Mrs. Rachel began to explain the purpose of the meeting, her voice clear and concise. "As you all know, the company I will be talking about has been a major player in the industry for years. They're expanding their operations, and they've chosen our company to handle their marketing campaign."
The room erupted into a mixture of excitement and murmurs of interest. I felt a spark of enthusiasm ignite within me as I leaned forward in my seat.
"Ryan, I think you'd be the best person to lead this project," Mrs. Rachel continued, her eyes landing on Ryan. "You've had experience working with high-profile clients before, and I think your skills would be a great asset to this project."
Ryan nodded, his expression serious as he listened to Mrs. Rachel's explanation. I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation. Working on a project for the first time with a bigger company could be a huge opportunity for all of us.
Mrs. Rachel handed out folders with more information about the project, and we all began to flip through the pages, taking in the details. As I scanned the pages, I noticed that the project was going to be bigger than I had initially thought.
"What's the timeline looking like?" Ethan asked, his brow furrowed in concern.
"We'll be working closely with their team to ensure the campaign is launched within the next six weeks," Mrs. Rachel replied. "It's going to be a tight deadline, but I have faith in all of you. Let's make this happen."
The meeting continued, with Mrs. Rachel outlining the expectations and objectives of the project. As the discussion went on, I found myself getting more and more invested in the project. I was eager to see how we would tackle this challenge.
I nodded along with the others as Mrs. Rachel wrapped up the meeting. "I will send the name of the company that we will be working with to everybody's system, so everybody can go through the company and know the company we are working with," she said.
"Okay," everyone murmured in agreement, and Mrs. Rachel left the conference room.
As everyone dispersed and headed back to their desks, I sat down at my computer and booted it up. I waited for the system to load, and then I checked my email for the message from Mrs. Rachel. And then I saw it. The company we would be working with was...Diana's company... My former work place...
My heart skipped a beat as I stared at the screen in shock.
I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. This was not good. This was very, very bad. How was I supposed to work with Diana's company when I was still trying to figure out my feelings for Ace? And what would Ace think when he found out that I was working with his wife's company?
I sat there, frozen in shock, my mind racing with questions and worries.
I took a deep breath and dialed Maxie's number, my hands shaking slightly as I tried to process the news. As soon as she picked up, I blurted out my panic-stricken greeting. "Maxie, I'm in big shit."
Maxie's voice was amused on the other end of the line. "What's wrong now?"
I took another deep breath and tried to calm down. "Well, this morning we had a meeting about working with a big company, and I just found out it's your company."
There was a pause, and then Maxie burst out laughing. "My company? I don't have a company."
I groaned, feeling my anxiety spike. "For God's sake, stop joking. I mean the company where you work at."
Maxie's laughter abruptly stopped, and she shouted, "What?!"
I was panicking, and I could hear Maxie's panic echoing through the phone. "Okay, this is what we should do," Maxi said, her voice firm and controlled. "I need you to tell me who's been assigned to run the project with the firm."
I took a deep breath and tried to think clearly. "I think it's...all of us are included, but apart from the supervisor, Ryan is the one fully in charge," I replied, my voice shaking slightly.
Maxie's voice was calm and reassuring. "Okay, let's just calm down. I haven't heard anything yet. When I get to know anything, i'll call you back, and we'll figure it out from there."
I nodded, even though Maxi couldn't see me. "Okay, okay. That sounds like a plan."
Maxi's voice was firm. " For now try to stay back stage in whatever spot you have on the project, Sharon so you won't have to be the one presenting or something. Just stay calm and wait for my call."
I took a deep breath and nodded again. "Okay. Thanks, Maxie."
The line went dead, and I was left standing there, staring at my phone in shock. What was going to happen now?
I stood there for a moment, trying to process the conversation I just had with Maxie. My mind was racing with thoughts and worries, but I knew I had to get back to the office.
I took a deep breath and pushed open the door, stepping back into the bustling office. The hum of computers and chatter of my coworkers enveloped me, a stark contrast to the panic and anxiety I was feeling.
As I made my way back to my desk, I couldn't help but feel like I was walking on eggshells. Everyone around me seemed oblivious to the bombshell that had just been dropped, and I felt like I was the only one who knew the truth.
I stood close to my desk, trying to compose myself, but my mind kept wandering back to the conversation with Maxie. What was going to happen? How was this going to affect me? And when was Maxie going to call me back?
I looked around the office, feeling a sense of confusion and uncertainty. Ryan was typing away on his computer, completely focused on the task at hand. Mrs. Rachel was chatting with Ava, a smile on her face. And I was sitting there, feeling like my world was about to implode.
I let out a deep sigh and tried to focus on my work, but my mind was a million miles away. I had a feeling that this was just the beginning of a very long and complicated journey.
Just as I was about to take a seat in front of my desk, my phone buzzed with an incoming text message. I discreetly glanced at the screen, and my heart skipped a beat when I saw Maxie's name flashing on the screen.
"We're having a meeting about your company," the text read. "Sit tight for now."
I felt a surge of anxiety as I quickly typed out a response, my thumbs flying across the screen. "Okay, got it," I replied, trying to keep my response brief and non-descript.
I slipped my phone back into my pocket, trying to compose myself as I met Ryan's curious gaze. What was happening? Was Ace or Diana aware that she was a part of the project?