《The CEO's Safe Haven [EDITING SOON!]》15. Gate Crash
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"Nathan can you go any faster?"
"I'm sorry ma'am but there's traffic up ahead. We'll reach the office in five minutes max,"
I lean forward in between the seat watching the traffic as a few drivers honked impatiently. Bouncing one foot on the floor, I comb a hand though my hair, my eyes flickering to the digits on the compatible stereo,
"Yeah Nathan five minutes won't do... I need to be at the office in like a minute or two,"
"Sorry ma'am but-"
"Nathan call me Lily and don't worry, I'll make it in like three... I hope..."
I mutter the last two words. Nathan turns his body as he just gives a confused look but I merely shake if off now reaching for my hair, taming it into a messy bun,
"Ma'am-"
"What did I just say?"
I cut him off sternly. He gives a sigh, using one of his hands as he pushes back his hair continuing his sentence,
"Fine, clearly using formalities won't work. Would you like to tell me what you're planning on doing?"
I smirk, satisfied of winning the argument. I fall back on the sofa looking at my nail as I spoke,
"I have a question... nothing hard. In fact, it's quite simple really,"
He gives me a look that was mixed with curiosity and fear but nods anyways,
"In a hypothetical situation, if you were passed out for let's say... two days, would you or would you not go for a jog as soon as you wake up and after having half a meal for breakfast? Oh and why?"
He gives me a bewildered look before shaking his head quickly, opening his mouth to speak,
"Why the hell would I do that to myself? I'd physically admit myself to a mental institution for finally loosing my mind. For all I know, I would just go back to sleep and use it as an advantage. Who knows I might fall unconscious again and then suddenly slip into coma,"
I roll my eyes at his exaggeration but reply,
"You clearly have a big imagination but sadly that's not the answer I'm looking for because, that hypothetical example I gave was actually mine and you know what I'm gonna go with? I'm gonna go one hundred perfect with the hypothetical situation,"
He gives me a blank look, clearly not amused by my words. Leaning forward, I pat his shoulder that was close to me,
"I'll see you in give minutes like you mentioned,"
Nathan now looses his bored look. He tilted his head a little, his eyebrows scrunched trying to figure out what I meant. He moves to open his mouth but I leave no room for a conversation because I flash him a smile, opening the door to bolt out onto the pavement.
I run a little, creating a distance between me and the car. I look over my shoulder, seeing the door wipe open. I catch Nathan's bewildered face as he fumbles over his seat belt. Once he does, he steps out and screams at the top of his voice,
"LILY!"
A smile breaks onto my face as I look straight ahead. I raise my hand high in the air showing a peace sign, whizzing through people. I look up ahead and squeeze my eyes a little, coming to see the building.
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Some people stop for a second, taking me in. They step to the side, allowing me to run with ease with a look of weirdness. I'll give it to them, it wasn't normal to see someone run like a crazy woman. Things have to be done. Break the norms if you ask me.
I was literally a few steps away from the company and without wasting a second, I push the doors open my eyes frantic as I look around. A few staff stop as they face me with mouth open. My eyes then fall on Tanya as a gasp leaves her mouth.
Breathing heavily through my nose I shake her off as I run towards the elevator pressing constantly without a pause. With my eyes still on the button, I speak out loud in the frozen open space,
"Hey Tan long time no see, can we like save the meet up later? Oh I also have a question. Simple really. Nathan didn't give the answer I wanted but hopefully you can so..."
I turn on my feet, still breathless. I see her a staring at me with her mouth hung open. I flash her an innocent smile before questioning,
"Yes or no?"
She doesn't say anything other than give me a taken back look and like a sloth, she scrunches her eye together and answered with a confused no. A loud sigh leaves my mouth as I flair my arms in the air,
"Why is it that every time I ask a question, I get the reply I'm not looking for?"
I turn back to the elevator, continuing to press the button as profanities left my mouth. I look up seeing that, there was still 6 floors to come down. Biting a lip, I place my hand on my hip as I contemplate, Tanya speaks up,
"Er Lil..."
I turn around this time catching a few female staff stand together, hand covering their mouths. Once again gossiping with their eyes on me. I noticed that we had new staff, amongst the commotion, they kept quiet.
It went eerily quiet as they just stared at me like they saw something they wasn't meant to. Disregarding them, I focus back on Tanya and ask,
"Where's the PP meeting being held?"
Tanya doesn't question as she replies,
"Eighth floor, conference room two,"
I give a single nod as I continue,
"You know... you told me to take the lift instead of the stairs when I asked you to pick either yes or no. Sadly I'm against your input. The lift is taking forever so stairs it is,"
"But..."
"Tan right now Luke's probably going crazy because I've got the PowerPoint for that meeting and dol- I mean Mr King will be close to turning the company upside down. So I'm going to have to disagree with your opinion and take the stairs..."
I cut her off,
"But that's eight floors..."
