“Don’t worry, Did you remember Rose? Your childhood friend? She’s coming back to LA by next week so I want you to meet her! Mrs Astrid voiced
“What!? Aunt what are you saying? Why will I marry her just because we’re childhood friends? He asked
“Xavier…. You’re old enough to get married, you’re my son, I want to see my grandson, you and Celine are the only children that I have, at least you’re old enough to get married isn’t it? She asked
“Aunt, I’ll get married when I am ready for it, but for now, I want to face OUR STYLES and take it to the high ground, Marriage is not in my agenda for now” He pleaded to leave
“Xavier…. Xavier… You! Then he left.
****
As soon as office section ended for the day, Xavier asked majestically towards the car park and made to enter but someone clutched his suit. He turned to look at the fellow, it was her MARA
“Why are you here? What are you doing? He asked
“Won’t I Also go home? I came to wait for you, let’s go home together, at least no one is looking” She said
Xavier opened the door and get in, then slide down the windows “no I decline! He said and drove away.
On his way, different messages were popping on his phone he already knows they were from Mara.
Just before he could reach home, he call came in….
“Hey you punk! Should I walk with my head? She asked angrily
“You can as well walk in your butt, it’s a free world! He Quipped.
“That’s why you never have any friends, you’re as cold as ice, I doubt if you’re not born in Iceland! She shouted.
Then he sighted Celine’s car in front of his apartment “I will advice you to lie low don’t come home for now my sister is around” He said
“What is she looking for? That jobless babe! She retorted and hung up.
Xavier stepped into his house with Celine tagging behind….. He almost choke.
“Bro is this your house or we entered the wrong house? She asked
“I thought so too, there’s no how my house can ever be like this” He reasoned reluctant to off bus shoes.
“Get me my gloves, sanitizer, and boots” He called after Celine that was already going in.
Celine walked some steps and stopped “What? Bro isn’t this bra? How come a bra is in your house? Or did you have a girlfriend without me knowing? She asked examining the bra. But Xavier was not listening to her jargons instead he was covering his nose and avoiding his legs to touch that of the sitting rooms.
“Get me the gloves and sanitizer in that cabinet! He yelled, and Celine opened the cabinet and brought it.
“You can leave now” He instructed
“But bro I just arrived, why did you want to get rid of me that quick? She pouted
“Celine this is my house! I said leave! I’ll see you tomorrow”He said again pushing Celine out.
He started with the empty can bottles…. Then do the dishes, then sweep, mob… Then she came.
Meanwhile…..
“Xavier that bastard! He dares make me trek?
She then decided to go to Flaky town since Xavier said she shouldn’t come home for now.
“Incredible! So you mean he actually drafted you a contract? Lisa asked munching the chicken while Mara was narrating how Xavier treated her.
“But what exactly is the Main reason that you want to live with him? I mean we can live together? Charles asked
“I want to make his life miserable and besides he’s the President of OUR STYLES, so I have to get on his good sides”She reasoned.
“So you are now a worker at Our STYLES, you can finally design for the world like you dreamt and don’t forget, I am your model…. After Designing your dress bring it I’ll wear it” Lisa cheered.
“Yeah, thanks pals, it’s 7 pm let me leave for now”She pleaded to leave
“Dont forget to update us about any news”Dawn called after her
“And don’t Fall in Love with him! Angela seconded Mara stopped in her tracks and looked back at Angela
“What did you just say? Love? Me? And that freak? Angela what are you insinuating? She asked angrily
“What’s there to get angry about? It’s not that you’re in love with him” Angela whinned
“What are you saying? How can I fall in love with him? We’re in born enemies! She argued
“Exactly! I am just remembering you not to fall in love! Angela insisted
“Wh@ťěver 😌
★
“I always know that you’ll never fall my hands in anything”Mara hummed as she was changing her slippers upon getting home and he sweet aroma she was perceiving was so apetizing so much that she licked her lips.
She was shocked beyond doubt when she met him at the sitting room, sitting on the couch with a bat in his hands and be was frowning.
Mara then remembered what she did in the morning all her dress were on the floor but the dinning and the kitchen was clean.
“Hello, Mr Xavier”She saluted.
“So you just got your respects back? He asked angrily
“Hello then, Xavier what are you preparing? She asked timidly
“Where are you coming from? He asked
“You told me that your sister is here that I shouldn’t come home immediately”
“Who owns this clothes on the floor? He asked angrily.
