C2 Chapter 1

It was the first day of December. The alarm on her phone started desperately screaming in her ear, so she shook off the tiredness of the long hours she had to work the previous days and the ones that she had ahead.

A little over the sound of the ringing noise, she heard giggles that soon were accompanied by a soft, cute voice.

The reason for her trying every day had just woken up.

Or more like, the reasons.

And they giggled as their small feet hit the wooden, carpeted floor of the place they were renting. Siel could never sleep with the door closed. The little humans that inhabited the room right next to hers might need her, or even just might want to go and jump on top of her tired body as a good morning greeting.

James and Rose were her twin toddlers, just turned three, and she still called them babies. They were truly her babies anyway.

Even if they could already take their crayons to put a few letters together and drew basic figures, like the many drawings in the fridge that showed their mom running around, in all of them…

Still, babies.

Her children rushed into her room as soon as they heard the alarm. They ran on their onesies - white with red dots pajamas - climbed the bed, and threw themselves on each side of their mommy, warming her up with their love and their little bodies that she was still amazed to see and feel. Their little faces, their almond-shaped, light brown eyes, black, straight, messy hair...

They were her small miracles.

Their tiny hands caressed her face and made her smile, even if she felt tired and desperate for an opportunity that kept her looking for better work… and an opportunity that has never been given to her. And yet, they were the reason, after all, that she never lost hope of a finer life for her little angels.

If it was up to her, she would have just given up on everything when her ex-husband started hitting her…

But she had them.

"Oh no, I'll be late!"

She jumped off the bed, took each baby in one arm, and ran to the kitchen. They were comfortably and skillfully placed in their high chairs while their mom sprinted around to make a quick breakfast for them.

After feeding the three of them, she cleaned the food that they spread in their faces and changed them into their little and charming day clothes. Later, at night, the three of them would take a relaxing and bonding bath, but in the morning, that was out of the question.

Cleaned and dressed, they were placed in their playpen and kept looking at their mom as she rushed from the dining table to clean up, then the bedroom to the bathroom in quick succession.

The doorbell announced the babysitter. Nella was just in time, but Siel was too late for work to even say a proper hello.

My boss is gonna be up my gut again, for sure. He really doesn't need much to get mad at me anyway… always threatening to fire me just so he sees me getting scared… yet, he never really has followed through on it… Shit! I need to go, or he might actually fire me today!

"Bye, Nella! The usual stuff is in the microwave and the fridge… Mommy needs to go, my lovelies… Goodbye, love you! I'll see you all late tonight... "

Just once, I wish I can say early evening instead…

Finally, out of the house and into her small, red Prius, she took two deep breaths to calm herself and focus. She needed to get back home safe so getting into an accident due to panic is definitely out of the question.

She arrived to a very hectic, almost toxic, office atmosphere. That was the day of the monthly meeting with the company executives, but she had no time to worry about that.

"SIEL!!!"

Screams exploded from her boss's office as soon as she stepped into the department's area at 7:01 A.M.

It didn't help that she seemed to have stepped on chewing gum on her way into the building, and her right shoe kept getting stuck on the gray carpet. She was so annoyed, fighting with her four-inch high heels and the offending piece of gum, that it was obviously a losing battle for her.

As a matter of fact, Siel was too engrossed with her personal footwear war, that she didn't notice the handsome man in a black suit right in front of her, who was greeting other two well-dressed gentlemen…

Until she crashed into his muscled chest full force.

She lost her balance, and still out of herself, didn't fully notice what had happened until she felt two strong hands holding her firmly by her arms, and a pair of blue eyes, staring deeply into hers.

"I'm... I'm very sorry, Mister…"

"Vincent Riegel. V for my friends," he said with a sweet smile that could melt stone.

She could not understand why he was looking at her in that peculiar, dreamy way at her or why he would introduce himself like that. However, the stunned secretary crashed back to reality upon hearing the approaching screams coming from the other side of the muscular, good-looking dirty blond executive in front of her.

"Siel, are you finally here? The contracts! I need the contracts to be signed today in the afternoon! What are you…"

Roderick Wright, labeled by many as the worst boss in the whole Silvercrest Enterprises, was barreling towards the group when his face suddenly got ashy. Also, his voice, and steps, came to a complete stop…

He finally got close enough to notice who was holding his employee upright, since her knees seemed to have turned to jelly due to the recent "accident".

This man was not just a visitor. Not even his direct boss…

It was the CEO and owner of their company! The very same one who decided to join the executive meeting and had only informed everyone about it at the last minute.

Roderick tried to speak properly, but started stuttering instead, "M-Mr. Riegel, has this c-clumsy one b-bothered you in any w-way? I'm very sorry! I apologize..."

"No need to apologize for her. Wright, am I correct? The meeting room should have been opened and ready by now, so we wouldn't have to stand in the way of the people coming into your department," Vincent interrupted, making Roderick freeze and almost swallow his own tongue.

Wright gazed angrily at Siel as if it was her fault that the meeting room was closed. She managed to squeeze herself out of this situation, and out of V's arms, to quickly skitter to her desk.

