chapter Eight

Adam Fidelis reclined in his opulent office, surrounded by mahogany furnishings and adorned with exquisite works of art. Sunlight filtered through the grand windows, casting warm hues upon the plush carpeting.

With an air of authority, he sat behind his expansive desk, meticulously flipping through files with practiced ease.

As he perused the documents, his countenance exuded confidence and authority, every movement deliberate and calculated. His presence commanded attention, a testament to his stature in the business world.

Suddenly, the tranquility of his sanctuary was interrupted by the arrival of his secretary, a poised and efficient woman whose every gesture bespoke professionalism. She stood at the threshold, her expression betraying a hint of apprehension.

"Sir," she began, her voice measured but tinged with urgency, "there's something I need to bring to your attention."

The man raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued by her tone. "Go on," he prompted, setting aside the files to focus his attention on her.

"It's about your son, Fredrico," she continued, her voice carefully modulated. "He encountered a rather... unusual situation today."

His brow furrowed in concern, the lines of his face momentarily creasing with worry. "What happened?" he inquired; his voice tinged with curiosity.

The secretary hesitated, choosing her words with care. "There is a girl named Rita Dasilva in his department," she explained, her voice tinged with disapproval. "She... she was very rude to him, sir."

“I want full details of what went down”, he said trying to maintain his composure. She was said to have poured a trash bin on him in their telling him that she does not care about his background. The secretary blabbered.

"A flicker of annoyance passed over the man's features, his expression hardening with resolve. "What?" he shouted; his tone laced with thinly veiled displeasure. "Who is she?"

The secretary hesitated, reluctant to divulge more than necessary. "She's... she's an enigma, sir," she replied cryptically. "No one seems to know much about her, but she certainly left an impression on your son."

The man's jaw tightened, his thoughts racing as he contemplated the implications of this unexpected development. In that moment, the tranquility of his sanctuary was shattered, replaced by a storm of uncertainty and resolve.

With a steely glint in his eyes, he rose from his seat, his posture radiating authority and determination. Whatever this strange girl's intentions, he vowed to protect his family's honor at all costs.

"Thank you for bringing this to my attention," he said, his voice firm and unwavering. "I'll handle it from here."

The secretary scurried out, finally exhaling the breath she seemed to have been holding since she stepped into his office. Amanda had just gotten this job this week and she really wants to safeguard her post, which is why she had people monitoring everything that pertains to her boss so that she doesn’t miss out on anything.

Working with Adam is not an easy thing, and he hates to find out things from the wrong source. She was happy to have been able to escape this time around.

Adam picked up his phone the moment the secretary left and dialed Fredrico’s number. He was already expecting his call, so he was not surprised to see his call.

"Hi, Mr. Fidelis, is there anything I can help you with?" Fredrico inquired.

"I have told you severally to call me dad. For how long do you plan to keep being rebellious?" Adam berated his son, and one would almost mistake them for a closely-knitted family from the calmness in his voice and their banter.

"I'm sure you did not call to tell me to call you 'dad,'" Fredrico responded, his voice tinged with sarcasm.

"What happened in school today, son?" Adam asked. Fredrico chuckled before answering, "You found out already, so are you calling to confirm if it's true or not?"

"Fred," he shouted. "Answer me while I'm being nice before I'm forced to deal with you. How many times do I have to tell you that you represent the Fidelis, and whoever dares to as much as lift their heads to you is daring the Fidelis?" He went on to say.

"Okay, sir, but I took care of it already. There is no need to bother about it. No one will dare to talk about it, and any media outlet that still wishes to work with the Fidelis Group will not dare to write about it either. So, what exactly are you worried about?"

"I am very much aware of that and do not need you to tell me what I already know. I am asking to know what really happened. How could she dare to do that, and I hope she is dead or hospitalized by now," he questioned.

"Mr. Adam, I already told you I would take care of this. You do not need to bother yourself with it. I'm sure you have a lot of things to tend to, so just focus on that," he said and hung up before he could say another word.