Bedmates Soulmates

Everyone looked up.

'But aren't you in HR-Oh, that's right, I forgot you had a degree in marketing."

"I've been rotated to Telecom Sales, Paul nodded, 'I'll be taking over as the group leader. Just for the time being, though. Till Laura comes back from maternity leave." Paul sighed to himself.

Sales & Marketing was his old stomping ground before he applied for a transfer to HR.

The job was fun, but it involved too much travelling and he grew tired of living out of a suitcase.

Just when he thought he could put his feet up, the president summoned him to the office and asked him to go back to Sales.

He had two jobs.

One, to pinch-hit for Laura, the group leader.

Two, to be the president's eyes and ears.

As for eyes and ears for what....

Paul stole a look at Kira, who was settling up her workstation with a colleague's help.

For the second time in as many hours, Paul wondered how Kira was connected with the M Group's head honcho.

Mr McCarthy had ordered Paul to personally conduct the orientation for the new recruit.

Before he headed into his new office, Paul drew Kira aside and gave her a meaningful look, 'Welcome aboard. I can see you're a girl with a lot of potential. You're going to be a valuable asset to our company. I can't wait to see all that you'll accomplish." She already had the most important ingredient of success-connections.

Which other twenty-one-year-old intern could boast of having the president's ear?

Kira was flattered by the pep talk from her new boss, who had displayed an inordinate amount of confidence in her since day one.

Thank you, Mr Flenderson,' she said with a smile. 'I will give it my hundred and ten per cent. Thank you for

giving me the opportunity to join the M Group. I really appreciate it."

'It's the president you should thank, Paul thought. 'He gave the order. I just carried it out."

She's Just A Stand-in

Out loud, he said, "I just knew you'd be a good fit for our company. Seeing how you're getting along with your colleagues, I think I made the right call. I'm sure you'll do amazing work."

The interim Telecom Sales Group Leader was convinced Kira was going places.

It wouldn't hurt to get on her good side.

Kira offered a grateful smile, a little embarrassed by her boss' gushing praise.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

"Um, I'll leave you to it then, Paul said as he turned to leave. 'Once again, welcome aboard."

"One more thing, Mr Flenderson."

"Yes?"

'I was just wondering... Kira bit her lip.

s floor

She hesitated for a moment, before working up the courage to ask, 'Does the president visit this. often?'

Would Austyn be surprised to find her here?

It was his company.

She didn't tell him about coming here to work.

Would he be ticked off when he found out?

Kira hoped that day would never come.

Paul mistook her trepidation for anticipation. I'm sorry, that's not going to happen. We're on the twenty-eighth floor. The president's office is on the forty-eighth. Not to mention, there are over twenty operating companies under the M Group, with more than ten thousand employees in this building alone. The president doesn't come down to these floors. If he wants to see someone, he sends his assistant to fetch them."

Phew!

Kira breathed out.

Excellent news.

She liked being a grain of sand in the Sahara of the M Group.

This way, she could do her job in peace.

'Got it. Thank you, Mr Flenderson.*

The relief on her face was too obvious for Paul to miss

Which confused him.

Shouldn't she be sad?

Why was her smile even brighter than before?

At noon, Kira's new colleagues invited her to join them at the cafeteria on the 12th floor.

"Come, sit next to me,' Lexi patted the seat beside her

Kira's workstation was right next to Lexi's.

Shebung A Stand in

The 26-year-old marketing executive helped Kira set up her computer and showed her the ropes.

She was happy to finally have someone younger than her on the team and kind of adopted Kira as her