Fate in Captivity

Chapter 4- The Fashionista

(Aubrey)

Today is just an ordinary day for a person who’s working at their company, scanning, and signing papers, checking sales and other costs incurred by the company and even monitoring the improvements of the employees. I looked at the small clock beside me and it registers eleven o’clock in the morning, I started fixing the papers and getting ready for lunch. I know it may seem like early to some people, but I do tend to make my work schedule like this to do more work in the afternoon. I heard someone knocked on the door and I just let the person enter without saying anything, if it’s my assistant, she will enter as soon as she knocked. But no one is entering, I stare at the door for some seconds and still waiting for that person to enter, but there’s no one.

“Please come in.” I politely said and the door opened.

“I told you she’s there!” I heard someone yelled outside the room. I would wonder who that person is because I already recognized her voice.

“Aubrey! Can you brief your employees next time that I’m your friend and they should not block my pathway?!” Cheen exclaimed to me, and I just smiled at my employees standing outside the room like they were waiting if I should kick this person in front of me out, how I wish though.

“What do you want, spoiled brat?” I asked her and sat back at my swivel chair.

“I want to shop.” She directly said to me, as what I’ve expected.

“I know, this is a department store after all.” I said and grinned at her.

“Sarcastic witch, just give me new personal shopper.” She said and walked towards my pantry and got herself a bottle of juice in the fridge.

“Who do you want this time?” I asked and opened my laptop to check the people available at this hour. And I remembered that some VIPs arrived earlier and mostly of the veteran personal shoppers are with them.

“No, don’t answer that. There’s only want available.” I said and she only looked at me. This is the first time I would see a personal shopper worked in front of me personally. Whenever there are VIPs, I just let them have their time alone and just greet them when they’re done.

“Please call Chea, tell her to go to my office.” I said to my assistant through the intercom, and she just answered me immediately.

“Who’s that Chea girl?” Cheen asked and I just walked towards her and sat on the couch in front of her.

“She’s a new girl based on the system, and it’s her first day of work.” I answered and I can see her evil smile. This day is going to be tough.

“Ma’am, Chea is here.” I heard my assistant said as she knocked on the door, I did not answered but she still entered.

“Are you the new employee?” I asked to her.

“Yes, ma’am.” She politely answered.

“Then, you’ll be today’s shopper of my friend. She can be evil but serve her perfectly. She would give us more money.” I said to Chea loudly enough for Cheen to hear everything.

“Hi, I’m still here?” Cheen said and I just chuckles.

“That’s my exact intention. So, have a great shopping together.” I said and walked towards my desk to get my bag.

“Where are you going?” Cheen asked.

“Lunch, I do have may work to do so I will have my lunch early.” I answered.

“You’re not going anywhere Ms. President. You’ll be coming with us.” Cheen announced.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” I said to her, and she only looked at me seriously.

“Do I look like kidding you? Come on, we’ll have our lunch first.” Cheen said and left the room.

“Ma’am, are you okay?” I heard Chea asked me.

“Yeah, you can follow her out. I’ll be right there.” I said and she left immediately. I unenergetically put down my bag and let out a deep sigh.

“Aubrey! We’re going!” I heard Cheen yelled.

“I really hate rich people.” I mumbled and left my office. I just signed my assistant that they should also have their lunch.

I am walking behind Cheen and Chea as we go towards the restaurant that Cheen reserved to us. Well, it’s hers as she as her branch here in our mall. To explain it, she made a proposal with my parents not mine, so I got no chance to stop her. But on a brighter side, more customers are coming in because of their restaurant, they keep on having high sales and they keep on scaling up, more sales to our mall.

“Hi ma’am, I’ll guide you to your table. The receptionist greeted us, but Cheen just ignored her and went inside the place immediately. I just can’t understand her rudeness.

“Can you just say thank you or something?” I said to her upon sitting.

“They should be the one thanking me for giving them work.” Cheen said and opened the menu book on the table. I saw Chea standing beside her, and I just stare at her.

“Chea, sit here.” I said to her.

“Oh no, she has her own table.” Cheen said and she pointed to the vacant table next to ours.

“I can’t believe it.” I just mumbled to myself. Is it a good thing that I’m her friend?

“Order yours.” She said and I just looked on the food the place is offering.

“Would order the same as yours.” I said and put back the menu.

“Not your type?” she asked and looked at me, I just grinned at her.

“What if it’s not? Would you close this place?” I said and moved towards her and acting like I’m threatening her.

“If I haven’t chosen anything at your store, would you close it?” she answered and bravely fighting my stares at her.

“I’m not sure about that.” I confidently said to her.

“Then, we’ll see.” She said and the same time that the order arrives.

The foods were one by one served on our table and I looked at Chea’s, she also has the same food as ours, thankfully. I just realized that Cheen already reserved everything before going to my office earlier and she chose the food that she thought we’ll like it.