"Special day for Roderick, huh? Did you catch his newly torn down Christmas spirit?" Diwa Denar, her close friend and desk neighbor, greeted her with a small smile, trying to cheer her up, as she did every day.

If the twins were her engine, this lady was her fuel. She was there through thick and thin, even taking care of the babies when the tyrant that played the boss in their office didn't let Siel go home to her small family.

"Tell me about it. One minute late, Di. One minute! I swear, that guy sits in front of his office clock and waits to see if I'm late," was Siel's answer.

"I know, he's that much of a loser," Diwa giggled, finally making Siel giggle along.

There it was. I made her smile. My job as a friend is done. At least, for this morning…

"You know what day is today?" Di continued.

"Ah, Di. I really don't wanna think about it."

"Why?! It's my very favorite month! We have to plan on matching ugly sweaters and Christmas hair accessories. You always manage to look good in them no matter how ridiculous they are. Besides, green and red have always looked great with your pearly-white skin!"

"You say that every Christmas, Di. This year it's not gonna work," Siel sighed.

"What is it now? Don't tell me your ex is bothering you again?"

"No, Di. Or well, not just that. This year I don’t think I can manage with my current salary. I'm so tight that I don't think I'll be able to get anything for the twins, and that goes double for me," she said, her voice breaking.

"Then, why don't you hang their wishes on the office tree? You know, the angel wishes? They will light the tree today, and I think they’ve given everyone until December the tenth to hang their angel wishes on it."

Diwa opened her hand, and there were two little paper angels with a golden cord attached to each of them.

"Think about it, at least?" her friend finished, seeing how her friend's eyes filled up when talking about her twins while making a superhuman effort to not let the tears fall.

Without saying a word, Siel threw her arms around her friend, who wrapped her in a hearty hug as well. Diwa knew that her co-worker and best friend will not accept any other kind of financial help. Siel wasn't proud, but Di knew how difficult it was to make money, so she didn't even think of offering a loan to help her friend.

That would definitely be viewed as an insult by Siel, and that is the last thing the poor single mom needed to deal with at this time.

Other than another verbal attack by her tall and thin boss…

The screaming man came stomping back into his office, grabbed a few printed documents from his desk then walked over to Siel's desk.

"You'd better have the two contracts checked and ready to be signed in two hours, Siel! If we don't have them on time, the client will look for another outsourcing company. You know how much money we would lose between the support, maintenance, and computer parts if we don't sign?"

"Yes, sir, I know how much the contract brings in," the flustered woman answered, almost mumbling to herself.

"Then get it done!" Wright hissed/yelled at her, noticing that their CEO was still looking his way. Or he thought it was his way…

Maybe it was someone else he was looking at. Shit, better get out there and start the meeting or I'm dead.

Meanwhile, Di saw the way Roderick didn't fully yell at her friend and followed his line of sight, noticing that Vincent was still looking their way. She smirked and raised an eyebrow at the CEO. In response, Vince slightly blushed, and she could see it clearly, even from a good distance away.

Eventually, the flushed man finally looked away because he was already being invited by the Wright, along with the other suited executives, to enter the meeting room.

Still smiling, Diwa turned again to her friend.

"Just think about it, OK? While you do, just imagine how your kids' faces are gonna light up like the sparkly lights on a Christmas tree when they get their wishes. Promise me you will, OK?"

"Alright Di, I will," Siel sighed, right before immersing herself in her work.

One call with an on-floor technician, one phone meeting with their warehouse, a few trips to the Legal Department, and a few contracts in the works later, and it was past her supposed shift's end. For some reason, she couldn't help but glance at the meeting room whenever she would go past it. And she would find her eyes automatically drawn to a certain lightly-bearded man in a black suit…

After a few more hours, she was now sitting at her desk, alone in the office, tired and worried because she's still rechecking the contract details before leaving it on her boss's desk. She took a break by drinking her favorite cinnamon coffee brew, which she always had on hand in one of her desk drawers.

Stopping for a minute, she looked at the angel-shaped pieces of paper that her friend put in her hand which were now on her table. A small smile lit up her face, right before her mobile phone rang…

"Hey Siel, you might want to come home soon, not that I'm rushing you… But your ex-husband is here… and he wants to play with the kids."

"OK, I'm going. Just stay there until I get home," she replied as she picked up the documents which she was still studying. Finally satisfied, she entered her boss’ e private office and placed them neatly on top of her his desk, her mobile still stuck between her cheek and shoulder.

"Hell, I'm staying until he leaves, girl."

"You don't need to, Nella. I can't pay you for the extra hours."

"Then don't pay me for that. It's a favor. Besides, I get to use your internet for free, and I need that for my thesis. That's why I gave you dirt-cheap rates, remember?"

"But…"

"No, buts. I still need to finish a chapter, so I'm staying. Will be waiting for you."

And the call ends…

At this point, Siel had already mindlessly stuffed random items on her desk into her bag, had put on her coat, and was now rushing out the door and into the elevator. Soon, she was already at home, parking her car in the garage.

Maybe because she was a little too panicky, Siel was totally unaware of another vehicle following her all throughout her journey. It slowed down as she parked and then zoomed away as her home's garage door started to close.