Gad pulled her by the hand to go meet him. He looked at both of them critically, then gave a mischievous smile. "Aren't you both so cute. Love...hmmm. Sit," he commanded.They sat quietly, Cassandra's heart racing with anxiety. She then studied his face, and suddenly, it clicked - she had seen him before. Yes, at Jim's workplace. Her eyes widened in horror as she remembered their altercation and how she had spoken to him disrespectfully. Oh no, she thought, her mind racing with the implications."Anything to say, Manager Gad?" he asked, hi
Cassandra felt a sense of accomplishment as she consistently received praise from Mr. Gad and Emma for her outstanding work at the company. Although she had heard about the company's owner, Mr. Claus, she had yet to meet him, despite being with the company for nearly a month. As time passed, Cassandra found herself focusing less on Jim, as Mr. Gad often accompanied her after work. Occasionally, her sister Mildred would join her, but it soon became apparent that Mildred's attention was being diverted by a romantic interest in her life. One evening, Mildred visited Cassandra's place, and they spent the evening chatting about various things. They sat on the couch, sipping tea and laughing together. Cassandra started talking about her job and how much she loved working with Mr. Gad. "He's so sweet and always looking out for me," she said, smiling. Mildred listened with a knowing smile, her eyes sparkling with a hint of envy. "That's great, Cassandra," she said. "You deserve to be happ
As Cassandra arrived work the next morning, the receptionist greeted her with a knowing smile. "Someone has been waiting for you, Miss Cassandra."Cassandra's wondered who could be visiting her this early. Curiously she made her way to the waiting area, where she found her sister Mildred sitting, dressed in an outfit that made Cassandra raise an eyebrow.Mildred's blouse was pressed tightly against her chest, accentuating her cleavage. Cassandra's gaze lingered, surprised by her sister's bold choice.As Mildred stood to hug her, Cassandra smiled, trying to play it cool. "Hey, Mil. What brings you here? how did you find where I work.?Mildred's grin sparkled with mischief. "Nothing, just wanted to say hello before heading to the café. Plus I told you about the job opening here remember?"Cassandra's eyes still scanned her sister's outfit, unsure what to make of it. "Okay, thanks for coming. You look... quite stylish today."Mildred chuckled, her eyes glinting with amusement. "This.. Ju
Cassandra stepped aside, allowing Manager Gad to enter. His presence filled the room, making her heart flutter."I'm sorry to drop at this time," he said, his eyes locked on hers.Cassandra smiled shyly. "It's okay.""I felt like I needed to see you," Manager Gad continued. "We didn't get a chance to meet at work."Cassandra's cheeks warmed as she took the chocolates from him her eyes lingering on the flowers. "You didn't have to do that," she said, feeling a blush rise to her cheeks.Manager Gad chuckled. "I wanted to welcome you properly to Clearview.Cassandra took them and inhaled their sweet scent. "Thank you. They're beautiful."Manager Gad smiled, his eyes warm. "Not as beautiful as you, Cassandra. You're fitting in wonderfully at work."Their gazes met, and for a moment, Cassandra felt like she was drowning in his kind eyes.They settled in the sofa at the living room and chatted, the hours flew by. Laughter and easy conversation filled the room.At 11 pm, Cassandra glanced at
"As I drive you back to your guest house, you'll tell me your story," Mr. Gad said, smiling.Cassandra agreed, she liked him more with each passing moment. A good listener and a good conversationalist.She began."Got left at the altar... Mother asked me to leave home... Guest house... Job search."Words flowed effortlessly and Mr. Gad kept an attentive gaze with sympathetic nods and empathetic murmurs."Quite a story," he remarked.Cassandra chuckled."I know, right?""Sorry about all that." He said with all sincerity."Well I'm fnding happiness now... This job is a blessing." She said.Mr. Gad's smiled warmly and nodded and walked her to her door.At the door, he paused and gazed into her eyes, tenderly. Bade her goodnight with a kiss on her forehead.Cassandra's heart skipped at the unexpected gesture. Feelings stirred as she leaned on the door smiling as Mr Gad's footsteps faded.Back at his car, Mr Gad let out a heavy sigh. He was falling for this woman quicker than expected. A p