Chapter 32
32 32- You?
Marissa didn't make any attempt to turn and face the man. His coldness could be felt in the room and a hush had fallen due to his brooding presence.
"I think I asked you a question!" He snarled and everyone there still couldn't utter a word. Dean was standing behind him trying to decipher the situation.
"This lady… Ms. Mala," Joseph started pointing his finger towards the woman, "she is here to take them out of the room because she thinks that they all breached the security."
"Good God!" Kate whispered so that only people around her could hear. I made the mistake of trusting Marissa and look! I landed myself into trouble. I should never have followed her. Amir warned me!
She was feeling happy seeing what could happen to Marissa now. Obviously, the other caterers could easily dump the blame on her. Now Marissa needed to be ready to face the consequences.
"Sir! I can explain," the recruitment lady tried to speak this time and waved her hand at Marissa's face, "I asked them to stay near the reception and specifically told them to wait for me. I just wanted to issue them cards… when I returned, they were nowhere in sight. I thought they had left the building, but someone told me that he saw them going towards VIP elevators… I didn't take time to contact the security."
She got breathless after giving such a long explanation. Rafael's eyes were on Mala who now had a slight red hue on her cheeks. She couldn't maintain eye contact with those green orbs.
"Sir," Kate said, "we all were willing to wait near the reception but Marissa…" She pointed towards her, "She asked us to walk towards the elevators like… like thieves…" she trailed off in frustration trying to show that she didn't do it willingly. "Stop saying that… we are equally to be blamed," Shang Chi gave a hard stare to Kate and told Rafael. Delinda was nodding her head when Shan-Chi started speaking in Marissa's favor. "You all will get the punishment," Mala spat, "You all were not babies,"
Marissa who was looking everywhere but Rafael, was standing there as if they were not talking about her but someone else.
For a minute, she decided to raise her eyes and look up. Just for an instant and that was when she found Rafael looking at her.
She found a flicker of amusement in his eyes that lasted for just a few seconds. It was so short that she thought she must be imagining it.
Very casually, Rafael moved his focus from Marissa to Mala,
"You are fired!" Rafael stated calmly taking everyone by surprise. He didn't stay to see the impact and turned on his heels to walk out of the room.
"W…what… th… the f…fu*ck, just happened?" Kate muttered. Her mouth was covered with her palm, just like others whose eyes were wide in shock.
"B…but what did… I do… I mean… I meant good for the company…" incoherent words were leaving Mala's mouth until big fat tears started falling down her cheeks.
Her bloodshot eyes turned towards Marissa, "You are responsible for this mess. Aren't you?"
Her hands tried to hold Marissa's collar when Joseph spoke this time, "If you don't want to get in a further mess then I'll advise you, not to do that."
His warning worked and Mala halted in her tracks.
"I got this job a few months back and I… I was just trying to be in his good books…" She chewed her lips and closed her eyes.
For a minute, Marissa felt sorry for her.
"For getting into good books, one is not supposed to argue with the bosses, Ms. Mala." Marissa said softly, folding her arms under her chest, "You were not ready to listen to anyone."
Mala's shoulders slumped down and she gave the file she was holding to a nearby guard and started walking away.
"Rest of you please go back to your seats," Dean took the mic that was still in Joseph's hand and announced to the people who had gathered around them.
"You people carry on with your meeting," Marissa muttered to her friends and quickly fixed the strap of her bag on her shoulder and rushed towards outside.
"Marissa. Where are you going?" She heard Dean who was coming after her.
"Wait a minute, Dean," she saw Mala waiting for the elevator when she went to her and touched her arm lightly.
Mala who wasn't expecting anyone to help her, took her time to turn and see who it was.
"Can you please wait here," Marissa requested her with an easygoing smile.
"What else do you want to do? The guy might kick me in jail if I don't leave the building now. I have seen him doing that with the other employees. He never arrived in Kanderton before but didn't take a minute to fire someone on calls who he thought was causing trouble in this building." Marissa heard her but she wanted to at least try it.
Though the woman had been quite rude to her but still Marissa needed to do it. Getting a good job wasn't an easy task.
"Please stay here. Please." Marissa brought her to a couch and made her sit. She went to Dean who was standing at a safe distance. "Dean…I… I … can I …" She didn't know how to say this and what aftereffects she might face after this.
"Yes, Marissa. What can I do for you?"
She pointed towards the president's door, "Can you ask him if I can meet him?... like… I know I don't have an appointment but … if … you…" Dean observed her face and pointed to the door, "Go. No need to take permission…" he said softly. From NôvelDrama.Org.
"What? I mean he is the CEO… and he can't meet anyone just like that…" Dean shook his head with a smile, "If you are standing on this floor Marissa then that means you don't need permission."
"Oh," Marissa nodded with a pout and tried to control her rugged breathing. Gosh! Why was she nervous?
She didn't want to convey the wrong signals to Rafael, but this needed to be done as a woman's job was in question.
Stroking her head, she tried to fix her hair and knocked on the door. She opened it and peeked inside.
Rafael who was busy on a call, found her standing in the doorway and forgot what he was saying on the phone.
"M…M…Mar… Marissa? Y… you?"