Make Me Yours

Zoey clasped her hands together as she took in the information, resting her chin atop her knuckles.

“So, are you saying this is a lost cause? We should just give up?”

“No. I’m saying that we need bigger guns, if we hope to win this fight.”

“Then we will get them.”

She already had a buyer. She had simply been stalling because she wasn’t certain this buyer had the same plans she had for Belmont. Not that she had any say. Christ, why did she even care so much? Her job was simply to buy and sell properties.

“Right. There is also something else you need to know.”

“What’s that?”

“Uhm… Xen Li is in Colorado and Mrs Chan says they would like to fix a meeting for this afternoon.”

“What?”

She was going to be meeting with the CEO? Today?

“Well, I haven’t returned from Singapore. I’m still on vacation…”

“Well… I kind of told them you were already on your flight over.”

Shoot her. “Kelly!”

“I’m sorry! I thought you would want to get this over with as soon as possible.”

Suddenly restless, Zoey stood up and went to her window. “And I do, very much. But I am exhausted. I need time to refuel, take this all in, know exactly what I’m dealing with, and strategize. I need to be in top form. I need rest.”

She kept quiet as she finished and just stared out the window. Soon, she felt herself begin to calm. It was the view. Christ, she loved this view. It was one of the reasons why she had chosen this office space, after all.

From this angle, the whole of Colorado seemed to spread out before her; the busy metropolis and beyond, to where the mountains lay.

Nerves soothed, she turned to Kelly.

“What time did you agree on?”

“I never said we reached an agreement.”

“Oh, please. I know you, Kelly. You’re my assistant for a reason. You have a way of taking care of things.”

Kelly sighed. Zoey knew she hated how predictable she was, but it was one of the things Zoey loved about her.

“5 p.m. I assumed that you would need time to rest. It’s almost 12 p.m. No coffee, because you need the sleep. You’d be better with it. Go home, take a hot shower, and sleep in your bed. I’ll wake you up by three. Then, we can dress up and catch up on all there is to catch up on.”

It made perfect sense. The thought of her bed, the hot shower… it appealed to her so much.

“You know what, Kelly? You’re the best. If we manage to win this battle, you’ll get a raise!”

With a kiss on Kelly’s cheeks, Zoey was on her way home.

*****

The nap hadn’t been a great idea, it had been the worst! The absolute worst. She had turned her volume off as she went to sleep, needing to not be disturbed. So, all of Kelly’s attempts to wake her up had been thwarted. By the time Kelly finally made it to her house, it was 4 p.m.

Zoey would never understand how she had slept so heavily. The time they had left had only been enough to get her to look presentable enough and make it to the meeting in time.

Zoey hated being late to meetings. She loved arriving at the very least fifteen minutes earlier. For one, it often made her the first person in room, thereby, conferring some sort of power upon her. There was also the fact that getting to watch others step in afforded her the opportunity to size everyone up and make her judgement, based on the impression they made.

“Richard is going to be here, right?” She asked Kelly as they found their way to room where the meeting was set to hold. They were in Constance, an event palace that had the smallest rooms to the biggest halls for meetings and luncheons, respectively. It was one of the biggest there was in Colorado, and every time Zoey passed through or visited, she often remembered that she secured this property for Ariel Constance. That was what set her career on its way to stardom – so to say.

Mrs Chan had agreed to meet at a neutral spot; away from Zoey’s office and away from Mr Li’s hotel that had been firstly suggested. This place had easily come to mind, and why not? It was exquisite in all its glory, and she could always make last minute reservations.

“Spoke to him just before we got off the car, he said he’s right behind us.”

“Good, because I don’t want to start this meeting without my most trusted legal counsel by my side.”

She sighed in relief as the room finally came into view. A quick glance at her wristwatch told her that she had fifteen minutes to kill before 5 p.m. Pleased by this, a smug smile cut across her face. This way, she could settle down, get her wits about her and finally look up this Li tech for herself, before they arrive.

Not to mention, she would wield that power of being able to study them as they entered.

Coming to a stop right in front of the room, she smiled at the security officer who was manning the door.

“Zoey Martins, I have a reservation for 5 p.m?”

The man nodded, a polite smile on his face. “Good day, Miss Martins. Ah, yes. We have been expecting you; if you would just follow me… I understand that the person you are meant to meet with has-”

He didn’t finish. A loud voice called out down the hall, cutting him off. They all turned to look and behold, it was Richard.

In five strides, he was right in front of Zoey and hugging her. Zoey accepted the hug wholeheartedly. Richard’s hugs were one of the best. Perhaps that feeling came with their six years of friendship. Perhaps it was the fact that Richard has been in love with her, since forever.