The conversation between Matthew and Meredith was getting tense making the air in the room vigorous enough to consume them. Both unaware of what they are feeling tend to set all cards on the table.
"How easy for you to say, maybe you didn't ask her to but you have a part to play in this, if you didn't like her you shouldn't have approached," Meredith lectured.
"Oh come that's bull shit," Matthew said with a smirk, thinking what century Meredith was living in, two people having sex with no strings attached is not a big deal.
"Your carelessness and your stubbornness drove someone into a deep depression, what's worse she actually killed herself. Maybe you didn't kill her yourself but your actions did,"
"Are you even listening to yourself?"
"Yes, Matthew Fernando! They have feelings, they get hurt when their heart is broken, I'm done with this shit," Meredith groan as she walked out on him.
Matthew watches her as she leaves, out of words or what to say as Meredith's final words drop like a bomb on his head.
Even though Matthew refused to take the fall for what happened to Maria, he couldn't help but feel as if something was broken inside him, his actions caused someone to kill herself, he didn't mean for that to happen but it did and he couldn't shake away the feeling it gave him that instant.
A few days after Meredith left for Paris, Maria fell into a deep depression and according to Pamela she started taking drugs heavily and she didn't stop. Her grandfather decided to take her with him back to Italy.
Her grandmother who still hates her didn't let her go to rehab in Italy because the family is well known and would cause a stir in the media to ruin their image so she was left in the family house to be seen by a doctor, her depression increased by the day, one day she was found in her bedroom laying on the floor unconscious.
When she was rushed to hospital the doctors couldn't save her because she had taken an overdose. Meredith couldn't help but blame herself for leaving her best friend when she needed her the most, and for some reason, she blames Matthew for being a part of the reason why Maria was depressed and finally decided to kill herself.
Even though Pamela didn't see it that way, Maria needed help but she couldn't get the right help that she needed and that was no one's fault.
Matthew collapsed on the couch lost in his thoughts for a while he couldn't get a grip on himself, to think that someone actually died because of his recklessness took a deep turn on him. A call from the office brought him back to reality, he pulled himself together and drove to the company.
When Meredith entered the company all the employees lined up to welcome her, right from the gateman to the reception, and when she got to the design department where she worked all the staff lined up as they applauded enthusiastically for her, they were happy and excited to have her as a part of them.
In the front row stood Lucy, Michael, Tatiana, Jim, Gabby, and Mark looking excited, Meredith smiled as they welcomed her with applause, "Oh wow isn't this too much? Besides we achieve this together, I don't deserve all of this," Meredith said politely as she grins.
"In actual fact, you deserve this and much more," Gabby grins pulling her for a side hug. "Um.." someone cleared his throat frighting everyone else,
"Okay Miss Copeland, you are here, the star of the moment, please come to my office," the head of the design department mumbles. He turned right away heading to his office as Meredith kept a safe distance behind him, her heart shred thinking what was going to happen to her.
She didn't know what to expect even though she took matters into her own hands and handled the show which went well, She acted without concern from the management and that is something she can't deny, if something could had gone wrong she will be singing a different song now, she walks behind her boss as a pearl of sweats formed on her forehead.
She can't lose her confidence now, she clenches her trembling hands together and struggles to get control, Even her relaxing exercise didn't help her at this point
As soon as they entered her boss's office she shut the door behind her quietly, "Sir, I'm very sorry about what happened, I know I should have reported this before taking any action but..but there was nothing I could do, there was no time to report the incident, we needed to act fast or the whole show would have been a flop," Meredith whispers all in one breath without being asked anything.
"Relax Meredith, catch a breath will you? I didn't call you here to reprehend you quite the contrasting,"
"What you didn't?" Meredith muttered confused.
"Well to congratulate you,"
"Huh? Congratulate me, sir. I don't understand," Meredith hissed.
"If only you will let me finish, It was a shock for all of us, we all know how difficult it is to deal with Marisa and if she wants something she goes to any length to get it. She wanted you out and she did what she thought was best but unfortunately, she buried her career along the way, and even though she's related to the vice president of the company she's no longer of profit to us so we can't help it but cancel our contract with her," Her boss said to her
"Huh," Meredith was still in shock unable to process everything.
"I just wanted to congratulate you for doing an amazing job, You are trending everywhere, you are the star of the moment," he said with a smile leaning over to examine confused Meredith's face.
She is not being blamed which is a relief for her she finally manages to smile,
"That's not all," her boss mumbles, "Wait there is more?" she murmured.
"Yes, first of all, I'm happy to have you in our team Meredith, This doesn't happen regularly but the whole management decided overnight that you deserve the position as the new head of the design department," her boss enunciated, Imagine being offered her boss's position by her boss himself?
"What I've been promoted? but you.." Meredith couldn't believe it.
"Yes, because of you I'm moving into a directorship position and the head of design position is vacant, The management and I agree there is no one better to fill the position than you Meredith so congratulations a couple of days from now this will be your new office," her boss announces, Meredith still couldn't believe it.
"You aren't kidding right, sir?" Meredith asked pinching her cheeks if she would feel the pain, She felt she was dreaming the pain hit her as she bit her lips.
She was made a boss overnight, from a team supervisor to the head of design, she normally doesn't have this luck, she got a job, model and became famous overnight and now she's occupying a huge position, she was amazed.
"Why would I do that dear, you deserved it, you worked hard for this so congratulations once again," he grins reassuring her.
"Oh my god this feels like a dream, I'm so happy thank you so much, I promise I'll never let you guys down, Thank you so much," Meredith said happily holding her boss's hands, She let go of his hand immediately when she realizes she was holding it.
"I'm sorry," she apologizes unable to hide her joy.
"That's okay if it was someone else in your place, would have cancelled the show, and millions of dollars would have gone to waste, we appreciate what you did for the company yesterday and that makes you a true leader, congratulation once again her," her boss said.
Meredith was over the moon, she was excited her effort into the show yielded more good than harm, the only harm was that Marisa got her contract concealed.
She happily walks out of her boss's office as something puffs.
"PUFF!" she panics as she holds her chest and is unable to breathe.