The air was crisp and birds chirped around, their melodies wearing through the morning.

Andrès stirred awake as his alarm rang, breaking the dawn of day. He got up from the bed and had a quick shower in preparation for the start of a new day.

In a few minutes, he was done with his bath and hastily dressed up for work. His favorite part of the day was dressing up and going to work.

After getting dressed, he wasted no time in leaving the house.

As soon as he got out of his apartment, he hailed a taxi and told him the location of his office.

The drive to work was a very smooth one and in about thirty minutes, he got to work.

The second he arrived at work, he headed into the office in anticipation of seeing Emilia inside the office.

He pushed the elevator button to the top floor, in less than a minute, the elevator dinged and he made his way out.

He looked around to see if Emilia was around but he felt disappointed when the only person he saw was Gael.

He made his way to Garl's desk,"Good morning, have you seen Emilia? I'm getting restless already." His tone, calm.

Gael looked up from his desk, his eyes leaving the screen of his computer. "No, I haven't set my eyes on her." Gael replied curtly.

Andrès could feel something different in Gale's tone but he waved it off. He felt he was just being paranoid.

"Andrès, Gael." A feminine voice called out, causing Andrès and Geal to turn to the direction the voice came from. “The boss needs you both in his office.” Abigail, the secretary to Andrès boss informed the both of them.

They both stood up and made their way to their boss’ office. Andrès knocked on the door before going in.

The both of them walked in and their eyes met with the boss’s eyes.

“Good morning sir” Andrès greeted.

“Good morning sir” Gael greeted.

“Morning, please sit.” The boss, Don Simon said to both of them.

Andrès and Gael sat down on the chairs opposite him. Andrès could sense the tension in the room and he also noticed the worry etched on Don Simon's face.

Andrès has a close relationship with the boss so it made it quite easy for him to tell that something was amiss but Gael was the direct opposite of Andrès. Gael is so self centered that he barely cared about anyone but himself. All he was concerned about was to be seen as good and the best among other employees.

Sadly for him, Don Simon did not appreciate it which was why he never liked him as much as he likes Andrès. Andrès is more like the apple of his eyes and Gael is just a normal employee.

Most times, Gael felt bad when Don Simon chooses Andrès over him but he always hoped that one day, Don Simon will recognize him and he will somehow be the favorite of Don simon.

“I will be going on a long trip. I would be away for a while and I would need the both of you to work together. I do not want troubles with the company while I am away. I believe I can count on both of you?” He addressed them.

“Yes sir, you can.” They both chorused.

“Thank you. Having said that, I will need to talk to Andrès alone. If you would excuse us, Gael?” Don Simon requested.

Gael gave him a puzzled look as he wondered why he wanted him to excuse them but he could not debate it either. He got up from the chair he was seated in and walked out of the office feeling a little but jealous.

Don Simon ensured that he waited for him to shut the door and then he listened carefully to hear the sound of his footsteps receding.

“Andrès, I need to have a very important discussion with you. I need it to remain exclusive and you must tell no one else “ Don Simon said to the Andrès who nodded in agreement.

“I promise to keep it to myself, it shall not be spoken of,” Andrès assured Don Simon who smiled.

“I will be traveling and will not return, I_”

“No, you can't say that. I don't understand it… it…” Andrès stuttered, trying to calm himself down and say the proper words. “Why are you leaving? Why won't you return?” Andrès asked his boss, his voice laced with worry.

“I'd rather go knowing that I left the business in good hands. You are the best man for the job. I need you to look after the company like it is your own. Nurture it and enjoy it, make it grow and ensure its stability.” Don Simon instructed Andrès with a smile on his face.

“But_”

“No buts.” Don Simon said, preventing him from saying whatever it was he wanted to say.

“This is not nice, it is not fair you can't just leave. The company needs you and I also need you.” Andrès lamented.

Don Simon is the closest thing he's had to a father and listening to him say that he was not going to return back from his trip felt like torture in his ear.

Thinking about it all, he furrowed his brows in curiosity.

“That'll be all Andrès. You can enjoy your day,” Don Simon said dismissively.

“Thank you sir.” Andrès replied and got up from the chair he was seated on.

“By the way, where is your wife?” Din Simon asked Andrès.

“Oh! Emilia…” he stressed, trying so hard not to stutter. “She has an emergency appointment with the doctor.” Andrès replied.

He felt he had to lie for her just to protect her job.

“Wherever she was, I hoped that she was safe.” He thought inwardly.

“Okay, she should call in sick next time “ Don Simon instructed and Andrès nodded in response.

He walked to the door and he paused his steps as soon as he placed his hand on the door handle.

He turned to look at Don Simon who had a stick of tobacco in his left hand.

“What Andrès?” Don Simon asked.

Andrès facial expression was readable, thus, it sold him out.

“I understand you said you wouldn't return from your trip, but that is a bit bland. I really want to know why you said so. Please.” Andres insisted.

