Fan Fiction |
by YukLing
"Hey there, Suzanne. How's your day going so far?" Ray asked when he walked up to her counter.
"Hello Mr. Lam. It's only Tuesday morning, of course things are just OK." Suzanne replied with her usual smile. "Are you feeling better today?"
"Yes, Suzanne. Much much better." Ray replied with a big smile. "Oh by the way, could you make a quick copy of this entire manuscript for me?"
"Yes, I'll have these copied ASAP." Suzanne replied.
"Good, thanks. Bring them into my office when you're done."
As soon as Ray entered his office and closed his door, several of the other front office girls crowded around Suzanne.
"Did you notice something different about Mr. Lam today?" Girl 1 asked.
"I'm not prone to gossip talk ladies. If you don't mind I have to go make copies for Mr. Lam. Have fun amongst your gossips." Suzanne replied then she left to go to the Copy Room.
"That Suzanne is too much of a closed mouth. We never ever get any juicy gossip from her about Mr. Lam EVER!!" Girl 1 exclaimed angrily.
"That's why she's Mr. Lam personal assistance. Duh!! If he had you for his personal assistance, I couldn't imagine what would happen." Girl 2 replied and laugh out loud.
"Oh....args...shutup. I know you are as curious as much as I am...but from the latest I heard.....he's dating some woman....one of the authors who's associated with our company. I think." Girl 1.
"Are you sure??" Girl 2 asked.
"Uh huh..And I heard she's also pregnant with his baby! I just can't believe of all the women he's dated in the past that he's actually content and settling for a bookworm!! Who would have guessed??"
"That IS shocking news..."
"If I had known he was also into literature type of women....I'd..."
"You’ll what? Be a novelist? Haha....that'll be the dayl!!" Girl 2 retorted and they both burst out laughing again.
"What's so funny girls?" Jessica asked with a serious tone as she walked up from behind the counter.
The girls quickly covered their mouths and shook their heads, "Nothing Miss Jessica. Uh.....we have to go make some copies too." They quickly sped-off just in time to escape Jessica's disapproving gaze.
Jessica re-entered her room and picked up her phone to dial Ray's extension.
"Ray, I want you in here right now!" Jessica demanded. "No...not in a minute....RIGHT NOW!!"
There weren't too many things that could cause Jessica to be upset or raise her voice , so Ray definitely knew he was on the hot-spot after receiving her phone call.
Ray knocked on the door before entering Jessica's room.
Jessica shot an angry glance towards the door and muttered to herself, "Since when does the damn guy ever knock!" She knew something was definitely something 'wrong' with Ray.
"Come in, Ray!" Jessica hollered across her room.
"Uh, you wanted to see me, Boss?" Ray asked while scratching his head. Being the target of an 'angry' Jessica was the last thing anyone would ever want to be in, even Ray himself.
"Have a seat." She ordered.
"I'm fine standing up." Ray replied.
"I said....have a seat!!" Jessica raised her voice slightly.
Ray took that as an order and finally sat down. It must be something really serious for Jessica to be this upset, Ray wondered.
Jessica tapped her pen impatiently on the table as she looked at Ray straight-in-the-face.
"Tell me you're NOT screwing one of our authors, Ray.....Tell ME! It's NOT TRUE!" Jessica said in a self-controlled voice.
Oh boy, Ray thought to himself. Jessica is NOT going to like his answer one bit.
"I can see that by you not answering me with one of your sarcastic, egotistic remarks....I'm assuming the answer is YES?"
"Jess, it's not what you think....and really it's not as bad as it looks." Ray finally replied.
Jessica stood straight up from her chair and leaned across the table. "Who is it? Is it Li Qian????"
When Ray didn't answer again, Jessica already found her answer. "I can't believe you!! I didn't mind before that you were flirting with every woman in this office, in addition to your extra girlfriends on the side, but now...now you're taken on the job of "getting-to-know" our clients’ author too? Ray, where the heck is your professionalism??"
Ray had just about enough of Jessica's ill-tempered accusation. Finally, he stood up and faced her directly then replied "I said...it's not what you think. And this has NOTHING...I repeat.....NOTHING to do with business. So I suggest that you mind your own business, Jess and stay out of it!"
“Li Qian is an author. She’s writing a book for our company and the fact that you also work for this company jeopardizes our client-author-employer relationship. How do you think this looks in the eyes of others and our company’s image, Ray? Have you ever thought of that?”
