On The Edge (Currently rewriting)

Chapter One (New)

A/N: As of October 2020, I have decided to pick up this story once again. I will be rewriting all existing chapters and then continuing on with the story from there. All rewritten chapters will be marked as 'new' and all old versions will be deleted.

Thank you for your support!

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"I have a car coming to pick you up just after 7pm, sweetheart. Make sure you are ready and waiting," my boss of two years informed me, leaning back in his chair.

Harold Kingston, fondly known as Harry to many, had been the CEO of Kingston Limited for 41 years after taking the company over from his father. He was a fairly tall man at a little over 6 feet, with greying hair, a kind smile and a slightly rounded belly from his 'secret' love of chocolate eclairs.

Kingston Limited had been in his family for generations since it had been established in the late 1800s with the opening of their first hotel. Since then, the company had expanded its repertoire to include entertainment venues and leisure facilities, as well as having various luxury hotels across Europe, America and Australia. Since Harry had taken over, the company had soon become one of the leaders in the industry and had been thriving for years.

I watched him turn his attention back to the pile of files on his desk, which were spread out in an unorganised mess, as if he were trying to find something. After a few moments of shuffling through the files, he sighed and rubbed his forehead in frustration.

I frowned, hovering in the doorway between his office and my own, "Is there anything I can help you with, Mr Kingston?"

His eyes flicked upwards; a frown set upon his face. Mr Kingston was usually a happy, easy-going man with a smile on his face. However, lately he had spent more time looking stressed, and he had begun to look much older than his 68 years.

"Oh no, sweetheart. This isn't anything for you to worry about, just boring CEO stuff," his frown turned into that easy smile I was more familiar with. "Look, why don't you head out an hour early? Get yourself home, relax for a bit and then get yourself ready for tonight. You've done more than enough today."

My eyes drifted to the clock hung on the wall to the left, a little after 4pm. I was due to finish at 5pm, although most days I found myself still hunched at my desk an hour or two later, just delaying my return 'home'. By this point, the office building was usually almost empty, with only the odd straggler, the cleaners and Phil, the evening security guard.

"I still have a few outstanding emails to reply to and there are also those files that need to be..." I began.

"Alexia!" Harry intervened, the frown returning, "I know I posed it as a question, but it really isn't. Please go home, there really isn't anything that can't wait until Monday."

I sighed but a small smile was being to slip onto my face, "Alright, I'll go! But please do call me with you need help with anything. Are you sure there isn't anything I can help with for tonight?"

"It's all covered, now get out of here!" He chuckled, with a dismissive wave, "I'll see you there."

With the smile still on my face, I gave him a wave before making my way out of his office and closed the door behind me. Reluctantly, I sat down in my desk chair and began to shut down my laptop and gathered my things to leave. Within a few minutes, I was grabbing my thin coat, which had seen better days, and was heading down in the lift to catch the bus.

Waiting at the bus stop, I pulled my coat even tighter around me to try and keep the chill away. The days were beginning to get shorter and colder, as October drew to a close. The sky was overcast, the wind a little bitter but most importantly, it was dry which I was glad for as the bus stop had no shelter. Once the bus arrived, I scanned my bus pass and headed for a seat halfway down the vehicle, with my thoughts turning to tonight's event.