Don Simon fixed his gaze on him and a tired smile played on his lips, "sit"

Andrès walked back into the office and sat down on the chair opposite Don Simon.

"I am not getting any younger Andrès, and I have had an unhealthy eating habit in my younger years. I will be going for a heart surgery and the chances of me coming back is very slim. My survival rate is 50/50. As you are well aware, I have no family at all. I love you like a son which is why I will transfer the ownership of the company to you and put it in your name. I will also_"

Andrès instantly felt a lump in his throat, "No, you can't do that. I am not worth it." Andrès interrupted Don Simon.

"That is your low self esteem speaking, you deserve everything good in life. Better than this in fact. Not to debate on this, just see it as you keeping it for me. Take care of it, nurture it. Then you can give it back when I return." Don Simon suggested.

Andrès still felt uncomfortable with that. He loves his boss so much and inwardly, he was convinced that his boss would return. He couldn't bring himself to accept the offer.

Silence filled the air for a few seconds as Don Simon waited for Andrès response.

With a genuine and happy smile spread across Don Simon's face, "You can get back to work Andrès. I won't change my mind." He instructed Andrès.

Wordlessly, Andrès got up from the chair and walked towards the door. He placed his hand on the door handle, turned and looked at Don Simon who nodded his head, still smiling.

Andrès fought back the tears in his eyes and exited Don Simon's office.

As soon as Gael saw him leaving Don Simon's office, he was eager to know what Don Simon had wanted to discuss with him so he asked him to leave the office and give them privacy.

"Hey, are you okay? You look like you have seen a ghost." Gale asked Andrès as he sat on his chair.

Andrès ignored his question and stared blankly into space, he was trying to process everything that his boss told him and it wasn't sitting right in his head. Gael wasn't making it easier for him either. He kept on asking him questions non-stop and the words kept echoing in his head.

"Gael, please! I can't right now." Andrès said to his friend in a low tone.

"Now you keep secrets? Huh? You can't tell me what you both discussed? I thought you are my best friend and we do not keep secrets from each other." Gael blurted out insensitively, trying to guilt trip Andrès into telling him what he had discussed with the boss.

Andrès scoffed in disbelief. He knew that Gael was a lot of things but hearing him say what he said surprised him. He turned to look at Gael, a frown etched on his face. "Not right now Gael."

Gael felt slightly embarrassed with Andrès response but he clearly knew that whatever it was, he wasn't in the mood. "I'm sorry man, take your time." He said to him and walked back to his seat.

Both men did not say anything to each other all day, neither did Emilia show up at work which was another worrisome part of Andrès day.

Hours passed by very fast and the close of work approached soon. Andrès hoped in his heart that he was going to meet Emilia at home when he returned from work.

After sending the last file he was working on, he checked his wristwatch. "Finally!" He exclaimed excitedly at the close of work.

He picked up his bag and headed out of the office without wasting a second. He missed his wife so much and he was so eager to tell her what Don Simon had discussed with him.

He flagged down a taxi as soon as he reached outside the office building. "Fray's apartment." He said to the cab driver as he settled into the passenger's seat.

They passed through the bustling city and weirdly, there was no traffic that evening. Andrès felt like God was on his side

"Thank you." He said to the cab and stretched out his hand to pay him.

Headed into his apartment and he was so excited to see Emilia seated in the living room in front of the TV watching her favorite show.

"Mi amor," he called out excitedly but he tried his best to contain his excitement.

She turned at the sound of her name, "I'm sorry for leaving like that. Please forgive me." She apologized, tears welling up in her eyes.

"It's okay, my love. The most important thing is that you are back home, and safe too. I missed you so much." He replied, pulling her into a hug.

"I missed you too." She replied.

They remained in each other's embrace for a while before breaking it off. "So tell me, what did I miss?" She asked him.

Andrès did not think of it as strange because he felt like she was trying to lighten up the place.

"Well, you didn't miss much but I have something to tell you."

"Okay?" She replied curiously.

"Don Simon said something really weird to me today. I am still trying to wrap my head around it though." He started.

"Okay?"

"He said he would be going on a trip and he might likely not return."

"And?" Emilia asked impatiently.

"He wanted me to be in charge of the company before he returns. As a matter of fact, he wanted to temporarily put the company in my name until his return." Andrès explained.

"What did you say? Did you accept the offer?"

"No, I couldn't. I didn't want to take advantage of the situation."

"Wow, you are the dumbest man I've ever met. No, the dumbest human. Are you daft? Why? Why did you say no? This is a golden opportunity and you threw it away. Jesus!!! I can't even look at you right now." Emilia snapped and cursed.

Andrès did not take offense to it because he was well aware of her temper and she only just returned, he didn't want her to leave again.

With a click of his tongue, he turned to her. "I wanted to talk to you first. I'll accept the offer tomorrow." He said to her, only to cool off the tension in the air.

He just wanted a peaceful night and that was the only way to get it.

She smiled and hugged him tightly, happy that he changed his mind.

