As she continues reviewing some files, Louisa calls Leonora to inform her that the meeting is about to start. In the boardroom, after hearing so much about Leonora Dark, the shareholders and employees were excited to meet her in person. On the other hand, Leonora is trying to understand while Patrick wants her to walk with him to the conference room. It's not like they would talk.
"Louisa forgot to give you this. This is for Clarissa's second hearing. I suppose everything is there to help you understand, and Louisa will help you. She's two steps from you." Leonora takes the file from Patrick as she follows him to the meeting, and all of a sudden, he stops, making her bump into his back.
"Watch it!" He snaps. Leonora ignores him as he opens the large double glass doors.
Leonora takes a deep breath before she follows him inside. The room is huge and clean. The whole company is clean. Some people occupied the large glass area, maybe clients and workers, and a girl who arrived early today is on the other side. She smiles at Leonora, who returns the smile.
When she enters the room, Leonora is dumbfounded. This is much more than she ever dreamed. Was it really true that she's working here? Suddenly, the room falls into a dead silence, and every eye is on them, especially Leonora's.
What the heck? Did they never see a woman before? Leonora thinks as she flushes with embarrassment.
Shameless, the guys are checking me out.
They were all young,g maybe in their late twenties. Patrick senses the awkwardness and clears his throat. Thank goodness, the staring contest is over. They make her feel insecure. Leonora hated the way the men were looking at her as if she were naked; she felt like the forbidden fruit that everyone wanted to taste.
Walking behind her, Patrick sits next to John. He was the meeting's chairman and CEO. John smiles at Leonora and asks her to take a seat next to him, and I sat behind him.
"So who is the girl, Patrick?" One of the men asks, shamelessly checking Leonora out again.
"Leonora Dark is the Senior Family lawyer, Ernesto," Patrick says with a warning in his voice, but conflicted. Lucio looks at her and smirks. She shakes her head.
"Let's get this meeting started," John says, catching everyone's attention as Leonora looks at the girl from the lift when she came in early in the morning.
"This is not your typical meeting, so pay attention," Patricio commented. Leonora ignores him. She opens the file and starts reading it. Patrick was the one handling that case, but now he had given it to Leonora because it was too boring for him.
Suddenly, the phone rings, and the room falls into silence once again. Everyone is watching her, but Leonora didn't remember bringing her phone. Then it dawned on her that she had set a specific ringtone for a specific person, and, with her nervousness, she had forgotten about it. The phone ringing is funny.
"Would you answer or cancel the call?" Patrick says, glaring at Leonora. Leonora quickly reaches for her phone, cancels it, and puts it on silent. As she looks up, she sees Lucio looking at her with a raised eyebrow, amused. She feels so embarrassed.
"It wasn't easy to decide and know that this decision wasn't made only by me; I also talked to all of you about it before. Leonora Dark will be the newest senior lawyer. I know that in the beginning, it will be difficult for everyone to adapt, but believe me, she is the best person for the position, and I know that she is prepared to take care of our company." John finishes talking and looks at Leonora.
"Thank you, John and all of you for trusting me with such an important position in the company. Although we lawyers need to lie when necessary, I won't promise you that I'll be the best of the best or that I will not let you down. I would lie if I said that. However, I'll give my best while I'm here." Leonora ends her speech with joy, certain of the future fate has in store for her.
"Welcome to AD & Associated Law Firm, Miss Dark." Mr Andrade holds out his hand, as if to complete his welcome speech, and Leonora shakes it, her heart overflowing with joy. "I'm afraid you won't be able to meet the other lawyers as they had an early meeting with their clients."
"Thank you, I'm sure I'll get to know them soon." The meeting went on for another 20 minutes, and when everyone else was done reporting, the shareholders and employees stood and left, leaving Leonora and John in the conference room. They talk for a few minutes, then Leonora goes back to her office to start working.
It's noon,n and Leonora is sitting at her desk in the law office. She is immersed in reading an important dossier when she is interrupted by three co-workers: Emma, Sarah, and a third woman she doesn't know who stands in front of her desk.
"Hi, Leonora! It's lunch time! Want to join us today?" Emma invites her with a warm smile.
Leonora stands up, relieved for a break from the endless piles of documents, and smiles back. "Of course, I'd love to! Where do you guys plan to go?"
"There's a really good restaurant right there, close to the company. We go there often. It's a great place to talk outside of the office," Sarah explains.
Nodding, Leonora grabs her bag and follows her colleagues towards the door. As they walk down the hallway towards the elevator, the woman, whose name she now knows as Jéssica, comments excitedly. "I'm sure you'll enjoy joining us. Our lunches are always fun!"
Patrick, determined to avoid unwanted encounters at work, is facing another busy day at the office. As he works at his desk, a feeling of anxiety washes over him, reminding him of the tensions in his surroundings.
LunLunchtimerives, and Patrick decides to call Anita, who is abroad working as a model. He takes out his cell phone, logs in to WhatsApp, and dials her number, a smile on his face, eager to hear Isabella's comforting voice.
On the other end of the line, Anita answers the call enthusiastically, "Lovei, my Love!" How's your day?"
Patrick sighs in relief when he hears Anita's soft, familiar voice. "Hi, Any. My day is a little busy, but I'm fine. I just needed to talk to you and get a little distracted."
Anita notices the tension in Patrick's voice and asks with concern, "What's Loveg on, Love? You look worried."
Patrick hesitates for a moment before sharing his feelings with Anita. "I'm dealing with some pressures at work, and it's making me a little anxious."
