Dark Faïz ( Book 1 ) [ COMPLETED]

Chapters 10-5

In the meeting room, the two buddies were arguing about a television show presented by Jimmy Fallon.

— "He gives pep, this young man. Find another one dancing or rapping with the stars he invites!" threatened James with his finger pointed at Andy.

— "Are you kidding me?! Conan O'Brien, that's a real man. Yes, yes, authentic. He says what he thinks, without censorship. He's not a bootlicker."

— "STOP!" intervened Chloe, miming a time out with her hands before resuming. "Gentlemen, you will continue your debate in the public square if you wish, but on your break time."

She then turned to me.

— "This is Miss Zoe Reyes, who—"

— "Thank you, Chloe, but the introductions were made yesterday. Did you ever get a head start?" Andy said in a falsely tragic tone, stuck in his chair.

— "Yes, this morning when I started the presentation of the firm without you."

We took our place around the table and then James got up and lit an overhead projector that reflected several diagrams on the board in front of us, one on the worldwide growth of the company's activities, another on the market share of the last two years. Andy and James had their hearts set on explaining everything to me so that nothing seemed opaque to me. The figures they gave me had never been released to the press before. Three hours passed at full speed, so quickly that the subject was exciting. My notes filled dozens of pages of my notebook.

— "To sum up, Trac-Word wants to eradicate the problem of shortage on treatments for several diseases," concluded James.

— "Cellular research constantly put forward by the firm would therefore be the solution?" I asked, trying to study the subject from all angles.

— "Yes, largely," Chloe said.

— "Innovative therapies are constantly emerging over the decades. Today, cellular work is primordial to research, but tomorrow it may be something else," Andy said.

— "My stomach is twisting with pain. Maybe we could go for a bite to eat?" James suggested.

All three of us approved and went to the cafeteria to have something to eat.

**

I noticed that there were many more people than a bit earlier. The place was now full. Trac-Word pampered its employees, offering a variety of meals. Two chefs were mandated to prepare the menus. At the buffet, I opted for raw vegetables with a dish in sauce. To my great surprise, Chloe found a place quite quickly. Once settled in, I started looking for Faïz with my eyes. We had spent nearly twenty-four hours together, and I had become more accustomed than I would have thought to the proximity between us.

— "The leaders of the company don't eat here," Chloe said.

I must have really had the look of a moron and I blushed shamefully.

— "I should have suspected," I said, trying to take a tone as detached as possible.

I could not imagine Faïz in the middle of this room, sitting with the common man. Absorbed by my thoughts, I switched off from the conversation with my colleagues, which mixed with the background brouhaha.

— "Zoe?" James called out to me.

I pull myself together in a few seconds.

— "Sorry, my mind was elsewhere. You said?"

— "For tonight, how will you be dressed? The gala?" asked Chloe.

— "I wasn't notified of this event when I packed my suitcase for New York. So it'll be a simple pants and shirt."

All three looked at me with disappointed expressions on their faces.

— "No way," Chloe protested, looking at the other two.

— "Poor little thing," Andy said, with a disconcerted look when glancing at his plate.

— "No, no, don't worry about me, it suits me very well." I tried to reassure them about my fate.

— "Wait, maybe her pants and top are from a great French haute couture brand!" exclaimed James.

The three heads turned to me with such hope in their eyes that I could not torture them any further.

— "Yeah... Givenchy," I said, my teeth clenched.

What am I involving myself in? Hrrrrrrrrr. However, my answer had the desired effect. I saved each of them from a heart attack.

— "This evening is important for the group," explained Chloe. "The gala is of such class. Small ovens, refined decorations, and parades of very handsome men."

Her little wink said a lot. James announced to us that he would be in the company of his wife, and Andy with his grandmother.

— "You will come with Mr. Mattew?" asked James, full of curiosity.

— "That is what is planned," I said.

— "You're so lucky," sighed Chloe. "What about your hair?"

Her question caught me off guard.

— "I don't know. I don't think I'll do my hair any other way tonight."

My hair, loose with my curls, fell everywhere, and I really didn't want to make an effort for an event where I already knew before that I would be at the bottom of the room, bored to death, counting the hours that would separate me from my bed. I was reminded of Faïz's almost begging face this morning in the elevator. I couldn't let him down.