Andrew: Hey Asteria...(his excitement got converted into a worried face) Seems like you are in a hurry. ( leaning towards the door of my room)
me: Actually...yah... There is an emergency and I have to leave now. (hurriedly tucking everything in my suitcase)
Andrew: But...I just arrived today.
me: I am so sorry dear but this is a real emergency. ( still focusing on packing my bags)
Andrew: Alright... We will meet again. By the way, when are you leaving?
me: Oh!! in 15 minutes. I....huh... have my flight at 5 pm. ( panting and rubbing my temple)
Andrew: Oh okay then. I will drop you at the airport.
me: Sure, thank you.
Andrew: You're welcome. ( and he made his way out of my room)
"Ahh finally, done with the packing. I shall be getting ready now" I mumbled to myself.
" hmm...take this.. drink some water." A grave masculine voice startled me. Guess what, it was Reece with a glass full of water.
" Oh for god's sake stay away from me. And I suppose you have been taught to at least knock the door." I thundered.
" Oh I just saw Andrew entering your room without knocking, so I thought..." Reece was interrupted, " But you aren't Andrew. He is my friend and he cares for me."
"Oh okay. I care for you too. Look, I brought a glass of water for you." he said in a calm voice.
"Oh really?!! Oh my god!!! Thank you so much..." ( I dramatically yelled and took the glass from his hand.)
" I thought you were healing me and you genuinely cared for me as a friend but no, you broke me even more. Thank you and here is your gift"( I splashed water on his face and pushed him out of the room.)
" You will regret this. I said I am sorry for causing the harm but I was drunk and not under my control. But remember one thing, Carsten will break you even more. Be ready for it, darling." (he shouted from the other side of the door)
His words felt real and true. They dragged me down to a more vulnerable position. I changed into my official clothing and checked out of the hotel bidding goodbye to each of my friends except Reece. I didn't even want to see his face.
Andrew dropped me at the airport and I completed all the formalities, finally boarding onto my flight. It took off at the assigned hour. I was luckier this time as there were no kids around me but a bunch of businesspeople. The flight landed after a long nine hours journey and it was almost 2:30 am when I was waiting for my driver outside the airport. He was finally free to find some time for his duty after taking a long break. He said he really needed it as his brother's friends' parents were legally separating from each other. Really important, wasn't it?
I had already informed him about my arrival but still, I had to wait for 15 minutes. After he reached I quickly ordered him to put my suitcases in the dickey and I hopped into the car. I commanded him to directly drive me to my office. It took hardly five minutes to reach the multi-storeyed building. I rushed out of my car and dashed into Charlie's cabin.
me: Good...morning...I guess. So what's the emergency?
Charlie: Uhh actually, Someone has ripped the dresses we designed for Gigi and Kendall.
me: What!!!! How??? When did this happen? ( almost forgetting to breathe)
Charlie: I don't know. Sorry, ma'am. This is all because of me. I am so irresponsible.
me: No we will find the real culprit soon. But when did you find about this?
Charlie: Today. When the managers of Hadids and Jenners had rung me up for they will be late to pick up the dresses and will come to take the attires three days later. I thought to check it for once if everything is fine. But then, I found two big burn marks on them and three rips on each of the dresses.
me: Oh shit!!! Who could it be? ( stress and frustrations reigned over my face)
Charlie: No idea. But yeah, we can design the dress again or we can adjust and hide those burnt parts...
me: Uhmm let's see. Do anything which can hide the marks but make it unique and beautiful. Till then let me think, who could it be...
Charlie: Alright ma'am...
After few minutes Charlie spoke with a grave voice but in a tone of excitement.
Charlie: Ma'am!!!
me: Yeah.. what?! ( I was startled)
Charlie: The day after your last working night. You remember the night you left with our friend..err...
me: Carsten??
Charlie: Yeah... I had seen Matt and Troy talking to each other in front of your cabin when I was checking if all the cabins were locked.
me: So you are saying... Matt and Troy could be behind this...
Charlie: Maybe...
me: But why?
Charlie: Must be for the revenge. Do you remember when you slapped both of them because they were trying to misbehave with some of our female staff?
me: But it was 2 years ago... And they can never do this.
Charlie: Then who could it be. We should ask them. I think they must have seen something or somebody.
me: yes you are right.
Charlie: I think I will finish this by morning.
me: It is okay. Then take a day off. You need rest.
Charlie: No ma'am it is fine.
me: No it is not. You have a lot of works to do. After all, you have to get ready to fly off to Amsterdam.
Charlie: Yeah... thank you, ma'am. I think you should go to sleep as you seemed really tired.
me: Yeah. I have my luggage here, I think I should sleep in my cabin today.
Charlie: Okay ma'am and if you need anything, you can just ring me up.
me: Thank you so much, dear. ( I casually smiled at him)
I quickly got onto my cabin bed. It was always there for a situation like that. It was comfortable and warm. I was really tired and soon fell asleep. I woke up the next morning when there was a loud bang on my cabin door. I quickly got up and washed my face. When I opened the door, I saw the peon with a coffee mug and a cookies packet placed on a tray, standing with a regular smile plastered on his face.
me: Seemed you were in a mood to break my door...( I said yawning)
peon: Sorry ma'am but I was calling you for the last 30 minutes but you weren't responding.
me: Yeah it's okay. And very good morning.
peon: Very good morning, ma'am. ( he said while placing the tray on my table)
me: Listen, Rayn, can you please send Troy and Matt to my cabin?
peon: Sure ma'am. ( he hurriedly went out of the door)
I was silently sipping my coffee, wondering about the culprit when there was a gentle knock at the door.
me: Yeah, Troy and Matt. Please come in and have your seats.
Troy: What is it, ma'am? ( while sitting on the chair)
me: I have been informed that you and Matt were still in the building when Charlie left the office.
Troy: When, ma'am? I meant on which day.
me: The day after I had a meeting with a new candidate. The day after my last working day.
Matt: Oh yes, that's true ma'am.
me: Hmm so did you both see anyone coming inside the building.
Troy: Hmmm N-no. No one. ( trying to recall)
Matt: Even I have the same thing to say.
me: Are you sure??
Matt: yeah ( while Troy nodded his head)
me: Oh okay. You both can leave. ( while fidgeting my fingers)
Both of them were leaving when Troy turned around and exclaimed, " Ma'am!!!! I remember something. When Matt and I were leaving the office, I heard a sound. A strange "thud" sound. I even felt a silhouette of a well-built man. We thought it would be unimportant for you but now I think I should share this information with you."
me: Oh okay. Thank you so much. This will be a great help.
After both of them left my cabin, I started arranging the puzzle facts I got till then while munching the cookies. First Carsten and I left the office, accidentally met Anna, Carsten dropped me at home, he didn't reply to my messages even after reading them, changed plans at the last moment, reached Maldives the day after I reached, acted weird in the entire wedding week, came back Seoul way before I did, a sudden emergency, ripped dresses, Matt and Troy had heard a strange sound and felt a silhouette of a man in the night. They had witnessed the strange happenings in the night preceding the day on which Carsten reached the Maldives. And the most important fact was, I had given Carsten a duplicate key to my office. Things were gradually fitting in and the puzzle was getting solved.
No, absolutely not. I am not saying Carsten was the culprit. I trusted him but he was anyway one of the suspects.
But first of all, I had to complete the pending orders and make up the burnt parts.
AFTER A MONTH:-
I completed all the orders and the next thing I had to do was talk to Carsten but when I reached his flat...