Chapter 4

Veronica stared through the tinted glass window as she let her mind consume her. As she looked outside with emotionless eyes, she cut her thoughts off when she could feel a lingering gaze from her side. She voiced out a question, one eyebrow raised as she turned her head to her assistant. "What is it? You keep looking at me when you're driving. Do you want us to crash?"

"I just didn't think you can be so…" Ashley trailed off, continuing to steer the wheel.

"What?"

"You know, soft."

"I am not." Veronica snapped back, head raising to look at Ashley. She sighed before glancing down on her lap as she held the stuffed bunny that Sammy gave back to her.

"Oh, really?" Ashley queried, tone teasing. She smiled as she looked at Veronica caressing the toy.

"They're just… special," Veronica said as the corners of her lips lifted into a small smile. A moment of comfortable silence filled the car before the woman spoke up again, smile falling. "They're the only person I'm afraid of scaring away."

"What do you mean by that?" Ashley asked with furrowed eyes, her head tilting in confusion. She would be lying if she didn't have the slightest bit of concern for her boss. Listening to her talk, it sounded like there was a hint of sadness laced in her voice, a deep void of devastation. But she rarely lets it show and covers it up with her professionalism.

Why's she opening up now? Ashley thought as she shifted her focus towards the road again. As she continued to steer the wheel, she waited for her boss's reply.

"Nothing. Stop asking questions and drive faster. We're already late."

Never mind.

"…" Ashley doesn't talk and continues to drive, stepping on the pedal to make the car go faster. In a few minutes, they arrive at the parking lot and rush into the building. As they get closer to Veronica's office, they hear the voices of a couple of employees getting louder.

"God damn, she's furious. What the hell do we do?" A worker said, voice shaking with panic. The person's hands shook as they waited for their boss.

"I don't know! Fuck, why isn't Ms. Reyes here yet?" The other worker replied, panicked as well.

"Right? Damn, and she's making us work overtime too."

"She's scary and irritating. Did you know that one time, I just stood beside her and she started glaring at me as if she was ready to hit me."

"Whoah, scary. She's such a bi…" Before the employee can finish her vulgar words, a tap on her shoulder abruptly cut her off.

"Excuse me, ladies. Ms. Reyes is here now, so you guys can leave." Ashley insisted, trying to keep her voice level as to not scare her co-workers. It pissed her off, but she was still a people-pleaser and not to mention, professional. Unless she comes upon someone cute.

"A-ah, yes, Ms. Johnson." One employee responded as they stammered, stumbling over their words. They ran off after being told, scared that their boss and her assistant might have heard what they were saying.

"Stupid assholes." Ashley began fuming as her hands curling into a fist as her knuckles turned white. "How could they say something like that? They're being paid, anyway!"

"Ignore them, you hypocrite," Veronica said, voice monotone as if she was used to the rude words being spoken about her. She continued to walk ahead with her assistant trailing behind her.

"But why?!" Ashley protested, ignoring the nickname they called her. Her heels clicked against the floor as she tried to catch up to her boss. "It's not right for them to say tha-"

"They're not worth it," Veronica remarked as she cut her assistant off. Ashley huffed in response, opening her mouth to speak up again, but her boss stopped her yet again.

"Now be quiet. Here comes the director." Veronica ordered as she walked inside her office. She can see the woman on her couch, sipping from her cup of tea. "Ms. Clarra, good evening. I was wondering why it started raining."

"Oh, there you are." Clarra mused as she put her cup on the coffee table before standing up. "Perhaps it started raining because the world is sad that you exist." The director answered, taunting Veronica with a smug smirk. The other woman scoffed in reply before sitting on the chair across from her.

"Enough chit-chat. Why are you here so early? We didn't plan the meeting until next week."

"Well, unlike you, Veronica, I have a life. I have to go to Hawaii with my parents for two days from now." Clarra retorted as she chuckled before sipping from her cup of tea. Veronica rolled her eyes at her statement before replying.

"Your point?"

"Well, the sales rate hadn't been too great…"

"You mean horrible?"

"And I plan to fix that with a show next week," Clarra said as she ignored Veronica's insult. She pulled out some papers from her folders, sorting them out before placing it on the table between them.

"So?"

"I want to collaborate with you. Here is the contract." Clarra said as she pulled out a pen from her blazer pocket before offering it to Veronica. The latter ignored the offer, pulling out a pen from her own pocket to which the former rolled her eyes.

