Furniture.com Part 1

Jenneth's shift in Tarlac General Hospital where she works as the Chief Medical Technologist is at 8AM but is seems she will have to be late that morning. She texted her staff that she needs to take care of something first before clocking in.

She is aware that Furniture.com opens at 9AM, but she still went there early since she's not there as a customer. She's there to see Kenneth, so that she can give back Darlene's bracelet. Surely the office hours is earlier than the store hours?

Truth is, she's having second thoughts with what she's about to do. She can just go to CPRU and give the bracelet directly to Darlene. For sure, Kenneth's only daughter is studying in his alma mater. Especially now that Kenneth has the money to send her daughter to the most expensive school in the region.

But if she went there not knowing Darlene's class, she might be deemed as a kidnapper. She's aware that the school will not easily give away the class section and schedule of any students, especially elementary students, to random people. That's how strict CPRU is, making it safe for children even those belonging to very rich families, and those whose parents are into politics, like the mayor and governor of Tarlac.

So the best option is to just give the bracelet to Kenneth. Anyway, she has a reason why she should just be quick. She still needs to go to work.

The parking lot of Furniture.com is empty when she arrived. The only car that's in there is a silver Audi Q5. She wondered if the car is Kenneth's. She's impressed at his choice of car.

She asked the security guard for Kenneth. Unfortunately, she was told that he just left.

"I think he has a meeting outside, Ma'am. He just went in to get some documents, then he left again," the guard told him.

"Do you know what time he will return?"

She doesn't have the luxury to wait for him, so even if the guard answers her question, it won't still matter. Or maybe, she could go back this lunch?

"Sorry Ma'am, but I don't have any idea. Sometimes he will be out the entire day. He would come back the next day."

So that's how hectic Kenneth's schedule is? No wonder Ryan is the one who treats Darlene with some scone and frappe.

"If you want, you can talk to Sir Ryan. He's already in, Ma'am."

Her heart fluttered with what the guard said. That is the very thing she's avoiding, that's why she specifically looked for Kenneth. But it seems as if Fate is really teasing her.

"But if you really want to see Sir Kenneth, you just go back next time, Ma'am. I really could not tell you when he will be back."

Maybe that's what she will just do. But, how can she know when Kenneth is available? She does not feel right calling him first because it has been so long since they last talked. And wouldn't it be too much to set an appointment with him just to bring back the bracelet of his daughter?

Also, why does it seem like she's afraid to see Ryan? So what if she'll talk to him again? She acts like there's something going on that's making her avoid him. Which is not true. As far as she's concerned, what she had with Ryan is already a closed book. The past doesn't matter to her anymore. What happened nine years ago is nothing to her now.

And she has a valid reason why she will be talking to him. And it doesn't have to be a long encounter.

"I'll just talk to Ryan," she said to the guard.

"I'll just ask the people inside to let you in."

The security guard called inside the shop through the phone in the guardhouse. It didn't take long before he instructed her to proceed inside.

Jenneth was greeted by a woman who seem to be the same age as she is.

"Good morning, Ma'am. Were you the one looking for Sir Ryan?"

"Yes." She smiled at her. "I'm Jenneth."

"I'm Grace, Sir Ryan's secretary. Come in."

She took him inside the showroom. She was greeted by the various furniture they sell on that shop.

"Sir Ryan is in the factory at the back. Do you have an appointment with him, Ma'am?"

"No." She shook her head. "I don't... But I just need to give back something to him."

"I see... Just wait here, Ma'am, and I'll go get him from the factory."

"Okay." Jenneth smiled.

The secretary left, leaving her with the furniture displayed in the showroom.

♥︎♥︎♥︎

Ryan is in the factory at the back of the office building. He is discussing the designs he just finished to their in-house carpenter. It took quite a while for him to finish the designs. He was quite distracted, especially since last Friday night. But he still managed to finish the designs during the weekend.

"What can you say?" he asked the carpenter. After all, he will be the one fabricating the furniture.

"I think the materials would take quite some time to be delivered, Sir. It might take more than a month," the carpenter said.

"We can order a few just for the samples. I am hoping we can have sample units by the end of next month. Kenneth and I are planning to have the samples ready by Valentine's Day, so that we can include them in our promo next year. Can you do that?"

"If only the samples, I guess we can do it," answered the carpenter.

"Good." Ryan smiled. He's glad that everything is happening as planned.

They continued talking about the designs, until his secretary arrived.

"Sir, excuse me. Someone came to see you."

"Huh?" He turned to face her.

"Jenneth."

His heart suddenly pounded. That is how he is every time he hears that name, like there's only one 'Jenneth' in this world. He feels as if it is always that one person that existed in his world nine years ago.

Which is not always the case. Speaking of which, he suddenly wondered who this Jenneth might be.

"She's in the showroom now, waiting for you, Sir," Grace told him.

"Okay. I'll go meet her."

He gave some last instructions to the carpenter before he went to the showroom to meet that 'Jenneth' that his secretary talked about. The lady seems busy as she looked around the shop, like she was looking for some furniture she wants to purchase. And he realized, she is that very person that he identifies with the name 'Jenneth.'

Seeing her like that make him stop on his tracks. Now, what does this woman want with him that she even went to his workplace? There's only one way to answer that question of him. He has to talk to her, however hard it might be for him.

He has no choice but to approach her. He put on his salesman persona so that he could deal with his 'unwanted' guest easily.