Tanya states as she stepped away from her desk, now approaching me,
"I honestly can't think of anything else. Oh what's the time by the way? I know that it starts at eleven thirty. Hell I don't even know what time it is right now. I would've checked my phone but I left it here two days ago dammit... stupid unplanned time to faint,"
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I mutter as she stands opposite me she reads the time of her watch,
"Eleven twenty-five,"
"Eh, I think I can make it in fifteen don't you think?"
I say with a growing smile. Tanya looks at me horrified as she speaks,
"Are you serious right now? You won't even make it half way until you're a panting mess and even then, you're in no fit condition to run around recklessly,"
My smile only widens as she shakes her head disagreeing with everything I said and done. I speak without a care,
"I'll see you later, I got a meeting to gate crash and save,"
Like with Nathan, I don't waste a second and bolt from the scene, pushing the double doors for the emergency stairs. I stand at the bottom, seeing the stairs. I inhale deeply, before taking the stairs in two.
Seven floors and a half later, I find myself in the description of Tanya. I stop halfway, placing my hands on my knees, inhaling sharp intakes of breaths. Wincing a little I still walk up the stairs, my lungs screaming for air,
"Oh my fucking god... how many... stairs... are there?!"
I complain to myself as I trotted up the stairs. The green medium-sized number eight comes into display and I sigh in relief not wanted to walk another step. Opening the door, I walk into a quiet hallway.
I step into the open seeing no-one around. Still breathing heavily I walk down the corridor, reading the numbers of the doors until I come to a stop. My stomach did a flip upon hearing the booming voice of Noah,
"So where the hell is this meeting that was meant to start exactly twenty minutes ago?"
Taking a couple more steps forward, I hear a nervous laugh leave Luke's mouth as he stuttered to form a sentence. I pull my hair out of the messy bun, shaking my head as my brown locks flowed down my back.
I then moved around tucking in the front part of the t-shirt in my jeans, somewhat trying to make it look professional, eh it'll will have to do either way... A shaky sigh leaves my mouth as I fumble with the handle pushing it down causing the room to fall silent.
The door opens wide enough for my presence to be known grabbing everyone's attention. I see Luke stand in front of the conference table, unaware of my presence. Tom stands behind the computer, clearly not seeing my presence as well unlike someone... Noah.
Sensing the tension in the room, Luke swiftly turns. His eyes falls on me, his mouth drops. I step inside knowing that Noah was fully staring, My body instantly warmed up without having to look and prove my point.
A shaky breath leaves my mouth as I face Luke. I walk up to him and pull out the USB from my back pocket that I kept captive from two days ago since I was the person working on it last. I spoke breathlessly,
"We can save the welcome back speech later, I just ran up eight damn flights of stairs to give you this just so that your pretty face doesn't get bruised. Thank me later when the meeting goes well,"
Luke only stares at me not saying anything. A sigh leaves my mouth as I walk around Luke, now handing Tom the USB. He takes it from me with a thankful nod. I move back to Luke, giving him a pat on the shoulder,
"Hope it goes well,"
I remove my hand from his shoulder and face everyone who was sat around the circle table. Team managers from each department were present as well as some other business people who watched the scene unfold.
My eyes finally fall on Noah, finding the answer to my uneasiness as I see that his eyes rack my body. He must've sensed me looking at him because he meets my eyes, his pupils dark. He had one hand hidden whereas the other constantly and effortlessly span the pen in his grasp.
My eyes falter to his lip as he bites it before releasing it. I look back to his eyes faster than I could comprehend, trying not to show that I was checking him out. He caught me because he raises an eyebrow, a faint smug plastered on his face.
I break eyes with him first as I fidget on the spot. I look around the table, my throat clearing. I begin to walk away from the scene when Luke speaks up, grabbing my full attention,
"Lily why don't you lead the meeting? I mean you did work on it,"
I turn to face him giving him a look as I speak with a pained smile,
"Can I have a quick word?"
H walked over to me and I pulled him to the corner of the room, still feeling Noah's eyes on me. I turn my head to the side still noticing him stare at me. A frustrated sigh leaves my mouth both being because of Noah as well as from being put on the spot.
I turn so that my back was facing everyone. Just like everyone downstairs, almost instantly I hear gasps from everyone. I roll my eyes, disregarding their random outburst,
"I'm not doing it. I spent nearly an hour working on it before I ran my way to work and up damn the stairs. The least you can do is you present it and besides, Mr King said you to present it not me,"
In the background I could hear Noah get aggregated as he spoke,
"Can we just get on with the meeting. Miss Cole just do it already,"
I look over my shoulder, now stuttering as my eyes meet his,
"But... you said..."
"Did I stutter?"
He spoke making me shut my mouth. I bite my tongue hard, trying not to reiterate. I turn back to look at Luke but find him no longer there as he slipped away, now taking a seat on one of the empty chairs at the front.
Facing the wall once more I bite my lip, this time closing my eyes. I take a few deep breaths before I faced everyone, now walking in front of everyone. Tom was still at the computer, the presentation slides already up for everyone to read.
Giving one last look to Luke, my eyes then fall on every member present. I give them all a pained smile as I speak,
"Right, let's get this meeting shall we?"
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