Chapter 6 Work rivals

Jade ignored their stares and walked down to her desk. "I hope all is well?" Emma asked, knowing that their new manager, with his temperament, could have threatened Jade.

Jade focused on her screen, replying to the rapidly incoming emails. Then she heard footsteps approaching her, and when they got to her, the steps paused. "Look who we have here," a familiar voice said.

Jade recognized the voice; it belonged to Ivy, her biggest rival at work. Ever since Jade joined the marketing team, Ivy regarded her as a serious challenge to her ambitions of becoming the director.

Jade acted like no one was actually talking to her, she knew that's how Ivy acted; always looking down on people and getting on their nerves on purpose. Moreover, this wasn't Jade's first time experiencing it.

"Hey, I'm talking to you" Ivy forgot her manners as usual. The fact that she was from a wealthy family, made her believe she could do whatever she wanted to do.

Jade scoffed. Whenever Ivy looked down on her or tried to embarrass her, Jade remained calm, and most times Emma would defend her, which made Ivy think that Jade was nothing but a weakling who could be tossed around. But this time, it was different.

Jade turned her gaze to the thin frame standing before her. Remembering to wear a sly smile, Jade stood up as her chair drifted backwards "You have something to say?"

Ivy sneered " I can see you've gotten a lot of guts." " Well, I came to congratulate you on your marriage to a cheating partner. Isn't that funny?" Ivy witnessed everything that happened at the wedding hall, yet came to make a mockery of Jade.

"Ohh.... You mean my Ex?" Jade paused, filling everyone with suspense as they waited to hear what she would say next. "I am done with him. He is now a free man, ready to mingle with single ladies. Moreover, you've never been proposed to before. This could be a life-changing opportunity, don't let it slide" Jade smiled brightly.

Ivy was filled with rage "You..." She raised her hand to slap Jade. Jade who was already for her, blocked the incoming slap with her left hand and used her right hand to return it.

"You slapped me." Ivy couldn't bear the embarrassment, everyone in the office gasped at the scene because it was unlike Jade. She had been humiliated many times by Ivy; blocking her steps to make her fall, destroying her project several times, yet she never retaliated.

"I promise you'll regret this. And speaking of following your good-for-nothing partner, I would rather remain single than chase after him" Ivy said before angrily walking to her desk.

"Wow Jade, that was a great job" Emma smiled. Her colleagues whispered to themselves "Did she just slap her" " Ivy deserved that for years" "Anyone record that?" Ivy paused as she approached them, and she angrily stared at them with a tightened fist as though they were the reason for her pain.

The office door swung open as Victoria, the team leader, walked in with a stack of papers. "Ivy, please hand these out to everyone," she said. Ivy took the papers and started passing them around to her teammates.

"It's a form, what are they up to now" Emma mumbled. "You all are to fill in the form with the appropriate information and submit it back to me, right now" Victoria ordered.

Victoria was once a colleague of theirs, but heaven was on her side, and also with connection, she was promoted. Ever since then, she acted like the world was in her hands and no one dared to challenge her.

The room became so silent that you could hear the sound of flipping pages as they answered the questions. "Please what should I write in the space labeled 'partner'?" Jade asked raising her hands.

Victoria, who was already sitting on a desk table, stood up and approached Jade. She collected the form and said, " This space is for writing your work partner's name." "You all are about to make projects for rgw department and you are to pair up in twos," she said handing the form back to Jade.

They all filled out the form and submitted it back to Ivy. "Alright, since you all are done." She stood up and left. "Oh my God, I'm drained" Emma sighed, shrinking her body into the seat.

"Do you care for some?" Jade asked, opening the food pack Darian gave her in the morning. It was pancakes and a love pattern made with maple syrup. "Wow, why is there a love design on the food. Who's the guy" Emma teased.

"Emma" Jade said, looking at her in disbelief. "Whatever, let's eat" she added. They both ate and after eating they focused back on work.

********

"Okay, you may leave," Kaelan said to his secretary after signing the document and handing it over to her. He arranged the scattered paper piles on his desk and wanted to rest a bit when his assistant ran in.

"Sir, it's the chairman," Gabe said with a steady voice as he extended the phone toward Kaelan. With a reluctant sigh, Kaelan took the device. "Hello, Grandpa," he greeted.

"How are you doing? I've been trying to get you but I couldn't, so I had to call Gabe" grandpa said from the other side of the line.

"Hey, what are you up to right now?" Grandpa asked. "I'm at work, Grandpa," Kaelan responded. "I want you to meet the second daughter of the Astor family. I'd like you to take her out on a date today," he said.

"A blind date? Not again. You know how all the dates usually end. I'm sorry I can't go on date with someone I have no interest in" Kaelan replied. "You're my only grandchild and bearing a child for me will make me the proudest grandfather alive" he said.

"Grandpa I'm so occupied with work that I don't even have time for that" Kaelan rejected. "Mm...no, no. Gabe already told me you are done with all necessary meetings today and your schedule is free" the chairman added.

Kaelan stared at Gabe, the gaze that conveyed "you dare sell me out." "Alright, what time is the date" Kaelan agreed to his wish, since Kaelan lost his parents to a car accident, the chairman has been the one catering to his needs.

"It's 2pm, son," he replied. "Ok, sir," Kaelan said and gave the phone back to Gabe. Gabe spoke to the chairman for a while, and the call ended.

"Who's your boss, the chairman or me" Kaelan asked furiously. Gabe remained silent "I'm sorry sir" he barely muttered.

Gabe was under the care of the Chairman and for that reason, he can't go against his wish.

"Get the car ready let's go for the date," Kaelan said adjusting his tie.