Counting Down

THE DAY

"Aaaah …," Fara sighed, closing her eyes as a large hand cupped her chest, igniting a thrilling sensation within her. Her body felt as light as air, contrasting with her heavy eyelids that refused to open.

"Yes, right there... don't stop...," she murmured, her words a hazy plea.

"Take me to heaven, please, Sean," she begged softly, though making no move to guide him.

The large hand expertly continued, fingertips brushing and softly teasing her sensitive skin, sending waves of pleasure through her. 

Not stopping there, his lips began tracing paths across her skin. She felt the slight roughness of his stubble, an unexpected sensation that somehow added to the thrill.

His kisses wandered up her neck, and then along her ear.

"Stop…" she whispered weakly when he bit her earlobe, overwhelmed by the sensation. She could feel her whole body reacting, her pulse racing with heightened sensitivity.

Yet, he continued, his warm breath filling her ear with a voice that only seemed to intensify her senses.

"Stop…" she repeated in a soft, strained tone.

"Hmm?" He paused briefly, acknowledging her plea.

In the sudden stillness, she felt a longing rise within her, craving his touch again. Why had she told him to stop? She regretted it immediately.

Keeping her eyes closed, she reached out, her fingers tracing the hard muscle of his arm and across the rough stubble of his jaw.

"Please…" This time, her voice was a soft request for him to continue, for the pleasure to return, the feeling that made her pulse race.

A deep, quiet chuckle escaped him, and he resumed his exploration of her body.

As he held her close, the room filled with soft gasps from Fara's lips.

"Ah!" she suddenly exclaimed, startled by a sharper sensation. "Careful, Sean…" she whispered after a moment, yet the thrill remained. Her senses were still blurred by the effects of the wine she'd sipped on.

Her thoughts faded as she savored each new sensation, the wine dulling everything but the intensity of her reactions.

The sensation continued to build, each touch and kiss sending a ripple of warmth and shivers through her.

After a while, he drew back slightly, taking a moment to look at her.

The last thing she remembered was the warmth of his hand on her, pulling her close with a deep breath. She was losing herself to the feel of his touch, every nerve responsive, reaching out instinctively.

"Come here…" she whispered, though the words were faint.

In her mind, images flickered, fragmented and hazy, as the memory of that night replayed, filling her with confusion yet yearning for more.

The light was beginning to stream into the room, stirring her from a hazy, fitful sleep. As she opened her eyes, she was startled to find herself lying close to someone. She blinked, trying to focus.

Slowly, she looked over. Next to her lay a man, athletic build, dark hair falling slightly over his brow, asleep with his arm draped over her waist.

Fara pulled the blanket back slightly, eyes widening as she realized they were both uncovered.

"Shit!" she muttered, clutching her head, desperate to piece together the events of the night before. Every nerve felt tense, yet her memory was frustratingly blank.

With a deep breath, she let go of her hair and dropped her hand to her racing heart, overwhelmed by the rush of emotions: confusion, apprehension, and a desperate need for answers.

How did she end up here? 

