City of Angels Book 2

Chapter 5: Found

I was the first one seated at the boardroom table. It was large and made of glass. Expensive. Tasteful. Humans were very attached to meterial things, as well as their image. Though I couldn't blame the Armstrongs - they had a large and very successful business and did have a certain appearance to uphold. I had to promise myself that I would not fall into that trap. The almighty would not approve if I got too attached to earthly things.

I searched my vessel's memory as the people filed in - the heads of all the departments that form the basis of my company. There were heads for human resources, creative design, finances, business relations, advertising execution, and finally there was Heng Asavarid - my Deputy President. My memories told me that he was a good guy and that I could trust him fully. He took care of the company in my absence. The meeting went off without a hitch. Each departmental head produced their reports for the previous week and Heng and I studied them carefully. Everything was looking good. I was still busy sharing and interchanging ideas with my people when Nam softly knocked on the door and openened it.

"I'm sorry to disturb Miss Armstrong, but your ten o'clock is here, waiting in your office. I felt it then, clear as daylight - that string tugging on my heart. It felt bewildering. I stood slowly and handed the meeting over to Heng before exiting the boardroom. I walked slowly to my office, each step turning my legs to jelly. My hand was shaking by the time I reached for the door handle and my breathing was laboured as I entered. There, with her back turned to me, sat a woman with long dark hair, perfectly shiny and straight. She was dressed in an immaculate black suit that contrasted with my white one. She stood when she realised I had entered and turned around and I felt that red string pull painfully taught around my heart.

I was looking for her, but she ended up finding me instead.

"Miss Armstrong, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." She smiled that same bright smile that I could remember from before. That same smile that lit up my world as if she were the sun itself. I was blinded by that smile and by the sight of her. I reached out my hand carefully as she offered hers and the spark of electricity was almost debilitating. I don't know if she had felt it too, but what it has done to me was absolutely electrifying.

"I'm Freen Chankimha, CEO of Sarocha Magazine." My memories turned hazy right as I needed them to work. I was at a loss for words and could not even figure out why she would be seeing me. "It's very nice to meet you, Miss Chankimha." I was sad to pull my hand from her soft grip, my own memories of those hands all over my body washing over me. "No please, call me Freen." She said in an upbeat tone that made my heart hammer against my ribs. I was so worried she might pick up on my nerves and interpret them wrongly. "Well in that case, please call me Becca."

I sat down slowly in my chair on the other side of the desk and motioned for Nam to get us something to drink. She nodded and quickly exited the office. Freen waited for my PA to exit before looking back at me, a puzzled expression on her beautiful features. "Please don't think me forward, Becca, but have we met before?" My mouth opened and closed a few times, at a loss of what to say.

She could feel the connection. She could feel the other end of the red string. This was indeed fate.

I smiled softly and shrugged my shoulders slightly, "Maybe in another lifetime." She smirked and nodded, then leaned back in her chair as she crossed her one leg over the other. "Yes, that must be it." I so badly wanted to tell her, to reveal our history together, to make her understand, but I knew it would all just sound utterly insane to her.

Nam returned with a tray that contained a pot of tea with two cups and a small plate of biscuits, then exited again and closed the door behind her. "Can I interest you in some tea, Freen?" She nodded politely and I poured us each a cup before we got down to business - business I still could not bring to the forefront of my brain. I sat back down and sipped from my cup as I watched her over the rim. I was so smitten with her beauty that I nearly spilled all over myself. Luckily it was only some drops rolling down my chin, though still embarrassing.

"Oh here, let me get that for you." She softly insisted and leaned over the desk, patting at my chin with the napkin she had folded in her blazer pocket. I was mortified, but even so she paused her actions, hand still near my face as she looked at my lips, then slowly moved her gaze back to my eyes. I flushed red - what was it with humans and flushing red when they were embarrassed? Shouldn't embarrassment be a secret emotion? Instead it paints itself all over our faces.

"There we go..." She whispered as she pulled back, her dark hazel eyes boring into my soul as she watched me closely. "Are you absolutely sure we haven't met before? You just seem so..."

"Familiar, I know." I finished her sentence for her and felt that string pull even tighter. I wondered if she could feel the string as well. It was palpable.

"Okay so, as per my email, I would love to do business with you and your company." Freen went back to business, but even in her business tone she was gentle and upbeat. If she was a business woman I wouldn't mind working for her instead, especially if it meant being around her all the time. I had to make sure that this business deal took long enough or I think I would break if I couldn't see her on a regular basis anymore.

"Yes, why don't you tell me exactly what you want..err..what you're looking for in this transaction." I had to backtrack, terrified that my love for her would shine through more than it already did.

"Well as you know, Sarocha Magazine is spread and read all over Thailand. Besides being sold by vendors, we're sitting with about half a million subscribers to the magazine in paperback, and another three hunderd thousand subscribers online. The numbers keep rising at a rapid pace as its popularity continues to grow. We want to enhance profits by selling more advertising space in the magazine and online. I do believe this is one of your specialities."

Freen was utterly enchanting when she went into business mode and I hung on her lips as they moved with every word. I could barely acknowledge or remember anything she said, only able to think of those lips on mine.

"Becca?" She said after half a minute or so and I had to snap out of my reverie. "Yes, of course, you are absolutely at the right place. So you have a portfolio of examples I could look at?" She handed over a folder and I looked through the pages that would typically find their way into the magazine. "Ideally I would like to focus on garnering full page advertisements. I would also like to advertise on billboards whatever product it is and have it endorsed by Sarocha Magazine. If I can make the magazine the best advertising space, it would be a brilliant goal." She inhaled deeply as if she had rehearsed her speech beforehand and now hoped that it had gone well.

"I love your idea and it is absolutely doable. Could get costly, so we'd have to focus on the big dogs first. Could you come back to me with a list of companies we could or you would like to approach? Furthermore, the content of your magazine will have to at least quadruple in quality, otherwise your sales will go down if it seems that your magazine is only becoming an advertising space. There needs to be a balance, so I want you to give that a thought as well." I couldn't believe the words coming out of my mouth. The more time I spent in what used to be a vessel, the more I could naturally access these memories. I worried though: would I access her personality as well? I sure hoped not. I had to remain true to myself.

"I'll make sure to hire some new topnotch journalists then." She grinned and my stomach once again jumped into my throat. "I'll also have to pay attention to the prices of the advertisements so that I can also pay you in turn!" She was busy standing up from her chair, indicating that our meeting was now ending. I didn't want her to go, I never wanted her to go. Never again. I cannot suffer the same fate in another life.

"Hey Freen!" I swallowed and rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly. "I was wondering if maybe you'd like to get coffee or dinner sometime." I must be mad. I technically just met this woman but I knew she was the love of my life, so why even waste the time we could spend together?

Freen smirked as she was halfway out the door and looking back at me. "I wanted to ask you the same thing...until I saw it..." She left my office and I stood confounded, not understanding what she had meant. Her eyes had given something away. What was it. She had looked down, so I did as well.

No.

No no no!

There was a diamond set in an intricate golden band on my left ring finger.