I grabbed my utensils and started eating the dish. It seems strange to me, I know the dish, but I think it was improved or customized into something new, I don’t know.

“I made that recipe, I mean our chef did but with my orders.” Cheen claimed and acting like she’s almighty or something.

“Then, this maybe tastes poisonous.” I jokingly said and have my first bite.

“What do you think, Ms. President?” she asked me and smiled widely like a kid who wants to hear a compliment.

“Hmm, is this already been introduced?” I asked and she shook her head for an answer. I moved my face towards her like I’m telling a secret and she did the same way.

“You should sign another expansion, Ms. Owner.” I whispered and she giggles.

“Right?! It’s delicious, right?” she exclaimed and started to look confident all of a sudden.

“You’re right, people would love this food.” I said and she can’t stop smiling proudly.

After that delectable lunch we had, I’m now in front of the battlefield together with my frontline and side person. What I mean is we’re now in front of our department store, I looked at Cheen and she looks like a salivating monster who wanted to devour everything she sees. I looked at Chea and she seems nervous while holding a shopping bag, and I looked at myself, I can’t believe I’m doing a chore instead of working on papers.

“Let’s start, my ladies.” Cheen said and stepped her left foot at the entrance.

The first stop is shoes, we walked towards the wing where high heels were the primary displayed instead of sneakers. She directly walked towards the luxury brands and start scanning like she has beaming lasers in her eyes.

“I want these.” She said and pointed to the topmost shelves where the newest and priciest shoes were located. The salesladies were shocked, and I just smiled at them like saying ‘it’s okay, she has the money to buy it’. They immediately get the sizes and give the boxes of shoes to Chea, looks like it’s beyond of her strength so I tell the salesladies to just pack them up and we’ll come back later, of course It’s been already paid by her.

“Oh my God! You have this brand!?” Cheen exclaimed and I just nodded at her.

“We signed the contract last week.” I answered and she smiled widely. She starts roaming around and pointing to the shoes she wants to buy.

“I really love your store!” she said and left the store upon swiping her card.

I looked at the receipt and she just spent 75,000 dollars for one store, geez, I can’t believe this girl. I just followed her out of the store and realized that she’s now inside another store across where I am. I just let out a deep sigh and began to pity Chea for actively following her around. I salutes her determination, but I would give her compensation for over fatigue.

Hours passed by and we’re now at the clothes’ section, she said she wanted to buy new outfits just to refresh her dark closet. So, for today, she wanted bright colors, we first walked through the simple and street styles, and she kept on putting shirts and cropped tops on the basket. Maybe I should put big pushcarts here for people who are shopaholic as hers.

*Phone rings*

I looked at the screen of my phone and I saw Zyrie is calling me. I distanced myself from them and answered the call.

“Yes, Ms. Debutant?” I said upon answering the call.

“Are you free today?” she asked me.

“I was, not after this crazy lady went to our store and started wiping down our stocks.” I answered and just let out a deep sigh.

“Is Cheen there? She’s having a shopping spree again?” she asked.

“I don’t know why am I here, the owner? She has her own personal shopper, so why in the hell should I have to tagged along?” I said and started complaining to her.

“It’s alright, she makes your sales high than the forecasted.” She said and starting to chuckle.

“Yeah, that’s what I keep on saying to myself, just some hypnotizing spell. Cheen! We’ve been there!” I said to her, but I can’t help but to yell at Cheen, she wants to enter the clothing line we’ve been earlier. She already bought everything in that place.

“You’re really busy, I should call you later.” She suddenly said to me, but why does she sound so down?

“Wait, why did you call?” I asked her out of my concern.

“It’s nothing, you can finish what were you doing.” She answered.

“Are you sure? I could leave this girl.” I said to her and wanting to assure her that help her out.

“No, I’m really good. Just have fun.” She plainly said to me.

“Alright, just call me anytime.” I said and she ended the call.

Why is her voice sound like that? Does she have any problem?

“Hello?” Camilla said upon I called her.

“Have you heard anything from Zyrie?” I asked her.

“Yeah, she called me, and she asked me to join to picking up her gown, but I cannot. Why, is there something wrong?” She answered.

“No, just wondering why she sounds so sad, but if that’s what she said to you, now I know why.” I said to her.

“We’ll meet later. We need to buy presents for her.” I said to her.

“Alright! I think I would be done by 5.” She answered. I looked at my wristwatch and it’s already 4.

“I wished we’re already finished by that time.” I said and let out a deep sigh.

“Right, I heard Cheen was going there at your store. I just want you to bid a Goodluck.” She said and started laughing.

“I know, I have to go. She was about to enter the bags section.” I said and ended the call.

I just want to stop that fashionista woman walking in her 5-inched heels and blonde hair.

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