SHE SAID "NO" TO HIS PROPOSAL

The Calm Before The Storm

3 Years Later

Luna sat alone in a coffee shop, earphones in, surrounded by open books and legal documents. She was drafting a research memo for the legal department of DC Publishing House, Inc., where she worked as a legal researcher. Her Torts and Damages class started at 5:30 p.m., and it was already 2:00 p.m., but she was nowhere near finished with either her reading for class or her memo for work.

Anxiety built up inside her. Her professor was a former Regional Trial Court judge, the kind who never smiled and loved grilling students with difficult, almost impossible, questions. Meanwhile, her boss at the publishing company, Monica, expected thorough and precise legal research on every case involving the company, especially when deadlines loomed.

Now in her third year of law school, Luna couldn't believe how far she'd come. With a pre-law degree in nursing, she'd never expected to dive into the legal field, let alone balance work and school. Her job as a legal researcher helped cover the high cost of tuition, books, and living expenses, but it was often overwhelming.

She snapped back to reality when her phone buzzed. Monica was calling. Luna's first thought was that it was about the memo she hadn't finished yet.

"Ma'am, I'm really sorry," Luna said immediately upon answering. "I'm still working on the research, but I'll have it done by the end of the day, I promise."

To her surprise, Monica laughed—a sound Luna rarely heard from her strict boss.

"Relax, Luna, I'm not calling about that," Monica said, still chuckling. "I just wanted to invite you and the rest of the legal team to dinner tonight. After your class, of course. I'll send you the details."

Luna paused, confused. Monica sounded unusually cheerful. She was normally serious, the type of boss who was laser-focused on deadlines and legal strategy.

"Is everything okay, Ma'am Monica?" Luna asked cautiously.

"More than okay," Monica replied. "I have an important announcement to make tonight. Just make sure you and the team are there."

Luna hung up, baffled by Monica's upbeat tone. She had never seen her boss this happy. Her first thought was that Monica had fallen in love, but she quickly brushed the idea aside, shaking her head at the absurdity of imagining her fifty-something boss in such a romantic situation.

Later that evening, Luna arrived at the restaurant. Her coworkers from the legal department were already there, and the atmosphere was relaxed—a rare sight given the usual pressure they faced working for a publishing company that constantly dealt with legal challenges related to copyrights, contracts, and intellectual property.

Monica soon stood up to address the group, her excitement palpable. "I'm getting married!" she announced with a broad smile.

The entire table went silent. None of them had any idea that Monica had been seeing anyone, let alone planning a wedding.

They raised their glasses in a toast, celebrating the news. Luna felt a mix of happiness for her boss and a strange sense of unease. Her mind wandered back to a time when a proposal hadn't gone the way she expected—Greg's proposal.

Monica then cleared her throat, signaling she had more to say.

"I have another announcement," she said, her voice suddenly serious. "I'm resigning as Vice President of the DC Publishing House, effective immediately. The board has known about this for months, but I wanted to tell you all personally. I'm moving abroad with my fiancé to enjoy life."

The team was stunned. Monica had always been the workaholic type, her entire life revolving around her career. No one had expected her to leave, least of all Luna, who had admired Monica's relentless drive and work ethic.

"I've dedicated my life to this company," Monica continued, "but now I've decided to dedicate the rest of my life to myself and my future husband. I hope you all understand."

The news hit Luna harder than she expected. Monica was strict and often demanding, but she had been a mentor to Luna, pushing her to think critically and excel in legal research. The idea of DC Publishing House without Monica was hard to imagine.

The following week, the legal department buzzed with rumors about Monica's replacement. It was said that the new Vice President was a young, ambitious man
from the company's Australian branch. Word around the office was that he was a no-nonsense type, known for his strict management style.

Luna couldn't help but feel nervous about meeting him. For some reason, the thought of working under this new VP made her uneasy, though she couldn't quite explain why. Maybe it was the uncertainty, or maybe it was just too much caffeine. Either way, change was coming to DC Publishing House, and Luna wasn't sure how to feel about it.