A soft knock on Zyair’s door had him lifting his head from the report he was reading. It was her, he knew it.
"Come in," he composedly commanded. The golden pen in his hand was placed back in the pen holder.
She entered, brightening up his office with her fiery head and a shy smile.
"Sir! I wanted to discuss a point. Are you free?" Skyla was holding the silver contract folder Lawrence had given her.
"Of course! Is there an issue in the contract?" Zyair was slightly afraid that she might refuse it. She stepped closer to the red line and halted near it.
"It’s just a small part related to the salary. Nothing big," Skyla tucked a single lock of her hair back that had become loose from her messy bun. Her nimble fingers halted for a second in her hair and muscles in his arms tensed wanting to be the one doing it.
"Is it too low? It can certainly be increased," he quickly spoke before she could elaborate, making her mouth hang open slightly.
"No, Sir. That’s not what I meant. I think it’s already too high. I can’t accept such an amount for the job description I am given," she spoke with reluctance and Zyair visibly relaxed.
"No, it’s not, Miss Skyla. Every employee in my company is paid according to the workload they are given. This is the right amount, it can be increased not lessened," he casually explained, his calculating eyes taking all of her small movements in.
"Oh! Right," her lips forming that cute ’o’. The soft light of his office illuminated her beautiful features.
"You can sign it right here if there are no other objections," the pen he had been holding earlier was taken out from the pen holder and he placed it at the edge of his rectangular work desk.
"Umm," Skyla contemplated for a second, not wanting to cross that red line and put him ill at ease. Sensing her reluctance, Zyair spoke again.
"It’s ok. I am permitting you. Please take the pen and this seat," he pointed to the seat opposite his desk with his slender index finger.
The serenity of his voice and those huge oceanic orbs of his had this soothing effect which made her legs move of their own accord.
She slowly crossed that red line and he felt as if the first barrier between them had been broken. Etching a slow smile on her plump lips Skyla picked up the pen and quietly sat opposite him. He watched the ugly ring on her dainty finger. It was like an eye-sore to him but he kept his emotions in check.
Zyair deeply inhaled and her floral scent hit him in torrents transporting him back eight years. He was lost in that particular memory. When her soft voice startled him out of his day reverie.
"Sir! I have signed it," she closed the folder and slid it towards him on the table. His eyes found hers as he said.
"If you have any problems, questions or issues. You will come directly to me. My company is a safe space, we take the preservation of everyone’s rights very seriously and we don’t judge. Still, if there is anything, I am the person you will turn to," he instructed, picking up the folder. The word safe space was purposely uttered so she could relax in a toxic-free environment.
"I understand, Sir. I will keep this in mind," the more she spoke to this man the more relaxed she became.
The anxiety she always experienced near Doran was nowhere to be found in her heart right now. Her heartbeat was steady and she was no longer sweating. Zyair’s soothing demeanour was everything Doran’s noxious one was not.
"Good, your workspace computer is already in your office. But you will be given a company tablet as well. I will ask Lawrence to hand it over right away. All your notes, documentation and timetables should be in it. You will have to carry it with you at all times. It will be password protected so in case it ever gets stolen no one will have access to it," Zyair explained.
"Understood," Skyla was soaking in all the information he was providing like a sponge. He smiled to himself at her enthusiasm. His hands slid slightly forward as he clasped them and spoke again.
"For today I would like you to compile a list of ten anime characters from newly launched animes. Those whom you believe will become a hit with the audience in the next few months or so. I want the costumes to be prepared and readily available in the market by the time people flock to them for Halloween."
Skyla’s face instantly brightened at this assignment and she knew what she needed to do. She has exceptional drawing skills and it was time to put them to the test.
"It will be my pleasure," she beamed at him and that shy smile had disappeared for now. The exciting tint in her eyes revealed how pumped up she was for this.
"I will leave you to it then. Remember we will have lunch together at exactly 1 pm in my private lounge. What do you prefer for lunch?" he casually inquired.
She had read it in the contract and wondered how he would eat in her vicinity. Will he be taking off his mask? And why did he care what she liked to eat? Wasn’t it supposed to be the other way around?
"Umm, anything will suffice. I don’t have any preferences," he smirked at her answer. His head tilted with a challenge.
"Should I order a broccoli plus pineapple pizza then?" the naughty glint in his eyes and the way beauty lines around his eyes bunched together told Skyla he was amusedly smiling under his mask and casually teasing her. No one would like to eat that monstrosity.
"Please, no," she answered with a huff and both of them laughed. His was a deep-sounding one that reverberated while hers was like tiny sonorous bells.
"Then this is another task for you. Make a lunchtime table for both of us. What we will be having this whole week and give it to Lawrence."
Skyla had no clue what her new boss preferred to eat but she guessed she would ask Lawrence about it. The boy seemed to know him better.
"I will do that, Sir. I will see you at lunch," Skyla got up and Zyair nodded at her in approval as she exited his office, leaving her fragrance behind with him.