Today, I woke up early at five am. It's such a pain-staking routine. My eyes are burning as I try so hard to open them against resistance. I try to open them a little bit but they shut down. Giving up, I get up from the bed with my eyes barely open, trying to block out the light while I subconsciously force them to open up. I walk towards the bathroom.

Turning the light on, I go to stand in front of the mirror. I bring both my hands to my eyes and force them open. Ouch! It hurts.

I open the tap and throw some water in my eyes until I feel some soothing sensation because of the irritation from my semi-awake state. After I'm done, I stare at myself in my mirror and take a minute to pity myself.

I cry the same thing over and over as I always tend to do. Mention a name I don't curse, I curse my father- for making me go so hard on myself to prove him wrong. Secondly, I curse Marcus- for making me hate the place I used to call my home, followed by James- for leaving me alone, lastly, I curse Elliot- for making me own up to my darkest of dark desires.

Funnily, my narcissistic gene blames everyone except myself. I have never done anything wrong in my life. I have not complicated my life. I realise how untrue all that is. I know if I wish, I can uncomplicate everything but it's not in my nature to give up.

Sighing and tolerating the body ache that sways within my body, I strip off my clothes and get under the hot shower. Even though it's summer, early mornings are always cold. I can't even fathom standing under a cold shower as I'm already shivering.

*****

I reached the ARCANE building where I had called in a meeting with the essential staff to discuss the launch of our series this month.

"Holy crap! Just some weeks to go," I mutter to myself as I wait for the staff to gather inside the conference room.

Slowly people enter and they all take their seats. It's just ten people. Lesser the better.

"Before we start, I'm so sorry guys to call you over this early. You have no idea how deeply sorry I am, I apologise to you on behalf of this company. I know you have decided to come here and work for me, leaving your kids and wives/husbands at home, and for this, I will be indebted to you forever," I say with concern, lacing my voice as I truly understand that I'm asking a lot from them.

"No ma'am, we came here because we want our product to rock the market so even if we have to work extra hours, we'll do as the boss says," Jane, head of marketing, speaks up and the whole staff nods their heads in solidarity with her.

"Thank you guys so much! I came here to sign all the paperwork. So whatever signs you need, get them done today because after this I will meet you two days before the launch," I tell them.

The staff looks at me with a confused expression, but they are so respectful that none of them asks me why I would be staying away.

"The answer to your question is to make an announcement," I pause.

Everybody stops the minor shuffling of papers and diverts their complete attention to what I'm about to say.

"As of yesterday, we are in an unofficial business deal with RITZ-ELTY."

As I announce it, shock splatters on everybody's faces. Some whose eyes were glued to the papers suddenly moved their heads towards me, some who were already looking at me, widened their eyes.

I think the men were calculating the profits and single women were thinking about the boss of RITZ-ELTY while the rest were probably thinking about how it was going to affect their jobs. I bet they're thinking about a rise in their pay scales!

After the announcement and discussions were over, I got straight to signing the paperwork. After doing that for two hours till my hand felt like it was in jeopardy, Jane told me that her papers were the last to be signed. Pulling up my strength from the bottom of my intestines, as if strength resides there! I signed the papers and told the staff who was working with me since the morning to take a half-day which would be compensated with a full day salary. For the staff that came into the office later, I also decreased their working hours for today. Perks of being the boss!

I stop near a burger van on my drive to NNPO and spend a total of fifteen minutes as I wait in queue for my order, then I eat it as I look around at all the different kinds of people rushing, walking casually, or sitting on the streets.

It's been so long since I sat on the corner of a street, I thought to myself.

A rich life is a good life but it's not a happy one, for I don't have anybody to share it with. Where am I going to take my money? My grave?!

I don't want to succumb to these negative thoughts, so I shake them off. I know these thoughts haven't gone anywhere. They're still here because they are a part of me.

I reach NNPO at sharp nine am. It feels great to be on time after such a long time.

I murmur hello's to people who still care to wave or smile at me, unlike the others who turn their faces in the opposite direction as they see me approaching them.

I can't even say my mama taught me not to be rude to others cause my mama taught me nothing. Boo!

It feels like a mosaic part of my sweet memory as the air conditioning from the tram hits me as I grab onto a pole cold from the air.

