Chapter 33

-Tuesday Morning-

Mel was at her desk with her team, looking at sketches and notes. They were getting ready to launch a new line of shoes, and Mel really wanted it to be a success. The deadline was coming up quickly, so they had to work extra hard to finish on time.

So, what do we think of these designs?" Mel asked, gesturing to the sketches. "Are there any changes we need to make before we finalize them?" One of her team members, Julia, spoke up. "I love the look of these shoes, but I'm worried about the placing of the logo, Won't it be better if it was placed by the side and not the front? She asked.

"That's a good point Julia. Let's look into that and see if it's feasible. Any other concerns?" Mel.asked and another team member Dan, chimed in. "What about the marketing campaign? Do we have a plan for that?"

Mel smiled. "Yes, we do. We're going to focus on social media, influencer partnerships, and in-store displays. I've already started working on some of the content and graphics." The team nodded in approval, and they spent the next few hours finalizing the details of the launch. As they wrapped up the meeting, Mel took it upon herself to make sure everything was on track. She spent the rest of the day in her office, going over the marketing plan, reaching out to potential influencers, and coordinating with the media team to ensure the displays were set up correctly. She looked at the clock and realized it was already 6 pm, her team had left for the day, but Mel had to stay back as there was still so much to do.

Sitting at her desk, she stared at the screen of her laptop. The fluorescent lights above her cast a harsh glow over the room, but she hardly noticed. Her fingers clicked rapidly against the keys as she typed away, focused solely on the project in front of her. The deadline was looming, and she refused to leave until it was done.

Hours passed by, and the sun slowly set outside her window. The only sound in the room was the clicking of Mel's keyboard, until her stomach growled, reminding her that she had missed dinner. But she couldn't stop now. She had to keep going.

As the clock struck 10 pm, Mel finally finished her work. She leaned back in her chair and stretched her arms, feeling the tightness in her muscles, her head was throbbing badly and she felt very dizzy. She closed her laptop and gathered her things. Turning of the lights and bolting her door.

As Mel walked out, she could feel the dizziness getting serious, upon getting to the elevator, she saw the doors were closing, but she managed to slip in just in time. That's when she noticed someone else was in the elevator with her.

To her surprise, She saw Ethan who was standing straight up, with a serious expression on his face as Usual, They both stood there in silence for a moment, both surprised to see each other at this time of the evening.

"What are you doing at work by this time?" Ethan finally asked, breaking the silence.

Mel smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "Just trying to finish up some paper work, and of course meeting deadlines too." she said and Ethan nodded.

"I'm surprised seeing you here too" Mel said shooting him a questioning gaze.

Ethan got the message and opened his mouth to speak. " I didn't plan to stay this late," he said, looking at her with a small smile. "But I got caught up in a meeting that went longer than expected."

"Ohhh, I see she said as she turned her gaze to focus on the elevator buttons.

Ethan looked over her shoulder, noticing her pale skin, just now when she gazed at him, he had noticed how weak she looked and so kept wondering what was wrong. Finally he decided to ask "Are you feeling okay?" he asked, concern etched on his face.

Mel waved off his worry, saying she was just tired. But as the elevator descended, she suddenly clutched her head and let out a sharp gasp. Ethan's eyes widened in alarm as Mel's legs gave out from under her, and she collapsed to the floor.

Ethan quickly scooped her up, walking out of the elevator, he placed her in a cushion located around the area, frantically trying to wake her up. "Mel, Mel, can you hear me?" he asked, patting her cheeks gently.

Ethan helped Mel to her feet, still feeling worried about her health. "Are you feeling better?" he asked, still holding onto her arm to steady her.

Mel nodded weakly, but her face showed a hint of embarrassment. "I'm sorry you had to see that. I think I just overworked myself a little." she said

Ethan frowned. "You shouldn't have to work so late. Is everything alright?" he asked worriedly.

Mel smiled slightly, appreciating his concern. "Yeah, just a little tired, but I appreciate your concern" She uttered

Ethan nodded, still feeling uneasy "It's okay. Well, I hope you'll take it easy from now on. You don't want to make yourself sick, he said and Mel nodded in agreement.

Mel nodded in agreement feeling a sense of warmth in her chest at his words. She looked up at him, noticing how close he was. They locked eyes for a moment, and Mel couldn't help but felt a flutter of attraction towards Ethan. She quickly shook it off, chiding herself for being unprofessional.

"Thank you for helping me," she said, standing up shakily. "I think I should go home now."

"Let me drive you," Ethan offered, already taking her arm to guide her towards the door.

Mel hesitated for a moment, but then nodded in agreement. As they made their way out of the building, Mel couldn't help but notice the way Ethan's hand lingered on her back, the touch sending a shiver down her spine. As they reached his car, he opened the door for her and she got in, trying to ignore the way her heart was racing.

As they drove, the conversation flowed easily between them, and Mel found herself relaxing in Ethan's company. Ethan was treating her like a close friend and she couldn't help but smile as her cheeks flushed with colour. She remembered the other time when Ethan had mentioned that they were friends, the thought of this making her cheeks flush harder than it already was.

By the time they reached Mel's apartment, they both felt a sense of reluctance to part ways. Ethan walked her to her door, and as they said their goodbyes. Seeing that she had settled in, he turned around and walked towards his car. He got in and started the steering as he drove off.

As Ethan drove away from Mel's house, he couldn't shake off the feeling of guilt that weighed heavily on him. He remembered the contract they had signed months ago, where Mel had promised to prove herself as a worthy team leader within six months, and the consequences attached to it. Ethan had set strict conditions, and now he wondered if that was why Mel had been pushing herself so hard.

He scolded himself for not being more understanding and for putting Mel under so much pressure. He knew how hard she had been working, and the thought of her collapsing like that made him realize that he had to do something to help her.

As he drove, he made up his mind to check up on Mel the next day and make sure she was okay. He also considered reviewing the contract they had signed and see if there was any way to ease up on the conditions.

****

The next day, Mel woke up feeling groggy and weak, but she was determined to go to work as usual, the thoughts of the previous day filed through her mind and she couldn't help but let out a smile.

Feeling a strange mix of emotions. She was grateful for Ethan's concern, but also a little embarrassed that he had seen her at her weakest. And there was something else, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. she recalled the look on Ethan's face when she collapsed. It was one filled with love, like he cared about her, more than just as an employee . She shook her head, dismissing the thought. It was just her imagination, right?

As she laid on her bed ruminating on her thoughts, her phone beeped, taking a look at it, she discovered it was a text from Ethan.

"Good morning, Mel," the text read. "I do hope you're feeling better today. I wanted to let you know that you have the day off to rest. Take care of yourself, and we'll see you back in the office soon."

Mel couldn't believe what she was reading. She had never expected Ethan to be so understanding and considerate. Every action he took seemed to leave her dumbfounded, making her wonder if it was the same person she knew the first time she encountered him.