It has been two years of blood and rebuilding, the dawn nearly breaks out the night sky at the dark side of the coin of Chevalier City, there was a certain isolated alley rarely noticed by any passerby. Noises from a few cars faded in the deafening darkness of the area but there was one tone that spoke louder than anything, a frighten pant. A stranger supposed to be sophisticated even after his work but he found himself shaken and panicking as he ran away from a taunting shadow that was after him. But each turn that he did, only led him closer to a dangerous figure in the shadow, a monster until there was no other way to escape.
"WHA-T D-DO YOU WANT?!" Out of fear, he shouted with his shaken voice until he stumbled on the ground, bleeding.
Horrified written over his face as soon as he saw his foot detached from his leg before he screamed in pain over the top of his lungs. But his scream was cut off when his throat collided with a very sharp dagger, leaving a deep cut on him. He tried to cover his neck but it was not used, he was bleeding too much as he crawled weakly backward until he hit his back on a concrete wall.
"I'm collecting your debt, Mr. Ford. The life you took from the General." A deep and sinister voice from a mysterious lady with deep and piercing crimson cat's eyes grinned as she let the blade go through to the man's neck and said. "Welcome to your deathbed."
Text Messages:
Alpha Lar: Mission Accomplished.
Beta Din: Great. Time for a year of lay low. You're too famous right now.
Alpha Lar: Agreed.
***
Each morning in the present time, a year of peace, the Chevalier City comes alive with workaholic people, including a particular woman who gracefully walks around one of the skyscrapers named Utopia. As the building owner, she perfectly suited up with her sophisticated favorite midnight blue jumpsuit, an inch of heels, and dark sunglasses to hide her captivating eyes. She carried herself with cold confidence that could intimidate the entire room wherever she waltzed in, especially when she walked in with her own fast-growing personalized gift-giving perfume and jewelry called the La Luna Perfume & Jewelry.
"Boss Sky, we were having a little delay for today's schedule." With a firm voice, a corporate woman informed the lady boss and walked beside her when they met in the lobby.
"And what's the cause, Medina?" With coldness, the lady boss asked Medina Parkson, her longtime best friend and personal secretary, as they checked around the floors.
Sky was a nickname only called by close and trusted friends of Skylar Saison-Monsour. She might be a short married woman in her forties, with her once fair, chubby build that drastically changed into a well-toned body with fair skin, starting to be a captivating and cool presence, especially whenever her silky, mid-length, wavy brunette hair was tucked in a ponytail. It made her look even stronger with a sophisticated beauty like the goddess Freyja; however, she had to hide her deep hazel feline eyes since they held coldness and intensity like a vast wormhole that was hard to escape. To prevent charming everyone who stared at them and to hide her cut over the corner of her right eye, she wore dark eyeglasses whenever she needed to be the boss of her two growing businesses: La Luna Perfume & Jewelry and the Sky Lux Hotel & Gallery Restaurant, making her more intimidating CEO.
"Design Department has been moving slowly," Medina responded as she checked her tablet for the records.
"Then, let's pay them a visit now." With a cold but slightly annoyed voice, the lady CEO, Skylar, firmly decided as they headed with her company routine.
Checking around each floor, the intimidating CEO was greeted with politeness, which she acknowledged with a cold nod before heading to the next floor, the Design Department. By reaching the floor, all the employees already present in their department were shocked but paid respect to the CEO's intimidating but cool presence that they always admired.
"Morning, Boss." They politely greeted her before secretly murmuring how their day had been blessed with a goddess's presence.
"Morning." She coldly replied and headed to a certain room, the design department head cabin.
With a knock, the CEO waltzed inside the cabin making the air drop cold, and was greeted by a worried young department head, Antonio Brown.
"Morning, Boss. What a pleasant surprise for an early visit. Have a seat." Antonio masked his worry and greeted his boss.
"Stop that. It's just us, Kiddo." Skylar waved her hand as she sat comfortably on the couch across his desk.
"If you say so, Auntie." Antonio smiled as he addressed his sponsor and savior since college as his aunt before wondering. "So, what brings you here so much earlier than usual?"
"I heard your department had some delays in certain projects, and I wanted to check if they were true." With her usual cold tone, Skylar asked the young department head, who sighed after hearing them.
"You heard it right. Some projects are experiencing delays; fortunately, most do not have strict deadlines, or if they do, they are mostly six months away." Antonio frustratedly replied.
"I see. But what made the delays happen?" She nodded as she wondered about the cause.
"We're lacking in organizing major projects that some have been overlapping with minors. I can't easily let anyone touch them now that we're changing the company's approach to our products. And since I don't see anyone fit for the job tentatively, we need to fill the Project Design Manager slot to help us organize the project flows." He honestly shared the real trouble that their department was bumping into.
"Good thought." Skylar acknowledged the thought and quickly gave him tentative help to lessen the burden around the flow. "Okay, here's the thing you need to do as of now. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, you have to organize the projects by quarters or halves per day. If you finish organizing early, you can continue your usual task."
"Okay, but if I didn't, what happen to my pending?" He wondered in consideration.
