Fan Fiction |
by Sensitivegal
The next morning as Charlene was walking towards the building, she thought if Gillian got the job. She forgot that Gillian had said for them to meet after the interview. Then again she was late yesterday and Gillian must have gone home after waiting. She would find out if Gillian got the job whilst she’s actually in the building.
She took a deep breath before entering the lobby. She walked over to the reception desk and walked around to sit on the chair. She got ready to start work. The temp receptionist from yesterday told her everything about the daily work, what has to be done and what you have to do. The phone rang next to her. She looked at the time. Her working hours has just started.
‘Hello, Chen Enterprise, how may I help you?’ she put on a cheery voice.
‘Can I speak to Charlene Choi please?’ the caller asked.
Charlene jerked back on her chair. This person knew her? And it was a guy? Hold on, she thought back to the voice. It sounded familiar. ‘Edison?’ she cried out.
‘The one and only,’ he sang.
‘Why are you phoning?’ she asked calming her nerves down.
‘Just to see if you talk politely on the phone,’ he answered.
‘Where are you?’ she quickly scanned the lobby. She couldn’t see him.
‘Look behind you?’ he said. She whirled around with her chair to face him. ‘Hi.’ She caught her breath. He looked drop dead gorgeous with his navy blue suit. His hair was spiked up with red highlights. And his smile just made her heart melt.
‘Hi,’ she greeted back. She was feeling hot all of a sudden. Both of them were smiling at each other. ‘Do you check up on every receptionist of yours?’ she teased.
‘No, just one particular one,’ he replied, laughter could be heard in his voice.
‘Don’t you have work to do?’ she quickly questioned him when she saw that workers that just entered glancing at them every five seconds.
‘Yes, I do,’ he looked at his expensive Rolex. ‘I’ll see you later.’
He turned to leave. ‘Wait,’ she called out. He faced her once again raising an eyebrow questioningly. ‘Did a Gillian Chung get the job?’ she asked.
He narrowed his eyes in confusion. ‘Oh,’ he said when he remembered the girl who looked like her. ‘Yes. She’s working as my secretary.’
‘Okay,’ she turned to get back to work.
He shook his head. She was one minute flirting with him and the next she shows she wants to get rid of him. He found her strange. He went back up to his office. On his way he saw Gillian already seated at her desk outside his office. She was getting ready to start work.
‘Good morning,’ she sang out flashing a wide grin.
‘Morning to you too,’ he said working straight past her.
He got to his desk and took off his suit jacket hanging it up on the hook. He sat on his chair and then pressed the intercom for Gillian. One minute later Gillian was tapping lightly on the door.
‘Come in,’ he directed. The timid Gillian walked in slowly and stood in front of him. ‘Is Nicholas in yet?’
‘No, sir,’ she replied.
‘When his in tell him to come straight to see me,’ he informed her. She nodded. ‘Get the Velcois file for me and something hot to drink,’ he dismissed her. She was just about to go through the door when he called her back. ‘How do you know Charlene?’
Gillian was taken aback. She didn’t see that coming. ‘We met yesterday,’ she answered. ‘We were both looking for a job.’
‘Okay,’ he waved her to go. He only asked her because his curiosity got the better of him. He got back to work when she handed him the Velcois file and his tea. Patrick Velcois was a hard man to bargain with. When he went to Hong Kong two weeks ago he couldn’t even get an appointment. Rumors had it that his daughter ran away. He never saw Patrick’s daughter. She wasn’t even on any magazines or newspapers.
He wandered what happened. He heard that she was a pampered spoilt rich kid. So why would she leave all her fathers wealth? That got him thinking.
Charlene was having a great time working as the receptionist. She had many people talking to her and some flirting with her. She was nervous at first when she came in but the small talk with Edison drained all the nervousness out. He was a great guy, she had to admit that. One thing was that she wanted to know about him trying to buy Velcois Enterprise. She had to know what was going on.
‘Charlene!’ a voice called from behind her. She turned around to be face to face with Gillian. ‘Omg! You got the job too!’ she squealed.
Charlene stood up. Gillian hugged her. She was taken aback. ‘Errr… Edison told me you got the job,’ Charlene said as she gently pulled back. She wasn’t used to this.
‘You know him? And you’re in first name basis?’ Gillian gasped. She didn’t let her talk as she carried on. ‘Did you know he’s so gorgeous! I can drool over him forever!’
Charlene laughed. ‘You like him?’
‘Yeah-uh! He is drop dead gorgeous!’ Gillian sighed lost in her dreams. Charlene didn’t know if she should tell her about how she knew Edison. ‘Do you want to go for lunch?’
Charlene checked her watch. ‘Yeah, I got an hour.’ She got her bag and jacket. She turned to go but bumped into someone. ‘Oof!’ she cried out.
