"That's not what I meant," Renee spoke hastily.
Vivian relaxed into her chair, and her shoulders dropped. She had expected a different response. Then she'd have someone to blame.
"I'm simply saying it wasn't your fault. You don't have to blame yourself. What matters now is ensuring you correct that. Plus, you didn't completely cut them out. You sometimes pick Sarah up from her ballet class on Thursdays."
Vivian nodded. Suddenly, her eyes brightened, and an idea struck her. "I'll go pick her up today." It was Thursday.
"Alright."
Renee killed the engine in the underground parking lot. Both women stepped out of the car.
"Welcome back, Ma'am," Renee said, smiling. It felt good to have Vivian back here.
But for Vivian, it was different. The place was just like she remembered it, but somehow felt distant.
"Let's go," she said and started towards the sliding door.
Vivian's eyes were pinned on the numbers as they changed. She clutched her purse tightly, and as soon as the elevator dinged, she stepped out.
Renee struggled to keep up the pace behind her. This was enough to remind her that the woman in front of her was not the same woman who visited six months ago.
People sauntered around, their ID dangling on their neck. They were fewer than Vivan remembered, and most importantly, no one was paying any attention to her.
She kept a straight face as she walked, her shoulders squared. When they got to the door that led to her office, Renee placed her hands on the small fingerprint spot, and it opened.
Vivian was surprised at what she walked in to see. Her feet came to a stop.
The open office was a mess. Desks were cluttered with scattered files and empty cups.
Two people were hunched over their phones, another was laughing loudly with a colleague.
Nobody was working. Nobody even noticed she was there.
Renee stopped behind her, pushed some strands of hair out of her face, and whispered, "Should I-"
"No. My office, now!"
Vivian's office is separated by glass, giving her a private space.
Immediately the door to her office closed, Vivian picked the remote control from her table and pressed the middle. The glasses blurred, giving them the privacy she needed.
She placed her bag on the table and turned to Renee. "Ren, what happened? First, where is Mr. Matteo? Why is over half of the staff missing?"
She pushed her hand over her hair and leaned on the table, supporting herself with her hand. She didn't think it was this bad.
Things were in a worse state than she had expected.
Renee scratched the tip of her nose. "Well, hmm…" her bottom lip disappeared into her mouth. "The thing is…"
Vivian cocked her head and crossed her hand over her chest.
"Mr. Matteo left and he took half of the staff." Renee lowered her eyes and pushed her weight from one foot to the other.
"He also pulled most of the clients away. Clients reduced slowly until three months ago, no one trusted us to manage their projects anymore."
Vivian sighed. Something heavy pressed against her chest, and her legs weakened.
Mr. Matteo was her right-hand man, the second in command. She trusted him as much as she trusted Renee.
She never expected him to betray her, take half of her staff, and even steal her clients.
"And me, what have I been doing all this while?" She asked, "answer me honestly. I didn't just sit still and watch all this unfold, did I?"
"You did." Renee lifted her head. She felt bad seeing her broken Vivian look. She knew how important this company was for her and how much knowing she had caused this must make her feel.
"You didn't give much attention to the company after your wedding. It became the least of your priorities. Mr. Cayne always came first."
"Why? All this doesn't make sense." She closed her eyes, holding back tears. "I have no memory of any of this. How could I change so much after surgery?"
How could one man have so much control over her life? How did she fall for him? Why did she love him so much?
So many questions floated through her mind, but she had no answer because she had lost her memory.
For the first time, the reality that she had no recollection of how she spent the last five years of her life hit her hard.
She looked at the nameplate on the table. "Vivian Vale. CEO."
She felt undeserving of the position.
They both stood quietly for the next ten minutes.
Then, Vivian straightened. "I can't undo what has been done." She gathered her hair into a bun and held it in place with a band.
"But we have control of what happened now and the future." She moved around the table and pulled out her chair.
At least, everything in her office was left intact.
"We'll have a meeting in the next hour." She instructed.
Before the meeting, Vivian buried herself in files, reading emails and documents. She didn't realize an hour had passed until Renee knocked and told her it was time.
Vivian was the first to get to the meeting room. She was followed by Renee, who brought coffee.
"Where are the others?" Vivian asked.
Before Renee could reply, the door pushed open, and a brunette lady stepped in. Five minutes later, the office was filled with all the members.
She counted, and there were just fifteen of them. This was a company that once had over fifty staff.
Vivian stood at the head of the table and let the silence settle before she spoke. "I'm Vivian Vale. Your boss." She didn't recognise most of the faces.
She looked around the room slowly, meeting each pair of eyes.
"I know the last few months have been difficult. I take responsibility for that. But effective today, things change."
"Punctuality is non-negotiable. Desks are to be cleared every morning. Performance reports on my desk by Friday. Any questions?"
Silence.
Then some hands shot up.
Six hours after the meeting, Mr. Harry came up with the divorce papers. Vivian's eyes scanned the pages.
She picked up her pen and without another thought placed her signature on the bottom part.
She felt free. This marriage between her and Nathan, which ended up ruining her life, had to end. At least from her part.
"Ensure he signs and process the divorce today," she said, even though she knew Nathan would immediately sign it.
She remembered the smug look on his face, and her mood turned sour.
After he left, Vivian got a message from Renee informing her it was time to go pick Sarah.
She massaged her temples, groaning. How was it already 3 pm? Although she was engrossed in her work, she knew it was important she gets this done.
On her way to the ballet class, she stopped at a bakehouse to get cinnamon rolls. They were Sarah's favorite.
Meanwhile, Nathan had just concluded a meeting. He stepped inside his office with Reid following closely behind him.
His phone beeped as he made his way to sit behind his table. He pulled it out and read the message.
Katty: I'm going to pick my niece from her dance academy. Do you want to come with me? We'll have dinner at your parents' place afterward."
Nathan's lips twisted to the side. He had too much on his plate to go anywhere.
"Sir," Reid's voice stopped him from typing back a reply.
He lifted his head to meet his eyes. "Madam just stopped at Celeste Patisserie. I think she's going to get your favorite as usual." Reid stated professionally.
Nathan's brow lifted lazily. "When?"
"I just got the message."
Nathan's lips curled slightly. Vivian always got an almond croissant from the bakehouse close by for him whenever she was visiting.
Didn't she say he shouldn't speak to her? Did she think some almond croissant would make up for how she acted rudely to him last night?
He scoffed just thinking about it. He might as well teach her a lesson. "Alright." His hand danced on the keyboard, "clear my schedule for the evening, I need to leave."
"Hmmm, but madam is comin-"
"Yes, that's exactly why I have to leave."
He sent a reply to Katrina.
Nathan: "Alright. I'm on my way."
He picked his suit off its hanger and said, "When Vivian comes, tell her I'll be here with her shortly."
He'll keep her waiting until he realized he wasn't coming. His eyes shone mischievously as he walked out of the office.