It was Willow's first day in L Empire's research department of L'Empire. Although the biggest laboratory of L Empire was in the Forest Mansion, their research team however had a dedicated s.p.a.ce in their corporate center and that was where Willow was a.s.signed.

She is always overly excited for work whenever Ang drops her off every time, she runs in full speed inside without waiting for him. Prior to her first day, a lady employee toured her around L'Empire corporate center already so she knew her way around. 

She always had a full day schedule, forty percent of it will be spent on her tasks related to the research. Twenty percent for some necessary training and the rest are breaks or rather her playtime. Since Willow is a child, she doesn't have a strict schedule so most of the time, when her work was over, she was seen going around every department that her badge swipes allows her to. 

That particular day, Willow forgot to bring her lunch box so her supervisor brought her to their department's cafeteria to eat. However, to her frustration there were no strawberries available for her and so her stomach made her crave for it. She wanted to demand her supervisor for it but the lady was already in the middle of a very important meeting and she was left with no one to ask specially that it was still ten in the morning and everyone was particularly busy. In fact, she had already asked a couple of employees to get her some but they all politely asked her to wait for a minute because they were finis.h.i.+ng up some things. However, Willow's tummy couldn't anymore wait so she thought of remedying it immediately.

Her natural instinct of course told her to go to other departments' cafeteria yet she already visited five of them and they all don't serve strawberries. When her stomach couldn't anymore take it, she thought of going outside to buy the fruit itself in a nearby store. However, her badge swipe wasn't allowing her to exit the building. Dannah made sure the child's safety by disallowing her access to every exit and she can only leave LEmpire using her guardian's badge swipe which of course was with Ang. It was what Ang use whenever she picks Willow up from work.

"This is crazy. I want my strawberry already," Willow mumbled to herself. She was certain she can only have strawberries when she buys it from the store but she cannot go out without an adult. However all the adults in the building were busy and so she thought for someone who could accompany her. Then when she was about to give up, an idea rushed through her mind. With a smile, she ran as fast as she could, caught the next elevator and went up to one of the highest floors of the building.

***

Don Samuelle almost tore the newspaper with what he had read. He was so mad about how people these days were pus.h.i.+ng them down to the pit when they barely had nothing anymore. Although he had other riches to rely on, L'Empire was something important to him and he just couldn't stand and watch people make fun of it just because of some things they couldn't control. Few years ago, they had been condemned for the death of the new Lagdameo heir and this time they were being laughed at just because they were all barren-unable to bring forth new breeds to follow their last names. With his headache, the old chairman rested his back at his swivel chair and closed his eyes. He needed some peace to clear off his mind.

"Pssst..pssst..psst.." A small call made Don Samuelle grimace and open his eyes. He looked to where the sound came from, the door, but no one was there however it was already open. 

"Here grumpy grandpa," Willow's voice gave Don Samuelle a sudden fright as he certainly wasn't expecting her. She chuckled at sight of the old man that almost fell from his seat when he saw her.

"Who allowed you to come here?" Don Samuelle's voice was ultimately annoyed especially when he kind of lost his posture in front of her. "Child you didn't even knock!"

"I did knock but you didn't listen," She reasoned when the truth was she didn't really knock as she intended to know whether the old man was busy so she peeked through the door first and saw him sleeping.

"Who allowed you to come here?" The annoyance in Don Samuelle's voice was evident.

"My badge," The girl waived her badge swipe in front of him. 

"What do you want?" The old man just asked the girl another question immediately because he can't comment on her previous answer, it was just perfectly scripted in a way that he cannot refute.

"Are you really rich?" Willow threw him another unrelated question that only formed lines Don Samuelle's head.

"Child you wasting my time here. Who is your supervisor? Why wasn't she-"

"Just answer my question because it seemed that you were lying to me the first time we met. You aren't exactly rich was what you made me believe," Willow cut him off as if her errand was far more important than anything else.

"What are you even talking about? I'm rich okay? I own this building and I have thousands of employees. If that is not rich to you then perhaps you aren't smart at all," He told her, wis.h.i.+ng she would just go away and stop pestering him since he wasn't in the mood at all.

"Really? Then why does your canteen don't have strawberries?" Willow asked and her face kind of told the old man she was not convinced on his reason.

"What?" Don Samuelle hollered in disbelief, "How is strawberries related to my wealth?"

"Strawberries are expensive in this country. Is that the reason why your company doesn't serve their employees strawberries? Well then I guess you aren't rich at all," Willow bossily curved one of her eyebrows up. "L'Empire can't afford strawberries, what a shame,"

****

-Chapter ends here-                       

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