Jenny POV:
I clocked out of my shift and made my way to the manager's office, located at the back of the upscale restaurant. The manager, a wealthy and influential man, sat behind his large mahogany desk, surrounded by lavish decorations and expensive artwork. He looked up from the paperwork he was sorting through, his expression stern but polite.
"Hi, Jenny! What can I do for you?" he asked, his deep voice commanding attention.
"Hi, I was wondering if I could request a leave for tomorrow?" I asked, trying to sound as confident and clear as possible.
The manager raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical. "Tomorrow? That's short notice. What's going on?"
I hesitated for a moment before explaining, "I have a personal appointment I need to attend to. I apologize for the short notice, but I only just found out about it."
The manager leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers together. "Okay, I can approve your leave. But please make sure to make up for the lost time when you return. And, Jenny?"
"Yes?"
"Don't think that just because you're attending some fancy party, you can slack off around here. I expect to see you bright and early the day after tomorrow."
I nodded, feeling a surge of gratitude. "Thank you, sir. I won't let you down."
With the leave approved, l left the office feeling a sense of accomplishment and relief. I headed home and went straight to my room. That's where I found Tasha seated on my bed.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, slightly surprised.
"I just wanted to apologize for what happened earlier," Tasha began, but I cut her off.
"I've already forgiven you. Tasha, I have something to tell you," I said, taking a seat beside her.
"Sure, come sit with me and tell me," she replied, curiosity piqued.
"I got invited to Mr. Jones William's birthday party," I announced, watching as Tasha burst into laughter.
"You're joking, right?" she asked, still chuckling.
"Does it look like I'm joking?" I retorted, pulling out the invitation card to prove it.
Tasha's eyes widened as she took the card and examined it. "What! You're really telling the truth, but how did you get it?"
I filled her in on the details, including my encounter with Annie, the girl I saved. Tasha's eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Wait, so the girl you saved is Annie? No wonder she wanted to pay for the clothes we chose. I can't believe I met my celebrity crush's sister!" Tasha exclaimed.
"You've started with your madness again," I teased, rolling my eyes.
Tasha playfully defended herself, explaining that Annie was the sister of Alex Grande, the billionaire CEO. I couldn't help but poke fun at her fangirling.
Jones' POV:
I did as you told me to do, I thought, recalling my conversation with Miss Annie. I gave her three invitation cards, so don't shout at me.
"If you have, why hasn't her brother called to give me the third invitation card?" Lyian asked angrily.
"We all know Alex; he deals with time efficiently, so he can never waste his time giving you any card, let alone talking to you. So let me just give you another invitation card for yourself," I offered.
"No, I don't want it. I will wait for his," Lyian said stubbornly before leaving.
"Before he even gives you the invitation card, you would have grown old," I muttered under my breath.
Alex POV:
I arrived home and headed straight to my study to continue working. My phone rang, breaking the silence. I answered, seeing Leo's name on the screen. "Why are you calling me tonight, Leo? It better be something worth my time," I said, my tone firm but curious.
"The old man wants to see you tomorrow, boss," Leo replied.
"Tell him I'll be there," I said, before ending the call.
Jenny POV:
I lay awake, my mind racing with thoughts of that man. It didn't make sense; I had just met him, and yet I felt a connection that went beyond mere acquaintance. "What's wrong with me?" I wondered. "I need to stop this." I tried to distract myself by listening to music, playing Halle Bailey's "Angel" on repeat. The soothing melody eventually helped me drift off to sleep.