Two

Howard Clemente, the CEO of Clemente Industry spent his night wandering about what to do with the woman he adores the most. He have lost count how many times he heaved a sigh and tried to open a book to read it but lost his focus. He did not even notice that it is already 4:30 am when his alarm enveloped the whole room. He tried to sleep but when he realized that there’s no way he could sleep with his mind thinking of her, he decided to do some jogging around the neighborhood and prepared to go to work a couple of hours later. He absentmindedly ate his breakfast and drove to his company.

Once inside his office, he was not able to focus on the meeting because his thoughts kept on lingering to the woman she saw at the bar last night. It was not his first time seeing her, he knew that she has a boyfriend and he does not have a chance to win her because she loved her boyfriend too much.

Minutes ticked by and he only noticed that the meeting is already over when he heard the rumbling of chairs and the participants started to stood and walked their way out of the office. His assistant is the only one who stayed in the room.

"The meeting is already finished?" he asked perplexedly.

"No, sir. But I have asked them to leave because your mind seemed to be flying somewhere else. We have been calling your name countless times trying to get your insights regarding the meeting's agenda."

"Oh, sorry about that James." Howard fixed the tie of his suit and grabbed a folder to scan what is inside it and review the agenda of the meeting.

“Let’s just reschedule the meeting, James.” He said.

"What is it now, sir?" James asked, ready for casual conversation with his boss. Their relationship with each other is not just employer to employee, they have been best friends since they were kids so they know a lot about each other. James could sense that Howard is thinking about something else.

Howard heaved a sigh. 

"I saw her yesterday night and I couldn't get my eyes off her." He confessed and rubbed his forehead while his eyes is still in the files he is reading.

James leaned his hands on the table. "Her? You mean Natasha again?"

He nodded.

James is not so shock to learn that his boss is thinking about Natasha, it is not the first time it happened.  He knows that he'd been eyeing her for such a really really long time now.

“You have been in love with her for almost eight years now, when are you planning to make a move on her?”

Howard shook his head. “That’s not gonna happen, dude. You know that. It’s never part of the plan so let’s just drop the topic, I will get over this soon.”

James shook his head disbelievingly. He knew it will take ages for him to forget her. "I heard a really interesting news about her this morning and I bet everything I have that you're going to be glad with it," he said upon remembering the gossip he heard on the company's lobby.

"Really?" He dropped the folder and paid his attention to his assistant.

"If I will be happy to hear the news then I will give you my brand new car."

 "You should say goodbye to your car now, bro." James chuckled.

"Spill the news. I'm all ears,” he said and comfortably leaned his shoulder at the back of his swivel chair.

"Alright brace yourself." He leaned closer to Howard. He opened his mouth to speak but closed it again.

"Oh, come on. Say it." Howard demanded.

James let out a teasing smile before narrating the story. "I heard that Natasha caught her boyfriend cheating with his secretary." he whispered as if no one should hear about it except the two of them.

Howard was too stunned to speak for a while.

"Don't try to play some tricks on me, James."

"I am not."

Howard looked at James for a minute, studying his expression if he is just playing games with him or being serious. It just seems impossible. He wants to be sure of what he heard from James so he stood from his seat and was about to stormed out of the office when James called him.

"What about the car keys, bro?" He asked and handed his palm with a grin.

"Your news didn't exactly made me happy. You know why." Howard said seriously and run out of the company.

"I guess things will get messy between the two rivals again," James sighed and slammed back to his chair.

Howard drove to Jacob Mavro’s company and took the elevator to his office with a pissed expression in his face. He didn't care about the stares he'd been getting from the employees and went straight to Jacob’s office.

"Sir, you can't go in there," an employee stopped him but he neglected it.

Once inside the office, his eyes witnessed Jacob almost naked while his secretary sat between his legs, gliding up and down.

He can hear the soft moans coming from Jacob's mouth which made him more furious.

"You son of a bitch!' he yelled.

Jacob and his secretary stopped what they were doing and was shocked to see Howard in front of them. The secretary immediately stood up and opened a door leading to a small room inside Jacob 's office.

Jacob grabbed his shirt which is scattered on the floor and wear it to dress himself.

"I didn't expect to see you here, brother." he said with a grin.

Howard's jaw clenched in range. He rushed towards him and punched him straight in the face.

Jacob let out a chuckle that irritates him more.

“You should learn how to knock first before entering a room. Didn’t our father thought us that when we were young?” Jacob mocks.

Howard was fuming mad.

“You are a worthless son of a bitch!”

"So you heard the news?" Jacob asked while caressing the part of his face that have been punched.

"I told you not to hurt her! That was the only favor I have asked for!" He yelled in fury.

"That was your mistake for trusting me." Jacob said and shrugged his shoulder.

Howard looked at him from head to toe with a disgusted expression. “You’re pathetic, Jacob. I have always been patient with you but I can no longer tolerate this. You’re getting worse every day.”

Jacob abruptly grabbed the collar of his suit. “You don’t have the right to lecture me!” he yelled but Howard stayed calm.

“You don’t deserve her.” He said and pushed Jacob on the floor then walked out of the room. There is no need to stay there further and talk to his brother when he already saw the confirmation he needed. He has no idea that his brother have been flirting with his secretary, he always thought the relationship between him and Natasha was alright because Jacob always make it seem like he is protecting her all along.

Natasha invested her time on checking the papers of her companies. She is the owner of one of the most popular and highest grossing mall in New York. It's been a couple of days since she discovered her boyfriend's affair and she's still trying to find a way to bring him down. She couldn't deny that she misses him but she's not stupid enough to let him humiliate her any further. He made her look like a fool.

She was too busy reading a document when her secretary knocked on her office.

"What is it?" she asked without taking her eyes away from the documents.

"Mam, the CEO of the Clemente industry wants to meet you. He said it's urgent."

The name of the company seems familiar to her so she tried to think where she heard the name before. She's lost in her thoughts for a moment and racked her brain for information.

"Ma’am?" Her secretary called again which brings her back in track.

"The Clemente industry?" she wants to be sure.

"Yes ma'am.

"Is it the rival company of Jacob's?" She asked when she finally remembered where she heard the name. Jacob, her ex-boyfriend, used to complain to her about having headaches because Clemente industry always seemed to bring his business to ruins. She remembered that she used to comfort and bring him at ease whenever he feels frustrated because of it. Until now, she still haven’t figured out why Jacob was so pissed about Clemente industry when the latter does not seem to compete with his company. She asked him about it a couple of times but he always says that he is a huge threat for the success of Mavro’s company and he can’t just sit back and do nothing about it.

A playful smile curves in her face upon remembering it. This will be the solution she have been dying to seek. She can finally have her revenge against Jacob.

"Yes, ma'am." the secretary respond.

"Alright, set a schedule with the CEO immediately."

She didn't bother to ask about his intentions and the urgent matter he's about to bring up. All she knew is that he is the way to finally set Jacob's world to chaos and get her revenge against him.