Chapter 18: The Golden Employee
Skyline Events Company.
“Miss Allen, stop staring into space. I need you in my office now!” Kourtney’s wandering thoughts were rudely interrupted by her immediate superior, Brianna Martins.
“Sure, Ma’am, I’ll be right there,” she replied, putting up a fake smile to mask her disdain.
As Kourtney stood up to follow the older woman, she wondered why her presence was suddenly needed. But she was even more worried after being caught drifting off by the infamously harsh and bossy Brianna Martins. But can you blame her for pondering too much?
These last three days after Kourtney’s breakup and eventual flash marriage have been an emotional rollercoaster for her. As she walked behind Jessy towards the office, her thoughts almost drifted back to base again. Kourtney bit her lips in frustration, struggling to maintain her composure and concentration.
Off course, she’s been doing everything she can to avoid Brandon and Kathlyn. But those two have shamelessly been parading themselves around her at every given opportunity, making her blood boil.
Last night, they’d hosted a dinner party to mark their engagement at the Smiths mansion, and Brandon had the nerve to invite her. He sent her a text saying he wanted her to be there and hoped they could all move forward as in-laws and friends because he still cared about her. The nerve!
Kourtney had stared at her phone in disbelief, her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn’t believe the audacity of his request. Friends? She’d wasted three years of her life loving such a shameless and despicable douchebag.
They had been planning a future together, only for him to toss her aside, impregnate her sister and expect them to remain friends.
She’d been so embarrassed texting all her friends, classmates, work colleagues, and invitees that her upcoming grand wedding was off. Meanwhile, he was busy parading the city with Kathlyn as lovebirds.
Even his sister, Alana Smith, who happened to be her college friend, had called to ask about what was happening. It must have been shocking to them that Brandon introduced another woman to be his new fiancee a few weeks before their big Wedding. Her younger sister for that matter!
Despite having good relationships with most of the Smith family members, the constant calls and texts from them since last night felt like an intrusion into her personal space, and she ignored all of them except for Alana’s.
She wondered why the Smiths hadn’t directed their questions and concerns to Brandon himself. It seemed illogical that they were bothering her instead of seeking answers from the source.
And then again, another reason for her distractions and heightened emotions was the way all her colleagues had been chattering about the news of Billionaire Sebastian Wood’s shocking marriage.
Kourtney was surprised to discover that the man already announced it to the world. The news was all over the internet, and everyone was talking about how Melbourne’s most eligible bachelor was now married out of the blue. Different blogs, tabloids, papers, and also, news stations had announced the news without revealing his mystery wife – HER.
Kourtney thought her female colleagues would probably skin her alive if they found out she was the Wife of their prince charming. She sucked in her breath now and then whenever someone mentioned his name.
There was also the fact that she still hadn’t told her family about their marriage. Her parents and everyone else at home have been too busy preparing for Kathlyn and Brandon’s wedding, making her sick to the stomach. She couldn’t believe these people were really her family.
As she entered Brianna’s office, Kourtney wondered what this unexpected meeting was all about. She sat down nervously, her mind racing with possible scenarios. So many unwanted situations have disrupted her life recently, and now this meeting seemed to be another twist in the ongoing drama.
Brianna sat behind her desk, folding her hands and fixing Kourtney with an intense stare.
“Have a seat, Miss Allen,” she motioned towards the chair in front of her desk, her stern expression unwavering.
Kourtney took a deep breath and settled into the chair, her palms slightly sweaty. “What’s this about, Miss Bri?”
“Miss Allen,” Brianna began, cutting straight to the chase with a grave tone, “our company has just been chosen to handle a big and major event happening soon.”
Kourtney’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, and she couldn’t contain her curiosity. “What ‘BIG’ event are we talking about, Ma’am?”
“The Silverstone Gala,” Brianna announced blandly.
Kourtney’s eyes widened in shock. ‘No way!’ she exclaimed inwardly.
Yes, their company, Skyline Events, was highly regarded and sought-after in the event planning industry, but hosting the Silverstone Gala was on a whole different level. It was a prestigious affair, considered one of the finest high-society events of the year.
“TThe Silverstone Gala?” Kourtney repeated, her voice tinged with disbelief.
“You heard me. That’s what I said,” Brianna affirmed rudely in her usual tone.
