It May Rain

Chapter Twelve

"I haven't been entirely honest with you."

"You don't say," I snap, my eyebrows raised.

He sucks air in and stares at me with an uncomfortable look on his face, like a naughty child who's about to be scolded.

"So, my godfather is called Magnus, as in, the 'Magnus' in Magnus + Son, and Konrad is obviously the 'Son'. This bakery chain is their family company and when I came back from my gap year they offered me a role to help set up their new London office, which I of course accepted.Then last year when we were doing market research we came across Sugar Rushes - it has a very similar business model to Magnus + Son and they will essentially be our direct market competitor."

He ruffles his hair therapeutically before carrying on.

"Whilst we were researching them we came across a job advert for an operations intern and it just seemed like the perfect opportunity to get an insight into how the company worked. How they operate, the kind of issues a bakery chain faces in London, who their main suppliers are, the logistics of how to transport stock in a city like this, what kind of business model works well, et cetera. So I took the intern role and here we are now."

He holds his palms out with a shrug of his shoulders, as if that's a perfectly reasonable explanation for everything.

"So you're like, a mole? Sent in to leach ideas from Sugar Rushes' business model, find out their weaknesses so you can use them to better your godfather's company?"

"No! It's not like that. We're not interested in Sugar Rushes' weaknesses, and we don't take ideas from them either. We just...We just wanted to know what to expect when opening a new store in London, that's all. There's no ill intent about it."

"And do you think that's how Jacko and the rest of them will see it when they find out?"

His face falls in an instant, the self-assured look he had a few minutes ago completely gone.

"Mae, please don't tell them. No one was ever meant to find out. It's honestly just a bit of harmless market research, but it won't look good on Magnus + Son if this were to get out."

"So you agree it doesn't look good?" I scoff. "And not only that, but you swore to me you hadn't told anyone else about me and you. Yet it seems very clear that Konrad knows all about us. Care to explain that?"

"He's my brother! He's not going to tell anyone. And he doesn't exactly work with us does he? It's not the same as when Chantelle found out."

"No, he doesn't work with me, but he works with you."

I jump out of my seat and burst out of the room. I've had enough of Hugo and his web of lies.

***

I jab at the elevator button, willing it to come as soon as possible so it can whisk me away.

Yet again, life has thrown a curveball at me. Just when there's a glimmer of hope that things might be looking up, something like this happens and sets me back again. There's no way I can work here with Hugo, not after how we left things the other day at Sugar Rushes. I don't like him, he likes me, and it's just plain awkward. And besides, I didn't even finish my interview so there's no chance of me even getting this job.

So it's back to Sugar Rushes I go, and it's back to square one with the job hunting.

"Mae, where are you going? Come back!"

Hugo's voice is getting nearer so I scan the area for another exit and spot the sign for a staircase. I head over to it and dash down the stairs at breakneck speed.