Chapter 50
“Not again,” Cressida muttered under her breath as she checked her phone screen. Alaric’s name flashed for the sixth time after they departed this morning, his persistent calls a constant reminder of the rules she was expected to follow.
She silenced the call, her fingers moving with practiced ease. “I’m not answering,” she whispered, but Floria caught the words and chuckled softly beside her.
“Ignoring his calls might not be the best idea, ma’am,” Floria cautioned, her voice low.
Cressida’s gaze drifted back, her brow furrowed in concern. Before she could respond, Floria elaborated, “If you don’t answer, he might just show up here."
“He’d do that?” She repeated, a hint of amusement creeping into her voice. She chuckled softly and continued toward her seat, her heels clicking on the floor as she ascended the short staircase. “Why would he do that?”
Floria’s response was immediate. “Because he’d be worried.”
Cressida’s giggles trailed behind her as she reached her desk, her lips curving into a sly smile before she settled into her seat.
Her gaze locked onto Floria’s, a confident smile spreading across her face. “He won’t,” she said firmly. "Alaric doesn’t care that much. He’s too busy to waste time checking on me just because I didn’t answer his call. He’d rather read than come.”
Floria shrugged nonchalantly, her left shoulder rising slightly. “Okay,” she murmured, moving forward with purpose. She swiftly ascended the stairs and put down the bag on the table, not slowing down until she reached Cressida’s side.
“A personal email address has been set up for you, and it’s already on your system,” she informed, opening the laptop and powering it on. As the device rebooted, she reached across Cressida’s front, her arm extending to grab a file from the other side of the desk.
“The boss wants to make things easier for you, so he’s compiled a list of potential challenges you might face,” Floria explained, flipping through the file until she reached the last page.
She laid it down in front of Cressida. “If you’re not tech-savvy, we can arrange for someone to train you, since I might be tied up.”
Cressida nodded, her gaze fixed on Floria’s face. “Okay.”
Floria’s fingers flew across the keyboard as she entered the passcode. “Goddess of Palmer... that’s the password,” she said, her touch confident and efficient. “The boss mentioned you might want to change it. Just let me know if you’d like to.”
Cressida shook her head, a smile still playing on her lips. “No, I’m good with the password.”
Floria nodded, her fingers moving swiftly over the keyboard as she continued setting up the account. She opened the Gmail app, revealing a cluttered inbox.
“Your username is DirectorCressidaofNexus.com. I forwarded some important emails to you yesterday, which we can tackle once you’ve gone through the file the boss prepared for you.”
Cressida nodded, picking up the file and opening it. “I’ll review it. I should be done within an hour.”
Floria stood up straight, her fingers leaving the keyboard. “Coffee or tea?” She asked, her tone friendly.
Cressida’s eyes remained fixed on the file for a moment before she looked up, her lips pursed. “Neither,” she replied. “I’m not a fan of either.”
Floria nodded slightly. “Okay, ma’am.” She said, before curtsying and turning to leave. However, Cressida’s words halted her steps.
“I need you to stop that.” Cressida said, her voice firm but gentle.
Floria’s brow furrowed in confusion as she turned back to Cressida. “What do you mean?” She asked, her tone uncertain.
Cressida set the file aside, her expression serious. “I want you to drop the formality, both in private and public. It makes me uncomfortable.”
Floria’s lips parted as if to protest, but Cressida expected her objection.
“I know what you’re going to say - that I’m your boss’s wife, or maybe your boss now," Cressida said, her eyes locked on Floria’s.
Floria nodded slightly, her gaze drifting downward. “Yes.”
Cressida stepped forward, standing beside Floria. “But you’re also my friend, aren’t you?” She asked, her voice softening.
Floria hesitated, her mouth opening, but no words came out.
Cressida’s hand gently touched Floria’s shoulder, and as if on cue, Floria’s head lifted, her eyes meeting Cressida’s with a mix of surprise and curiosity.
Cressida’s smile deepened as she nodded. “Yes, you’re my friend,” she said, her conviction clear. “And not just any friend, but a true one. A friend in need, which makes you a friend indeed,”
Her voice filled with emotion as she continued, “You may not realize how much your actions meant to me that day, but for me, it was a turning point. A moment I’ll cherish forever,”
Cressida’s eyes locked onto Floria’s, her gaze sincere. “I searched for kindness in those I called family, but it was you, of all people, who showed me compassion when I least expected it,”
She took a deep breath, her voice barely above a whisper. “Floria, you’re the first person to ever extend genuine kindness to me. You’ve given me hope in humanity, and I wonder, why did you choose to repay a kindness I didn’t even remember?”
A tear welled up in Cressida’s eye, but Floria gently wiped it away before it could fall. Her voice trembled as she continued, “that moment meant more to me than twenty years spent with those who were supposed to care.”
Floria’s eyes brimmed with tears, but she took a deep breath, composing herself while Cressida’s words continued pouring out like a dam breaking.
“Your kindness, your smile, your expression that day... It was like finding something I’d lost long ago. The way you treated me was soothing, satisfying. At that moment, my pain disappeared.”
Cressida’s voice cracked, and she shook her head, her words trailing off.
She wrapped her arms around Floria, holding her tightly. “I only followed a code, supporting a fellow woman, but you... you repay kindness with kindness, and now I owe you even more. When the time comes, I’ll gladly repay you.”
Cressida’s emotions overflowed, and she burst into tears, her body shaking with sobs.
Floria wrapped her arms around Cressida, her voice filled with warmth. “If that’s how it is, then I should be a sister, not just a friend,”
Cressida’s face lit up, and she nodded enthusiastically.
“Does that make us sisters now?” Floria asked, and Cressida swiftly nodded, her excitement making words hard to form. But her actions spoke louder, and Floria understood exactly what she meant.
“If that’s the case, let’s make a deal,” Floria said, her eyes sparkling. “A deal to focus on doing each other favors, expecting nothing in return. Just kindness for kindness’s sake.”
“Do you agree with that?”
Cressida’s face broke into a smile, and she finally found her voice. “Yes!” She shouted, her head relaxing on Floria’s shoulder. “Yes! Let’s do that! Let’s do just that!”