"Hmm, I see. Alright, I will do the show with you." Veronica spoke up after a few seconds of reading. She put the folder down as she faced Clarra.

"Great! Then we-"

"However," Veronica interrupted as she raised a finger and an eyebrow. Clarra groaned in response as she rolled her eyes again.

"Oh, come on."

"I will pick the models," Veronica demanded, putting one leg over the other, crossing them as she placed her arms on her knees, looking up at Clarra with a piercing gaze.

"W-whatever." Clarra began, turning away, so she doesn't have to face Veronica's eyes. She coughed, clearing her throat before looking at the woman once more. "Fine, not a problem."

"Alright, it's settled then," Veronica replied as she signed the contract on the paper. She put the paper back in its folder before handing it back to Clarra. "I will see you two weeks from now."

"You will. Now, I have plans. Good evening and goodbye." Clarra said as Veronica nodded back. The former picked her bags and folders up as the latter and her assistant watched her walk out.

…

"Hi, Ms. Reyes! Here is the list that you requested of me." Ashley said as she placed a folder on top of Veronica's desk.

"Thank you," Veronica replied, picking the folder up and opening it as her eyes scanned the contents inside.

"Ah, Ms. Reyes?" Ashley asked, calling out for her boss's name. Veronica raised her eyebrow, signaling for the woman to continue. "Why did you want to choose the models?"

"…" Veronica said nothing as Ashley still waited for her reply. She sighed before answering, tone dismissive as she waved her assistant off. "No reason and it's none of your business. You can leave early tonight. Goodbye"

…

"God, I just asked her why she wanted to choose and she's all like…"

"It's none of your business."

"Like, damn, boss. I was just curious, you know?" Ashley ranted as she chugged her glass of whiskey, letting it flow down her throat. She huffed in anger as she smacked the glass back down onto the table, making a loud noise.

"I know, but maybe she just doesn't want to talk about it," Lara advised as she was making some drinks. Lara is a bartender and Ashley's most trusted and closest friend, so it's only natural that she rants to her and tells her all the gossip. "She had a point. Plus, you told me she was pretty closed-off anyway, right?"

"I mean, yeah. But, since the thing with her sibling, I thought we became closer. I guess I'm the only one that thought that was the case." Ashley sulked as she sighed, placing her chin on top of her glass, pouting.

"Oh, shut up, it'll be fine. You've dealt with worse." Lara said as she rolled her eyes, chuckling. She poured the drink into a glass before passing it to Ashley. "Just drink your troubles away and keep your mind from thinking about your hot boss tonight. Maybe you can find a hot stranger to fuck with, for now, you know? You always do."

"Y-you're right! I'm hot as fuck too. I can fuck anyone I want!" Ashley said, trying to regain her confidence, after chugging the whole drink down once more.

"That's the spirit!" Lara cheered as she pats Ashley's shoulder.

"Bartender." A deep yet feminine voice called out for Lara as she nodded her head.

"Oh, look at her. She looks cute." Lara said as she pointed her thumb to the woman a few seats away from Ashley. The woman was gorgeous and Ashley can almost see her boss in her. Although, she doubts that her boss would be here if she considered the fact that the woman is so uptight.

"Ooh, she does." Ashley acknowledged as she messily placed her chin on her hand, intoxicated.

"What are you waiting for?" Ashley stared at Lara before answering with a smile.

"Nothing." The woman said as she jumped off her seat. She flipped her hair back before heading towards the other gorgeous yet mysterious woman. "Hello, there. Mind buying me a drink?" Ashley purred as she leaned on to the bar, having a hard time staying still in her drunk state.

…

Ashley's squinted her eyes as she tried to adjust to the light. She sighed, feeling her head hurt from drinking so much last night. Thank fuck it's Saturday, and she doesn't have any work. If she did, she might have been late and she might have utterly pissed her boss off.

As she sat up, she heard a groan near her. She looked to her side and saw the body of a woman sleeping. She giggled as she thought.

"So, I haven't lost my touch, after all," Ashley mumbled, snickering.

She looked over to see what kind of woman she managed to bone with the night before, sitting up despite her brain telling her not to because her body and head hurt a ton. She pursed her lips as she looked with a mischievous grin. Her smile dropped when she saw who it was.

It was her boss, Veronica Reyes.