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The EncounterThe Encounter
By: Webfic

Chapter 18 On the Clock

Emma only managed to catch three hours of sleep that night. By the time she woke up the next morning, Michael was already gone. His freshly made breakfast, still warm, sat on the dining table. It was accompanied by a note. 'Gone on a business trip. Back next week.' The note was signed with his name. Emma glanced at the note, then at breakfast. It was hard to think that the Michael she knew privately was the same cold, aloof man he was at work. At home, he was nothing short of tender. If it were not for his tattoo, she might have even started to believe that Michael had feelings for her. Emma could not help but feel a pang of envy for the woman who had been holding a special place in Michael's heart for so many years... Once at work, Emma dove into writing a loan application after the morning meeting. Around noon, Mr. Taylor barged into her office, his face clouded with concern. "You're planning to apply for a loan from the head office? Our team just made a major blunder. Do you really think they'll approve?" Emma asserted confidently, "They will. Don't worry!" She had gotten the idea from Michael, and after their intimate conversation the night before... Surely, he would back her up. Michael knew how crucial this project was to her. "I can see you've made progress, and it's commendable that you've thought this far. But the feasibility is low, and the MystiCorp project is already risky," Mr. Taylor said, his brows furrowed. "Try to think of something else." "But this is the quickest way to get the MystiCorp project off the ground, Mr. Taylor. Just trust me this once!" Emma pleaded, her urgency surpassing even Mr. Taylor's. If the MystiCorp project succeeded, she could pay back Michael's money this year! Mr. Taylor mulled it over. He was not sure what was going on, but being the seasoned veteran he was, he sensed something was off. "I'll trust you this time. Work hard. The next project is even bigger than MystiCorp." Emma nodded, her smile unwavering as she watched Mr. Taylor leave. Back at her desk, she pulled out her phone and sent a message to Michael: [Application submitted.] She stared at the screen, her fingers hesitating before she sent another message. [Are you on the plane? Safe travels.] His reply came after a while. There was just one word: [Busy.] Emma quickly deleted the messages and put away her phone, her mind already racing with thoughts of the MystiCorp project. Once it kicked off, the performance of Team Three would skyrocket. When the next project came around, it was likely Mr. Taylor would hand it to her. Plus, with a year-end bonus of at least 10,000 or 20,000, on top of her project commission and base salary, she might not need Michael's money for her mother's ongoing treatment! Hope for the future ignited within her. Michael was away on business. Meanwhile, she was working late into the night and spending her remaining hours at the hospital with her mother. Even so, she did not feel the least bit tired. Every day, the first thing she did when she got to the office was check her computer for any updates on her application from the head office. Finally, on the fourth day, a response came. Emma clicked on it immediately, only to see the stark words against the white background—'Application not approved'. She sat there, stunned. Then, she scrambled to find Michael's number and call him. The phone buzzed a few times before someone picked up on the other end. "What's up?" "Why didn't the loan application for the MystiCorp project get the green light?" Michael paused for a few beats. Then, his icy voice sounded, "The board of directors evaluated it and concluded that the MystiCorp project carries too much risk." "But—" "Emma," Michael cut her off, his voice frosty. "We're on the clock. Anything else?"

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