Sleeping With The CEO
Chapter 271: Early Bird

Chapter 271: Early Bird

Most of the time Padma was not one of those employees who was first to arrive at work in the morning, and last to leave at night. Sure, like anybody who wanted to go anywhere in the business world, she often stayed a lot of late nights.

Working hard to finish before the deadlines came up, and making sure that she was on top of whatever project needed her attention.

But mornings were where she had the most problems. It was often a battle for her to get up early, her bed and pillow so comfy, that she just wanted to lay there a few minutes longer. Despite knowing that it was going to make her late for work. But that Friday morning, Padma had woken up feeling energized and just ready to go. Which was why she was currently the only one who was in the HR department.

She had to admit that it was nice.

The silence of it was different from the silence that came in the evenings. At night the quiet was a bit unnerving. Especially after the loudness of the day. But there was a sense of expectation to the early morning silence. Like the building itself knew that people were about to come in and was getting itself ready. Alone in her office Padma was not even doing any work.

Instead, she was just sitting back, enjoying some chamomile tea and listening to music. It was a rather pleasant way to start the day. No rushing to catch the elevator, and then being cramped amongst other people. No juggling multiple files as well as her laptop bag, and all that other stuff while at the same time throwing greetings towards random employees.

Making a mental note to arrive early to work more often. Padma sipped her tea and hummed. She had just taken the last sip when there was a knock on the door, and Padma startled so badly she nearly dropped the cup.

Fumbling with it mid-air before she was able to properly grasp it, and put it on the table. Looking up with an annoyed huff, she expected it to be one of the cleaning staff, but her eyes widened when she saw who it was.

"Emily," She greeted, unable to keep the shock from her voice. It was not just the fact that Emily Molson was at work at six thirty in the morning. The other woman looked horrible, and not just the horrible that spoke of a poor night’s rest. No, it looked as though Emily had not slept at all the previous night. Let alone seen her bed, or any other bed for that matter.

She was in jeans, a torn shirt and a light jacket.

When Padma looked close enough, she could see traces of dirt on the clothing. On Emily’s messy hair, there were actually twigs and leaves sticking out. The head of HR was dying to know what had happened. On any other day, she would have already begun with that. Asking away without a second thought.

"Emily, oh my goodness, what happened to you?" She would have said.

But that Friday there was something about the look in Emily’s eyes that just said that she was in no mood to be interrogated.

"Good morning Padma," Emily said as she walked into the office, no longer just standing at the door. Her gait slow, and staggered. Had Padma not known better, she would have thought that Emily had come into the office after a few drinks.

But the other woman did not smell of alcohol. So most likely, she was very sober. What looked to be an overnight bag on her lap, Emily sat across from Padma and looked at her. Then she opened up the bag and reached into it, pulling out a piece of paper.

Curious where the whole thing was leading, Padma merely watched as Emily smoothed out the paper and handed it over.

Thinking that maybe it was some sort of incident report. Padma’s eyes skipped over the writing. Keywords jumped out at her. Words like ’resignation’, and

’effective immediately’. The tranquil mood that Padma had managed to cultivate for herself instantly dissipated. No way... she could not have read that right. Sitting up straight, she went over the document again. The words had not changed.

She was holding a resignation letter.

Not just any resignation letter either, but Emily Molson’s resignation letter. Legally speaking, they could not keep an employee who did not want to work for them anymore. But despite knowing that, just seeing those words, Padma’s mind instantly began whirring, trying to look for ways to make her stay.

Searching for anything and everything that she could use to make sure that Emily would not leave. But she came up blank.

"Emily this is all rather hasty. Please, you look like you have had a rough night. Why don’t you take the rest of the day to think things through?" Padma found herself saying. Pleading with the other woman. Emily looked at her.

Red-rimmed eyes blinking repeatedly before she shook her head.

"No Padma, I have had the whole night to think about this, and leaving is what I have decided to do," She said it so calmly. A tone that Padma had only ever heard from people who had truly made up their minds. Even so, desperation made Padma ignore that tone and try to convince Emily to stay.

"I am sure that if I go through enough files. I will be able to find some extra time off that I can give you..."Emily was shaking her head, but Padma could not stop her mouth from running.

"No time off the...How about this? A bonus plus all the vacation days you want, whenever you want...," She was even making promises that she could not keep now. But Emily would not be swayed.

"Enough Padma. I am leaving," She said, sounding tired of it all.

Finally out of words, Padma gripped the resignation letter. "Why?" She breathed, knowing that she was being unprofessional, but unable to help herself. Everything had been going so well.

Being that they worked together.

Padma and Emily had seen each other multiple times since she had returned from her time off. There had been absolutely no warning that she was about to quit. In fact, even on Thursday, the previous day, Padma had seen Emily and the other woman had looked over the moon. What could have changed between Thursday, and Friday morning to lead to such a drastic change. For Emily to be wanting to just quit Haven Group out of the blue.

"It is time for me to move on Padma. I have been here too long," Emily said, Padma still could not believe it.

"Does Derek know," She asked. It was a last ditch attempt to try and remind Emily that there were people at Haven Group who would miss her. Padma remembered how Derek had behaved, the last time Emily had been gone.

Back then she had merely been on leave. Now she would be gone for good. No way the man would handle it well. At that particular question, Emily gave Padma a smile so brittle, it looked as though if somebody were to tap her cheek, she would crack and shatter like glass.

"The CEO has not been informed of my decision, but I take it that you, as the head of HR, will tell him of my departure. Goodbye, Padma," And that was all Emily said before she stood, making her way out of the office and out of Haven Group. It might have only been her imagination.

But the whole building seemed to darken around Padma as she watched Emily go.