I Wasn't Her

Part 5

Alaire~

"I am deeply sorry, this has never happened to us before. Please give us a chance to fix this." I rushed up, looking through my other projects. His frowned deepened. "Please Mr. Appius, this was all my fault, I'll quit right after this but please give her the chance. She's the absolute best at what she does." Veena begged for me.

"Veena don't say tha-"

"I'm not really going to quit, just stay quiet." She mumbled to me then went back looking sad as ever. 

"It's quite the slip up for someone with such an high expectation." He leaned back on the chair, looking directly at me. I honestly had no words because he was right. Veena raised her hands timidly, making him look her way. "I'm sorry but why didn't you just call us instead of coming in yourself?" Lucian hummed in response, taking his phone and a business card out, dialing the number on it.

"I'm sorry but the number you have dialed is either out of service or switched off-" He hung up, looking right at me again. 

"That's impossible!!" Veena took the card from him, scanning over the numbers herself. "Oh my gosh...." She palmed her forehead, walking toward the window. "We changed the design on the company card and the editor changed the phone number three into a two."

Well this day just keeps getting better and better. "I'm not exactly sure that this was the right call, have a good evening." Lucian rose from the seat, heading to the door. "Wait!" I dashed to block the door but it was quite useless. His frame was much larger than mine and it would only take a arm to push me away.

"Ms. Knight, please, you're being very unprofessional." He rolled his eyes at my tactics. "Give me until this weekend!! I will have all your homes ready. Each and every one of them will be perfect and to your liking."

Veena looked at me in shock and Lucian's eyebrow raised at me. "This weekend I will be at an event-"

"I know, my father and I will be there as well and I want the day to be  even more special. It will add more flare to the show." I tried persuading him but he looked like wasn't budging. "I know that it may look like a disaster now but when I give you my word about having them finished and handed to you, I will not let you down."

I gave the most serious look I could muster up at the time. His gaze at Veena who looked just as determined. "This will be the last time this ever happens.....but I will give you the chance." I let go the breath I was holding and stepped aside. "Thank you, you will not regret this."

He took his leave and I dropped on the couch. Veena looked at me with a face filled with guilt. "I am so sorry, Alaire. Today was such a screw up. I should have been more attentive. You hired me for a reason and I failed you in the worst possible way." She rushed out her apology.

"Let's look passed that right now." I got up, getting my work desk ready. "Right now, we have a three days for the weekend and -" I looked through his email. "And four houses to design." She nods her head. "You're right. I'll get you some coffee, something to eat and I'll alert Westly that you'll be staying here overnight."

Oh, Westly, he'll be so devastated. 

~

"What do you mean you won't be home today?" I asked munching on my pizza. "What's the big deal now? You won't even be home." Westly groaned over the phone. "So when were you going to tell me about this little meeting?" I asked him.

"You never told me about you staying at work all night." He shot back at me. "That's because this wasn't planned. You planned a two night stay at a five star hotel for a meeting with your business partners and never told me. Were you going to tell me tonight when I had got home?" I asked him.

His end was silent for a while. "Were you ever going to tell me?" I questioned him again but still not response. Putting my pizza down, I waited for him to reply. "West-"

"For the love of God, can you just stop? Yes, I'm going to a meeting. Yes, I didn't tell you. Why? This is why! You act like I did it on purpose and make it look like I want to leave you. This is my job, Alaire and it's just as important as yours."

"I never said it wasn't." Was all I could muster up. These days, it's just us bumping heads and never getting along with anything each other say. "Are you going by yourself or is daddy joining you?" It took him a while but he exhaled. "It's just me."

"Fine, have fun, I lov-" He hung up.

I cleared my throat, getting back to my first design. "Are you feeling alright?" A soft voice from the door spoke. It was Veena, she had a coffee pot in her hand. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine. I'm almost finished with this one. What do you think?" I held it up for her and she nodded, seeming impressed. "Nothing but the best from you."

~

It was already minutes to two in the morning and I was stuck on the second design. I looked over at Veena who was fast asleep on the couch, holding an empty cup on her stomach. My mind kept travelling back to my husband and the way he spoke to me.

Why was he behaving like this? Something must have been troubling him. I hit my hands on the table causing Veena to shoot up, sticking the empty cup outward. "Coffee!!" She then slowly looked at me with a confused look. "What time is it?"

"Probably after three in the morning and I can't seem to move past this." I leaned into my chair but she frowned at me. "You mean the work or the Westly situation?" She sat on the desk, giving me a look. "What are you talking about? I mean the work."

"I am not going to pretend that I didn't hear the way he spoke to you earlier. I'm just asking if you're alright." I have no idea why but I started feeling really annoyed but I chose not to let it show because I know she's just trying to help.

"Let's not bring my marriage into this. I have a lot of work to get done. It's not the time nor the place." She simply nodded. "Well I'm here if you need me." She held the coffee pot, walking out the room. My hands immediately covered my face as I tried getting it together.

"Let's get this done."