“I just don’t see what the big deal is on who I date or choose to be with. It’s not in the company’s policy forbidden rule last time I checked.”
“No, but it’s common law – that you don’t screw with your clients!”
“Put a lid on it Jess. I’m not screwing anyone. And stop using the word SCREW!!! For god sake!”
“Well how else am I suppose to say it? Should I call it HIT-AND-RUN instead?” Jessica knew she had just pressed the last button with Ray with her last comment.
Ray reached over the table and put his face right next to Jessica. She could see that he was boiling mad with her last remark.
“What goes on between me and Qian is none of anyone’s business. I choose whoever I like and I don’t need to get anyone’s permission or approval, got it? “
So she had been right all along. She just knew she had to hear it directly from him or else she'd never believe that Ray-old-boy might actually be IN-LOVE!?!?!
“Well at least tell me next time when you’re going to hit on my author so I can be prepared.” Jessica said then sat back down onto her chair.
“There isn’t going to be a next time.”
“Oh? Just one time? So not your style Ray-old-boy.” Jessica replied and pretended to start looking through some paperwork.
Then he saw her face. "Wait a minute....I know that look!!!" Ray exclaimed out loud.
He should have known she was playing pranks on him. That damn woman! Making a fool out of him. "You think you're so smart, don't you Jess? Playing a joke on me like that."
Jessica couldn't hold it any longer and burst out laughing. "You should have seen your serious, angry face minutes ago....it was the funniest thing I've ever seen in ages!! Hahahaha..How else would I get you to spill out your confession if I didn't anger you?"
"Shut up, Jess. " Ray responded and started walking towards the door.
"Hey, congratulation by the way! Join the L-O-V-E club." Jessica yelled across the room.
"Yeah Yeah...." Ray replied then walked out of Jessica's room leaving her still laughing and congratulating herself for having 'beat' Ray at his own game this time.
But Jessica wasn't the only one who was still smiling during that morning. Unknowingly, Ray carried an unusual smile throughout the entire morning as he worked,. Of course Ray’s happiness did not go unnoticed by his co-workers. But he no longer cared if anyone knew of his personal lives or not, because soon he'd make it all official so that they have nothing to gossip about.
It was 30 minutes after 1 when Ray press the button on his receiver, "Suzanne, could you please cancel the rest of my appointments for today. By the way, do we still have a copy of Tiffany's latest brochure around the office? Yes? Good. I'll stop by your counter to pick it up on my way out. Thank You."
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Qian was in the middle of working on the last chapter of her novel when her home phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Qian? I'm glad I got a hold of you."
She immediately recognized it was Ron on the other line of course. He sounded very stressful.
"Hi Ron. What's the matter? Is everything alright?"
There was a short pause before he replied, "It's Myolie. She's....she's gone."
"What?" Qian asked anxiously. "What do you mean she's gone? Where is she? Did something happen to her? Ron!! Tell me!"
"No...no. I don't think anything bad happened to her...she's just gone. When I came back from work yesterday, she wasn't there anymore. I think she left me, Qian."
"Why? What happened? Did you guys fight?"
"No...no. We didn't fight at all. We never fight, Qian. Everything was fine and normal. I don't...don't what's going on. She took some of her clothes and packed up and left...and she also left her wedding ring behind."
"Does she?..Did you tell her?" Qian was afraid to ask the question.
"No, of course not. But that's the only reason I could think of. We were still so happy during our trip to Thailand last month. Qian....I don't know what to do."
Qian went silent for a few short moments, then she finally replied "Go look for her, Ron."
"I want to, but I don't know where...I'm just so worried for her, Qian."
"Have you called her parents or friends?"
"Yes, but they all don't know where she went either. But I haven't called her parents, I don't want them to be disturbed by this news. I want to find her first before they do."
"Well, did she leave anything behind? Go look around , Ron....just try to find clues or something..."
"I did. I searched everywhere...but I can't find anything...I feel so useless, Qian. How could I not have known that she was sad???"
And then Qian heard Ron crying quietly on the other line. She knew he must be very sadden and frustrated at the moment.
"Ron...let me...let me come help you look for her." Qian offered.
"I had already looked everywhere….”
“Well two persons is better than one"
“Yes, of course…OK….. I’ll pick you up.”
"OK...and Ron...don't worry...we'll find her. I promise."
"Thank You, Qian…. I'm glad I called you."
"So am I."