I enjoy the moment while it lasts. As the tram flies past the buildings, parallel to the earth, I adore the images passing in front of my eyes like they're part of a live movie.

I walk out into the nuclear department as the tram comes to a halt.

Today, after such a long time, I feel like the old Charlotte, who had such a simple life. She used to come here at nine like she has today. She used to be the first one to press all the right buttons to fire up the reactor. She used to let down the uranium bars. She used to check the coolant system.

I took my sweet time as I eased into my work clothes, the ones which smelled like hard work. They didn't smell bad or sweaty, they just carried this particular scent or maybe it was the memories that I had collected subconsciously over time.

Four years this was my uniform, four years' worth of hard work and experience, could not be forgotten by the snap of a finger. How did James manage to do that? I was still having a hard time coming to terms with that. Something was not right. Things don't fit together.

I put my heart and soul into my work and then I forget when the interns and junior faculty join me. I don't even give them a fleeting glance as I work without a single care in the world. I just want to lose myself in my happy work bubble so much so that it forms an invisible barrier that people can feel but can't see. I want them to know that I'm unavailable to them now, because where were they when Marcus was giving me so much shit?

None of them stood up for me. None of them said how I did a good job at saving them. None of them said it would not have been possible, had I not been there.

I have been their boss for four years. It's not a small period. I have taught them like they were my children and this is what I get in return?

They can go and lick Marcus's ass for all I care now, I am not teaching them shit.

I am fully efficient to perform all the functions by myself.

As the clock strikes 1 pm, Marcus joins me in my office as I'm eating my lunch alone with my thoughts and my mobile phone.

"Miss Jones, may I join you?" He asked me.

"You already have it's not like I can say no now," I reply as I sip on my straw slurping in my banana smoothie.

"I couldn't help but notice, you're working alone?" He asks me as he stands on the edge of the door, leaning against it with his arms crossed.

"I work better when I'm alone," I keep my reply short.

"Or....maybe nobody wants you here anymore," he says, subjecting me to his nasty side.

I mean, it's one thing when you think all those things by yourself, but it's a completely different thing when somebody who wants to hurt you, says it to your face.

I slurp on my smoothie once again as I think of a better comeback, but sadly I'm not good at saying mean things.

"Whatever you say, sir," I answer dismissing him.

"Why don't you quit?" He asks me, plunging the knife deeper.

"Okay. I quit, I'll leave my job, what benefit do you reap out of it?" I ask him, genuinely interested.

"Your disrespect and acceptance of your loss, as you finally realise that I am better than you. Once you are out of the picture, everybody will see that I am the reason for this organisation to be so great," Marcus admits.

I can't help but laugh at his ambitions.

"Ha! Such small ego, Marcus. One always competes with somebody better than himself, don't you know. You won't ever find me competing with you, simply because I know I'm better than you! And the day I find somebody better than me, I'll make him my Guru. And yes! Whatever this organisation is....the whole credit goes to you, because trust me, had I been the freaking boss here, uranium wouldn't have been short on its orders!" I voice out my doubt which I had never brought up in front of anyone.

"As I was checking the uranium supplies today, I couldn't help but notice that they were lesser in number. Any reason, that's happening?" I ask him because Marcus is responsible for the amount of uranium that gets imported into the factory.

His eyes widened in shock at my words, "that means we are paying more than what we are getting?"

I roll my eyes at him, "of course, you would be worried about the money. It's freaking uranium, not gold! Do you even know what can happen if it goes into the wrong hands," I feel myself getting agitated at his loss of effort?

"You're overthinking because of stress. I commission you a day off. Fully paid leave. Go home and rest," he says as he exits my office abruptly.

What just happened?

One minute we were discussing the problems here and the next he walked out giving me an off day. Weird.

I have no clue what all of that was about but I have worked the required amount of hours so exactly for what is he giving me a paid leave?

Scoffing off his nonsensical behaviour, I take off my gloves and put the jacket back in the compartment, and take a few minutes to relax on the chair. I scroll through my emails, send in some of my own to the heads at ARCANE.

After some time, I call it a time up at NNPO because the day is far from over as the next and the biggest hurdle awaits me.

ELLIOT awaits me.

***
Author's note
Filler chapter but drama awaits in the next one luvs.

Love, Leena ❤❤
Bye-bye, until next time.