Leap OF Fate

Serene worked like a robot that day. She got through her routine smoothly, like a well-oiled gear, but her mind floated elsewhere. Serene felt like Fate was playing with her. She encountered not only her ex's husband rather embarrassingly, he also turned out to be the new head of their company. "Won't it make working here awkward knowing that the same man intersected their lives?" Serene internally pondered.

"Well, he is so far up the corporate ladder, we'd definitely not interact with a first level people manager like me. Plus, this company is so big and our floors are so far apart from each other. For sure, I will not see him again," she consoled herself.

Finally, the time to go home has come and thankfully there was no need for her to go on overtime. She tidied up her things and her workstation, then politely said goodbye to her colleagues and walked out of their department.

She felt her tiredness as soon as her head hit her pillow. Immediately, sleep took over her tired mind. Influenced by the day's events, Serene dreamed about the events in Bryan's bedroom once again. The scene suddenly changed. This time she was back in the chapel where Bryan got married.

He stood by the altar while she was walking towards him. She smiled at him and he smiled back. Step by step, she closed the gap between them. She looked up on him from time to time as if scared he will vanish in the next second. When she reached the end of the aisle, she stopped, looked at him and reached out for his extended hand. When her hand touched his, she raised her head to look at him, however instead of Bryan, it was Justin who now holds her hand. Panicked, she tried to take her hand back, but he held on to her tightly. He tugged her a little, leaned forward, and whispered to her ear, "You're mine".

The sound of her alarm brought her back to reality. She stared blankly at the ceiling, thinking about the weird dream she had before getting out of the bed and prepared for work.

She arrived on time, as usual. Unlike yesterday, she was back to her usual self today. She focused on the tasks she had on hand she called a few clients, met with some colleagues to discuss projects, and gave feedback to her subordinates.

While she was giving feedback to a colleague, her Director, Mr. Kim knocked on her door and said, "Quick Leaders meeting in the small conference room. Now," he stressed on "now" knowing that she does not want to cut her feedback sessions short.

Serene apologetically looked at the person across from her, and said, "Let's pick this up later," then stood up and followed her director to the conference room.

Only leaders from her department gathered in the same room. Not a minute passed after she and Director Kim arrived when the CEO's team entered the room.

CEO Justin stood elegantly in the room. His presence commands authority. The people in the room greeted him almost in unison, to which he simply replied with a nod. Everyone's attention was on him and was waiting in suspense for the reason they huddled. Soon after perfunctorily saying his greetings, the door of the room once again opened, getting everyone's attention.

The newcomer just took a step when Serene took a loud gasp, making the CEO look at her with raised brows. Serene ignored Justin's expression. She just looked with eyes almost popping out of their sockets at the person who entered the room.

She suddenly felt cold, her hands clammy, and her heart beating in her throat. For the life of her, she cannot believe that she will see him again.

"Bry..." the word just involuntarily escaped her mouth. Her eyes almost popped out of her head.

The man who entered the room likewise looked surprised as his eyes focused on her. However, unlike Serene, who still looked stupefied, he regained his composure quickly. He gave a polite smile and a quick nod in her direction.

Throughout this exchange, Justin was expressionlessly looking at them. When Serene uttered the newcomer's name familiarly, he knotted his eyebrows as he quickly recalled the other night's events.

Similar to Bryan, Justin quickly regained his composure and addressed his audience, "Everyone, this Bryan Cooper, effective immediately he is going to be the VP for Service Delivery. He reports directly to me."

"Welcome to the team, Mr. Cooper," Jonah Kim got up from his chair and extended his hand to his new boss.

Serene had lost track of the exchanges and everything that happened around her. She fixed her attention on Bryan. Still looking surprised and confused, her eyes followed his every move.

She cannot believe what a joke her life had become. As if the recent developments in her life were not complex enough, it added another blow to her. Not only did she have to work in a company headed by his ex's husband, now the head of her department is her ex boyfriend.