"I'm going to get fired today," Claire mumbled under her nose.
"It cannot be this bad," Gina reassured her. Claire stood up and walked up to the window as if the view were to inspire her.
"We are given a 10% budget cut next term. I am unsure of how to accommodate it."
"Why the cut? We have been generating profit for months."
"It might be due to an expansion as Mr Pattison mentioned, or maybe it is some form of test."
"What do you think?"
"I think it's a test," Claire stated.
"If it were a test, what is the most appropriate answer?"
"I do have a few ideas. I think we should upgrade our current system as it will make our work more efficient and it'll lead to long-term savings."
"Isn't it counterintuitive to spend money when you should be saving?"
"That's the idea." Claire smiled. "Investing in betterment is always the ideal outcome. Besides, I can strike a better deal with a few of our suppliers."
"Go, girl!" Gina cheered her on.
"Thanks." Claire sat back down and started typing vividly.
"Any time." Gina left Claire alone. Claire worked on a report, listing every possible way to reduce the spending and its risks. In the early afternoon, she printed the file and went to floor forty-two.
She walked through the office similar in layout to her department, all the way to Mr Pattison.
"Good afternoon." Claire smiled at him. "Here's the report of budget allocations for the next term as well as a few suggestions on how I am willing to accommodate budget cuts."
"Miss Thompson." Pattison stood up with a smile. "I didn't expect it this early. Are you sure that you're ready to submit it already?"
"Yes, sir. It has been edited and proofread, and it's ready for submission."
"If you wish." Pattison looked at the pile of paper curiously.
"Thank you." Claire bowed to him before walking away, feeling all of the gazes on her. She held her head high as she walked gracefully away.
"Sir." Pattison walked back into the office. "Miss Thompson's report has been submitted."
"Are you serious?"
"Yes, sir." Pattison put the report on the stack of papers and left the office hurriedly. Mr Moore's eyes had a particularly dangerous glare and he didn't want to be caught in the crossfire.
Mr Moore picked up the file and started reading it carefully. He had his red pen in hand ready to point at the first mistake he catches.
He leaned back, resting his feet on a large mahogany desk.
He was a very elegant man with an intimidating and powerful aura.
He was wearing his black suit with a white t-shirt and a navy blue tie. His black hair was rather short and tidied over with gel.
His almond-shaped eyes were ocean blue, with a row of long eyelashes.
After half an hour he stormed out of his office.
"Mr Moore." Pattison stood up.
"Did you tell her what to write?!" He roared as he threw the report at Pattison.
"No, sir. Of course, not." Pattison said defensively. "I've been here all morning, sir. Is there a problem with the report?"
"You tell me!"
Pattison carefully opened it and started scanning through it.
"I don't see anything wrong, sir. If anything, all of those suggestions seem feasible and exactly what I'd expect of you."
"Exactly, Pattison." Mr Moore barked as he placed his fists on Pattison's table and leaned forward. "This is not a manager's report, this is a leader's report, and in my years of running this business no one has suggested investment as the first step towards the departmental budget cuts."
"Sir, I can reassure you that I had absolutely nothing to do with it. I can find the CCTV footage of Miss Thompson's office if that's going to be anyhow helpful." Pattison was turning white in worry.
"Sure. Get me the footage." Mr Moore smirked as if he tasked Pattison with the impossible. "However, if I see anything suspicious, you and Miss Thompson are fired."
"Yes, sir." Pattison nodded, rushing off to the security office.
His status as Mr Moore's assistant was well-known across the company. He was frequently sent on multiple errands a day, being often more visible than his boss. This worked in his favour right now. Security officers didn't question him as he stormed into their office and started searching for the right monitor.
"I need the recordings from this monitor for the entire morning." He demanded. Thankfully, the entire building had CCTV in each room (besides toilets and showers, of course) due to the high-security jobs they often did. It was their way of ensuring that no fraud and no data is leaked. And at that moment, it was easily used to show that besides Pattison, Zoe and Gina there was no one else in Claire's office all morning. And on top of that, it was only when she was left alone that she worked on the report. No one wrote it for her. No one stood beside her and told her what to write. As soon as Gina left her alone, she typed as if she was in frenzy, fully focused and undistractable. Pattison smiled and sprinted back with a USB stick in his hand.
Mr Moore was back in his enormous office when he got there, standing by the window and watching the rush of the traffic below, a mere dots from this height.
"Sir, this is the recording from this morning. I hope that this can clear me from your suspicions." Pattison quickly placed the USB stick on Mr Moore's desk and left the room before he could be blamed for anything else.
Mr Moore watched the recording, still agitated. But it was clear that Claire worked on the report herself. Not to mention, that Claire was the girl he was looking for. He saw her now several times. He saw her in the elevator that morning and he was ever so excited to find her. Before that, she bumped into him at the Horton Club just about a month ago. And he saw her once late at night, or rather early in the morning, walking across the square to the parking lot. That was the time when he noticed her. She was so elegant in the black dress, and ever so graceful in the heels she was still wearing. He couldn't admit it to anyone but he was too afraid to approach her. He never felt this way. He never felt as if something was stuck in his throat as soon as his eyes fell on her. His chest tightened at her sight. His palms started sweating. Whatever that girl did, she must've known what effect she has on him.
For a moment he hoped that Claire cheated. That he can fire her and remove this distraction from his life.
After ensuring Claire's honest work, he turned off the video and tried to do his work. But his mind kept wandering. He slammed his desk in annoyance. How can a girl this simple cause him so much despair?!
He couldn't resist playing the video again, without forwarding it or speeding it up. He watched Claire's subtle mannerisms - the way she messed up her hair when she was deep in thought and then she tidied it up as soon as she completed the task or if someone entered the office. The way she put up a smile every time someone opened the door, welcoming them warmly. The way she interacted with her subordinates. The way she shook Pattison's hand…
No, Mr Moore didn't like the way she shook Pattison's hand.
"Pattison!" He roared into the phone on his desk.
Pattison ran into his office knowing that he will be told off and yelled at no matter the reason.
"Yes, sir?"
"If I remember correctly, you have a girlfriend, correct?"
"Yes, sir." Pattison was as confused as ever.
"What's her name, again?"
"Julia, sir."
"And tell me, did you ever consider cheating on Julia?"
"Of course not, sir!"
"Well, for your sake I hope that you're being truthful. I hate disloyalty and liars. As soon as I find out that you've lied I'll ensure that you will never be able to find a job and I'll ruin you." Mr Moore said through his gritted teeth.
"I can reassure you that I have no ill intentions towards Julia, sir."
"We'll see about that." Mr Moore was still sipping with anger. He did dismiss Pattison before throwing a folder across the room.