‘Sorry,’ Edison quickly apologized. He held her hand to steady her. ‘You okay?’
She nodded. She then looked at Gillian who was already drooling over Edison and wasn’t noticing him eyeing Charlene only. ‘I’m off to lunch with Gillian,’ she said even though she didn’t have to explain to him, as he probably knew.
‘You could join us if you want,’ Gillian blurted out making Charlene’s eyes widen.
‘I would love to,’ Edison took the offer. He then saw Charlene’s face. ‘That is if you don’t mind,’ he added. He looked straight into her eyes daring her to object.
‘No, no,’ she rushed not wanting to give him the satisfaction. ‘Let’s go,’ she walked off first leaving the other two. Edison was quick to catch up on her pace. Gillian walked along side him.
‘Where are we going?’
‘It’s not an expensive restaurant,’ Charlene came back with. ‘It is only a café.’ She eyed him suspiciously as why he was keen to join them. She then looked away when she saw Gillian watching her. ‘If you want to go elsewhere, then please do,’ she added haughtily.
He smiled knowing well that she wouldn’t mind if he did just that. He shook his head. ‘I don’t mind. It’s not everyday a guy gets to have lunch with two beautiful women,’ he said staring straight at Charlene who was avoiding making eye contact. Gillian blushed. Charlene ignored him.
They entered a small café that was round the corner to the Chen Enterprise. The café was half filled with busy people. They found a round table by the window. The café theme was an old Texas style. It was one thing Charlene liked about the place. The other was that the owners were great people who let her have free food sometimes when she was broke.
‘This place is cozy,’ Edison commented when they took their seat. He was examining the place. Charlene took the opportunity to steal a glance at him. But her gaze lingered on his mouth. She wondered if she would ever kiss them again. She then snapped out of her trance cursing herself for thinking that way only to see Edison staring at her with a smile on. She looked away blushing furiously for getting caught.
‘It is,’ Gillian agreed still goo-goo eyed with Edison and still not noticing anything between them.
Mrs. Maguire, the owner came to their table. ‘Charlene!’ she squealed. Mrs. Maguire was a woman age fifty-two but she looked like she was just on her forties. Charlene got up to hug the woman.
‘Darcy,’ Charlene said. ‘Aren’t you meant to be resting?’ she scolded narrowing her eyebrows.
‘I’m only here for this afternoon,’ she explained.
‘After the incident I thought your husband might have looked you up in the bedroom,’ Charlene stated. She then remembered that she wasn’t alone. She turned to the other two who were staring at her confused. ‘Darcy, I’d like you to meet my friend Gillian Chung and my boss Edison Chen. Guys, I’d like you to meet Darcy Maguire the owner of the café and a good friend of mine.’
Edison stood up just like gentleman and took Darcy’s hand and shook it. ‘Nice to meet you, Ma’am. It is a pleasure meeting a beautiful lady.’
Darcy giggled like a little girl at how charming he was. ‘Char, you found a man already?’ she whispered.
Charlene went crimson red because Darcy didn’t say it that quietly since Edison and Gillian heard it. ‘He’s my boss,’ Charlene gave warning look with her eyes for her not to say anymore.
But Darcy wasn’t looking at her. ‘What a shame!’ she sighed eyeing Edison up and down. ‘You two would make a great couple!’
‘Darcy!’ Charlene gasped not believing she was hearing it. ‘Can I have some tea, please,’ she emphasized the word please. Darcy got the message and went to get them their lunch after they ordered. Charlene shook her head sitting herself back on her chair that was opposite Edison. ‘Don’t mind her,’ she told the other two.
‘How do you know her?’ Gillian asked curiously.
‘I came here many time to have lunch and I got to know Darcy after the third visit,’ she said. ‘I then stopped coming when I became broke. I came back a week ago and she asked me where I was. After that she gave me free food.’
‘That was nice of her,’ Edison said.
‘I’m going to go to the kitchen to see her husband,’ Charlene said shortly after. She was trying to get away from his stares. She got up and walked through the double doors.
Just as the doors closed behind Charlene the front door opened. In came three men starving to eat. They looked around. They noticed a Chinese couple sitting by the window. They chose to sit at the table next to the double doors. The café was now filled with customers. It was now busy. People had to shout over others to talk. Waiters and waitresses were going from one end to the other.
A waitress standing just in between the table and the double doors was taking the three men’s order. Charlene came out of the kitchen with a big grin on her face. She made her way to the table. Edison noticed her coming. She didn’t look at him. She was stopped at her tracks her smile disappearing when she heard a familiar voice.
‘We’ll have one bacon sandwich, beans on toast…’ Leo carried on making the order. She turned slowly to see the three men she was hiding from right in front of her. But none of them were noticing her.
‘Hey, Char!’ Edison called.
Charlene froze.