The rest of the night went on well and they had a good time before going to bed.

Both of them overslept, for some reason they didn't hear the alarm ring.

“Shit!” Andrès exclaimed when he saw the time.

He hurried out of bed and woke Emilia up too. They both hurriedly prepared for work and headed out without delay.

Married to his wife, Emilia, he was quite confident that everything in the world was well and good, because his wife was a catch, he had a steady job and income and everything was perfect in those moments. Something that Andrès seemed to constantly forget was that good times do not always last.

Today was one such day when Andrès discovered the truth in these words.

He had been sitting in his office, typing away at his computer when the phone beside him rang. He picked it up at once.

“Yeah?” he said to the receiver.

A cool tone greeted him. Andrès rose from his chair and looked around, outside his cubicle. The other workers seemed preoccupied with their work. Andrès grinned even though the person on the other end of the call could not see him, and he settled down more comfortably in his chair.

“Hello, darling,” he said sweetly again.

“Don’t call me that,” his wife, Emilia grumbled. “You know we’re at the office.”

“Oh, right. Right! What’s going on?”

“The boss has requested for tea.”

Andrès pulled away from his desk, a frown slightly etched on his face. “Okay…?” he said, unsure of why she was telling him what the boss wanted to have. “Well, what’s the problem? And what does that have to do with me?”

He heard his wife grumble in the background, then she's talking again. “Everything, Andrès. I’m not feeling too well right now. I have a headache, and I’m a little light-headed. I really feel like I’m either going to fall in front of the boss or I’m going to puke my guts out before him. Even now, I’m—”

She made a puking noise into the receiver, and Andrès recoiled, grimacing. “Alright! You should have just said so. Go to the washroom and stay there until you feel better or something.”

“I can’t,” she protested. “I’m the only person here right now. If the boss finds out that I left my post…” she trailed off. “Can you please come help me take this tea to the boss’s office?”

Andrès sighed and rubbed his temples. He did not like this one bit. He was also busy and in the middle of work, and no matter what or how he felt, it was his strict belief that work should always come first.

He didn’t like that he was going to take over his wife’s duties—not that he didn’t want to, but because it would eat into his own work time.

He groaned into the receiver. “Just hold on. I’m coming.” He dropped the call.

When Andrès got to Emilia’s desk, he made a face at her. She didn’t look at all like she was light-headed. She handed him the cup of tea without any formalities.

“I thought you said you were feeling sick?” Andrès asked.

Emilia gave him a look and said, “Have you ever heard of makeup, my dear husband? Even dead people look alive these days with a little bit of makeup.”

Andrès took the cup from her wordlessly. Her gaze was already back on her computer and Andrès walked off in the direction of the boss’s office. He knocked once on the door and entered.

“Forgive the interruption; I’ve got your tea, sir.”

His boss nodded gruffly without looking up from what he was doing. “Just leave it on the table.”

Andrès walked to the table and wondered where exactly his boss wanted him to set the cup on. The entire table was occupied with files, stationery and the boss’s computer that he was working on.

The boss turned to him when he saw Andrès’s confusion. He took the cup from Andrès and smiled at him. Then he squinted when he saw that it was Andres and not Emilia, his wife.

“Andreè? Why are you the one bringing my tea? What happened to your wife?”

Andrès rubbed his head and laughed nervously. “She was coming to deliver the tea to you, but I insisted that I did it since I was already on the way here.”

“Ah…” said his boss. “Oh, you married people always make me wish I was married too.” He took a sip from his cup and placed it back down. “But nope. No marriage for me again. I burnt that bridge down a long time ago.”

“Don’t let me bore you with my thinking.” The boss sipped some more at his tea and nodded. “You can go, Andrès. Thank you.”

Andrès bowed a little and made for the door. Then he heard a strange sound from his boss. He turned and saw that his boss was struggling and clutching at his neck.

“Boss?” Andrès called, unsure of himself. “Are you alright?”

But his boss only continued gargling and clutching at his throat. His eyes were wide. Panic flooded Andrès. He ran to his boss’s side, trying to right him up, but the boss was a very big man and Andrès found it difficult to help the man up.

“I NEED HELP IN HERE!” Andrès yelled. “THERE’S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE BOSS!”

Almost immediately, people rushed in, other employees, like himself. Andrès was relieved that there were people coming to help out. He could not have been able to lift the boss up by himself alone.

But just as immediately as the people had come in, their confusion came in with them too.

“What’s happened?” Someone asked. Andrès opened his mouth to answer but another person cut him off—

“You’re trying to kill the boss!”

“You’re trying to kill the boss?”

There was mass confusion and Andrès did not know how he had gotten himself mixed into the entire commotion. All he had wanted was help so he could move the boss.

“I don’t know what you’re all saying, but he’s dying. We need to get him to a hospital.”

“Yeah,” someone countered. “I bet you’d love to take him to a hospital and play the hero , saving his life.”

“Shut up!”