Hotline Fling

Too good to be true

       - "What a beautiful morning !"
The day was indeed beautiful. A rare sunny but not-too-hot day as we rarely have in New York in this season. The sun was already shining at 7 AM, yet a delicate and fresh breeze was caressing Jasmine face, who was deeply absorbed in the reassuring and familiar view that the Manhattan borough was offering her.
Jasmine stopped her admiration for the city and reached for her freshly pressed orange juice. As a part of "the happy vegan fam" the 26 years old girl was particularly picky with her food and didn't hesitate to make a show of the new dietary supplements of the week or the new trendy shops she would hear about.
      - "Will does not know what he is missing !" She says, frowning at the idea of her fast food lover and silly twin brother.
She looked at the framed picture she kept right next to her bed. They really looked nothing alike. Will had a bright, sun-kissed and almost burnt complexion that was telling a lot about his easy and outgoing personality. He was a strong willed man who feared nothing, not even Jeffreys Bay Supertubes  where he managed to win the international surfing grand prize twice.
      - "look at how messy his hair look!''  She sighed quietly. He always was making goofy faces and had almost no presentable pictures that she could use. That idea left her smiling, thinking about how full of life he was.
She, on the other side, has always been gloomy. She had fewer friends and didn't care much about them either ways. She was thin and had a similar skin complexion to will, but much paler. Her midnight-black hair was always trimmed to waist length and always put together. She was an ethereal beauty, very well aware of the effects her looks had on people. She would be rarely seen with anything else than fancy clothes and her signature high heels. Truth is that she didn't care much about people's opinions of her and would prioritize her ambitions over her social life.
   Of course their parents complained almost everyday about the very strange kids they had ; Jasmine so obsessed about her career and William living la bohème in Sweden or Strasbourg, he wasn't very clear about it; but as the years went by they just got used to their antics and would feel happy to hear from them at Thanksgiving or Christmas. She sighed again at the idea of her mother's infamous family brunches...
The only one she was close to was Mina, her Grandmother and probably the sweetest person one could ever meet. At nearly 85 years old she was belonging to another time and was probably stuck in those years too. She was living in an colored and pittoresque old French style house down in Santa Barbara and always refused to leave her old place for the comfort of a luxurious house in New York.

    The alarm soft vibrations definitely woke her up from her daydream. Today wasn't the day to be sentimental, it really wasn't. Today was the day she would earn the respect of her peers. Today she would make all that badmouthing at work stop, it was the day she will finally be promoted to resident manager. Finally, after 3 years of hard work and dedication. Not a single day off taken, not even a single complain despite the constant bullying she was facing. 3 years spent to go up the social ladder step by step.
She couldn't believe her ears when she finally heard the associates opening the manager position for her department. Just who else would be qualified for this position? Nancy perhaps?
Thinking about Nancy provoqued a sudden and unpleasant adrenaline rush. From the very first day she walked in that woman has been full of disdain for her for no apparent reason. Jasmine wasn't exactly a nice girl either that is for sure, she never put much effort in pleasing her co-workers in any ways, she always declined  gathering invitations and wasn't a friendly person at all generally speaking. But the sales executive hated her more than she had to.
Jasmine was convinced that nothing more than basic courtesy was necessary at work and sticked to that etiquette. Unfortunately that belief didn't just earned her respect from her hierarchy, it also caused a lot of people to loathe her more than anything.
       - "Well, they will be even more displeased today" Jasmine smirked, looking at the pleasing reflexion in her mirror. The outfit she chose for the day was perfect : Her pale skin contrasted well with the bright red tailleur perfectly fitting her pleasant curves and revealing just enough cleavage for the occasion. Of course she wouldn't go anywhere without her highest heels. Those new LaCroix cost her more than she would like to admit, but everything down to the last strand of hair have to be perfect today.
When she finally stepped out of her apartment, the sun was already shining bright outside. Her coffee mug in one hand and designer bag in the other, she walked to her brand new european car. Luckily enough she wouldn't have to think about getting late to work or  taking a crosstown bus through Central Park to get to the Upper east side, to the prestigious broadcasting company she was working for. It was to nobody surprise that she was given every commodity she asked the company for. Jasmine was the definition of a workaholic . Her job was her entire universe and her sole hobby. She has had harder times in the beginning like everybody else, but after she landed her very first contract which also was the first major contract of the year only seven months after she was employed, she proved to the whole department her true colors. Three years later, With an average of two significant clients per month, her future in the company was more than clear. She was a master in the art of media selling and the only candidate for the opening position.
Everything in her life was perfect at this very moment. She landed the deal of the year with her new apartment when a happy client decided to reference her at his estate agency. Never in her life could she get this kind of apartment at such a good price without connections. Of course it would have been easier using her  surname, but what was the pride in that? She was young and successful, living in her dream apartment and enjoying the fruits of her hard work in one of the best cities in the world, doing amazing at work and engaged to a very promising partner. Her fiance , Alexander smith, was the only child of the real estate tycoon Andre Louis Smith and member of the board committee of her company. He was not the most romantic person on earth, some might even say that he wasn't very fond of his fiance because of their lack of romantic demonstrations. If anything they looked more like business partners than lovers, but their arrangement was totally fine to Jasmine : She could enjoy her life without any kind of unnecessary ties.
When her car stopped at the traffic light, her attention was  drawn to the classical scenery of Monday mornings in the East side : a long file of  depressed workers waiting for their holy dose of coffee in front of a  "Barnes" , a popular coffee shop chain you would see in every Instagram post lately. The Barnes family was one of the most influent family of the west side, back when the great grand father was running the company. The Barnes coffee shops are still trendy nowadays, but the current CEO latest play mate convinced him he could benefit from selling all his shares to private investors, just one year before the coffee industry economical boom. Jasmine suffered more than anyone from this decision because the man who did that was her beloved father, Edward Barnes. Not that they went bankrupt ; they had anything they needed to live a noble and comfortable life, But Jasmine wasn't one to settle for a "comfortable" life. She wanted the absolute best life could offer and it was happening now.
       - Jaz !
   A loud knock on her car window brought her back to real life. The one knocking was Jasmine closest teammate and also what she could consider a friend, Charlotte Bell. She always was a very loud and hyperactive girl who for some reasons has been following Jasmine around everywhere for years.
       - Charlie! What are you doing here?
       - "What do you mean what am I doing here?"
       - "Jaaaz oh girl today is the big daaay !! Wait, Open the fucking door I'm freezing over here!!" She continued, while inviting herself in her friend's car.
       - "sigh.. breathe Charlie..." Jasmine chuckled.      
       - For real girl I am so ready to see Nancy's reaction! Her anti Jaz minions will now be working under you do you realize?
       - Let's get out of here first okay?
Channeling Charlotte's energy was a useless thing to try so Jasmine wanted at least to share the minimum she could with her. But she was right on one thing : it would be thrilling to see the shocked faces as the board announces the big news.  Who said work can not be fun?

