EXECUTIVE AFFAIRS

U

rtless. He gets angry when things go wrong but his anger was never misdirected. Although he talks little about h

work. Only the whispering of fluorescent lights could be heard in the silent building. She didn

e midnight

d shuffled it around. "Just finished

rooked tone. He looked at the file in her h

aw a discrepancy in the numbers and wa

lightly, "Good catch. Most p

u expect perfection. I'm just

"There is no standard of perfection, Ruby. It's effort, consiste

she could answer, Alex took a step back. "Don't stay

*

d at the office unannounced. Her designer heels clicked against the marble floor. With flawl

desk, staring at Ruby like a

y," Vicky said, with a condesce

ompson is in a meeting. But I will

r curly hair over her shou

en. Ruby couldn't hear their conversation, but the tension between them be

when Alex approached. "If Vicky comes back s

d, though she couldn'

. "She is... stubborn. Do

at the subtle reass

less demands of her profession as she made her way home that evening under the c

ng better, for herself and for her future. And no matter what c

d, and she was re

*

. She staggered to the kitchen of her small studio, where sunlight streams through cracks in the blinds. The harsh New York winter left a blanket of snow on th

moaning of fluorescent lights greeted her as she sat down on her desk. She had jus

she said, tryi

n minutes. Bring the q

and fumbled for the document Alex needed. She checked the figu

ble. A group of executives filed in behind her, each exuded confid

at her. "Do you hav

said, handing

awk. Ruby held her breath for a moment, afraid he'll find a

ted," he said i

d although his behavior was sharp, he listened intently to every presentation, cutting through the noise with ins

mental marathon. She hurried to her table, but be

with the projec

caught off gua

ant you to go faster. Anticipate

erself that that's how he works; there's no sugarcoating, no flattery. She

*

and constant work filling every second. Ruby barely had time

asked, Alex's voi

His tie loosened, and his jacket was draped over one a

de her exhaustion.He studied her for a moment, th

elevator ride was filled with silence, the air was thick with un

e than usual. "But you are burning the candle at both en

rprised by his concern

by watched him leave. Her mind wandered. She couldn't tell if his advice was a warni

*

ion had returned again. She had barely sipped her coffee when Vicky

?" Vicky asked

k. "Not here yet. He usu

ways on time. Tell him I wil

d I can't allow you do tha

her eyes. "Do

'm sure Mr. Thompson would be h

a grunt and walked towards the seating area. Ruby sighed in relie

of his nose and si

r. As the door shut behind them, Ruby's interest was aroused. Although she was unabl

She looked at Ruby before disappearing into the elev

eting," he said wryly as he

ned between Alex and Vicky that the storm wasn't over yet. And Ru