Smith Residence
"C'mon, Dylan, it's been so long they came here, why won't you just invite them once more?" Ciara whined, following Dylan anywhere he went. She just couldn't understand why he was so stuck-up, she was just asking him to invite them for dinner.
"Ciara," Dylan said, clearly irritated, "don't." What was so fantastic about them anyway?
"Don't what, Dylan? What I'm asking.. no, pleading for, is not big. Just one call, it won't even take up to a minute." Ciara continued pleading, undeterred by his attitude.
"Don't you have her number? Just call her and stop bothering me." He was just staying over for sometime at Jayden's, it wasn't even his House.
"Seriously?" Ciara paused with a hand on her waist. Why couldn't he see sense?
Dylan stopped then, irked by the indirect way he was told he was stupid. "What is that supposed to mean?"
Ciara's face lit up then, having been given a chance to express herself. "You're closest to them, I mean you're collaborating with the Reign Empire and if you call them, it will make more sense than me calling them. They would think, since I'm not in their league of workaholics, I would think everyone is as much a free bird as I am, that I don't understand the demands of work." She rolled her eyes at the last statement.
Dylan raised a brow teasingly. "Do you?"
"Of course I do! I don't get why you're always on my nerves!" Ciara's face turned slightly red with annoyance.
Jayden came down just in time to see Ciara's annoyed look. He sighed deeply, saying in a breathy voice, "what is it this time, Ciara?"
"You seriously need to ask that?"
Old Smith sighed again as he faced his Son. "Dylan, I don't want to hear anymore complaint about you from Ciara. Can't you just be a gentleman?"
At that, Dylan squinted at his Father. He was supporting Ciara? Like seriously?
Her face lit up like a thousand Suns. She wasn't expecting that! A lot of people were afraid to tell Dylan things in the face and sometimes, she even thought Jayden was one of those people, but he just proved her wrong.
It was her turn to mock him. "See? Everyone is noticing your haughty attitude, at least turn a new leaf, I don't know what's blowing your head anyway." Dylan opened his mouth to say something, then shut it. Ciara was curious to know what he wanted to say, so she decided to push him a bit. She turned her ear towards Dylan as if he said something she didn't hear. "What? Are you afraid to talk?" Dylan just ignored her and walked up the stairs. Ciara turned to Jayden. "See how he walks out on a girl, is that being polite?"
"You ask too many questions."
Ciara wanted to counter that, but she remembered the situation at hand and thinking she might forget it, she told Jayden right away, "I was only telling... Requesting... Dylan to invite Kimberly and others here for dinner, but he refused. He refused! Just call them for dinner sometime, it's been so long we saw each other last." He did seem ready to call them, but to make sure she had a hold on him, she added, "I'm just trying to strengthen your relationship a bit, but look at him, he doesn't even care."
"Alright, alright," he put her rant on hold, "I'll call them sometime, it's not a big deal, after all."
Ciara knew she had the leash on him.
-----
Jasmine left the office earlier than Gemma did. She had exuded her break time and she had to stay overtime to finish it.
She was coming out of her office and passing by Jasmine's, she thought she heard an audible whine. She paused, then waited to know if she was mistaken. It came again, but this time, as a low cry, but still audible.
'But Miss Reign already left, who could be there by this time? It's almost past 8.' She crinkled her nose in thought. Later, she shrugged. It was none of her business, it was the Boss's office after all, if nothing important was there, she would kill her if she knew she entered her office, so she just walked away. But due to her pensiveness, she knocked down a fire extinguisher someone had so carelessly placed on the floor.
"Damn it." She cursed as the loud noise invaded the serenity of the floor.
-----
Briana felt like shit. She was sweaty and tired, sleep didn't even dare get to her. She felt sticky all over and for the first time in her life, she understood what it meant to badly need a shower. And she couldn't move from the spot, she could only turn or look around or jiggle her waist to loosen the tension in her thighs at intervals, she knew Jasmine's threats were not empty.
Just then, the pain shot through her waist and she whined a bit. It was just so sudden making the pain all the more unbearable, she leaned her weight on the other leg to give it some space, but as she did, she heard a pop and she cried in dismay. She was just contemplating where to dump the weight, whether to sit or to stand, when she heard something drop, a loud thud, and she realized someone might be there.
"Wait, is anyone there?!" Almost immediately the door opened. "Gemma Caury! Thank God it's someone close to the President!" She couldn't help voicing out her thoughts, she felt so relieved. If Miss Caury could talk to the Boss, then she might release her! She could have run to hug Gemma if the Boss's words weren't so vivid in her memory.
"Briana," Gemma stepped forward, a bit shocked, "what the hell are you doing here?"
"I just promise to remember to do something when she tells me to." Briana said her voice tinged with tire.
Gemma's head drew back, knowingly. It was then understood. "Been there."
"Remind me to ask you later, but first of all, call that Boss of yours, I'll literally die if I remain in this position in more than 3 minutes." Briana pleaded, her eyes mirroring her pain.
Gemma slapped her forehead at having forgotten, then stepped out to call Jasmine.
-----
Jasmine crossed her legs graciously in front of a home theater when the call came through.
She saw the name.
"I'm really sorry for disturbing you, Ma'am, but Briana is literally dying here."
Jasmine was quiet for sometime. "Is she on the floor?"
"She is not, yet..."
"Is she gasping for breath?"
"No..."
"Has her Heart stopped beating?"
Gemma took in a deep breath with closed eyes. "Madam, but she is dying."
Jasmine was silent enough to walk to the opposite chair, change the station and take the remote back to her seat. Crossing her legs again, she asked, "so?"
Gemma wasn't discouraged, she just explained herself even though she knew Jasmine knew what she was talking about.
Jasmine carefully listened to her, then when she was done, she simply told her, "cold water will help a lot in keeping her awake." It wasn't even related to what she was told.
Gemma hesitated a bit, lowering her voice to a whisper, she chose her next words carefully and slowly. "Ma'am.... Tomorrow... The Meeting..." She stopped when she noticed the silence on the other side of the phone. She wished she hadn't brought it up, but she couldn't possibly swallow her words, instead she swallowed her saliva and waited.
"Let her go."
Finally, Gemma closed her eyes in relief.
"Thank you." She said when she opened her eyes, but Jasmine already hung up.