Infinity

CHAPTER 3 Who is Mr. Lee?

Lunchtime ...

"Cath, come on let's have a quick lunch before we proceed at Coffee Beans Xerin," Ariene told Cath. Then she brought her laptop and bag.

Cath immediately carry all the documents and projector with her and proceed to the parking lot with her Manager Ariane.

Upon arrival at the Coffee Beans Xerin at 12:55 in the afternoon. Cath prepared the documents and her Ipad to take down notes with her Manager Ariane's meeting with Mr. Lee.

Exactly 1 o'clock when Mr. Lee arrived together with his secretary. Mr. Lee is around 30 years old and a very gorgeous man. He stands 6'1" with Moreno complexion. He has a model figure and a manly contoured face. Cath almost drops down her jaw upon staring at Mr. Lee.

"Good day Ms. Vicente," Mr. Lee approached and offered a hands shake to Ariane. They shake hands and Cath asked Mr. Lee what drinks he prefer so that she can order them already.

"Glad to meet you, Mr. Lee," Ariane smiled at him.

The meeting started and once in a while, Mr. Lee is staring so deep with Ariane while she is presenting the proposal to him. Ariane is quite uncomfortable being stared at by Mr. Lee but she needs to maintain her posture during her presentation and being professional.

Mr. Lee's POV:

"Hmmm. I didn't expect that Ms. Vicente is so gorgeous and so sexy," Mr. Lee told himself.

He stared at Ariane and listened to her presentation well. He focused on her lips while doing her presentation.

"God, she has a sexy pouty lip while talking," he smiles while thinking about it.

After the presentation, their collaboration with their project started. Indeed it is a successful one. Arianne closed the deal and Mr. Lee of HardCore will be their partner for their new line of apparel.

"Thank you, Mr. Lee. It's a great pleasure meeting with you," Ariane said to Mr. Lee.

"It is indeed my pleasure meeting you Ms. Vicente. You are really a great presenter. How can I say no with such a beautiful lady in front of me," Mr. Lee smilingly said to Ariane.

Ariane's face blushed with Mr. Lee's compliment.

"Thank you, Mr. Lee, again see you at our next meeting. We are leaving. Ciao!" Ariane smiles at him then leaves.

They shake hands and Mr. Lee holds her hands so tight. Ariane immediately pulled out her hands and smile.

"Thank you, Ms. Vicente. I'll visit your office within this week," Mr. Lee winked at Ariane and left with a smile.

Ariane's POV:

"He is so handsome and very masculine," Ariane told herself. "But it seems that he didn't listen well to my presentation, as if he is undressing me while I am talking, haaaist! p*****t!"

"If it's not only for a deal, I won't be nice to him. hmmph!", she thought.

Ariane and Cath proceed to the parking lot and leave.

While driving Cath teases Ariane, "Madam, it seems that Mr. Lee likes you."

"Dear, men are polygamous in nature. They were born that way. And in our industry particularly in sales, they have the same color. They all have a sweet tongue. So be very careful." Ariane said.

"You mean Madam, you don't like him. He seems so gorgeous and yummy!" Cath excitedly said to her.

Ariane suddenly stepped in her break causing Cath to almost hit the windshield of the car. "Ouch!" Cath said.

"Madam I'm just kidding," Cath nervously said.

"Alright, I am sorry. I was just shocked by your words," Ariane said then continue to drive back to the office.

Upon Ariane's arrival at the office, her mobile phone vibrates, seeing on its screen is a pop-up message from Paulo. A smile suddenly appears on her face.

"Hmmmn seems he wants to check on me every day," Ariane told herself.

"Hi Ariane, how's your day? Have you take your snacks already?" Paulo asked with a smiley emoji.

Ariane replied, " well, I just arrived here at the office. I'll be checking my branch and my people then I'll pick Jude from his school later," "Done with my snacks during my appointment awhile ago with my client. Thank you."

"Alright, drive safe then and regards to Jude," Paulo said.