"Let your senior managers handle five to ten major projects with your supervision, and let them consult the design department consultant regarding any confusing projects. Then by Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, you're free to do your usual job." She firmly answered before adding. "Don't worry, this is only tentative until we fill the design project manager slot."
"Okay, I'll make a workflow chart for everyone in the department. So, they won't feel troubled or pressured." He smiled in agreement, but Skylar interjected.
"Don't worry, I already asked Medina to make one, but you can make some adjustments based on how your department works," Skylar mentioned, and Medina handed him a file.
"Thank you, Auntie. This will help." He quickly checked it and thanked his boss, making Skylar nod.
"Alright, I'll be going now since I received a report regarding the same lazy man in this department." Skylar coldly stated as she stood from her seat, making Antonio sigh.
"Oh, him. He's another reason why some newbies can't do their applied position," he admitted, and Skylar nodded.
"I know, that's why I'm here early." She agreed and slightly smiled at him before heading to the door. "Anyway, focus on your task for now. Let me do my job."
"As you wish, boss." He politely bowed at his boss as she left his cabin.
Without wasting another moment, Skylar looked around as everyone in the design department did their assigned task until she noticed one supervisor's cabin handed a file to a troubled newbie. She knew what it was, and when the supervisor went back inside his cabin, Skylar checked the newbie.
"Can I see that?" With her usual cold tone, Skylar firmly asked.
"Oh, boss. Sure." The newbie almost jumped upon realizing who she was talking to and handed the file that her supervisor had just given to her.
"This is a report, and what's your position here?" Skylar checked and asked the newbie's position while everyone listened to their conversation.
"One of the design artists from Design Team C." With a throbbing heart, the newbie tried to respond calmly, making Skylar nod.
"Let me take this one and continue with your job," Skylar coldly commanded as she took the file from her hand.
"Yes, boss." The newbie bowed and nervously did her job again.
Based on what she witnessed, she confirmed what the HR reports were all about. Skylar coldly made a surprise visit to a certain junior supervisor's cabin in the same department. With her usual cold façade, she entered the door without knocking, which surprised the man in his mid-50s at his desk.
"G-good M-morning, Boss…" With nervousness, Mr. Carlton stuttered as he greeted the CEO.
"There's no good in my morning, Mr. Carlton." Skylar intimidatingly responded and threw the file report that he was supposed to be doing back on his desk. Then she added. "Do your job and come to my office in thirty minutes."
Before Mr. Carlton could respond, the CEO immediately walked out like she hadn't stepped foot in their department and headed to her floor. The CEO's office was located just a floor below her old penthouse when she was still a bachelorette, and the entire office floor was designed meticulously with fair divisions for private meeting areas, a potential conference room, and a common comfort room. Each room was incorporated with a sophisticated space with a small coffee snack bar. However, her allocated office was more spacious because it included a CEO's large work desk, a modest living area in the center, a complete one-wall pantry, and a bedroom in case she worked overtime.
"This is going to be a tiring day again," Skylar mumbled under her heavy sigh as soon as she dropped her coat on the rack and her pouch on her desk.
"Well, he's going to taste his medicine now," Medina added as she began preparing her boss's morning black coffee.
"I hate to do this since he's good at work, but what made him lazy like this? It's disappointing." With a disappointed sigh, Skylar rested on her sleek and comfortable chair.
"Blinded by his position," Medina responded to the potential reason for his laziness.
"Probably." Another sigh escaped as she took a sip from her usual morning coffee when her private phone rang.
"Oh, hubby is calling," Medina teased as she read the caller ID.
"Shut up and notify me when he arrives." Skylar tried to be intimidating, but it was not working with a friend who knew her well.
"Yes, cute wifey." She chuckled as she teased her boss.
"Medina," she warned, but Medina just left the office laughing and then picked up the phone call.
As soon as she picked up the phone, the intimidating CEO was forgotten, and a sweet wife greeted the call from her husband.
"Hi, Hubby, miss me already? " With a teasing tone, Skylar greeted. She might not be sure where her sweet side came from, but she can't deny that it only showed around her husband.
'I always miss my wife. Anyway, what time will you be out later?'
"Hm, not sure if I'll pull overtime today or not," she answered unsurely before wondering, "Why, Hubby?"
'I just want to ask since I'll make some groceries and prepare a dinner.'
"Okay." A smile crept out from Skylar's intimidating look as she thought of her husband waltzing around their kitchen like a true master chef. "That's sexy."
''Okay, what?'
"I'll come home as early as I can." She bit her lower lip and immediately decided to clock out on time.
'If so, what do you want to eat for dinner?'
"You?" she teased, where she found herself giggling when she heard her husband whining on the other line.
'Wifey, I'm serious about dinner.'
"I am too." She grinned, making her husband sigh, but she could imagine his blushing. "Cute."
'Tease. Again, what do you want for dinner?'
"Surprise me." It was the only word she could reply since every food that her husband prepared had been filling her stomach to the fullest.
'Noted. I'll hang up now. Best of luck with work. Love you.'
"Love you too." She reciprocated before hanging up, and as if on cue, a knock echoed around her office. "Come in."
"Done?" Medina peeked in the door, making her nod, and her cold façade automatically went on.