LOVE BEGUILED

Ava Lawson stood frozen, her hands were vibrating, and her heart raced fast. as the brown envelope containing her job termination letter, was handed to her by Mathew Taylor, the company HR. She couldn't utter a word, her mouth grew heavy and her teeth were gummed together. She read it in complete silence, not skipping a single word, as her heart sank into her stomach, and Instantly she felt hot, despite the chilling air conditioner. She stood there motionless, trying to figure out what went wrong. Wondering how she hadn't seen this blow coming.

She had put every bit of her strength into this Job trying to make ends meet, she was perfect in her field, despite all the challenges and many competitions. Aside from that, Ava has given herself a specific working period. Her working days had just been numbered by her, but being terminated from work untimely was totally out of concept. But how could this have happened, she wondered inwardly. Just a few weeks ago, she was given the "Best Staff Award. Yet there she was, standing with the same job termination letter. She couldn't believe her eyes, it seemed like it was a kind of joke. However, she realized it was her reality when HR's masculine voice thundered.

"You are advised to return any of the company's property in your possession". The HR officer said with a straight face. The authenticity in his voice snapped Ava back to reality.

"Okay, sir," she responded mindlessly.

Still, In a shocked and confused state, she desperately wanted to understand why she had been terminated. Talking to the HR officer might give her the answers she sought, or so she thought.

"But sir, what happened?" Ava asked with a shaky voice, as she hurriedly walked behind him.

"Ava, I think the General Manager will have a better answer to your question," he replied, without glancing back as she followed him. Ava was not ready to back down, if that meant confronting the General manager Mr Jason Hills who was known for his supremacy, no one dares confront him when it comes to matters of such. But Ava was determined to ask him, not just to know why, but if there would be any chance for her to retain her job, she was ready to take it.

Ava, a young lady in her late twenties, was the most beautiful, young, and promising woman in the company. She stands out in every aspect concerning her, her personality was top-notch. Ava worked as an inventory manager at Skyward Airlines. Her dedication, sincerity, and intelligence in her job made it almost impossible to believe she had been dismissed without a clear explanation.

She was heartbroken and disoriented when the news was passed to her. Her throat felt dry, and her legs grew so heavy that she struggled to walk properly. Her face, which was beaming with a smile a few minutes ago, turned pale and she sweats profusely, making her makeup shrug. Despite this, she was determined to confront the general manager. As she headed toward the elevator, she couldn't help but wonder what had gone wrong. Her mind raced, her heartbeat quickening. She silently hoped for a miracle as the elevator stopped at the 8th floor. Stepping out, she hurried toward the general manager's office, trying to compose herself and avoid looking too frustrated, even though she felt overwhelmed. When Ava reached the door, she adjusted her shirt collar, brushed her fingers through her hair, and knocked gently.

"Come in!" a familiar voice ushered her in.

The manager sat with an upright and dominating posture, his back leaning on the seat with his round fat belly almost dropping, his composure telling of his age and authority, and his aura signaled his power over the situation. His gaze was steady but cold, a mix of old age, power, and fulfillment, as he stared at her over the top of his glasses. His hands were across his fat chest, and his legs closed to each other. His expression remained calm, yet there was a firm look on his face, that seemed he was carefully choosing his words to avoid repetition. As soon as Ava entered, he tilted his head slightly, maintaining eye contact, though his body remained still, almost rigid, to maintain an air of authority. Ava took a while to compose herself before she said a word. There was no immediate rush as she was there only to ask about her offense, allowing the tension in the room to build slightly before she finally spoke, she was measured, steady, and confident

"Sir, I want to know why I was terminated," she said boldly, her gaze fixed on him.

He glanced at her, avoiding direct eye contact. "Ava I'm sorry, we know of your sincere dedication, and smart work you put into your job. he paused, and this time he wasn't avoiding her gaze, both eyes were clocked to each other. Then he continued," I wish there is something I could do, to salvage this situation but it's the board's decision". The company is going through a financial crisis, and they've decided to let go of a few staff members," he explained, choosing his words carefully.

At that point there was nothing Ava could say, his tone told it was truly out of his control, Mr. Hills might be known for his supremacy and authority over everything around the company, but honesty and kindness were some of his best attributes, if they were anything he could have done truly to help Ava he would have been glad to do it,

Ava shook her head in despair,

"Oh, financial crisis," she murmured. If only the company knew that the financial crisis she was about to face was far worse than theirs. She reflected inwardly, feeling the weight of the looming challenge. Prolonging the conversation wouldn't yield any positive outcome, she had realized that from his body language the moment she stepped into his office

"Thanks," she said with a faint smile before walking out, Her fist clenched