"Are you guys kidding me? Do I look like a joke now?" Nadine asked, she threw the file in front of her and threw it at Marina.
There was no meeting this morning, right after Sammy went to buy breakfast for Nadine, Marina immediately entered her room and it seemed that it was Sammy's doing who still forbade Nadine to hold a meeting.
All for Nadine's sake, it would be better for Nadine not to be among employees who might gossip about Nadine's condition in the elevator earlier.
But unfortunately, because the meeting was canceled so Marina had to bear Nadine's anger alone.
"There is no talent who wants to enter our company even though they are still considered a lower class artist." Said Marina, she had given up but it was the truth.
"How many days has it been and I'm still hearing the same, annoying thing about rejection. Have those people forgotten that our company is in the top three of the best entertainment companies in the country?" Nadine said annoyed.
"All that before our company was abandoned and our reputation plummeted, the only hope was that movie but until now we still haven't got an actor..."
"Yeah-yeah... I know, we still don't have actors and I have to work 24 hours from tomorrow and all because you guys can't handle this mess." Cut Nadine impatiently, she had enough headaches and she also didn't want to hear an explanation from Marina which was the same if her company wouldn't be able to survive without the actor.
Oh Justin, I should have dumped my pride and let him sign the contract this morning.
"We will start teaching at the ARAN school starting tomorrow. After all, our company is a permanent donor to the school so we can teach while looking for new talent."
Nadine just laughed at what Marina said.
"Seeking talent in a business school, isn't that ridiculous? We could teach at an art school and it would be easier to get talent there. Why are you making things difficult for us now?" Nadine asked, she stepped closer to Marina while fixing Marina's shirt ribbon and then looked at her intimidatingly.
"Are you sure that you are the best graduate?"
"I tried it but they all rejected it, most of the students have become trainees under other entertainment companies and because our company's reputation has deteriorated so much they refuse to let us take trainees from there." Marina's body trembled, she didn't dare to look into Nadine's eyes now because it was too scary.
***
Nadine chose to go home early, her brain couldn't work properly because today too many things were out of her control.
"Are you ok?" Sammy asked after opening the car door for Nadine.
"Of course, I'm always ok. We're going home early today because tomorrow me, you, and Marina have to start teaching." Nadine replied weakly, she had been angry too much today that she didn't have the slightest energy even just to speak.
"In the end, we have to start all over again like before when it was just me, you, and Marina. I'm sorry for making it difficult for you."
This is what makes Sammy unable to leave Nadine even though sometimes Nadine scolds him because Nadine never thinks about herself. If she wanted, she could have sold her company which had already fallen but Nadine chose to stay.
"All this is not your fault, we have to fall to become stronger again."
Nadine sighed softly, she tried to smile. "Then go home, ask your girlfriend out on a date before she cancels your engagement."
"I'm going shopping for a while, yesterday I didn't have time to fill your refrigerator."
"It's ok, I'll go shopping myself. Who knows if there's someone talented I can meet and become our talent."
"Are you sure?"
"Oh my, you want me to repeat my words?"
Sammy was silent, it would be better if Nadine shouted or grumbled in annoyance than acting like she was fine like this.
"Go home, Sammy. You're getting married soon, you can't be with me all the time so I have to learn to do everything alone from now on."
"I've told you many times, even if I get married, you will never be alone."
Nadine smiled, she then walked over to hug Sammy tightly. "You should just fall in love with me so I can learn to love you."
"Should we learn to love each other from now on?"
Sammy's voice sounded serious and Nadine slowly let go of her embrace.
"Don't be crazy, your girlfriend will grab me until my hair goes bald if she finds out I took you from her."
"I didn't know you could be afraid of other people."
"Not fear, but respect. Come on home, don't buy me time so I pay you overtime."
Sammy laughed at Nadine's joke, he then got back into his car and left Nadine.
Nadine's smile slowly disappeared as Sammy's car was out of sight.
The parking lot was quiet which made Nadine feel scared so she immediately walked away to the elevator but she didn't pay attention to her steps because she looked behind her many times until she bumped into someone and made her almost far away.
"Are you blind?" Nadine shouted angrily without seeing who hit her. She was still busy brushing the dust off her palms when someone reached out.
Nadine raised her eyes, noticed who the hand belonged to and it was Justin.
"You're the one who bumped into me but you're the one who's angry," Justin said when he had managed to help Nadine get up.
"You know someone is walking you should get out of the way."
Justin shook his head because Nadine always had a million sentences not to look wrong. He then stepped away from Nadine who followed him from behind, to be honest, this place was still too foreign to her so she felt uncomfortable and afraid that someone would ambush her.
Nadine was still restless, she still looks back now and then so she doesn't notice if she stops her steps and her body suddenly hits Justin.
"Why did you stop suddenly?" Nadine looks angry again.
Justin turned to face him, he wanted to ask about who the man Nadine was hugging earlier, but everything about Nadine was always difficult for him to express.
"Want to come with me?" Justin asked suddenly, his voice that previously sounded annoying in Nadine's ears has now turned soft making Nadine not immediately answer Justin's invitation.
"I mean... You're officially my maid today right, so let's go shopping."
"I'll just go then, you don't need to come," Nadine said. It would be better if she shopped with Justin because she had never shopped alone so far, but Nadine also couldn't if she had to slowly get used to being with Justin.
The incident this morning was still vivid in her mind, even though after that Justin regretted his actions but Nadine couldn't ignore the scary side of the man who could sometimes make her heart flutter suddenly.
"No." Justin refused, he grabbed Nadine's wrist and stopped her steps.
"Why not?"
"[Because I want to be closer to you] I have some allergies so I have to know what groceries you are going to buy."
"You can give me a note."
"No, we just have to go shopping together."
***