While Gab was walking towards the company, she suddenly stopped when she saw the car with a plate no. YKZ12678 halt in front of the company. But what shocked her is that the one who went out of that car was his new boss, Luke, her childhood friend. A lot of thoughts were on her mind until she reaches her table that she didn't notice Pat's greetings.
"Good morning, Sir. Have you called for me?" Gab asked.
"What are these?" Luke seem pissed off and throws every single document he was holding.
"Sir?" Gab asked as she was puzzled.
"Do you expect me to use these trash? You've been paid to do your job so give me the best results. Now I know why the PGC is keeping an eye on you. If this is the kind of work you can give, leave because I don't need people like you in my company." Luke angrily uttered.
Gab was puzzled and shocked on how to react. She was caught in the middle. She's not even finished picking up the papers when Luke throw the last documents he was holding. Since it was on the folder, it hits Gab's head.
"Get out." Luke yelled.
"Gab? What happen? I heard shouts and screams." Pat nosily asked.
"Huh. We need to redo everything." She sighs.
After 2 hours, she submitted the report but then again it was rejected. And the whole scenario repeated until it reaches late in the evening. One by one, the employees went home and left Gab all alone to revise everything. Since she was kind-hearted person, she accept all the excuses, her co-workers came up with. Then, she suddenly stand up and bravely asked his boss on what are the specific things he wanted to be revised. But instead of giving Gab a clearer instruction, their conversation diverted something else.
"Sir?" Gab asked. "Can I ask you something? Well, I just wanted to know. What exactly do I need to revise with these reports because all the changes we made since early in the morning were repeatedly rejected by you?"
"Why? You can't do it?" Luke asked. "Well, if you can't do it, just leave. The door is wide open for you to leave." He smirked.
"Sir, it's not that." Gab explained. "If you will tell me exactly what do you want then we will revised it right away but you didn't not give us specific instructions on the things we needed to change. And we're just repeating the whole process all over again. We are wasting time a lot of time and all of us, we value our time preciously especially this moment that we're about to launch our summer collection for this year. We cannot even move on with other projects because we're revising everything pointlessly."
"So, you are telling me that I'm being pointless? Luke irritably asked.
"Luke, it's not like that." Gab clarified.
"Luke?" He asked. "Well let me tell you Ms Gonzales, I'm your boss here so don't talk to me casually as if we knew each other closely. Give respect because I've been paying you to do so." He added.
"I'm sorry." Gab apologized. "I'm really sorry, Sir."
"No. You've been telling me a while ago that my opinion is pointless." Luke added. "If you can't take the pressure, leave. Or, maybe you won't leave because of the high salary this company is giving you. In addition with all the benefits and incentives, am I right? What would I expect from people like you? People from the slump. Such gold-diggers."
Those last words although spoken softly were heard by Gab and it caught her attention. She can't bear the insults she got from Luke since it seems like he was not only talking about work. She was about to explain herself but she then realize the reason why needs to endure everything.
"Okay. Fine. What a ruthless scumbag?" She uttered as she left the office carrying all the documents.
Gab was still piss off with what happen. She controlled herself for now but what about next time. What if Luke suddenly makes her blood boils?
After that incident, the two were like strangers again well of course they were from the beginning since their meet up after 15 years.
One day, Luke called out everyone for an urgent meeting. Everyone were surprised with the meeting since they were on the peak of their summer collection launch—everyone is very busy and everyone has a deadline to beat.
"Gab? Gab? Do you know what is this all about?" Pat asked as she sits on the chair.
Gab just shrug her shoulders.
"Good morning everyone." Greeted Luke. "Well, as you all know that M's Collection is on the brink of bankruptcy. I've already review its financial report and everyday it's a losing game. That's why, PGC, has its eyes on us. They are giving us 6 months to increase our sales from last year of 30%."
"What?" "Really?" Murmured the employees.
"That's too impossible, Sir." One employee uttered.
"Yes. It's truly impossible especially with the kind of work you are doing right now." Luke explain. "To achieve a 30% increase of sales, that's why I am here. I was sent to save this company. And if there's one person who is willing to do everything just to save this company, no one else, but me. As you all know, this company is so important to me since it was my late mother's business, my biological mother. And as his son, it is my honour and duty to continue her legacy thru M's Collection. And that's why I summon you here for that purpose since you've been paid to do your job, you need to do your job properly—efficiently and effectively. We will redo everything. And we will start from this summer collection.
"What?" "No way." "We can't do that, Sir. We are already half of the preparation for this year's summer collection launching." Mumbled by everyone.
"And, why we can't do it." Luke asked. "That's why this company has a blurry future because of people like you."
"What? What are you saying? It's not because you're the boss that you have the right to say what you wanted to say. It's not because you're the son of the owner that you have the privilege to insult and step us. We stayed here for years not because we've been paid to, we stayed here because this company is the only memory we have with someone who treated us not us merely employees but a family. And we choose to stay because it's the least we can do to say thank you to the person who have believed on us when the rest of the world does not." Marketing Head Mr Park uttered.
Things went back to normal after the commotion in the meeting room—as usual, the busy office is back.
After office work.
"Gab!" Chad shouted.
"Hey! What are you doing here? Isn't you should be in the hospital?" Gab happily asked as she cling on Chad's shoulder.
"I came to pick you up. This is in return for not giving you a ride the other day." Chad happily explained.
From afar, Luke saw everything and was a bit piss off. Even until in the bar with his friends, he was still annoyed by what he saw. A lot of things was running into his mind.