Kourtney ignored it, though, as she had unfortunately been used to Brianna’s less-than-pleasant attitude after working with her for the past two years. The woman behaved like that with everyone, but Kourtney always felt like Brianna had a special kind of hatred for her.
Nonetheless, she ignored Brianna’s icy demeanor, too caught up in her jubilation at the news.
“Oh my god, this is incredible! The Silverstone Gala is like a dream event to handle! I can’t believe we got it!” Kourtney exclaimed.
She was so happy to hear their company landed such a huge gig. They would be planning such a prominent event like the almighty “Silverstone Gala.”
It was one of the most talked about events, renowned for being graced by the most famous big shots, elites, influencers, stars, fashion icons, and celebrities, from around the world. It was an event that had often been compared to the ‘Met Gala’ in recent times, with magazine articles and tabloids often dubbing it as the “ultimate display of opulence and style.”
Brianna rolled her eyes dismissively, clearly unimpressed by Kourtney’s enthusiasm.
“You can save the theatrics, Allen. Don’t get too carried away. This event is going to be huge for Skyline. It is gonna be a massive task, and there’s a lot of pressure to make sure it goes off without a hitch.”
Kourtney nodded vigorously, the excitement still bubbling within her.
“Speaking about that, the project deadline is fast approaching since this is an impromptu offer. The Gala is one month away, so we need to start getting things ready now! And guess what? You were selected to handle the project!” Brianna added with darkness lurking in her eyes.
“What? Me?” Kourtney asked with wide eyes.
Brianna’s expression remained unchanged while her tone dripped with sarcasm. “Yes, you.”
“I… I thought only senior executive planners were allowed to take up such big tasks?”This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.
“Well. That’s what we all thought. However, the company higher-ups think you have what it takes to handle such a high-profile event.” Brianna sneered with dissatisfaction evident in her voice as she folded her arms.
And just like that, Kourtney finally realized where the woman’s today’s bitterness was surging from. ‘So I was chosen to oversee the event over her.’ Her heart raced with a mixture of excitement and nervousness.
“I… I can’t believe it. I mean, I’m honored, but this is such a huge responsibility.”
“Well, remember, they specifically chose you and insisted you were more than qualified to handle it, so there is no time for amateur mistakes. You’ll need to coordinate with vendors, manage the schedule, oversee the logistics, and deal with everything else, along with your team.” Brianna replied rudely again.
If looks could kill, Kourtney would probably be dead and buried in no time. The spite and bitterness emanating from Brianna at this moment was so apparent. There was something more than mere hatred in her eyes- jealousy, frustration, insecurity, and perhaps even fear.
Kourtney took a deep breath, reminding herself to stay focused despite Brianna’s negativity and impoliteness. “I understand the challenges, Miss Bri. And I’m determined to make this event a success.”
“Fine, then. Just make sure you don’t mess it up. The reputation of this company is on the line.” Brianna leaned back in her chair as she spoke, shrugging indifferently.
As Kourtney left Brianna’s office, her mind was already buzzing with ideas and plans. The Silverstone Gala would be a defining moment in her career, an opportunity to shine on the grandest stage imaginable.
It was finally her chance to showcase her expertise on a global stage to prove that she was up to the challenge of hosting an event of this magnitude early on in her career. It was a daunting challenge, but it was also a chance to confirm her and her team’s capabilities on a grand stage.
Meanwhile, Brianna’s cold and piercing gaze followed Kourtney as she left the office. The weight of jealousy and bitterness seemed to intensify with each step Kourtney took. Brianna had always been ambitious, and the idea of someone else, especially Kourtney, being chosen for such a high-profile project must have been a blow to her ego.
Kourtney was like the ‘golden employee’ in the whole of Skyline events. And Brianna’s fear of being replaced as the senior executive event planner was the heart of her disdain for Kourtney. She had fought tooth and nail to reach her position, and Kourtney’s rapid rise appears to threaten that. The girl was just too hard-working and diligent to go unnoticed.
Even now, Kourtney was given such a big project ahead of Brianna, who was her superior in the company’s hierarchy.
Brianna’s mind was churning with resentment and a simmering plot. She knew she had to strategize if she wanted to maintain her position as the senior executive planner. Kourtney’s competence had become a threat, and she wasn’t about to be sidelined without putting up a fight.
“Let’s see how this stupid B*tch succeeds under my watch,” Brianna muttered as her lips twisted into a calculating smirk.