Her Redemption

26

The day had been long and tiring, from the early morning flight to the airport, to the intense meetings and fittings with the models, and finally to settling them in their hotel rooms. She could feel a headache creeping up on her, the dull ache starting to pound in her temples.

She bid farewell to the models and made her way towards the exit of the hotel, her steps slow and heavy. As she stepped out into the bright sunlight, she squinted, her eyes adjusting to the sudden change in light.

Rachel stepped out of the hotel, her body feeling exhausted from the day's events. She had just finished settling the models into their hotel rooms and was ready to head back to the office.

She walked towards the company car that was waiting for her outside, the driver standing at attention beside the open car door. As she approached the car, she couldn't felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her, her feet feeling like they were made of lead.

The driver was dressed in a smart black suit, with a white button-up shirt and black tie. He wears shiny black dress shoes and a black cap with the company logo on it. He greets Rachel with a polite smile and opens the door for her, taking her bags and placing them in the trunk before getting into the driver's seat himself.

She climbed into the backseat of the car, her body sinking into the plush leather seats. The driver closed the door behind her, walked around to the driver's seat and got in. He turned to her,

"Ready to go back to the office, Ma'am?" Rachel nodded, her mind already drifting off as she leaned her head back against the seat, her eyes closing. The car started to move and she felt the gentle swaying of the vehicle as it navigated the city streets. She felt the coolness of the air conditioning and it soothed her tired body, her mind slowly letting go of the day's events and allowing her to relax.

The car ride back to the office was quiet, Rachel closed her eyes and leaned her head against the headrest. She could feel the nagging headache that had been building up all day starting to pound in her temples. She reached into her bag and pulled out a bottle of water and a couple of painkillers, washing them down with a gulp of water.

As the car pulled up to the office building, Rachel gathered her things and stepped out. She made her way through the large glass doors and into the lobby. The night security guard greeted her with a smile and she returned it as she walked over to the elevator. She pressed the button for her floor and leaned against the wall as she waited for the elevator to arrive.

Once inside, she pressed the button for her floor and the elevator doors closed. As the elevator made its way up, the exhaustion slowly began to set in. She couldn't wait to get to her office and finally rest. As the elevator doors opened, she stepped out and made her way down the hallway to her office. She could hardly wait to sit down and put her feet up.

As Rachel made her way back to the office, she felt a sense of accomplishment for successfully settling the models at their hotel rooms but there was no dount she was still angry at Leo for being a jerk. The sun was setting and the city was alive with the hustle and bustle of people going about their daily lives. She takes a deep breath and smiles, feeling grateful for the opportunity to make a difference in her job.

As she enters the office, she is surprised to find that most of the staff had already closed for the day. The only light that illuminates the room is the soft glow of the computer screens. She makes her way to her desk and reaches for her laptop, but As Rachel reached for her laptop, her eyes caught sight of a small note tucked under it. She picked it up and read the simple message written in Leo's handwriting, "I owe you - Leo." Her brows came together in confusion as she tried to recall what she had done to warrant such a note.

Just as she starts to ponder over the note, she hears the sound of footsteps approaching. She turns around to find Leo walking towards her, a small smile playing on his lips. "What's this for?" She asks, holding up the note.

Leo's outfit is trendy and fashionable. He's wearing a slim-fit navy blue suit with a crisp white dress shirt underneath. The suit jacket is tailored to fit his lean frame perfectly and the pants are tapered at the ankle.

He's paired this with a pair of shiny black dress shoes that are polished to a mirror-like shine. He's accessorized with a thin black leather belt and a matching black leather watch. His hair is styled in a messy yet stylish quiff and he has a five o'clock shadow.

"For fighting for me at the supermarket and the task that you did today" he replies, his voice laced with gratitude. Rachel shakes her head and tells him that he doesn't have to, but he just rolls his eyes at her. The rest of the evening was spent sharing some jokes and it got her totally confused about his character, how he had suddenly switched from being a jerk to suddenly becoming nice.

Feeling curious, Rachel asks him if he was around the area where her seamstresses shop is located. Leo nods, a hint of a smile on his face as he tells her that he was getting bread from the bakery. They share another joke as he scratches at his mask, and Rachel can't help but feel that there is something about him that is familiar.

They continue to talk for a while, laughing and joking with each other, before Rachel finally packs up and leaves for the day. She breathed a sigh of relief when she stepped out of the property.