For over Eight, I have been wondering if I will ever see the pair of emerald green eyes again before i die. Everytime I met a guy with green eyes my heart skip a beat still none of them were the ones I have seen in that frat party.
Sandra and Sophie my sister always emphasize I was drunk that night that my memory about Khloe father can be misleading, but i know better I still remember the exact shade of green they were and how intense his eyes were when he looked at me. It felt like he was piercing me and searching for my soul, just like what's happening right now .Tearing my eyes from him, I look down and stare at my shoes as if they have become the most interesting objects to observe on earth. Mr Tan voice became dim with the sound in my ears as my heart beats so hard against my chest. This can't be true he can't be him, this was just like every other day when I bumped into a pair of green eyes, they are everywhere aren't they?. Also judging from his age which is probably thirty five or thirty six now he must have been twenty seven at the time I slept with Khloe father, that was a bit too old to lurk around a wild frat party wasn't he? then no he can't be him. But why can't i shake away the thought of him being connected to Khloe?, Is it because I have seen somewhere online? is it because of the familiarity?.
The familiarity, a realization dawn on me like bucket of ice water, No it's not because I have seen his face somewhere before, it's because I see the glimpse of him everyday though my daughter's face, the resemblance between Khloe to him is undeniable: the eyes, that nose and those lips. No no no this is just a coincidence. This is just one of the typical days, tomorrow I will bump into another man with a pair of piercing emerald green eyes that throws me back to the memory of that party, because they are everywhere yes Khloe father is everywhere but here.
I don't know how long I have been circling in my own thoughts when Ginna pokes my waist with her elbow softly, I instantly turn my head to her but before I could question her i can see all eyes on me, shit! what have i missed?
"It's your turn to introduce yourself" Ginna whispers in my ear.
"Right" I nod my head and clear my throat, taking a deep breath I force myself to make eye contact with everyone in the room except Mr Lysander whose eyes are boring into mine now.
"Good morning everyone im Emma Garnet, but you can call me Emm or Emmie I will respond to either of them" I flashed them a smile which I hope doesn't come off as a nervous wince "my educational background is business management and i spent my last five years working in the construction industry, I was an executive assistant for a couple of years to start with theni started my career in marketing and sales from there. And now here i am it's an honor to be given this opportunity and be part of your team" with that my introduction ends with an applause from my new colleagues.
My first day goes by faster than I have expected, Sebastian is appointed to be my mentor for my first two months which means he will introduce me to our clients and show me how things work, once I get the gists of my work demand after that i will be left alone and deal with my own accounts, then comes the moment of truth: I will stay or I need to start looking for a new job.
"Guys i have a dinner meeting tonight so I will like to be home on time" William announces
I learned from Kiara that he and his wife are counting the days for their third child arrival, thus William likes to be home on time just in case.
"Me too, today's been crazy" Kiara chirps in as she stands up and begins to tidy up the papers and stationary that have scattered all over her desk "I will come early tomorrow to make it up"
"I'm going too" Donna says glancing at me and Sebastian "sorry guys you need to get rest of the data yourselves,I will leave my computer on"
" How far are you guys with the report?" William asks, putting on his leather jacket
Sebastian looked up from the computer screen,leans back against his seat and runs his fingers through his blonde hair " Almost done fifteen minutes then we are off, Ginna is not coming back from the meeting right,is she?"
" That I don't know, this clients are giving her real headache " William shakes his head " okay guys see you tomorrow "
After William and the girls leaves, Sebastian and i resume working on the report it was part of the training, where I can learn about last month figures and what to expect this month I wish I could join the girls and call it a day because im very tired. People say your first day at work is always draining and its true. I glance at the time on the computer screen that reads 5:29 pm, Khloe is with my sister right now, probably ready to be picked up soon,I need to call Sophie as soon as the report is done to let her know im going to be late today, luckily we have leftovers from last night dinner at Mom's place.
" Do you have a date or something? you have been staring at the time " Sebastian asks
" Oh no,I was thinking about my daughter and what to eat for dinner " I reply laughing at how my mind has drifted away from work
Sebastian raises his eyebrows " You have a daughter too!? sweet how old is she?"
" Seven well she is turning eight this summer, how old is yours?"
" Oh wow almost eight already " he pauses seeming hesitant about what he is going to say " But you are barely thirty you had her pretty young huh"
" yeah " I see the curiosity in his eyes but i decide not to give him any further information about my situation with Khloe, this is a topic i prefer to keep private because i have chosen to lie to my own daughter,im not planning to turn it to public deception.
Khloe started to ask about who her father was and his whereabouts when she was three,I couldn't answer her with "you were conceived during a drunken night and I don't know who your papa is" so I lied a white lie of course I told her that I father name was James my college sweetheart,we broke up before we found out i was pregnant, I know I have to tell her the truth one day but the day hasn't come yet.
Sebastian gets up and walks to the printer, after collecting the papers on my desk, "If you can bring this upstairs I will get the stuff for tomorrow clients meeting ready then we leave before 6pm" he says
"Upstairs?"
"To Mr Lysander desk, he's expecting this today"
My heart leaps when i hear his name "can i just leave this on his secretary desk?"
"His assistant resigned today remember?, hmm maybe he got an emergency replacement for today, you will find out when you get there" Sebastian said sitting down on his seat and start rearranging his shelf
" Okay " I get up and took the document " umm the thirteenth floor right?"
" yeah sure "
The trip to the thirteenth floor is torture, the thought of meeting Mr Lysander again gives me a twist in my stomach and can't even blame anyone for this. After the kick off meeting ended this morning,he came to me and shook my hand welcoming me to Lysander and CO's. He was friendly yet distant and there was no sign that he recognized me, weird but it gave me a mixed feelings of relief and disappointment, despite my attempt to ignore the tingling suspicion about him being Khloe biological father, the thought keep disturbing me all day and i don't know how to stop it.
The elevator door slide open im met with an office directory board where i can find the CEOs room. I groan i see no one behind Mr Lysander assistant desk.
Great what do i do now? knock on the door? slide the paper through the gap under his door? or run back to the fourth floor. Standing in front of his door, my eyes glued on the name plate on his door: Axton Lysander
"come in" I hear a deep voice coming from inside the room, is he in the middle of talking to someone? should i go back then? "the door isn't locked! just go in"
huh is it directed to me? but he can't see me standing behind the door,can he? and he definitely can't see me through the wall, unless he's superman with xray vision. Not feeling convinced,i look around wondering if maybe the voice is coming from somewhere else but there is no one in sight.
Before i know it the door swings open in front of me, revealing the man I dread seeing, Mr Lysander doesn't looked pleased at all, he scrowls at me as he extends his hand to demand for the papers in my hand impatiently.
"Ms Garnet try to be more efficient next time I hate repeating myself"
I stare at him dumbfounded he did talk to me "I I am sorry I heard a voice but i wasn't sure"
He raise his eyebrows "You weren't sure you heard a voice?"
"I mean i heard a voice but i wasn't sure if it was you talking to me"
"Do you issues with hallucinations Ms Garnet?"
" Excuse me?"
" Hallucinations hearing things in your head "
I frown feeling offended, this man and his nasty mouth " No i don't I was just..." I looked around again still confused and curious "How did you know i was standing here?"
Mr Lysander gives me a disturbing look " Have you checked what is sitting above your head?"
I look uo and inwardly scold myself, of course there is a camera "oh"
"Nice observation skills i wonder how you will manage to get through your six months" he says "And i need coffee, black no sugar, can you get that? thank you" with that he takes the document from my hand and heads back to his desk.
I stand still feeling lost " what!" I say in whisper.