Ariane just sat on her swivel chair, holding her pen with its tip on her lips and smiling. Cathy knocks then opens the door.

"Eeeerm.... excuse me, Madam, Wall of Asia representative is asking when will be our schedule for the presentation to them," Cathy asked Ariane who seemed to be thinking of something else.

"Aaaaw, I'm sorry. Come again," Ariane asked Cath.

Cath said it again," Madam, the Wall of Asia representative is asking when will be our schedule of presentation to them."

Ariane checked her personal calendar and said " Please inform them that next Tuesday at 1 p.m. Also, do prepare all the necessary documents and other paraphernalia for our presentation."

Ariane checked her emails and signed the documents on her table. She had her ocular in the branch to check her people's work and talk to the salesforce.

Ariane is a very hardworking person. She treats her staff not just like a manager-employee relationship. She works with a heart and even treated her people as family. She has a smooth relationship with her people. She has five regular employees and three OJTs on top of their two contractual staff. She also handles twelve sales leaders with more than 1000 salespeople. She is a hands-on Manager who loves to talk, train, engage and motivate people. She is a coach and a mentor to each one of them.

Being in sales and operations is a very tough job, but Ariane is handling it smoothly. Sometimes there is pressure but she ensures that everything can be solved accordingly if there will be teamwork towards her staff and salesforce. She is very calm and she always makes decisions fairly.

Ariane loves her work well. She doesn't feel tired at all. She devoted her time to her work since she graduated from college. Her time is only for her child and her work. Though sometimes her work is eating up most of her time instead of having it with her child, she learned to manage it.

This is the effect of Ariane's situation, being a single parent but she is handling it so well. Before it's really hard for her to divide her time and focus especially when her child was just a toddler and she needed to work. Driving more than 50kms away from home since she's handling a Branch at Las Pinas City and she resides at Tagaytay together with her parents. Leaving her child with his grandfather to take good care of him.

There were times when Ariane is parking her car at the side of their home, it was 12 o'clock in the morning, usually during cut off, she works more than 10 hours a day., she saw her son who was only two years old then, crying and waiting for her in their window. Lights turned off and only the car's headlight was on wherein Ariane's parents were both fast asleep. Ariane immediately opened the door and carried Jude who was almost choking while crying. Her heart almost breaks out while pampering her child who immediately falls asleep while leaning on her shoulder. She endured the hardship of being a working mom for the two of them to survive. It wasn't easy to be strong.

It's the main reason why Ariane doesn't want to have any romantic relationship in the past. For her to cross the line of being a single mother, she chose to be alone with her child and focused on her job.

It is only now that she felt something special, having goosebumps every time her mobile phone pops up a message coming from Paulo. Might be that she knew Paulo when she was a child compared with other men she met before. She had this feeling that men just want single mothers to be their mistress and Ariane doesn't want to have that reputation, especially for her son's image. Or maybe Ariane only fears having a man at all.

She had several suitors before but she discreetly refused one by one. She told them to be friends rather...Friendship lasts and she wants to be with that only.

Ding! "

Ariane now is preparing to leave the office. "Cath, do you want me to drop you home?" she asked her secretary.

"Yes Madam, thank you," Cathy immediately get her bag and walk with Ariane to the office parking lot.

While driving, " Cath let's have a drive-thru at Mc Donalds, Jude wants the new toy, Happy Meal," she said to Cath.

"Yes Madam, you can also order for me haha," Cath is very close to Ariane as if she is her elder sister.

"Hmmm, alright, I'll order for you too," Ariane smiled with Cath. "Just get the bills from my bag please, thanks."

This is how Ariane treats her staff. What she is at home, is what she is even in her Branch. Sometimes she also brings her son with her to the office and even plays with her staff. Her staff is very fond of her son. Jude is a mature child who loves talking with the elders and who is fond of searching youtube. He is very sociable at a very young age.

Well, there will be a new chapter coming her way. Is Paulo going to add colors to her life? What about Mr. Lee? Hmmm... seems there will be twists in Ariane's life coming in...