Author's Note:
Okay look. I'm sorry for ignoring my other story Runaway Bride but I've finished about seven chapters in my desktop and the hard disk was recently repaired, so now every document in my desktop is gone. It's taking me some time to finish the chapters though so I'm putting it on hold and continuing this story instead. This story is co-written with Oneofthemfans, one of the most important people in my life. We were actually inspired when we were waiting for Nisa's (oneofthemfans) skin appointment in the hospital and I was staring at a wall clock that said 'No Time To Lose' and somehow we came up with this idea. I'm not sure if anyone out there in FanFiction has already written the same plot line and if someone has, I'm very sorry but we got the idea from a clock hanging on the wall of the hospital.
Edward.
"Edward, please go home and rest. You don't look good today." Carlisle, my father pleaded from the entrance to my office. He was always so concerned of me.
"I'll go home later, dad. Its still early and I have some unfinished work to do." I gestured my hand to the pile of papers on my desk.
"Alright then but please don't push yourself." He said. "Your mother and I are very worried of you. You look sick almost everyday now, maybe you should take the week off and go visit a doctor." He said. I groaned in protest which led to a cough. By now, Dad had a smug smile and an I-told-you-so look plastered on his face.
"Dad, I'm fine! Alright!" I exclaimed. He sighed in defeat, knowing that he had already lost the fight.
"Just, don't pressure yourself, son. Your mother I are just worried." He sighed again.
"I'll go home when I feel unwell." I assured. He nodded his head with a smile and left my office.
I returned my attention back to the papers in front of me and sighed. I really needed to get this promotion. If I didn't, my stay-up-late work, my no-coffee-break and my hard work would all go to waste. I mean, sure, my dad owns the company but that doesn't mean he'd give the promotion to me just because I'm his youngest son. He told us to work for it and here I am, working my ass off, day and night.
Jasper and Emmett are ahead of me and I am the only one left behind but they deserved the previous promotions. Both of them put much effort in their jobs and I didn't; I used to call in sick for work when I actually had a hangover from the day before. I would stay up late at night, partying and go pick up girls in some clubs but they didn't; they stayed up late to finish their works. Like I said before, they deserved it. But somehow, when Carlisle announced that both of them had gotten the promotion instead of me, I envied them deeply. That is why I'm working hard now. I'm trying to regain the time I lost in the past.
After three hours of non stop writing and rereading the applications and contracts, I decided to get a cup of coffee. I stood up and headed towards the kitchen. Yes, we have a kitchen in the building but it was only a mini kitchen which only consisted of a mini fridge, a coffeemaker, a microwave and a couple of cupboards filled with food. I entered the kitchen and saw my older brothers sipping on coffee and talking on the couches placed on the north walls.
"Hey, Edward!" Emmett exclaimed, waving furiously at me.
Emmett was always fun to be around. He had curly black hair and green eyes. He had a great sense of humor but he knew when to be serious. He was also kinda big for a twenty-four year old. He had more muscles than Jasper and I combined together. People often mistake him for a grizzly bear but then again, who wouldn't? He was the big teddy bear of the family. Some of our clients are so intimidated by Emmett's muscled figure that sometimes they even agree on everything he says without reading the contracts which was an advantage to us.
"Hello, Edward." Jasper nodded once.
Jasper on the other hand had shaggy hair and electric blue eyes he inherited from our mother, Esme. Like Emmett, Jasper also had a muscled figure but just not as big as Emmett. However, he can make someone feel anxious or nervous while being in the same room and they'd also agree. Sometimes, I would wonder if my brothers have superpowers or something.
"Hey Emmett, Jasper." I smiled softly.
"Rough day?" Emmett asked as I pulled a mug from one of the cupboards and poured the hot coffee in it.
"You have no idea." I answered, plopping down on the seat next to him.
"You don't look good." Jasper commented. "Maybe you should go home."
"Not, you too!" I groaned. "Look, I'm fine alright! It's not like I'm dying or anything! I just have a sore throat!" I all but yelled.
"Calm down, Edward. People are starting to stare." Jasper shushed. I cocked my brow in confusion and he pointed to the door. Sure enough, our co-workers were starting to peek in the kitchen, in search for the commotion.
"Nothing to see here people! Just ol' Edward who woke up on the wrong side of the bed." Emmett shooed. The audience nodded their heads and left. I slumped back on the couch and ran a hand through my hair.
"Have you guys heard of the new guy yet?" Emmett asked. New guy?
"What new guy?" I asked back. I was clearly interested.
"Yeah, I have actually." Jasper answered.
"What new guy?" I repeated.
"He just got transferred from the Accountant department. Apparently, dad thought he was making a good choice without consulting us." Emmett answered.
"What's his name? What does he major in? Are you sure dad hired him? Why would he do that without telling us? Does he think he's doing what's best for the company? Is he getting the prom—" I fired before Emmett clamped his hand on my mouth.
