Returning to my desk, I take out my phone to text Jenny, my work partner, and also my best friend. 

Zuri: Hey, just finished with the signing, I'll send it over later.

Jenny: Okay.

Jenny: So how did it go? You didn't choke, fumble or stutter did you?

Zuri: Nope. It went well, I'll tell you everything later. Just text me when you're done.

Jenny: Fine but it looks like I'll be here for a while. When is Ayah gonna get here?

Zuri:  About that, She kinda hit her head on the door and got a huuuge bump so I just let her go for the night.

Jenny: I knew that door would be a pain in my ass, I knew it! Anyway, it can't be helped, I'll just contact the PR team, and we'll probably do the announcement online.

Zuri: Okay, see you tomorrow. Good night.

Jenny: Good night.

After packing my stuff and closing the office, I contact our lawyers about the contract and head towards the parking lot. Usually at nights like these, I'd go back to my main office and sketch some designs but after the night I've had, It'd be better just to go back home, get a good soak in the tub, and have a good night's sleep.

The next morning I wake up to an email of my new schedule, sent by my secretary sometime in the night. Due to us getting a model to be the new face of the brand, my schedule for the next few months has been changed. Usually, I would just deal with the designs and production of the clothes but now I have to also oversee the photo shoots and marketing of the designs right from choosing the fabric to shipping the clothes to all of our department stores. And this would naturally put me in the spotlight ( which I never wanted in the first place). When I first accepted the job, not that I had much of a choice, my only condition was that I was never to be in the spotlight but when you have conservative parents like mine (and Jenny) you have no choice but to comply.

This job was forced on us since we were little. Our parents both started the brand when they were in their twenties and built it up from the ground to what it is today, one of the top three global luxury brands. And since Jenny and I were the firstborns, me being an only child, the company was always gonna be inherited by us. Jenny was the one who managed the financial part of the job including the marketing segment, this usually meant that she was barely ever in the office since the job demanded she travel a lot. While I was just the designer, my job was just to ensure that we had new ideas coming in and all the other boring stuff but this ensured that I was always locked up in the office ( my comfort zone) and few people even knew me by name.

Getting out of bed, I head downstairs to make a fresh cup of tea and breakfast which is just a simple egg toast. While waiting for the tea to brew, I sit down on the kitchen island and take a look at my schedule. It looks like by the end of the year I'm gonna have to cash in on all my vacation days, if I even get those, the schedule is packed, right from this morning, when I have a meeting with the designers in an hour. Great, more socializing.

My ringing phone taking me from my fantasies. Jenny's calling, swiping the answer button to the right, I answer, bringing it up to my ears. 

"Hello, what's up?" I say, trying to sound enthusiastic but it just comes out as shocked. 

"Hey, I just looked over the contract, going by what it says, it looks like you're gonna be busy for a while, How does it feel?"

Normally, I would be the one asking that question. How the tables have turned. "Awful," I reply " I mean this is the only condition I had but it looks like Dad doesn't even care, seriously what do I have to do to get this through to him."

"It's gonna be fine. I'll help wherever I can and heyIt's's just for a while, when we finally get to fully inherit the company, things will be easier. Plus I kinda get where your dad is coming from. Ever since we started working here, you've been cooped up in the office. They're just looking out for you and as much as this whole introvert thing is going, you're kinda taking it too far, remember when we started, all you wanted to do was work at home and It's not like my dad isn't also up my ass"

"Yeah, okay but I still stand by my reasons and I get it, they're worried about me" I say, pouring tea into my 'I hate mornings ' mug. I stare at my watch, looks like I have thirty minutes till the meeting starts. I grab the tea and head upstairs, Settling on only the tea and later grabbing a bagel on my way to the office.

"And, plus, how are you ever gonna get a girlfriend, if all you do is stay behind four walls"

"Okay you know what, I gotta start getting ready for a meeting, I'm actively late for, I have go, bye. See you when you get back"

" I know you're deflecting but I'm also kinda getting late for my flight. I'll text you when I land, bye." Pressing the end call button, I rush through get ready, and call my driver to come over.