Business Trip

Sylvie

I spent the last three days getting ready for the business trip. With the increase in my salary, I had grown the confidence to actually spend on shopping for once. It wasn't an extravagant shopping, but I got myself decent clothes that I'd use on the trip. According to Michael, it would be a one week trip, and he made it clear that this wasn't a vacation. 

Michael Black was nice most times, but he didn't play around when it came matters that involved his business. Even though he still remained nice towards me, I could definitely feel the change in the air around him these past three days. He was making preparations to ensure that nothing was left out, and that everything was in place. 

At exactly two PM, he pulled up in front of my apartment, and I immediately raced out with my luggages to meet him. He was my ride to the airport, and he had insisted on driving me there. 

"Isn't this a bit much? You know clothing and accessories will be provided right?" Michael asked the moment he caught sight of me and my luggages. I paused for a while after hearing his question, and regret immediately settled at the bottom of my mind. I had spent the little money that made it out of my budget on buying all these clothes, and now he was telling me they weren't necessary? 

"Nobody told me that." I retorted, visibly annoyed that I was just getting this information now. Michael chuckled and still loaded my luggages into the trunk. 

"We're running late, Antonio and his secretary are already waiting at the airport." He said before holding open the door for me enter. Amelie was Antonio's new secretary just as I'd expected. I had spent the last eight months by his side, so I could easily tell what sort of woman Antonio wanted as his secretary. First, he loved an industrious woman, and that was one of the major reasons he had picked me eight months ago. And secondly, he despised having distractions around. 

Amelie possessed the qualities he needed, and while she had an inviting body, she was a better choice than the majority at the company. 

"Have you had another lover since your thing with Antonio?" Michael asked as we drove into the road. He always had a thing for asking the most unexpected questions at the most random times, but I was slowly getting used to being taken unawares by him. 

"Not exactly. I really don't have enough time to build a romantic relationship with anybody. Plus It's better to stay on my own than get heart broken every one year or two." I replied with my face turned towards the window. I felt his eyes linger on me for just a while before he focused his attention back on the road. 

"So you don't believe in love, is that it? Or are you simply afraid of getting hurt again?" 

I meet his gaze for a second before hastily turning away. The question lingered in my mind for a while, and I took five whole minutes before responding. "It's not that I don't believe in love," I said, my eyes tracing the irregular patterns of the cloud outside. "It's just that I've learned to be cautious, to protect myself."

He turned towards me and glared at me with a mix of understanding and curiosity. "Protect yourself from what? From love?"

I nodded lightly, "Not exactly from love itself. But from the pain that sometimes accompanies it. I'm not the brightest, so I might not be able to catch up to people's emotions swiftly. And sometimes it feels like I'm just a burden." It was difficult saying those last few words, but it was the truth. I blamed myself for all my failed relationships, and it was probably because I just didn't know when I was not wanted anymore. I'd been played by people who didn't even love me anymore, but because I just didn't know when to stop, they took the opportunity and used me for their benefits.

"Interesting." He commented. "You're an interesting lady Sylvia Mulberry, do you know that?"

"I don't think anybody has ever said that to me before. Most people think I'm basic." 

"They're not exactly wrong." Michael said and I turned to meet him with my brows raised. I thought he'd be on my side, but clearly I'd thought wrongly. Sometimes he could be very annoying with his blunt honesty, and he always did so at the wrong times. He was supposed to comfort me at a time like this, not make me feel worse about myself. 

He smiled weakly after he realised I was glaring at him. He didn't turn to look at me, he merely concentrated on the road and spoke as he drove. "Being basic doesn't make you uninteresting. It just means you're human, and they simply failed to see the interesting part of you." 

"Thank you, I guess?" 

"There's no need to thank me, just don't change because of anybody. I like you this way Sylvia Mulberry." 

I felt my eyes tear up a bit, but I turned to keep him from seeing my teary eyes. Aside from my parents, I couldn't think of anybody else who had said such words to me. Michael Black was the first, and while his words made me emotional, a part of me had rejected it completely. This feeling brought deja vu of the time I spent with Antonio. He had been sweet, he said the best things to me, and made me feel like the best woman in the world. But all of that had just been a charade. I was toy to him, one that he used to process and get over his breakup. 

I knew nothing about Michael Black. Aside from the fact that he was the owner of the company and my boss, I knew nothing else about him. For all I know he could be playing the same game as Antonio. They were both wealthy men, maybe that sort of thing was like tradition to them. I really couldn't tell, I wasn't rich so I had no idea what the rich men did whenever they were heartbroken. 

I didn't voice out my thoughts, nor did Michael say any other thing until we got to the airport. 

I locked eyes with Antonio the second I stepped out of the car. He eyed me for a while before moving his attention to Michael. Amelie came racing to my side, almost leaping up in excitement. I could understand the reason for her excitement, but I couldn't reciprocate her energy at the moment, not when Antonio's was glaring at me as though I had stolen from him. 

"Our flight leaves is thirty minutes, is everybody ready?" Michael asked and we all nodded unanimously. The trip was yet to start, but I could already tell that it would be a long week. One full of work and drama.