And who was the man lying beside her?

~~~

DAY-30

"Have a good day, Sean," Fara said brightly, planting a kiss on both cheeks of Sean, her boyfriend of five years.

It was Tuesday, which meant it was Sean's day to drop Fara off at the office. He also had drop-off duties on Thursday and Friday.

Sean was a perfectionist to the core, and even their pick up schedule had been carefully planned out since they started dating.

"Hey!" Sean called out suddenly.

Fara, who had just opened the door, paused and turned back to him.

"I'll pick you up for lunch today, alright? There's something I want to talk to you about," he said.

Fara thought for a moment, trying to recall if her schedule was clear. She realized she'd need to check with Bonita, her personal assistant, who hadn't updated her on the day's meetings yet.

"I'll let you know, love. I'm not sure what my schedule looks like today." She gave Sean's hand on the car gearshift a gentle squeeze.

Sean nodded, a hint of a smile on his face. "I hope you'll have some time. It's important."

His words sparked a bit of curiosity in Fara. Sean didn't usually act this way. Even the way he picked her up this morning felt somewhat … nervous. Could it be?

"I'll call you later," Fara decided to keep her thoughts to herself. Better to find out in due time, she thought. Besides, if she stayed in the car any longer, she'd risk being late to her office.

Once Sean's car drove away from the office building's lobby, Fara strode inside with a confident gait. The front office staff greeted her with respectful nods. She gracefully acknowledged them as she walked toward the elevator, her shoulder-length, sleek hair swaying elegantly with each step. Dressed in a white satin blouse paired with straight-cut brown palazzo pants and matching heels, Fara looked every bit as poised as she felt.

Without wasting time, Fara went straight to the twentieth floor, where her office was located. Exiting the elevator, she turned right down the hall, which led to a large earth-toned door with a grand gold handle. Her assistant's desk, where Bonita worked, sat right outside.

"Good morning, Boss," Bonita greeted, standing and nodding respectfully.

"Morning, Bonita. Can you check my schedule for lunchtime? I have a lunch appointment, so if anything overlaps, please reschedule it for 2:00." Fara's voice was crisp, her message succinct and authoritative.

Brief, to the point, and don't forget, firm, that was how her employees saw her. Some even considered her "bitchy" because Fara was always right and didn't tolerate anyone messing around.

After Bonita acknowledged the request, Fara opened her office door and stepped into the spacious room. Directly opposite the door was her large, gray desk. Not overly cluttered, it had a few neatly organized items, including a striking gold vase with a single red rose, replaced daily by Bonita.

The floor and walls were pristine white, creating a sleek and cool ambiance. Gray sofas and a coffee table for meetings matched the rest of the furniture, and shelves lined with art books and neatly arranged black folders filled a large glass cabinet nearby.

Fara placed her bag on the desk and walked to the window behind it, grabbing the remote to raise the smart blinds. A flood of soft light filled the room. With its strategic location, Fara's office enjoyed ample natural light without harsh sunlight, a setup she loved, as it felt like she was floating in the sky.

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. Fara sat down at her desk, checked the CCTV on her computer screen to see who it was, then pressed a button on her desk to unlock the door.

"Good morning, Boss. I have some documents for you to sign," Lisa announced from the doorway.

With just a wave of her index and middle finger, Fara signaled Lisa to come in.

Among the stack of documents, one in particular caught Fara's attention.

"What's going on with these two employees? Is there a failed project I should know about?" Fara asked, tossing the termination notice across her desk toward Lisa.

Fara despised high turnover rates. Upholding her company's reputation was essential, and she firmly believed in the principle of "employees are assets," a value instilled by her father, Sultan Genio. But she also needed to understand the reason for these terminations.

"Lisa, look at me!" Fara pressed, noticing Lisa's nervous demeanor.

"Y-Yes, Boss," Lisa stammered, lifting her gaze timidly. Her straight hair fell forward, revealing a look of apprehension on her face.

Fara sighed. She hadn't intended to frighten her employee but sometimes let her tone get away from her.

"I just asked if there was a failed project involving these two because, as far as I know, we need every employee we can for upcoming projects." Fara repeated her question, this time with a sliiiightly gentler tone.

"They caused a disturbance, Boss. Last week, while you were on your business trip, the wife of one of them came to the office and made a scene," Lisa began, explaining slowly.

"She claimed those two employees were having an affair, and when I looked into it, there was solid evidence to support it."

Lisa's explanation made Fara's head ache. She massaged her forehead, listening closely.

"So, no projects were affected, but there was some disruption in the office. I made the decision to terminate them to maintain a calm working environment."

Without another word, Fara took the document she'd tossed earlier, signed it, and continued signing the remaining documents on her desk.

The room fell silent, save for the sound of her pen gliding across paper and the soft rustle of pages as she moved to the next document. Lisa stood by quietly, fidgeting with her nails as a cold sweat crept over her. She vowed to herself never to approach her boss for a signature this early again, as it only led to increasingly detailed questions.

"These are done," Fara said, setting down her pen. Lisa quickly gathered the signed documents.

"Let's have a meeting on Thursday to discuss new policies to prevent this from happening again. I think we need stricter guidelines on professional conduct. Let's keep our circle clean," Fara added firmly.

Lisa let out a quiet breath of relief as Fara's intense focus returned to normal.

"You can go back to your desk," Fara ended the conversation.

Lisa turned to leave, thanking her boss, but Fara stopped her.

"Please prepare a recruitment plan for several positions. I'll email the details later," Fara added. Lisa nodded and left the room, her heels creating a sharp rhythm as they echoed across the large office.

Fara's reputation for being cold, firm, even ruthless was well-known among her employees, particularly new hires unfamiliar with her work pace.

Given that the company operated in advertising, speed and responsiveness were essential. There was no room for relaxation—only the constant press of deadlines.

Fara hit the button on her desk phone.

"Yes, Boss?" Bonita's gentle voice answered.

"Bonita, make my usual coffee, please," she ordered, ending the call after speaking.

A moment later, Fara reconsidered and pressed the button again.

"Actually, scratch that, Bon. I'm heading out."

Fara had decided to pay a visit to her friend Nindy, who had opened a cafe in the lobby of the adjacent building. Sean's words from earlier that morning still gnawed at her mind, making her curious, though she felt too proud to call and ask him directly.

She made her way to the lobby, but just as she opened her office door, she came face-to-face with a towering man standing just outside. Fara had to crane her neck to see his face, a rugged one with a sharp gaze, stubbly beard, and thin lips.

She glanced down and saw an ID card hanging from a lanyard around his neck, showing the name Ziggy Miller with the title Photographer/Videographer.

No wonder she'd never seen him around before, Fara thought.

"What is it?" she asked bluntly, feeling blocked.

"Here." In a similarly brusque tone, the man handed her a scarf he held. There was no smile, only a piercing look aimed straight at her.

Fara glanced back into her desk, realizing she hadn't even noticed that her scarf — usually attached to her bag — was missing, now in the hands of this employee named Ziggy.

"Thank you," she said, taking the scarf from him.

Oddly, Ziggy didn't move after she took it. He remained standing in place, blocking her path.

"Hello?" Fara said, raising an eyebrow. "Is there anything else you need?"

"Anything I can help you with?" Ziggy's question caught Fara off guard, making her brow furrow.

Was this guy serious? He was the one standing in her way! Torn between wanting to laugh and feeling slightly annoyed, Fara took a breath to calm herself.

It was only nine in the morning, and already her day had been full of surprises.

"Please help me by moving aside, Ziggy…" Fara said, checking his name on the ID badge again for good measure.

"Oh, sorry, Boss." He finally seemed to snap out of his trance, stopping his intense gaze and stepping aside to let her pass.

Fara shook her head as she walked out.

"Who is that guy? Handsome, though…"