OFFICE ENEMIES : I HATE YOU EDAN (Workplace Enemies Series)

CHAPTER TWO

THE ELEVATOR

Imogen’s POV

The elevator doors opened on the fourteenth floor and I stepped in without looking up from my phone. My thumb was already scrolling through the Belvane Health brief which I have been memorizing throughout this week before the doors started closing behind me.

Just then a hand shot between the doors, when I looked up it was Edan Cross, my ex-boyfriend from two years ago standing in the gap, with one of his palms laying flat against the metal and staring at me like I had materialized out of the thin air. His hair was shorter than I remembered.

The black hoodie he was wearing was the kind of expensive casual outfits that TikTok stars always put on in order to pretend they had nothing serious going on for them. It has been two years since our break up, I have moved on working with one of the top media company as their marketing strategist and the last information I heard of him was that he is a well known media personality and a prominent TikTok star whom have used his platform help a lot company. So I had no clue what he would be doing as it seems like it was not just a mere coincidence.

“What are you doing here?” he asked as the doors tried to close again as he was shoving them back open with his shoulder.

“I work here,” My voice came out flat and controlled, the same as the voice I had used four years ago in that hallway, right before I walked away.

“ How is that possible?. He blinked as confusion was written all over his face that it almost looked genuine. “

“Yes I have been working with the Bright Media marketing department since January.”

“Since January!. Then you must be the new hire that Greg keeps talking about. Were you the one who landed the Belvane pitch?.” He said it like the words were in a foreign language as his eyes narrowed with recognition

“I’m the one who built the Belvane pitch.” I corrected arrogantly.

The elevator doors closed, we were standing three feet apart in a box that suddenly felt too small. The fluorescent light was buzzing overhead and the cable was humming.

Just then Edan pressed the button for the top floor and I also pressed the button for the top floor making our fingers collide on the panel.

“Don’t do that” I warned.

“I live here,so you don’t tell me what to do.” he said, which was absurd, because he didn’t, and we both knew that.

“Then get out.” I shouted.

“You get out.” He shouted back.

We were standing there irrespective of the fact that we were two grown adults with our fingers hovering over the same button as neither of us was willing to move first.

The elevator didn’t move either. Rather, it just sat there, humming, like it was waiting for one of us to blink.

I blinked.

Instead I kept gazing at him, still taking notice of how his muscle was jumping the way it used to whenever he was trying to say something stupid. Though it was four years since our break up, I could still remember his characteristics and I don’t know why I still kept track of them.

“Move your hand from the buttons,” I said.

“Then you need to move yours first.” He replied.

Just then the doors opened on the twelfth floor, a woman in a navy suit stepped in, took an inquisitive look at us, before stepping right back out as the doors closed again.

“This is ridiculous,” I said.

“You’re the one who keeps causing a nuisance…..”

“You better not finish that sentence.” I cut him off.

He didn’t really finish the sentence as he kept looking at me, and for a traitorous second, I could see the boy who had brought me coffee after every exam and at the same time, he was just the man who had told me it wasn’t that serious like my feelings were not valid.

The elevator started moving up, towards the top floor leading to the conference room where Greg Bush, the CEO of Bright Media, had organized an all-hands meeting for a nine a.m. prompt.

“Great, we’re going to be late.” I muttered after I checked my wrist watch and it was eight fifty-seven.

“For what exactly?.” He asked but I didn’t answer because I don’t have to consider the fact that both of us were on the losing end after all.

The elevator dinged on the fifteenth floor, and the doors opened onto a sea of faces revealing the entire marketing department who were standing in the lobby outside the conference room.

I saw my boss Greg Bush standing at the front, holding a tablet. He was talking but stopped mid-sentence when he saw us.

“Ah, there are both of you.” He said leaving me confused.

Edan stepped out first and I followed. I saw the crowd parting around us like we were contagious.

“Imogen, Edan. I was just telling everyone the good news. Bright Media is merging with Cole & Associates and it would be effective immediately.” Greg said, pausing to look between us as the entire room was already dead silent.

“The merger means that we are combining our strongest assets. Imogen, your Belvane Health pitch is the crown jewel and Edan, your platform reach is the engine to our outlined goal. Together, you’ll co-lead the campaign for the Belvane device launch.” Greg continued.

Edan went very still and I felt the blood drain from my face.

“The cancer treatment device, the one that could change the fate of the vulnerable patients. Yeah the both of you are to handle it squarely starting today.” Greg concluded, smiling like he had just handed us a trophy.

Nobody in the room moved or breathed, Edan turned to look at me and I turned to look at him.

It has been four years of silence, and the only thing standing between us now was a medical device, a merger, and a room full of people who had no idea that we used to share a bed.

“No, I’m not doing this.” I said.

“I’m sorry?” Greg’s smile faltered.

“I said no.” I repeated.

I saw Edan’s mouth open and close repeatedly with no words coming out.

“Imogen, this isn’t optional for you because the board has already approved it this morning and the contracts are signed.” Greg said carefully.

I looked at Edan and he returned his gaze at me under the fluorescent lights buzzing above us. The crowd were intently watching us.

And somewhere in the back of the room, a phone camera clicked.