chapter 28: Promises

"Blaze, would I be able to do what I want? What if I can't? I never thought I would have a shot at it, so I didn't think it through back at College. I'm so scared," Diva rambled, and Blaze rolled his eyes as he drove the car.
He couldn't believe that he was doing so much for this girl, who was jumping in the passenger seat out of nervousness.
"What if my boss doesn't accept my resignation?" she questioned herself, adding a dramatic effect to her expressions. "Then, what?" She cupped her cheeks in horror.
"It's gonna be alright," Blaze told her, his voice softer than usual.
Diva noticed the change in his behavior after they hugged the last day. He ran away from her without saying anything. She couldn't help but wonder what happened to him all of a sudden. Even so, his words always managed to encourage her and be confident. After all, if it wasn't for him, she would've never gotten the chance. Besides, Emerald left the Hudson mansion after giving Diva permission to pursue her dream.
As Blaze parked the car in the parking lot, Diva let out, "You could have just dropped me outside."
"I'll wait for you to come back," Blaze said.
"You will?" she asked for confirmation, her eyes wide and lips parted.
"I don't like repeating myself," he stated flatly as Diva stared at him. "What are you waiting for? Just go and come back already. I'm not gonna wait long."
Diva hurriedly got out of the car and made her way towards the elevator. As she was walking, an unknown smile overtook her face. She bit her lips to stop her idiotic smile and straightened herself so that people wouldn't think she was a psycho.
Reaching her office floor, she knocked on the cabin door of her boss, the CEO of Rainbow Magazine.
The CEO, Mrs. McColen said in a low hum, "Come in."
Diva politely entered the cabin, closing the door behind her. "Good morning, ma'am. I hope you're having a gre��" Diva stopped speaking as her boss forwarded a hand towards her. "Huh?" she let out in confusion, glancing at the stretched out hand.
"Your resignation letter, give it," she told Diva without looking up from the papers she was reading.
"How did you know?" Diva was baffled.
"Your husband's assistant called," the older woman replied curtly.
Diva's mouth formed into a big 'O'. Then, she handed the resignation letter to Mrs. McColen. "As per the policy says, I'm giving you two weeks' notice before leaving."
"Two weeks? I thought you're stopping to work from today onwards." Mrs. McColen looked up at Diva in curiosity, putting her pen down.
"I would love to do that. But I can't just stop working out of nowhere. I need to work for, at least, two weeks more as per the policy," Diva reasoned out.
"There is no need for such a formality. The policy doesn't apply to Blaze Hudson's wife, so you're free to take your belongings and leave. Besides, why bother working here anymore?"
Mrs. McColen had noticed way before, the first-day Diva started working there, Diva wasn't interested in the job and she got bored of it easily. Therefore, she was happy that Diva found something else to do.
A smile beamed on Diva's face as expressed in gratitude, "Thank you so much, ma'am."
Later, Diva went to her former cabin to take her belongings. She was putting her things in the carton when Lina poked her from behind.
"You're leaving?" Lina asked, and Diva nodded with a sad smile. Lina let out an exasperated sigh, sitting down on one of the chairs, and said, "It's going to be lonely here without you."
Diva hummed sadly.
"Not that you came to office regularly, anyway," Lina deadpanned, making Diva chuckle. She went and placed her hands on Diva's shoulder. "Fulfill your dream, okay? Make momma proud." She flashed Diva with a big genuine smile.
Teary-eyed, Diva hugged Lina. The two of them talked for a bit before Diva went to the parking lot. She had completely forgotten about Blaze.
"Shit. Blaze definitely left by now. I'll need to call for��" she stopped on her rant when her eyes fell on the very familiar black hair and the person inside.
"You're still here?" Diva exclaimed as she sat on the passenger seat.
Blaze looked up from his laptop and tilted his head to the side. "So you finally came, huh?"
"I thought you already left by now," Diva said, putting on the seat belt, and placing the carton of her stuff on her lap.
"I have somewhere to take you to." He took the carton from her lap, placing it on the backseat.
Her face lit up with excitement. "Where?"
"You will see." Blaze twitched his lips, pulling the car over at the driveway.
"Tell me!" Diva whined enthusiastically, earning no response from Blaze. She pouted and sat back on her seat, fixing her gaze on the front.
Blaze shook his head hopelessly. Since the place where Blaze was taking her was nearby, they reached there within ten minutes.
Diva looked around the familiar surrounding as realization dawned on her. They were at Kiwi Inc.
"Hey, aren't we at your office?" Diva furrowed her eyebrows.
Blaze just smiled and got out. He held the door open for her and said, "Come out." Blaze had a surprise planned for Diva. He couldn't wait to see her astonished face filled with joy.
Seeing Diva's dumbfounded expression, he sighed and grabbed her wrist, pulling her inside the office building. For some reason, Diva felt shy for the first time as the employees stared at the couple in amazement.
They made their way to the private elevator, hand in hand. Even though they were standing inside the elevator, waiting to reach the seventh floor, Blaze still didn't leave her hand. Diva found it strange but didn't say anything.
Arriving at their destination, Blaze guided her to a sliding door, motioning Diva to open it. Diva let go of his hand, making him miss the warmth of her hands in his, and slid the door.
A gasp escaped her lips and instinctively she covered her mouth in surprise. In front of her was a studio��a game development studio.
Diva ran inside, twirling around, looking at the childish decorations. Even if the area looked like a normal working place, the variety of game sets and toys gave it away that it was a gaming studio. Most game developers, including Diva, had an innovative mindset, which led to the studio looking so fancy yet so unique.
While she looked around, Blaze just watched her��her smile. He knew he would love to protect that smile at any given chance.
"Why do you have a game development studio, Blaze?" Diva asked in surprise.
"Our software can be used for game development," he stated, hiding the smile that was on his face.
"You are letting me join your company's game development crew?"
"Yes."
"But you don't even know what my idea is," she protested.
"I don't need to know. I'm trusting everything to you," he told her.
For the first time, after Diva got married to Blaze, she acknowledged to herself that she was very lucky to have met someone like Blaze.
"Thank you, Blaze."
"Just how many times are you going to thank me?" He frowned and took a glance at his wristwatch. "Anyways, it's already eleven in the morning. I have told the crew members to be present in the meeting room. Let's go."
"Why?" Diva followed after him.
"You need to introduce yourself," he replied curtly.
Without further explanation, they walked in through a door, into the meeting room, where everyone was already seated with only two seats vacant��the chair of the CEO and the seat adjacent to his.
Everyone's eyes shifted to the couple as they greeted formally, their eyes scanning the woman with their boss with curiosity.
As they stood near their seats, Blaze greeted them back, "Hello, everyone. Thank you for working so hard every day."
They all smiled in response.
"As you might have already known, today a new game developer will join your crew. I hope you will give her a warm welcome and let her be a part of your team."
Everyone replied positively.
Blaze placed a hand on Diva's waist, startling her and let out bluntly, "So meet Diva Hudson, my wife, and your new crew member."
Diva gaped at Blaze. Every time she called him her husband according to convenience, but being called his wife by him, it was different. It sent goosebumps through her whole body.
Her thoughts were broken by the whisperings that erupted in the meeting room. Seeing that everyone was not taking this very well, that was where Diva came in, an extrovert who could always impress people at the first meeting.
As Blaze took his designated seat, Diva inhaled a deep breath before starting her own introduction and explained her game ideas to her crew members.
All the while, the only thing Blaze could notice was the constant, bright smile on her lips. At that moment, he took an oath to protect that smile, that innocence, that bubbly nature of hers, come what may.