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"Got it," I reply, as I start organizing my desk for the busy day ahead. That's when my eyes land on the bouquet, and I let out an exasperated sigh. "Seriously, again?" I complain.
She shrugs in response. "It's Curtis. He asked me to leave them on your desk."
I walk around my desk, take a seat, and pick up the bouquet. "Send them back," I instruct Ruby, handing them over. She quickly grabs them and exits.
I boot up my computer, still feeling irritated. But it's not even half a minute later when Ruby reappears, placing the flowers back on my desk. "He says he doesn't want them back, Ms. Russo."
Laughing in disbelief, I say, "Unbelievable. You know what, Ruby? I have the perfect place for them." I grab the bouquet and drop it into the trash can. "Tell him I said thank you," I add with every bit of sarcasm in my tone.
Ruby leaves, barely concealing a smirk. Every Monday morning, it's the same routine with Curtis – flowers, chocolates,donuts. It's becoming overwhelming. I've made it clear I'm not interested, but he just won't stop.
Curtis walks into my office and immediately sees the flowers in the garbage. He looks at them, then at me, his face slowly turning red.
"Oh," he starts, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "Ruby mentioned you said 'thanks.' I'd thought I say you're welcome since this is the first time you've ever acknowledged my efforts to show I care about your... situation."
The wordsituationhangs heavy in the air between us. He's pretending to be thoughtful and twisting the narrative, using Leo's passing as a way to get to me, making it seem like his constant gifts are some sort of condolence. It's borderline harassment and he knows it.
I lock eyes with him. "Convenient, isn't it, Curtis?" I say firmly. "Using my grief as a way to get close to me. That's not caring. It's manipulative."
He starts to say something, but I cut him off. "And don't try to gaslight me into thinking this is about sympathy or condolences. It's not."
I stand up, placing my palms flat on the desk as I lean forward leveling my gaze on him. "Here's your final warning, Curtis. Drop one more flower, chocolate, or, hell, even a goofy bobblehead that resembles your face on my desk, and you'll be having a not-so-pleasant meeting with HR. I'm dead serious."
He appears shocked and quickly nods, then hurries out of my office almost as if he's running away.
I exhale deeply and lean back in my chair. Turning back to my computer, I notice the screen has locked. Typing in my password, 'Modern-day nun,' I quickly gain access. I start navigating towards my emails, ready to dive into work, when there's a knock on my door. Looking up, I see Ruby standingthere with a worried expression that sends a chill down my spine.
She clears her throat nervously. "Mr. Rick Hart would like to see you," she says.
My eyebrows furrow in confusion. I work for Champion Sky Investments, and the big bosses rarely make an appearance here. I've only met Mr. Blake Wolf, Rick's business partner, a couple of times. He spends most of his time in France with his wife Natalie and their three kids. Natalie, interestingly enough, is Rick's daughter and a renowned fashion designer in Paris. The story goes that there was some family drama years back, but it's all water under the bridge now. Still, Mr. Hart can be quite intimidating, and given my role, our paths don't usually cross.
Why would Mr. Hart want to see me?
Could I be getting fired because of my spat with Curtis? What if he complained about me or twisted the story? I regret not reporting his inappropriate gifts and behavior to HR earlier for a proper paper trail. At least Ruby is aware of the situation and can back me up.
I get up from my desk with my heart pounding. I'm going to march up there and tell Mr. Hart what happened. I work way too hard around here to let someone destroy my character. No one's going to put my job in jeopardy after working my tail off to earn a master's degree.
As I walk towards the elevator, my palms start to get sweaty. I press the button for the elevator and step in, feeling a sense of dread. The ride up to his office seems to take forever, each floor passing slower than the last.
Finally, the doors open, and I step out, making my way to Mr. Hart's office. His assistant sees me and immediately picks up the phone to inform him of my arrival. After a moment, his assistant nods at me, and I walk into Mr. Hart's office. To my surprise, he has a smile on his face, which slightly eases my anxiety.
"Ms. Russo, it's a pleasure to see you again," he greets me with a warm smile.
"Likewise, Mr. Hart," I reply, trying to keep my composure as I take a seat opposite him.
"I have some wonderful news for you." He pauses, watching my reaction, then adds, "A promotion."
I feel a rush of excitement, but I'm careful not to show too much eagerness. "That's... great," I manage to say, keeping my tone even.
"Yes," he continues, "one of our branch partners needs an executive assistant."
I frown, slightly confused. "With all due respect, I'm a project manager," I remind him.
"Of course, that will be part of your role there too," he clarifies. "We're actually in need of someone who can handle both responsibilities."
I nod, trying to process this information but not committing to anything just yet. "Where is this branch? I thought we were the only ones in California."
He nods. "We are. This position is in Montana."
