Chapter 5 Five

Six years later

"They called me back."

Melly lifted her face that was almost buried in the laptop on her lap, distracting herself from the numbers she was processing.

"They... Who?" Melly asked, her eyebrows furrowed, not yet catching what Wilona suddenly said.

"Head office," Wilona replied. Her voice sounded heavy, as she flopped onto the sofa, next to Melly.

Melly closed the laptop and put it on the table. She changed her sitting position to face Wilona with a serious look.

"And... What is your answer?" Melly asked carefully.

Wilona looked at her friend and sighed. "What can I say, do you think? This is an order that came from Mr. Jarvis William himself, the formidable owner of Future Frame Global Enterprises."

"What did they offer that you were asked to come back?" Melly asked, in a calculating tone.

"They give me a promotion," Wilona answered. "Vice President of Human Capital."

"Wow, Wilona! That was something really great, right?" Melly said excitedly. "Your six years were not in vain at all, girl!"

Wilona smiled with the corner of her lips. She hesitated when the call came from Aaron Jerome, saying that she was unanimously elected at the shareholders' meeting forum, with the support of the directors and approved directly by Mr. Jarvis William, as The Vice President of Human Capital.

It was a title she had worked for, yet the thought of returning to Los Angeles unsettled her.

It wasn't just about leaving behind what she had built, but it was about stepping back into a world she had deliberately distanced herself from.

"Come back and show that you are someone completely new. Take your chance to continue to shine, Wilona," Melly said in a soft tone full of support. "Even if one day you meet your nightmares back there, you can proudly brush them off now."

The night after the talk with her best friend, Wilona stood at the floor-to-ceiling window of her apartment, gazing at the cityscape of Manchester one last time.

The twinkling lights of the city had become familiar, a place where she had built something from the ground up.

Six years. That was how long she had led this branch, transforming it from a struggling office into one of the most profitable divisions in the company. And now, she was leaving it behind.

She wasn't sure that this was the right time to return, but an honor given by the company, by Mr. Jarvis William was not something she could ignore.

As Melly said, when the time is right, even if doubts continue to haunt, there is still a reason to return.

*

The warm Los Angeles air greeted Wilona as she stepped out of the airport.

A black company car awaited her, and soon she was being whisked away to Future Frame Global Enterprises' headquarters, a towering skyscraper that symbolized power and prestige.

As she entered the grand hall, the whispers and murmurs of employees filled the space. The woman who turned the Manchester branch into a powerhouse is back. The thought made her smirk slightly, but she quickly composed herself.

"Welcome back, Wilona," said Aaron Jerome, currently the Vice President of Public Management, holding Wilona's hand warmly, conveying his feelings of pride.

Wilona felt suffocated by emotion. Aaron Jerome was still the same, supporting her like a father to his daughter, selflessly and without excessive demands.

"I... Wouldn't have been able to get here, if not for you, Sir," said Wilona respectfully. "Thank you."

"It wasn't me," denied Aaron softly. "It was you yourself, who shed tears and exchanged them for hard work."

The day was marked by two major events, Wilona's official appointment as VP of Human Capital and the handover of power from Mr. Jarvis William to his grandson, Mr. Joshua Ray William.

However, Joshua was nowhere to be seen. Aaron said that his flight from Hong Kong was delayed.

That made Jarvis a little upset, but he couldn't wait to retire and immediately inaugurated Joshua as the new owner of Future Frame Global Enterprises without waiting for his grandson to arrive.

Wilona didn't think much of it. She had her own challenges to face.

After a long morning of formalities and introductions, Wilona decided to grab a coffee before her first special meeting with the executive team.

"Go and freshen up, Wilona," Aaron said lightly. "Bitter coffee can reduce jet lag. We'll start the meeting after lunch, so you still have enough time, even to take a shower. For your information, Ms. VP, you have your own bathroom in your room."

Wilona laughed. "I'm too lazy to unpack my suitcase right now, so I think a cup of coffee will do for now. Would you like me to order some too, sir?"

"No, no," Aaron replied quickly. "Go and relax for a while. After this, you will have a hard time finding free time."

Wilona went down to the first floor. The thirty-three-story company building was already equipped with public facilities, including a food court area with a variety of food counters and minimarkets, including a delicious coffee counter.

Wilona was very happy because her old favorite coffee counter was still there and the place had even become more spacious. She decided to order to be taken to her new room. She still needed to adjust to the room.

The aroma of freshly cold double shot Americano filled the air as she stepped out of the break area, cup in hand.

Then it happened.

A hard collision.

Cold coffee splashed, darkening the crisp white shirt of a man who had just walked straight into her.

A second of stunned silence passed before the man's irritated voice cut through the moment.

"Are you blind?" he snapped, his gaze dropping to his ruined shirt. It had an ugly black stain, was wet and stuck to his body and must have felt cold. "Look what you did!"

Wilona's shock quickly turned to irritation. "Excuse me? You're the one walking like a damn horse, not looking left or right!"

The man's eyebrows rose in an arrogant manner that seemed to spread in Wilona's eyes. His strong jawline, his fitted navy suit, his broad chest, and even the way he stared at Wilona with his dark turquoise eyes, seemed to say that he owned this place so he could walk any way he wanted.

"Do you have any idea how much this shirt costs?" he growled, brushing off the liquid as if disgusted.

Wilona scoffed. "Oh no, I ruined your precious expensive shirt. What a tragedy."

She snatched that man's phone from his hand before he could react, swiftly dialed her own number, and handed it back with a sneer.

"There. Now I have your number. I'll replace your damn expensive shirt. Just text me about the brand and model. But don't forget, sir, you also have to replace my spilled coffee!"

Without waiting for his response, Wilona spun on her heel and stormed off, her heel clicking against the polished floor.

The man watched her leave, amusement flickering in his eyes.

Then, a smirk curled on his lips.

"Interesting," he murmured.