Anita listens intently and offers her unconditional support: "I understand how stressful the world can be. Love, Love. Remember that you are talented and capable of handling any challenge. I'm here for you."
Patrick feels comforted by Anita's words. I also feel guilty for not telling her the truth. "Thank you, Any. It's good to know that you're by my side, even from a distance. You give me the strength to face these challenges."
As they talk, Patrick shares the latest news from the office and the struggles he's facing. Anita listens carefully and offers words of encouragement: "You are a talented professional, Carlos. Don't let the pressures of work shake your confidence. Stay focused and determined."
Patrick smiles, feeling grateful to have Anita as his partner. "You always know what Love says, Love. Your words motivate me to keep going."
As they continue their conversation, Patrick shares some funny office stories to help loosen up. Isabella laughs and shares her experiences in the fashion world, creating a relaxed, happy atmosphere.
"You always find a way to make me smile, Any," Patrick says gratefully.
Anita lovingly responds: "That's what I'm here to do, love. I want to remind you that, even from a distance, we're on this journey together."
The conversation continues for a few more minutes, with Patrick feeling increasingly calm and comforted by Isabella's presence in his life.
"Thank you for being my rock, Anita. I'm so lucky to have you," Patrick says sincerely.
Anita responds fondly: "I'm lucky to have you, too, Patrick. Together, we can overcome any obstacle life throws at us."
With a lighter heart, Patrick hangs up the phone, feelingrevitalisedd and ready to face the rest of the day. He knows that even with the pressures of work, he has Anita's unwavering support to help him deal with any challenge.
As he continues his professional journey, Carlos finds solace in Isabella's constant presence. He knows that, even from a distance, there is love, love, love, and determination to build a future together.
At the restaurant, they are greeted by a smiling waiter, who takes them to a table near the window. Sitting down, they begin to leaf through the menus.
"I recommend the chicken salad with special sauce. It's delicious!" Sarah suggests, looking at Leonora.
"Or you can try the dish of the day. They always have good options," Emma adds.
Leonora thanks her for the tips and, after thinking a bit, decides to order the daily dish. As they wait for their orders, Jessica asks, "So, Leonora, how has your office experience been so far? Are you enjoying your work?"
"Yes, I'm loving it! It's an incredible opportunity to gain experience and improve my skills as a lawyer," Leonora replies enthusiastically.
Colleagues smile, showing approval. "That's great to hear! We really have a great team here. We always try to support each other," Jessica says.
"Absolutely! If you need anything, don't hesitate to reach out to us." Emma says, sincerely.
Leonora feels grateful to have found such welcoming colleagues in her new work environment. "You guys have been so kind to me since I arrived. It's comforting to know I can count on you." She says.
At that moment, the dishes arrive, nd they begin to enjoy the meal while continuing to talk. The topic of conversation alternates between funny office stories and weekend plans.
"So, what about you, Leonora? Any special plans for the weekend?" Sarah asks.
Leonora reflects for a moment and, with a smile on her face, replies: "Actually, I'm planning to explore the city."
Colleagues are excited about the idea. "We can show you some cool places. We can even plan to go out together at some point," Emma proposes.
"And I know a great cafe that you definitely need to try! The cakes are divine," Jessica adds.
While Patrick is busy in the office, dealing with his tasks, Louisa notices he has been working nonstop and hasn't had time for lunch. Concerned about her boss's well-being, she decides to take action.
Louisa gets up from her desk and goes to the building's cafeteria. She carefully chooses a nutritious and tasty meal for her boss, making sure it's something he likes.
With tray in hand, Louisa goes to Patrick's office and knocks softly on the door before entering. She smiles and says, "Patrick, I brought you lunch. I thought you might be hungry after all that work."
Patrick looks at Louisa in surprise and thanks her. "Louisa, you're amazing! Thank you for caring about me."
Louisa places the tray on Patrick's desk and says, "It's a pleasure to help, Patrick. I know how important it is to take care of our health, even while working."
Patrick smiles gratefully as he opens the meal packaging. He is surprised to see very healthy food there; she already knows the chef's tastes. Louisa left the office, thinking about how careless Patrick can sometimes be when he has a lot of work. At least if that was the reason, he didn't go out for lunch.
As he savours each bite, Patrick feels grateful for his assistant's kindness. He realises how lucky he is to have such a helpful team by his side.
Leonora is grateful for the invitation, feeling even more excited about the prospect of building friendships with her colleagues beyond the professional environment. She's glad she accepted the lunch invitation, as it allowed her to get to know her co-workers better.
As lunch comes to an end, the four return to the office with smiles on their faces and a sense of togetherness. They take advantage of the break to get to know Leonora better and show how welcome she is on their team.
Back at the company, Leonora feels even more motivated and inspired to face the challenges that the law will bring her. With the certainty of having supportive colleagues by her side, she knows that her professional journey will be much more rewarding.
After finishing lunch, Patrick looks at Louisa, who is there to take the tray and says, "Louisa, you are truly an asset to this office. Your dedication and care are admirable."
"Thank you very much, Patrick. It's a pleasure to work with you and be able to help in any way."
"I meant it, Louisa. You're a wonderful assistant." Louisa smiles, knowingly. That's what he always says when he's really thankful for something she did. Patrick feels energised after the meal and Louisa's kind gesture. He returns to work with a smile on his face, and Louisa leaves his office to return the tray and go back to her cubicle.