"Luke? Luke?" Will asked as he handed over a drink to Luke. "Are you okay? Something bothering you?"
"Nothing." Luke responded simply yet on his mind he was disgusted with what he saw a while ago.
A month before the fashion show. The team hasn't been able to come up with a set of design to feature in their fashion show. Everyone feels the pressure.
"Gab." Pat cried feeling exhausted. "I can't do this anymore."
"Are you okay?" Gab worriedly asked. "Why? What's the problem?"
"I already give my best but still it's not enough for him. What's his deal? I can't read his mind. Huh!" Pat irately yelled as she throw all the design sketches on the table.
As soon as Gab left to get her some water and tissue, Pat noticed a design sketches on Gab's table. She was amazed by it and brilliantly think that those design would be the best for their upcoming fashion show. She asked Gab for permission but Gab insisted that those designs will only be rejected by Luke. But with Pat's persistence, the designs were placed on Luke's table in return that no one will know that those designs were actually of Gab's idea. Since Gab wanted to help Pat, she gives her permission.
The Fashion Show.
The most awaited day for everyone in the company. The day that will rate their success—if their hard work, sleepless nights and tedious tasks are all worth it or just a waste of time. Just like their previous fashion show, Gab was the busiest of them all. Her tasks was a coordinator ensuring that their manpower is doing their respective role as well as making sure their fashion pieces were perfect from outfits to shoes. In short, she needs to make everything is in coordination at the back of the spotlight.
"Miss Gab, good evening. Here are the outfits for the show." An employee informed her. "Where can I possibly put these clothes?"
"Thank you for your hard work." Gab happily said as she go over every dress to make sure the final output is also the same with those printed on their magazine. "Kai, kindly guide Mr Kang in the dressing room please."
Then the VIPs arrived—the future investors as well as Luke's family, his dad, Madam Olivia and his elder sister and brother. Though it was really hard to invite them but thanks to Gab's persistence, they were able to make it. Seeing them together makes her so happy. She keeps on smiling from afar. Well, it started smoothly. Their guests were impressed with the designs so as Luke since he feels proud that the first project he takes on was a success. But just like how life isn't fair after all, a disaster happens. The final piece presented was actually damaged and as the model ramped on the stage, it was torn by pieces until it look like a trash. Everything turns into a mess—the investors were very disappointed and left the event immediately so as Luke's family. Luke wanted to explain even to his family but they already left feeling betrayed with their precious time. Luke was obviously angry that he immediately asked everyone regarding the situation even at the front of other people (part time workers).
"Can anyone explain to me what was happening a while ago?" He calmly asked but with an angry face. "Pat, what was that? That was not the design that I approved, isn't?" He added as he exhale slowly. "Leo, you're the production head, have you check the final pieces before delivering it here?"
"Yes, Sir. Even at the plant, we made a thorough cross checking of the final output before sending it here." Leo explain. "Upon arrival, Miss Gab double check every outfit and there was no problem at that time."
"So, you're telling me that the dress just torn itself? Or, rather someone or something that doesn't exist tear the dress? A ghost rather? How pathetic." Luke furiously laughed. "You've been paid to do your job and the least you can do is to do it right. Of all the days that you will mess up, you choose this very important day. Where you just good in being stupid and flirt around?"
Everyone were just silent. No one dare to talk as soon as Luke started yelling angrily except Gab.
"Sir, with all your respect, when I received the final output it was perfectly okay. And…"
Before she could continue, Luke interrupts.
"Excuses... excuses… is that all you got Ms Gonzales?" Luke irritably asked. "Full of excuses. Is that all you know, to make reason for everything? Enough with those damn explanation. I've had enough of those. What about contingency? Do you even have one? It's your job as a coordinator to make sure everything is under control and yet you don't have an emergency plan. Will you please use your damn head for just once? Well, what would I expect from someone who lives in the farm—in the filthy and stinky farm?
"Sir, wait…" Gab disagrees. "What? What did you say? Huh! If there's anyone who would want this event to be successful, we are. We work hard for the past four weeks—with all those sleepless nights and overtime that we even sacrifice our time intended for our own family. We work everything from scratch until this day. We work our butts off. We are the one who exerted our effort and time while you just sit on your damn chair ordering us to do this and to do that. You're just the one who approved our ideas but we are the ones who put all those ideas into reality. So, you have no right to disgrace us. And the least you can do as our boss, is to lift our spirit and lead us by example."
"Are you done?" Luke irately asked. "You're asking me what gives me the right to say those things. Well, I have all the right in the world because I'm the boss—I'm the owner of this company. And that also gives me the right to fire you anytime that I want and I believe, now is that time. You're fired. So, get out and don't show you face here. I don't need people who are careless. Get out" Luke furiously shouted.
"You don't have to, because I quit." Gab crossly uttered.
After the commotion in the event, Gab visited her grandfather's grave and suddenly puts her into tears. She holds back her tears while talking to Luke but now that she was with her Lolo, her emotions just slowly revealed. She was really crying hardly.
"I'm okay." She talks while crying. "I just miss you. Are you okay up there? Don't be too happy, okay? It's not good for your heart. I know that you're happy with Mom right now. You're always excited to see her. Lolo, you know what, I thought I'm okay… I thought I'm going to be fine but I just miss you so much especially on times like this. My heart, it seems like it will burst anytime. I thought I'm already insensitive with all the pain but I was wrong because right now, it really hurts inside. After seeing Luke after 15 years, I'm so glad. I am. I thought after long years I finally have the chance to say sorry and explain my side. But I guess, it was already too late for that."