BOUND BY DESTINY

CHAPTER SEVEN

Raudha Athif as Arielle.

One week later...

It's been a week since I filed the report about Kyle's disappearance. Seven fucking days and I had yet to receive any sort of news concerning the place he could've been. It seemed more and more probable that he either was kept hostage at some place or just didn't want to be found. The police's guess fell more on the ladder and as I time passed a part of me was beginning to think so too.

In the spasm of seven days, I had managed to feel a rollercoaster of emotions about this whole situation; from worry, to self-deprecation and by the end of the week full rage. The anger was at the incompetence of the police in finding my boyfriend and also at thought of Kyle disappearing on me - if that was really what happened. My mind was starting to think that too.

It didn't help that during this time, I barely slept at night, tossing and turning like a centipede in bed. Neither could I muster the strength to ingurgitate anything other than sweets and coffee. I also isolated myself from everyone, dodging calls and texts from friends and family - who apart from Jenna and I, knew nothing of what was going on - focusing solely on my job at the office.

Needless to say, that by Monday the next week, I looked like a caffeinated angry pit-bull ready to pounce at anyone who much as stared at me the wrong way.

The worst part was that I was fully aware of how aggressive and irritated I was towards others, but I just couldn't help it. It wasn't my fault if my coworkers and subordinates were all a bunch of incompetent fools who couldn't grasp the concept of interior-design. I was the best in this department and they should know better than contradict my opinion for fuck's sake. Stupid.

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"The propositions you guys presented were all catastrophic pieces of garbage! -" I said tossing the 3D catalogues to the ground as I regarded coldly the 3 interns under my tutoring. I realized that their number had once again reduced as compared to the 7 who had started last week. I was just too preoccupied to care about their whereabouts.

"- I wouldn't waste my precious time and knowledge on a bunch of inefficient graduates who lack creativity and style just as these rubbish you've presented me -" I said pointing my index finger at the 3D design models on the floor of my office "- you guys have till the end of this day to present creative and interesting designs worth my time for the décor of Kim's penthouse, or you're out. Do I make myself perfectly clear? ... Dismissed!" I asked sternly and watched as they nodded a couple of times before scurrying out the door.

I huffed and dialed the receptionist of my floor-building using the standard fix line of our firm. I waited and directly said, interrupting unnecessary formalities.

"Ashley, bring me the inventory reports of furniture for Mr. Dickson's mansion...What the heck do I care if you're busy? Drop everything and bring me those damn reports!" I said angrily and slammed the cellphone with a thud.

Merely five minutes later, I heard the glass door to my office opening and closing, then the clicking of heels walking towards my bureau. I was engrossed in orders and inscriptions that I didn't looked up to the receptionist and said in a dismissive tone.

"Place the documents on my desk. You're dismissed" She did as I said, but instead of leaving, stood rigidly before my desk as I typed away on my laptop.

"I said you're dismissed Ashley." I repeated thinking she hadn't heard the first time, but the woman didn't budge. I coaxed my eyebrows at the woman, ready to bark at her for disrupting me from a task far more important than her entire wardrobe. Only it was not the chubby little redhead receptionist, standing before me but a very pissed Latina brunette - Jenna.