Mara quickly tried her best to be picking them then her bra fell in the ground! She looked at him…. “That….. I… I am sorry! She mumbled
“Pack all these jargons and take it to your room, and listen you must not come out to this sitting room under any circumstances, after eating, leave for your room then wake up in the morning and leave for work I must not see you in this sitting room! He ordered
“What?? What’s so hard! I should have go to the prison easily, why won’t I came out to the sitting room? It will be so boring! She argued.
“There’s everything in the room, there’s TV and everything so don’t come out here! He repeated
“That’s not accepted! She replied sharply and left for her room.
Xavier breathed Heavily, and mistakenly stepped on something, it was a pant
“Mara!!!!! He yelled.
★
“There’s no how we can meet up with their condition, the SILA’S THE PEARLS FASHION GROUP sent a mail to the HR department that they want 20% of our income as their Percentage before they can work with us” one of the officials on seat reported to President Xavier who was sitting at the middle of the gathering.
“Then what did you stakeholders think we should do? He asked
“I suggest we try to increase our sales, if we can be realizing 80% every month, to give the 20% commission will be easy” Someone opinned.
“Why don’t we change our models….. The man was interrupted at the opening of the door. It was someone from the Designing department, MARA!
Xavier was surprised, why is she the one being sent to the meeting instead of the department manager? Mara took her seat beside one of the stakeholders and sat, but everyone was looking at her.
Then she stood up and quickly Introduced herself
“Oh so sorry, everyone I am Mara, Mara Kings the new staff at the design department, Mrs Tasha our Department manager is sick she didn’t come to work today so I am filling in for her” She said then everyone continued.
“So Mr Xavier, I suggest we change our models, to Celebrities and popularities, this will boost our sales” another stakeholder suggested
“Mr Xavier, I personally disagree with what all of them are saying, must we collaborate with SILA’S THE PEARLS FASHION GROUP? We can invest in IMMORTAL GROUP, STARLIGHT GROUP, MAC ORIENT and the likes…..let’s just reject their offer” A stakeholder suggested
“What if these groups that you mentioned disagree? Xavier asked
“There’s no how they’ll disagree, were OUR STYLES, many groups wants us to invest in them, so there won’t be any problems” Mr Lopez, The stakeholder that talked earlier replied
“But we can still me the condition of SILA’S THE PEARLS, by increasing our sales and marketing team and also changing our models and improvising new designs! Mara suddenly said making everyone turned towards her.
The stakeholder that disagree with her earlier stood up and looked at her with anger “You’re new here and besides you’re a representative what made you believe everything will be as easy as you think? He asked. Mara also stood up
“In bussines we give and take! We can’t achieve anything of we didn’t sacrifice anything! She replied
“Our initial sales since last year was just 60%…… Which is the leading marketing percentage in the fashion world in California, if we give SILA’S THE PEARLS 20%, We payed workers salaries with 20%, we calculate the expenditure and everything is up to 30%, what’s gain? Didn’t we loose? Mr Lopez Explained to Mara
Without thinking twice Mara replied
“Exactly! If we increase the sales to 90 or perhaps 100% Everything will be sorted and the company will still have a lot of residual income” Mara replied
“How do we increase sales?
“Change the models, Increase our design qualities, modify our advertising department, e.g we should improvise online shopping! Mara Explained
“So your own way of getting out of this problem is changing our designs and models that has been with us for ages? What did you know about fashion for you to say that? He asked
“I may not be as educated as you but a lane man could understand this simple algorithm that increasing our sales is the perfect solution!
“Who are you to say that?
“I am Mara! The UNBEATABLE fight…….”
“Stop! Two of you stop! Xavier suddenly ordered cutting Mara short. Then the two of them faced him.
“Firstly, Miss Mara made a mistake by arguing with a senior colleague in a wrong manner, secondly Mr Lopez, you also made a mistake by discouraging her because she’s a new staff”Xavier proclaimed. The conference room was silent.
Everyone was waiting for what his final verdict will be, Mr Lopez and Mara looked at each other with disdain.
“So, my final decision….. Mara Kings is right, if we can take our monthly evaluation to 80, 90, 100%, we can be able to fulfill the demand of SILA’S THE PEARLS” He proclaimed.
Mara smiled contentedly, Xavier looked at her he also smiled simply.
“So, Mara Kings, you are in charge of the new development, secretary Tan will brief you on everything, you should submit the names of he new models by the end of today to Mr Anderson’s table an Mr Anderson, you’re in charge of sending letters to the new models” Xavier instructed
The he continued again…
“Mara Kings is also in charge of the new designs, supervise the new designs and submit them to my table Before taking it to the tailors! Hr said and left.
Mr Lopez looked at Mara and left angrily.
TBC