Emily sighed, taking a deep breath she rubbed her temples in a slow measured pace just to conceal her emotion.
At this time she couldn't bring herself to tell her friend that she had been set up and betrayed by her parents.
Knowing Melissa, she might even go to her parents to give them an earful. While Emily was struggling to conceal her thoughts, Melissa was staring hard at her bent on unraveling whatever she was hiding.
She had known Emily long enough to read her like a book. She can tell when she is lying, ill, worried and probably not saying why she wasn't herself…just like at this moment.
And the trait of rubbing her temple, brow or cheeks had been her signature act when she is avoiding a matter while she picks her finger nails when she is too anxious.
For all she could remember, she had left before Emily yet some of their colleagues had mentioned seeing her hurrying home.
With that Melissa can bet a few dollars that Emily had a despairing episode with her adoptive parents and might have even cried herself to sleep judging from her panda eyes which the makeup couldn't conceal properly.
Also, when she called her earlier in the day, her voice was unnatural, drawled and weak as though she had been pressed down heavily.
Emily shifted uneasily, averting her gaze to anywhere but her friend. She prayed Melissa would let the matter slide, but with that intensity radiating from her eyes, Emily knew escape was impossible.
She took a deep breath with the hope of calming her racing heart as well as thinking of the best ways to break the unexpected news.
She wished to talk to Melissa about everything, to unload the chaos that had upturned her life in as short as eighteen hours. But where exactly was she supposed to start?
That her parents had given her out to the loan sharks in settlement of their piling gambling debt?
That she was now married to a man she didn't know anything about?
And it was still a man she never had an interaction with aside last night when he came to collect his debt?
Or the fact that with the chaos she didn't get a notice or take note of his face?
Or that she had already gone to the marriage registry and signed the marriage license without him being present?
Emily felt stumped as to how to narrate her stories, thinking back to the situation; it's really baffling that she had done all these.
She sighed and waved her hand dismissively. "It's nothing, really. Just the usual family drama and request for money."
Melissa arched her brow. Flimsy excuse. She wasn't buying it. But for now, she prioritized saving her friend before dragging the truth out of her.
Silently, she pulled a food flask from her bag and set it before Emily. "At least eat something before you pass out."
Emily blinked in surprise before relief softened her face. Her stomach growled in approval. She reached for it, but Melissa's next words made her heart race.
"Then you tell me what's really going on…because you're not sweeping this under the carpet."
Emily nodded in resignation, she took the flask, murmuring, "Mel, it's just the usual…"
Melisa leaned against the desk meeting Emily's gaze. "You said something like that on the phone, but now that I'm seeing you in person," she shook her head, with conviction "there is more to your story than you are letting out."
Emily laughed lightly "Mel, you don't have to take it that way, it is really like I said....just...some minor issues," She swallowed hard, almost as if she was trying to convince herself.
Melissa scoffed. "Minor? I'll believe that the moment you tell me the truth. Until then, I'm not letting go."
Emily sighed, as she slowly unwrapped the flask and opened it, the mouth water delicacy revealing itself.
With Melissa's persistence Emily shook her head "Alright, you give me some time I will tell you, maybe in a few days.
Melissa's eyes narrowed slightly with doubt, Emily hurriedly raised her hand to swear "Trust me, right now, I just need some time to breathe."
Melissa shrugged "Better keep your word…or you aren't going free."
Emily laughed, "Don't worry, like I said, I'll be crashing at your place for a while…I need to get away and relieve some stress." She explained seriously.
Melissa studied her for a moment before nodding. "Alright, I won't push it. But my door is open, and you're welcome to stay as long as you need."
Emily gave her a grateful smile. "Thanks, Melissa"
"Don't thank me yet," Melissa teased. "You still owe me the full story, and I'm collecting that soon…very very soon."
Emily laughed, "Yes…the story collector." She smirked and they both giggled.
The shrill tone of the office intercom rang disrupting the atmosphere. Emily picked it up "Emily Winters," she said into the receiver, her tone professional.
Within some seconds, her eyes widened as saucers, her hand tightened against the phone, her heart beating wildly as she listened into the receiver.
Melissa seeing her countenance had her heart race with trepidation with just three words hammering in her heart something is wrong
"Emily, what is it?" She asked as Emily dropped the phone receiver on the table. Her hands trembling, her breathing ragged.
Melissa hurried over to her side, her hand patting her back softly "Don't scare me, what is going on?" Melissa pressed further.
"Mel, I'm …I am…I am to report at the President's office…" she gasped while Melissa nodded silently urging her to continue "...as his personal assistant in one hour." Emily said.
The colours drained from their faces. Melissa paused lightly "In an hour? What sort of internal transfer is that?" Melissa questioned incredulously.
Emily shook her head in denial. Her heart raced yet no answer.
Sterling Group had a laid down rule for internal transfer but transferring Emily to the President's office at the moment can only spell doom.
"Melissa, the transfer isn't the problem but the real problem is the president." Emily complained.
"The president?" Melissa brow furrowed slightly.
Emily jerked her head in acquiesce, her voice lowered a few decibels "It is quiet known even in the telltales that our president don't like having female assistants Why now? And I am the first" she queried.
Melissa nodded. "It's not just about telltales but a proven fact, the last time the HR manager assigned him a female assistant, he lost his job."
Emily exhaled heavily, "Then, my bad luck…" she muttered resignedly "it was already bad enough that I married an unknown man but now I have to assume the role of a personal assistant to a boss I have never seen." She thought to herself.
Her head snapped towards Melissa "Mel," she called sweetly as she leaned across the table "Have you ever seen him? I have never met him and now I have to wonder what he looked like and what sort of person he is".
Melissa narrowed her eyes. "No need to fret, having worked in the company for sometime, it was never easy but you made it so this can still be so, okay?
Emily looked at her skeptical asked skeptically "Do you think so?"she asked her tone weak from exhaustion.
She didn't want to think about the worst but in situations like this, you can do nothing but think of the worst case scenario.
"Of course, you are stronger than you think." Melissa replied
Emily nodded hesitantly. She wanted to confide in Melidsa, but even she hadn't wrapped her head around everything. "I…I'm not sure. But I have a bad feeling about this."
While she is still standing thinking about how to go about the issue, her phone rang. It was Bryan. Her heart jumped out of her cage.
A strange sense of unease crept up her spine. She hesitated briefly before answering.
"Hello, Bryan," she said, trying to steady her shaky voice.
Bryan wasted no time in relaying his message "Ma'am, Boss has refused your request to stay at your friend's place for sometime."
Her grip on the phone tightened. "What?" She queried, her tone a few decibels high.
He's instructed that you come home after work," Bryan continued, his tone firm but not unkind.
Emily felt a chill run through her. "Come home?" she repeated, disbelief lacing her voice.
Home?" What sort of home she contemplated briefly before sighing in resignation.
"Yes," Bryan confirmed. "The car will be ready anytime you call me okay? He asked.
Emily sucked in a sharp breath. Her mind raced with anxiety and trepidation.
Emily bit her lower lip, frustration bubbling inside her. "Fine," she snapped and ended the call as she exhaled slowly, pressing a hand to her forehead.
Melissa, who had been listening closely, raised a brow. "So? What home? What pick up?"
Emily let out a dry laugh. "Apparently, I have a home now. A home I didn't choose."