Nitrogen (1)

Nitrogen was first discovered and isolated by Scottish physician Daniel Rutherford in 1772.

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"I'm starting to regret coming back to the office," Reinne groaned as she slump on her office chair.

Drew chuckled at his friend's distress. "You said that yesterday and the day before yesterday and the day before the day before yesterday."

"What?" Reinne laughs while reaching out for her hidden stash of Hershey Kisses. "What day is that?"

"Monday,” He laughed and Reinne threw the wrapper at him. The office phone rang and she glared at it. Answering it would mean that she has to go back to work. I shouldn’t have taken that one month leave, she thought to herself while looking at the mountain of papers that she has to look at.

She heard Drew answered the phone. "Miss Lacson's office," Reinne popped another Kisses to her mouth before opening the top folder from the mountain.

"Yup. Thanks. I'll tell her. Will do. Have a nice day," Drew turn to her. "Mr. Hayden Sarmento wants to have a lunch meeting with you with his lawyer at 11:30 at Vikings."

"Okay," She signed the papers before handling it to him. "Do I have anything on my list after lunch?"

"Yeah, your going to talk to the planning committee regarding about the pest manifestation in the brewery at two."

"Urgh," She banged her head on the table. "That was supposed to be handled already?"

"Well," Drew shrug. "Ask them later. So..."

"What?" She pop a another Kisses.

Drew sat in front of her. "I was wondering..." Drew place his pen phone and paper on her table. "If-- no, I was hoping.... Ah! Never mind."

"Is this about Jubileen?" Reinne sent her friend a teasing smile.

"What? No. What gives you a reason to think about that?"

Reinne nearly choke on her chocolate. So, him and Jubileen were not a thing? Was she the only one unaware? She decided to let out a shrug. "Nothing."

"Wait, you thought... Me and her?" Drew let out a loud laugh. "No way. She's into someone else. I was just wondering if I could have a leave next week."

"Why?"

"Its Grammy's 87th birthday next week. My mom's been threatening me to go home."

"Of course, take a week. When's your flight?"

"This Monday, but can you manage a week without me?"

She scoff at him. "Please. I managed a 26 years without you."

Drew threw the wrapper back at her. "Stop eating chocolates. Its one of the reason why your pimples won't go away."

"Its stress not food."

Reinne glance at her door when there was a knock. Drew stood up to answer it and went back to hand her a clipboard. "What's this?" Reinne grab the clipboard.

"A memo for the dismissal of Mr. Glenn Austin." She sigh while reading the memo. She hates memos, particularly dismissal memos. It turns out Mr. Glenn Austin is on his third strike already for being AWOL.

"Please call Mr. Austin," she drop the memo on top of her other papers. "Tell him I want to talk to him first before signing."

Drew nod and did what she told him to do. Reinne sigh. She haven't accepted being the plant's owner and she's handling problems like pest manifestation and AWOL employees just being a Chief Chemist. How much more when she's going to handle the plant, the brewery and the storage. She can't do that. She barely even have time sleeping as it is.

"Miss Lacson," Drew slip on his secretary mode. "Mr. Austin is here."

"Send him in," She took the memo. She look up when she saw the man barely on his thirty's enter the room. His blonde hair was disheveled and his eyes are supporting dark rings around it.

"Miss Lacson, you've asked for me?" Reinne nod and gestured the chair to him. The talk with him was the usual 'Why?' and 'Because'. Reinne halfheartedly signed the memo and asked Drew to send it to the higher office. Now they have to fill in the machine operator spot Mr. Austin left. Lots of paperwork. Reinne sigh and started typing on her computer to lessen the papers. Drew came in to her in that situation.

Drew knock on her door to let his presence be known. "Miss Lacson, I just have to remind you of your lunch meeting with Mr. Sarmento."

Reinne sigh and grab her things before leaving her office with Drew. The restaurant Drew told her to meet up with Hayden is a thirty minutes drive from her office. A minute after 12, Reinne burst through the restaurant doors. Long tables of food greeted her and people coming back and forth from their table to the buffet. She tried having a reservation in that restaurant once, as a gift to her friend, but it was fully booked and the only date available is two weeks after her friend's birthday. You must at least book a month before the said date.

"Good afternoon, ma'am," Reinne glance at the woman in front of her. "Did you have a reservation?"

"Sarmento," She said.

The woman glance at her screen, then smiled at her. "Oh. Here it is. Welcome to Vikings."

She threw a smile at her before searching for her company. Reinne started to feel left out with what she's wearing. She wearing her black slacks, cream polo shirt and black pumps. She felt a tug on her arm, turned and saw Hayden, in his mighty tux.

"Mr. Sarmento," She acknowledged.

"Miss Lacson," Hayden nudge towards their table. "This Atty. Rafael Brown, he's my father's attorney."

I shake the attorney's hand firmly. "Pleasure to meet you."

"Same here. Please have a seat," He gestured to the seat in front of him.

Hayden sat beside her, ignoring Rafael's stare. Reinne saw roasted beef, turkey, smoked lamb and caramelized shrimp on the table already. Her plate is already filled with carbonara and spaghetti.

"I can't eat all of this," She pointed on her plate.

"You have to," Hayden took his plate from across him. "This restaurant does not tolerate leftovers." She saw that Hayden filled his plate with carbonara. She dig in on the carbonara first.

"So," Rafael broke the silence. "Hayden, here, told me that you will sign the transfer papers."

Reinne nod. "And you wanted to sell it to him afterwards." She nod again. "Why?"

"I think... Thought that I can handle it but..." She huffed.

"You can't," Rafael supplied for her. "What made you change your mind?"

"My schedule."

"What?" Hayden glance at her, surprised with her answer. That was not the answer that he expected

Reinne took a sip of her iced. "I hate meetings, especially consecutive meeting schedules."

"That's normal."

"For you. It is," She point her fork to herself. "But for me it's not. I haven't sleep properly ever since I came back."

"So, you think this is what you want?" Rafael ask.

"Yes," She nod. "This is a win-win situation. My uncles won't have the company and Hayden will handle both the plant and brewery."

"I'm fine with this," Hayden agreed. "Did the will say something about selling?"

"None," Rafael said. "It wasn't stated that you can't sell the plant. But what about your family? Do they agree to this?"

"I'm going to inherit the plant, my decision is for what I think is right. My family will just be there to support me."

"What about the press?"

"I haven't thought of that," Reinne said. If the press get a hold of this, there will be another problem added to her plate.

"Its best if the press thinks that I own it," Hayden spoke up. "After all, my father will announce his retirement on the anniversary."

Shit. Reinne cursed. She forgot about the plant's anniversary. She thought she got away with their farm's anniversary, but she was proven wrong. "That would be next month, right?"

Hayden nod at Rafael. "We are able to agree on the term here. We'll talk to my father next."

Reinne just agreed to his plan. She didn't planned this. Talking to Kurt really slipped from her mind. She should have had approached him first instead of Hayden. She mentally slap herself for that.