Even a Diamond can be shattered...
After the owner of a security company is murdered, his sharp-edged wife goes on the run. Forced to abandon everything she holds dear - her home, her friends, her job in special ops - she builds a new life for herse...
Luke's day started at six with a call about a server issue. He'd barely sorted that out before it was time for his conference call, which overran, and no sooner had he hung up from that, a young blonde admin assistant knocked on his office door.
"Luke, have you seen the Spires contract?"
Shouldn't that be his question?
"Try the filing tray."
Before Luke could pick up his coffee, a developer poked his head in. "Do you know when Mike's back from his holiday?"
"It'll be on his calendar."
And so it continued—a succession of simple queries that could easily be solved by the people asking them if they'd only think.
Why did Luke have to do everything around here?
Because he let his staff walk all over him, that was why. He reflected on his conversation with Ash about delegation. Would it really be that difficult? Maybe it was time to find out.
He picked up the phone to his PA. "Blanche, I need you to arrange a meeting."
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As Luke made himself a coffee at lunchtime, whispers followed him across the open-plan office.
"The control freak's finally loosening his grip."
"Some people will need to start pulling their weight in this place."
"Is Luke ill? He looks a bit...different."
Was that really what they thought of him? A control freak? The looks of shock on the managers' faces when he'd started delegating tasks in the meeting earlier had been priceless. Yes, things would be changing in the office. But what did that woman mean, he looked different?
When he got back to his office, he peered at himself in the mirror he kept in his desk drawer. No, nothing out of the ordinary. Except, maybe.... He peered closer.... Shit! Was that a wrinkle? Dammit. Yes, adjustments to his lifestyle were definitely required.
At the end of the day, when he left on time for the first time in well, ever, it was with a tentative smile and no small amount of guilt. And when he arrived home in time for the opening credits of EastEnders, he didn't know what to do with himself. Should he start watching soap operas? Did Ash like that kind of program?
The time he'd spent with her over the weekend had made him see things differently. She'd had so many knocks over the past few months, but still she'd stayed positive. And here he was with a seemingly perfect life—more money than he could ever spend, a huge house, his own successful company, girls falling at his feet—and let's face it, he was miserable.
The steps taken today may have been small, but at least they were headed in the right direction. Closer to Hazelwood Farm and a certain new stable girl.
How long until the weekend? Four long, long days. Should he invite Ash over sooner? Maybe they could go out for dinner? Yesterday, his finance director had been raving about a London restaurant where every dish was colour-coded. Hideously expensive, no doubt, but Ash was worth it. Although for someone with so little money, she'd so far seemed strangely unaffected by his. Should he be pleased by that or worried?