Jasmine and Charlotte entrance was anything but unnoticeable. The atmosphere in the office was heavy, as rumors of the day's announcement should have already spread everywhere. Jasmine casually sat at her desk with a cup of organic tea as she usually does, and had no problems ignoring the curious glares and stifled laughters.  A voluptuous brunette rushed at her with a heavy  file that she slammed on her desk.
     - "What the hell do you think you are doing, Ms Barnes ?" 
     - "What the hell do you think you are doing, Ms Walton ?"
Nancy Walton's face was burning with anger. At first she wouldn't believe the rumors, but when Damien the from the HRs confirmed them she felt like dying from   rage.
    - "I could question your behavior but it would mean that I care about it and that would be a lie." Jasmine said , completely unimpressed.
    - "If you have any issue with my work, you should let the hierarchy know about i..."
    - " You did submit the Blair file to get the board on your side didn't you ?! Is it because of your "friendship" with director Smith ?" This is totally absurd !!
The  emphasis on the word friendship could not be more obvious. Nancy strongly believed that Jasmine ascension to the top management was the result of  her having multiple affairs whit whoever she could get help from and would use all means possible to let others know about it. She was certain of the implication of Alexander Smith, the fiance Jasmine was so secretive about.
From the corner of her eyes Jasmine could see a curious crowd now gathering around them. She had to stop Nancy's tantrum now before the board meeting begins.
    - Are you going to ignore me now ?!! Nancy was now shouting and looked like she could have a seizure anytime soon .
    -  "SHUT UP NANCY !" Charlotte angry voice made itself louder.
    - " You were the one begging the whole HR department on bended knees for this project's approval implying you and your team were behind the whole thing do you think we are stupid ?!
Jasmine frowned. Having Charlotte loosing her mind in this argument will only worsen the situation, she needed to do something about it NOW.
    - " The Blair file was originally my idea, Nancy." Jasmine cold but powerful voice dominated the argument and forced silence in the crowded office.
      " The client was mine from the beginning yet I let you use the opportunity to analyse it with your team, and eventually modify some aspects, which was highly     appreciated. Believe me or not I do not need to fight over a particular file to prove my value to the company."
Nancy's face was getting redder and redder as Jasmine got closer.
     - I would expect more from you than to think that my relationship with Alexander Smith from Audit committee has anything to do with my ability to bring the best clients and significantly improve the Sales and Marketing operations.
The two women were standing face to face, Jasmine looking at her opponent power posing with her hands comfortably kept in her pockets and Nancy now looking like a cornered puppy searching for comfort in the audience's eyes.
Just as she was about to return to her desk, Jasmine noticed a sudden change in the atmosphere. The giggling office assistants suddenly went from staring to nervously run to their desks leaving Jasmine and Nancy alone at the middle of the room. Nancy's eyes went blank looking at the scene behind Jasmine.
    - " Mr Davidson ?! ..." the then enraged Nancy was now nothing more than a scared bird in front of the authority figures in front of her.
Mr Davidson the president was standing right there with the board of directors and the governance committee , followed by a few unknown faces. On one of those unknown faces a pair of piercing eyes staring at Jasmine. Could it be that they heard the argument ? That would be the worst to happen right before a nomination meeting!
   - " Is the meeting room ready?" Mr Davidson  asked, his eyes busy reviewing a file his assistant handed him.
   - "...!"
   - " Yes! P..Please follow me Mr Davidson !" Nancy half shouted. She always has been frantic in front of  the executives.
"Good grief" Jasmine thought, watching the group walk away. At least they don't know what happened a second before they got in. Jasmine thought about going back to her office but noticed one of the guest was still standing there, his deep coral blue eyes busy staring at her with insistance. Jasmine felt a chill in her back, as the glare proceeded to examine her whole body , just like a hunter ready to dissect his prey. For the first time since she was in this industry, somebody made her feel apprehensive and even on guard.
   - " Nice to meet you, Miss Barnes." The anonymous guest finally said, chuckling in a husky voice.