Purple Romance

Calia walked into her office at the second floor of La-Brande building where she did most of her crafts and designs. Her assistant, Marvel walked in and handed her a few papers containing pictures of her latest kids' jewellery that was still in the crafting and designing process.

Calia took the papers listlessly and frowned. She sighed absentmindedly about a couple of times and looked so down that her assistant had to ask.

'Miss, what is wrong with you? Did something happen? You have sighed more than I could keep count'. Marvel asked.

Calia sighed again and looked at Marvel. She opened her mouth to speak but ended up yawning. It was clear she had been deprived of sleep.

'You can rest on the sofa and catch up on some sleep. You seem tired'. Marvel told her.

'Hmmmmm' Calia sighed again before looking at her assistant and suddenly asked.

'Say, Marvel. Am I not pretty enough?'

'Huh?' Marvel was taken aback by her question. Being a professional at her job, she realised her boss probably needed inspiration or motivation so, she smiled and replied 'Miss, you are very beautiful. You make heads turn with your face and talent'.

'Hmmm'. Calia sighed again and Marvel was rendered speechless.

Did something happen to her Miss or what?

'Miss, did something happen?' Marvel decided to ask.

'Say, I am so beautiful and impeccable. I have such a great achievement to my name. I dress fashionably and I'm always cheerful. But, why am I crossed in love?' Calia spoke absentmindedly.

'Huh? Crossed in love?' This was the first time she had heard her boss talk about something like this. Did it mean her boss was finally in love? But, what about being crossed in love? Was her boss a third wheel or…. Marvel couldn't wrap her head around it.

'Miss, if you will be specific and tell me the details I might be able to help you. How are you crossed in love if I may ask?'

'Say…why are all the beautiful men already taken?' Calia asked and pouted displeasingly.

'He is taken?' Marvel almost screamed and immediately closed the door she left opened. She was afraid the workers might hear this top revelation. Her boss was in love..no, she was crossed in love and the man was already taken?

'Miss, does he have a girlfriend?' Marvel asked again and Calia put her hand on the table and laid her head on it before saying.

'He has a wife and a child'.

'Ahh? He was married? That kind of taking?' Marvel's eyes widened as she looked at Calia. She simply thought the man had a girlfriend and was going to tell her boss not to be so down because the man wasn't married yet so she still had a chance but the man in question was already married and had a child? This was big news.

Calia saw the shock on Marvel's face and added casually 'she is a girl'.

Marvel blinked her eyes twice before coming back to her senses. This was emergency. Her boss first time in love and it involved a married man with a daughter; not even a divorced man with a daughter or a man whose wife was dead but a man whose wife was alive?

'You can leave. I still need to nurse my wounds. You see, it hurts here, Marvel' Calia said and pointed at her heart. She looked really heartbroken at that moment.

Marvel nodded her head. She was a woman and knew her boss needed time to accept the reality of her situation. Though she was worried she also knew her boss needed to sort it out herself.

'Call me when you need anything'. Marvel said and went out. She closed the door gently after looking at Calia. Calia closed her eyes and a tear dropped on the table.

...…..

At 4:30PM, Maria came out of her office and saw that most of the workers were already leaving for their homes. She had spent the entire day at that photocopier office without doing anything. Paul came in the afternoon time and wanted to make some extra copies but when she asked to do it, he refused and did it himself. Maria felt weirded out by the whole thing. How could they really make her come and do nothing the whole day? Maria really felt like she had been jinxed.

She turned to go back into the office and saw Paul coming out of his office and she stopped and looked at him.

'Miss Lee, aren't you going home?' Paul asked and looked at the time on his wrist watch. 'Is past 4:00pm?'

'Can I really go home? What if the boss needs something?' Maria asked.

'The boss has left already. You can go home and come back tomorrow'. Paul told her.

'Okay'. Maria went inside and returned with her bag. She hanged it on her shoulder and said to Paul 'then, see you tomorrow'.

'Sure, Miss Lee'. Paul said and watch Maria go into the elevator before he turned quickly walking towards the CEO's office which was at the corner.

...

'Is she gone?' Ad-Din asked as he saw Paul enter the office. He was busy with some paperwork.

'Yes, boss. But, she looked downcast and in low spirits. Are you really going to let her come to work and do nothing?'. Paul asked.

'Why? Do you feel pity for her?' Ad-Din put down his pen and asked looking at Paul. Paul immediately shook his head answering back.

'Not at all, boss'.

'She wants to work? Okay, then I will give her work to do from now onwards' Ad-Din said. 'You can go home. I'm working late tonight'.

'Yes, boss. Goodnight'. Paul said and rushed out. He was lucky he wasn't told to stay and do some overtime and didn't want to waste another moment there in case his boss changed his mind.

....

Maria threw the bag in her hand on the couch and slumped into it and sighed. Her first day at work was even more stressful than she had imagined meanwhile she didn't really do anything.

Tiana and Kobby walked out of Tiana's room and saw Maria collapsed on the couch and asked.

'When did you come?' Kobby asked and sat on the other couch.

'Just a moment again'.

'Aunt, how was your first day at work?' Tiana asked.

'Tiana, can you give aunt a hug? Aunt met a ruthless boss today and was bullied'.

'I'm sorry about that aunt'. Tiana said and gave Maria a hug.

'How did it go?' Kobby asked.

'That psychopathic boss is really bent on making things hard for me'. Maria said and frowned her face adding 'do you believe that he didn't give me any work to do? I sat in the office the whole time till I closed'.

'Does this your boss know you? Why do I feel like he is doing this on purpose?' Kobby said and walked to the kitchen.

'I asked his assistant but he said his boss doesn't know me. My suspicions were all in my head. Can you believe that?' Maria said and stretched her hand, taking the glass of water Kobby brought her. 'Thank you'.

'Then, is strange that he is treating you that way, but I won't be surprised if he turned out to be someone you know very well. So think about it. Who have you hurt the most in the past?'

'In the past. That will be Ad-Din'. Maria paused and shook her head laughing 'that will be too much of a coincidence. Ad-Din being my boss? No, that is impossible. If he was the one, I wouldn't have gotten the job in the first place. Besides, I'm sure Ad-Din is busy managing their family company to care about some small company that is growing up'.

'You know my hunch is always right, right?' Kobby told her.

'No, come on, don't jinx it Kobby. I can have anyone be my boss but not him. I wouldn't be able to handle it'. Maria said and gulped down the rest of the water. Kobby looked at her and smiled without saying anything.