CEO Augustine strode toward his private lift and pressed the button. The elevator doors slid open in silent invitation, welcoming him inside."
"What the hell was that about?" Freda questioned Charles as they both raised their head, glancing at the elevator door which was already closed.
Freda sensed that CEO Augustine was colder than usual, his deanor more distant, his gaze sharper.
Still, she couldn’t resist poking fun at her colleague. "You should be lucky I helped you clean the CEO’s office. Otherwise, today might have been your last day here," she teased, a playful glint in her eyes, unaware of the storm brewing beneath Augustine’s icy exterior.
Freda had arrived at the company building hours ago, and after finishing her assigned cleaning duties, she approached the head cleaning staff manager to request access to the CEO’s office.
With a carefully crafted lie, she claid that Charles had personally asked her to clean it.
To her surprise, the manager didn’t question her words and handed over the key without hesitation.
"Freda, I can’t tell you how grateful I am for what you did," Charles murmured, his voice thick with emotion.
His eyes shimred with unspoken feelings—relief, gratitude, and sothing deeper he couldn’t quite na.
With a trembling exhale, he spread his arms wide and pulled her into a tight embrace, holding her as if she were a lifeline.
Freda also spread her hands wide, reciprocating the warm gesture of Charles.
"Are you heading back ho or are you going to your other jobs?" Freda questioned as she pulled away from the hug.
Ever since Freda started working at Gyapm Corporation, Charles Donald had been the only person she felt truly at ease with.
Around him, she could let down her guard, free from the tension that often filled her days.
The other cleaners had long noticed their bond, acknowledging them as close friends without question.
"I heard that CEO Augustine has an important announcent to make, so I think I’ll hang around the company building for a few more hours," Charles said casually.
Freda narrowed her eyes. "Where did you hear that?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
Freda hadn’t heard any news about how CEO Augustine plans on making a public announcent, and that alone made her even more curious.
"Umm... I heard it from so workers on my way inside the company building," Charles replied, forcing a casual tone.
In reality, Charles was lying—Augustine had told him personally about the announcent but for so reason, Charles couldn’t bring himself to admit it, afraid of how Freda might react.
With a nervous smile on Charles’s lips, he grabbed Freda’s hand as they both headed to the cleaner’s store room.
When they arrived, they were surprised to find the manager of the cleaning staff already questioning the other cleaners about them.
The tension in the air was palpable, and Freda and Charles exchanged uneasy glances, wondering what trouble awaited them.
"There they are," one of the older male workers said, nodding toward Charles and Freda as they slowly made their way closer to the group.
The manager’s gaze imdiately snapped to them, her expression slowly becoming calm as they closed the distance.
Once the entire cleaning staff had gathered, the manager cleared her throat and offered a warm smile.
"Good morning, everyone. I’m here to deliver the news that CEO Augustine entrusted to ," she began, her voice calm yet carrying an air of importance.
She paused for a brief mont, allowing the anticipation to settle in before continuing.
"CEO Augustine is launching a new clothing line," the manager announced, her tone steady. "He has instructed that all cleaning staff be in charge of cleaning the hall where the designs are to be unveiled."
’Finally, Gyapm Corporation is launching another fashion line!" one of the cleaners exclaid, eyes wide with excitent.
’Woah, that ans we’re going to be really busy from now on,’ another added, a mix of apprehension and anticipation in their voice.
’Do we have to be involved in organizing things, or is our job strictly to clean?’ soone else wondered aloud, uncertainty creeping into their tone.
’I hope CEO Augustine takes us out for a company dinner like he did a few years ago, after the successful launch of his last product,’ another staff mber mused, a hopeful smile spreading across their face.
The chattering voices of the entire cleaning staff filled the air, so hurling questions at their head staff, others simply brimming with excitent at the thought of Gyapm Corporation finally launching sothing new.
The buzz was filled with curiosity mixed with nervous energy, as the cleaners tried to anticipate what their involvent would an for the future.
"Everyone, you call should calm down." The head staff stated, her words prompting the murmurs around to subside.
When the entire room fell into complete silence, the manager took a brief pause, letting the weight of her words settle before continuing.
"So, we are expected to clean the grand hall of Gyapm Corporation because it hasn’t been used in quite a while," she stated, pausing for a mont to let the reality of the task sink in, "there’s a lot of work ahead of us but don’t worry, CEO Augustine has assured that we will be compensated for the extra hours we put in."
Gyapm Corporation’s grand hall was located a few blocks away from the main company building, a space designed specifically for launching parties, design unveilings, grand announcents, and a variety of other high-profile events.
The hall was a symbol of the company’s prestige, and the upcoming event would surely make use of its full potential.
After delivering the ssage, the head staff clapped her hands together, signaling the end of the briefing. "Alright, everyone, you’re dismissed," she said, her tone firm yet encouraging as the cleaners began to disperse while murmuring, eager to get started on their tasks.
"Charles, I forgot my cleaning supplies in the designer’s departnt while I was in a hurry to deliver the ssage from CEO Augustine," The head staff manager suddenly uttered, her voice tinged with a touch of frustration.
Even before she finished speaking, Charles already knew what she was asking.
He could see the look in her eyes, the unspoken request for a favor. ’I bet she wants to finish cleaning the designers departnt and bring back her cleaning supplies.’ He mumbled within himself.
"If you don’t mind," she began, her tone sincere, "I’d greatly appreciate it if you could head over to the designer’s departnt and help finish cleaning. Once you’re done, could you bring my cleaning supplies back here? I need to write the monthly report for CEO Augustine before the day runs out."
’I knew it,’ Charles mumbled within himself. "I... I don’t minf helping you out." He stated, glancing a warm smile at the head staff.
Charles and Freda made their way towards the elevator and in no ti they arrived at the designer’s departnt.
The room was filled with a sea of individuals, each seated at their respective desks, their attention fully absorbed by the laptops in front of them. They worked tirelessly, creating designs best known to them alone.
"Charles, I can’t wait for the day I get an office job, where I’ll sit behind a laptop and work my butt off," Freda mumbled, her voice tinged with a mix of longing and determination.
She grabbed a pair of mops, her focus shifting as she turned her back to begin cleaning.
Charles scoffed, rolling his eyes and shaking his head. "You wish for a job of busy work behind a laptop, while I wish for more life—more ti to actually enjoy my purpose here on earth."
His voice carried a hint of frustration, as if he was trying to say that he doesn’t have much ti here on earth.
The tone in Charles’s voice made Freda stop in her tracks.
She turned around, arching her brows upwards in surprise. "Why do you sound like you have little ti left here on earth?" she asked, her voice laced with suspicion, wondering if there was sothing more behind his words.
"Hahaha!" Charles laughed out loud, as he shrugged his shoulder. "I am just ssing around so you don’t need to take seriously." He mumbled, his lips curving into a teasing smirk.
Freda rolled her eyes and gently hit his shoulder. "Stop making foolish jokes, okay?" she mumbled, still shaken. "You almost scared the shit out of ." She let out a small laugh, trying to shake off the unease his words had stirred.
As they continued their soft banter, Freda and Charles worked side by side, cleaning the designer’s departnt.
Once they finished, they carefully arranged the cleaning equipnt and turned to leave, ready to exit the space.
But just as they stepped forward, Charles unexpectedly bumped into soone.
It was Aubrey—the sa lady Charles had t at Augustine’s parent’s mansion.
The bumping into Aubrey caused a cup of coffee to spill over her body, staining her clothes.
For a mont, both Charles and Freda beca frozen on the spot, but what happened next...
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