"I'll break down your walls one by one and sneak into the gates of your icy heart before crushing it into tiny pieces." He murmurs mercilessly as his lips lightly brush my ear, the contact eliciting an indescribable sensation through every inch of m...
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The year comes to an end, making way for the beginning of another.
It's hard to believe that 2023 will never make an appearance again.
In the new year, Ludovic and I made an arrangement to alternate between my place and his every few weeks.
You'd think that after living together for more than two months, we would've gotten fed up with each other by now.
But that hasn't been the case.
It's as if we've found comfort in each other's company, somehow becoming each other's safe space.
But when you think life is filled with moments of bliss, it can also produce moments of distress.
Today happens to be one of the days when one side of the balance scale swings downwards, representing dire events in my life that I have no choice but to face.
The morning begins with a town hall meeting, where department heads highlight corporate milestones, while employees express their concerns and present questions aimed to holding their respective leaders accountable.
These meetings always give me insights into employee feedback to determine better ways to increase efficiency and foster transparency.
After the meeting wraps up, I engage with as many employees as I can.
Despite the many attempts of department heads to waylay me, I manage to escape to hear from employees since it's one of the few times during the year we have an opportunity to interact.
By the time the banquet hall starts to thin out, I spot an approaching figure from my peripheral vision.
"I regret to interrupt this discussion," Mr. Ricardo feigns dejection before gesturing to the CFO, "But can I have a quick word with Mrs. Kashmir?"
"Sure," Klein accepts in a professional tone as he adjusts his coat.
"We'll continue this conversation later," I signal, to which he nods before taking his retreat.
My expression instantly turns cold, my patience wearing thin.
"I don't believe we've had a chance to have a one-on-one meeting this year," Ricardo remarks in an unreadable tone.
"What did you want to discuss?" I fold my arms, "I presume you did not come here to discuss something as trivial as that."
He wears a lopsided grin, "You would be correct."
I quirk a challenging brow, waiting for him to get to the point.
"It has come to my attention that the Seattle PD has not yet identified the culprit responsible for your attack. You do understand the reputational damages this has incurred in the company, do you not?"
My expression is belligerent.
Up until now, I've done my best to be diplomatic and avoid an escalation with him of any kind.
