Argh! Why are so many flowers and chocolates being delivered today. Do people not think about me, and how I'm going to have to spend my whole day running around to each floor handing off these gaudy displays of affection when they could've waited until, oh I don't know when, after work!
Lillian Grace, recent graduate with honors from the top university in the country. She completed school with a remarkable 4.0 GPA in business administration, starry eyed and ready for a million job offers when she entered the workforce. However, after months of searching for anything better than a "promising" unpaid internship, she found herself taking on the dream role of an entry level front desk concierge for the main entrance of the headquarters for the Geldan Group. A multinational business conglomerate that had at least a few hands in any industry you could think of.
One of her many roles as concierge was to check and receive packages coming into the building. Simple mail was easy, as a few pieces here and there could easily be sent up with employees entering the building. However, larger items, such as packages, and private courier mail had to be hand delivered by either herself or her coworker Jacky, who unfortunately had broken her ankle skateboarding just a couple weeks prior.
"Hi, I have a couple of deliveries for a Yvonne Jones and um... Elle Thompson," yet another gift courier came in to hand deliver large bouquets full of red and white roses on behalf of some spouse or significant other of someone working in the building.
"Yes, thank. You can write the names down and leave them right here," if only security wasn't so tight, I would have them go up the elevator and deliver the flowers themselves.
Lillian signed off on the paper handed to her and glanced over at the full cart with a dejected look. She'd already made eleven trips that day, and it wasn't even lunchtime yet.
"Why must everyone wait until Valentine's Day to show their love for each other?" Lillian sighed, as she made count of the many boxes of chocolate and bouquets in the cart.
"You'd feel differently if you had someone special to send you a big box of fancy chocolates and put a giddy smile on your face." Jacky teased, taking her time to pick a candy from the box her boyfriend personally delivered to her earlier that day.
"Bummer about my ankle though. I feel bad that you have to spend half the day ridding the elevator, when really you should be down here waiting for a handsome and sweet postman to sweep you off your feet for the most romantic Valentine's dinner at the Q street taco truck." Jacky poked at her again, wiggling her eyebrows as she joked about the hottie postman Lillian had a crush on.
"Joke all you want, but you know those tacos are bomb. Heck, second date we can totally go to a nice sit down restaurant, but first date is reserved for Q street tacos."
She smirked and headed off toward the elevators, pushing her cart full of Valentine's gifts.
Alright, best to start with the top floor and work my way down. She pressed the button in the elevator and the doors closed shut. The aromatic smell of flowers taking over the small enclosed space.
With a ding, the doors opened wide and she stepped out of the elevator, pulling the cart behind. Already three other Valentine's deliveries arrived, destined for the top floor that day. The nation's most eligible bachelor, successful and handsome CEO Andrew Geldan, had his office located on the top floor.
First in the rankings of the top 30 under 30 released by the most respected business and culture magazines, his famously still single self was sought after by so many well known models, actresses, heiresses, you name it. Lillian had actually been surprised that not more gifts had been sent, after the mountains of letters and packages she had to bring up on his birthday last month.
She made her way over to the desk of Andrew's personal secretary and started unloading two chocolate boxes and a pink rose bouquet. The other flowers were still right where she left them, after Andrew's personal secretary, Peter, designated an empty table for the gifts earlier that day.
She shifted the items over to make room for the new gifts and glanced around, wondering where Peter had gone. A couple moments later she heard yelling coming from inside the CEOs office, and immediately decided to make her way back to the elevator with the cart. Eager not to get caught in the crossfire if things went down.
Before she could make it to the elevator, the clouded glass door of the large modern office swung open, a man well into his 50s stepped out. Peter rushed out close behind, composure written on his face as if this wasn't the first time he's had to handle such a situation.
"You can tell that stubborn son of mine that if he hasn't found a prospective wife by the end of this week, then he will be faced with serious pressure to step down as CEO at next months board meeting!" He shouted at Peter, before cutting in front of Lillian, ignoring her as he passed. Then, as quickly as he had stormed out of the office, he entered the elevator and disappeared in what felt like the blink of an eye.
Peter and Lillian briefly met eyes. Lillian gave him a sheepish smile, not sure how to act in this particular situation. He tried to mouth to her "run away", but it was too late.
Without any chance to react the door to the CEO office opened again and Andrew stepped out. It felt as if the hallway just got 10 degrees colder, yet Lillian could feel a small sweat break out under her arms.
Noticing the presence of an unwanted third party, he glanced at Lillian before turning to make full eye contact with her. With an intense glare in his eyes, he furrowed his brow asked, "Are you the one who keeps cluttering my secretary's desk with unwanted rubbish?"
The intensity of the man made Lillian freeze up, struggling to make words come out her mouth.
"I don't like to be kept waiting," he added coolly.
"Y-yes. Yes! A lot of Valentine's wishes have been arriving for you all day," she managed to stammer out.
"Who said you could bother my secretary with such trash. I better not see anymore sh*t placed on his desk for the rest of the day," he growled in a deep voice.
"..."
"What? Do you have any further business here?" He walked towards Lillian until he was just a couple steps away, his imposing figure towering over her. Lillian gulped, then shook her head to say "no".
"..."
Why is he still standing there? Ugh, I should've waited to come up here later. I should leave, it'd be better if I leave.
Lillian smiled politely, giving a quick nod to both men, then immediately scurried off with the cart back to the elevators. She got inside and pushed the close doors button as fast as she humanly can.
"Ha. If only all those women knew how cold and irritable Andrew Geldan was! Then I wouldn't be stuck delivering their 'trash' to that cold-hearted CEO," Lillian muttered to herself, putting emphasis on "trash" to mock the CEO's uncaring tone.