"We don't know, Edward. I know you have thousands of questions going on in your head but none of us knows the answer besides dad alone. So why don't you go ask him." Jasper sighed in frustration.
Why is he the one sighing in frustration?! I'm supposed to be the one sighing in frustration! Hell, I'm supposed to be panicking! The new guy might snatch away the promotion from me even after my hard work!
"Where is he?" I asked after Emmett released my mouth from his hand.
"Somewhere in Europe." He answered.
"What?!" I yelled. "How could he be all the way in Europe?! I just saw him three hours ago!"
"Dad's a very busy and a well-known man, Edward. Cullen Incorporated is known world wide. He has meetings to go to and meet other important people in the world with a huge load of cash which explains why he's in Europe right now." Emmett explained, laid back.
"You think I don't know that, Emmett?!" I growled.
"You didn't a second a go." Jasper murmured under his breath. I shot him a glare.
"Jeez! What's your problem, Edward? What's got your boxers in a knack?" Jasper asked harshly.
"Boxers in a knack? Is that what they call it these days?" Emmett asked, taking interest in the quote instead.
"You know what? I don't have time for you guys. I've had a rough day and I'm going home." I yelled and stormed out of the office kitchen. I debated with myself either to finish the papers in my office or to just leave the building. I left the building.
I was currently at home, lying on my bed with the lights switched off and thinking a storm. Dad wouldn't give the promotion to this new guy right? He would if the new guy was—no, he wouldn't. He knew how much effort I've put to get this promotion, he wouldn't give it to some stranger who's barely worked over at Cullen Incorporation over his son…Would he?
-x-
Beep! Beep! Beep!
I woke up dued to the annoying buzzing sound my alarm clock made. I rolled over my bed, lifted my head lazily and smacked the button a little too hard, making it fall off my nightstand. Unwillingly, I stood up and walked over to the bathroom for my morning shower with my towel in hand.
After my long, hot shower, I traded my soaked towel for a pair of black trousers and a black shirt to match, adding a red tie to it. I seriously need to spend less time with Alice, I thought in my head. Alice was Jasper's fiancée. She was a very tiny person actually. Almost pixie like, she had black spiky shoulder length hair and had grayish-blue eyes. Her personality matched her appearance too. She had a bouncy personality; always positive and an optimist. She also had an unhealthy obsession towards shopping and dressing people up.
I headed towards the kitchen in my apartment and made myself a cup of coffee. A man's gotta have his coffee. Sitting at the edge of the island, I started to think about the new guy who would probably take away the promotion from me. I hate myself for not being an optimist!
"Where the fuck is dad?!" I groaned. Jasper and Emmett were next to me, along with Mike Newton, Eric Yorkie and Jacob Black. All the upper staff was meant to gather in the meeting room. We've been waiting in here for almost an hour; and dad hasn't showed up yet. I'd rather be locked in my office, finishing the papers.
"Hold your horses, Edward. I'm sure he's on his way." Jasper gave me a stern look from across the table. Emmett sat next to me and next to him was Mike Newton. Jacob Black was sitting in the middle of Eric and Jasper. I crossed my arms and slumped back onto my chair.
Then, the door to the meeting room opened and dad stepped in with a huge smile on his face. Everyone in the room stood up as he walked to the end of the big table and motioned for us to sit down. A knock was heard from the door.
"Come in!" Dad said, still smiling. The door opened and in came the most beautiful person I've ever laid my eyes on. She could be mistaken for a Goddess. She had her brown, silky hair wrapped up in a messy bun. Her body hugged the knee-length dress she wore perfectly, showing every curve she had in her body and the long, creamy legs she had. Her red lips were very plump and a fainted pink covered her flushed cheeks but the thing that attracted me the most towards her was her eyes. Her eyes were the deepest shade of chocolate I've ever seen. I could stare at them forever and never look away. Ever.
"Gentleman, this is Isabella Swan!" Dad exclaimed. Isabella blushed crimson red as every head turned towards her and by the looks of it; Mike and Eric had some drool at the end of their mouths.
"Dad, who is she?" I asked, my eyes not leaving the Goddess in front of me.
"This, Edward, is the woman I recently hired from the Accountant department upstairs. You and she are going to have to work hard for the promotion." He answered coolly.
"What?!" I yelled, along with every other person in the room except for Isabella, who seemed to be blushing harder than she has before but I couldn't help but notice how gorgeous she looked with the nervous expression she had and how she bit her luscious lips. I shook my head furiously and snapped back onto reality.
After one last glance at Isabella, I knew she was going to be the death of me.
Just so you know, I know it's kinda confusing when Emmett, Jasper and Edward started talking about a guy and it ended up being Bella. Well, none of them in the office knew who Carlisle hired, so they assumed that Carlisle hired a 'he' but it was Bella all along. Should I continue?