The alarm dropped Isabel out of sleep like a rude stranger shaking her shoulders. She groaned and rolled over, blinking at her clock. 9:42a.m. Her eyes flew open immediately.
"Oh no-no,no,no,no-" She bolted upright with her messy hair with her heart racing and beating at the wall or her chest. She didn't remember falling asleep.All she could remember was changing into her oversized T-shirt. She scrambled out of the bed, nearly tripping over her slippers but before she could reach the bathroom, a knock sounded and the door pushed open halfway.
Izzy appeared in leggings and crop-top,her hair in a perfect high bun and sipped juice like she won the whole world. She smirked.
"Well, well, The Sleeping Beauty rises." Isabel glared at her.
"Izzy,not today." Her sister leaned on the doorway.
"Mom said you came back tired yesterday and that you signed some contract that could be life-changing." Isabel grabbed her comb.
"Yeah, I was going to tell you…"
"Izzy, do this,Izzy, focus on school." She mimicked in a dramatic voice.
"Meanwhile, you're out there making deals with billionaires."
"I'm not … It wasn't …" Never mind. Isabel said
. Izzy's grin widened. "You look stressed, is this what adulthood feels like?"
"Get out of my room, I'm already running late," Isabel said while shoving her gently toward the hallway.
Izzy laughed the whole way. "Love you too!"
Isabel rolled her eyes and slammed the bathroom door. Thirty minutes later, she dressed in a clean navy pencil dress with her hair smoothed back and a light makeup looking professional. She grabbed her workbag and rushed downstairs. Her mother looked up from slicing the fruit.
"Honey,you're late?"
"Don't remind me, mom. I know," Isabel muttered as she took one of the sliced fruit from the plate and kissed her mom's cheeks.
"Bye,mom."
"Bye, dear and don't forget to eat something," the mom said.
Isabel drove off and hit the road and compared to other days,the traffic was terrible and by the time she rushed out of the elevator on the top floor of the Blackwell Industries, her pulse was already in her throat. Marcus spotted her immediately.
"Mrs.Reeves," he said calmly.
"Good morning."
"Sorry,"She breathed."I…. traffic…my alarm…."
"It's fine,"Marcus cut in."He's waiting inside." Isabel swallowed and followed him to the conference room.
As she stepped inside, his eyes locked onto hers, giving out a cold and intense look.
"Good morning, Mr. Blackwell," she said while straightening her spine. Sebastian was standing in the conference room with sleeves rolled up and coffee untouched on the table as she came in.
"Quite a good time for a meeting," he said.
Isabel didn't talk,she sat down and smoothed her dress pretending she couldn't feel Sebastian's intense stare at her.
"You're late," he said again, his voice cutting through the room. Isabel's head snapped up.
"Uhmm---I---" She began.
"Your first day," Sebastian continued, "and you walk in, ten minutes behind schedule."
"It was traffic," Isabel said tightly.
"Then leave home earlier." Her jaw clenched.
"I didn't expect---" "That?" Isabel stammered.
"That....is exactly the problem." He interrupted again.
Isabel stared at him with anger simmering beneath her skin. Sebastian moved closer to the table, placing both hands on it and leaning forward slightly,
"If we are to partner on this project?"He said with his voice low, "You must understand that this company does not tolerate careless timing."
"I'm not careless," Isabel said back.
"But you were today," he said.
Every part of her wanted to snap back and tell him he was arrogant and rude but that contract was everything;Her father's legacy, her family's name and her career.She swallowed the anger like a poison..
"Are we signing?" She said calmly. "or wasting each other's time?" Sebastian's eyes flickered in annoyance and amusement at her boldness.
Marcus immediately slid the papers towards them. "Here," he said quickly to avoid any other clash. Isabel picked the pen and signed her name across the page. She slid the pen to him without looking up.He took it, signed his name and closed the folder.
"It's done," Marcus said with relief. "Reeves Architectural Firm and Blackwell Corporation are officially partners." Sebastian Stepped away from the table and buttoned his suit jacket.
"Good, let's hope today's lateness isn't a preview of what's to come."
Isabel stood instantly and forced a polite smile. "Don't worry," she said. "I don't plan on being late again and I also don't plan on working with someone who assumes the worst of me."She said,walking past him with her chin high.
The moment she stepped into the hallway, her anger burned. She hated him already and from the way his voice echoed in the room,he didn't think much better of her either.
By the time she pulled into her driveway, her entire body was buzzing with anger. Her hands shook slightly as she gripped the steering wheel. She sat at the car for a moment when she reached her apartment, breathing and trying not to scream but the moment she stepped out of the car, she spotted Steph sitting on the front porch swing, sipping a cold drink like she owned the whole house. Steph's head snapped up the moment she saw Isabel's face.
"Oh wow,she said while standing up. "That's your I'm-about-to-burn-a-building down." Isabel dropped her bag on the table outside and groaned loudly.
Steph blinked. "Okay, Spill. Wh
at happened?"
Isabel paced back and forth across the porch, with her heels clicking angrily on the wood. " That man — Steph — THAT MAN!"