“Hello, Mr. Lawrence. Thank you for reaching back to me.” Alex said, in anticipation of hearing good news. A warmth spread through his chest, letting out a smile that ran through the corners of his lips.
“Good day Mr. Tate”, the lawyer responded, “I have been able to gather some vital information for you about Amelia Walmart, but first, I will need to speak with her and ask a few questions for confirmation.
“Okay Mr. Lawrence. That wouldn’t be a problem” Alex said.
“Kindly choose a day favorable for you and I will make that happen”, he added
“Okay sir, I will let you know. Bye for now.” Mr. Lawrence responded and thereafter, interrupted the call.
“Is everything okay?” the manager asked
“Yes sure, everything is fine,” Alex responded. With a soft smile on his face, he asked, “When will I be signing the documents in order to make the purchase of the bar official please?”
“I will reach back to you on this” the manager answered
“Okay, just in case I get busy with work, you can leave a message for me through my secretary.” Alex responded
“I’m guessing this will be all for now?” Alex asked
“Yes, we’ll talk soon.” the manager replied, stretching forth his hands towards Alex, in an attempt to give a handshake.
In a distance, a faint murmur of voices carried through the air, hinting at an argument brewing. As the noise grew louder, the tension in the air increased and the argument echoed through the surroundings. Alex and the manager wondered what the problem was, so they both hurriedly rushed out of the office to see what was going on.
The stranger’s voice grew louder with a note of frustration as she addressed the waitress who stood before her, who remained composed and kept her cool, maintaining a professional demeanor.
“You… You poisoned my food!” the stranger said, pointing her finger towards Amelia.
“Excuse me madam, what are you talking about please”? Amelia asked in confusion. “I have never set my eyes on you before” she added, in her state of dilemma
Upon the arrival of the manager and Alex at the scene, the manager spoke, “Greetings ma’am. Please, what’s going on here?”
“Greetings to you, Sir” the stranger responded
“Everything changed when I received an order few hours ago and I knew why. My food had been poisoned, and the only person who had taken my order was her, pointing accusingly towards Amelia” the stranger said.
“As I arrived home, my body suddenly changed, and I was hit hard by symptoms like nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and a fever. It was clear something was terribly wrong, and all signs pointed to the food she had served me” the stranger further stated.
“Okay ma’am, just hold on a minute.” The manager said, as he took a deep breathe, his shoulders relaxing as he raised a hand in a calming gesture, palm facing outward, signaling for everyone to remain calm.
“Do you have a proof of this allegation please?” Alex asked
“Oh yes, I do.” The stranger hurriedly unzipped her bag, the sound of the zipper cutting through the air, she reached inside and pulled out a crumbled piece of paper, with a written diagnosis of food poisoning, together with a treatment plan.
“Can I see it please”? Alex requested
Alex’s eyes scanned through the paper, and as he came across the name, his lips moved silently, “Dr. Yong?” he had never come across such name before. A small disbelieving smile played at the corner of his mouth, with his brows raised as he continued reading the outrageous medical report.
Amelia stood frozen in shock at the scene, unable to move or speak. Her mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation, she was absolutely certain she had never come across such a face before, let alone taking her orders. The weight of the blackmail hit so hard, leaving her speechless and emotionless.
“Can I please know the name of the hospital where the doctor who wrote the diagnosis and treatment plan practices? Alex asked. Also, how about I accompany you to your next appointment at the hospital to ensure you have fully recovered? It’s the least I can do to apologize for the unpleasant circumstance.”
“Emmmm…”
The stranger stood there, dumbfounded, unsure of how to respond. Her thoughts scrambled for an answer, leaving her at a loss for words. Sensing the tension, she quickly searched for an escape as she hastily fabricated an excuse to leave for the restroom.
As she arrived at the restroom, her heart pounding and her thoughts racing, she reached for her phone and made a call.
“Hello Cora. I am in big trouble” the stranger’s voice trembled over the phone
Cora’s heart sank as she listened, her body tensing in response to the caller’s distress. She could sense the urgency in the caller’s voice, a clear sign that the situation was serious.
“What is the matter?” Cora asked
“The manager and a man called Mr. Alex didn’t seem to believe my allegations” she responded.
“Alex!?” Cora exclaimed, with her eyes wide opened in shock
“Alex wasn’t supposed to be there!” Cora said
“He is very smart and intelligent, he definitely will question the authenticity of the claim” Cora further stated
“He even offered to accompany me to the hospital to find out its name and possibly meet with the doctor. But it was you who wrote the report, so what should we do in this case?” the stranger asked, as she continued the conversation with Cora, seeking advice on how to proceed.
“Hmmm,” Cora muttered, unsure of how to react or respond. She was at a loss for words, her mind racing to make a sense of the situation.
Cora interrupted the silence by asking, “How about the girl? Does it look like she’s about to get fired? Because that was the sole aim behind all this.”
The stranger responded, “Not at all, Cora. In fact, the so-called Mr. Alex has her full support!”
Cora muttered to herself, her voice seething with anger. “That bastard,” she muttered, her tone harsh and resentful. “Always choosing that little brat over me!” Her words dripped with bitterness, a mix of anger and frustration evident in her voice.
“Are you talking to me?” the stranger interrupted, having overhead Cora’s muttered words through the phone call.
“No, I wasn’t!” Cora yelled in frustration.
“You know what? Just sort yourself out by finding a way to escape!” Cora said, as she angrily hung up the call.
After Cora ended the call, the stranger stood still in the restroom, her mind frantically searching for an escape plan.
After a few minutes had passed with no sign of the stranger emerging from the restroom, the manager grew concerned and instructed Flora to check on her well-being. Flora hesitantly approached the restroom door and gently pushed it open.
To her shock, she found the stranger lying unconscious on the floor, as if she had fainted. Flora immediately called out for help.
Upon hearing Flora’s call, the manager hurried over and, upon seeing the stranger’s condition, he decided that she needed medical attention and swiftly organized for her to be taken to the hospital.
Knowing that he needed to stay behind and finalize arrangements for selling the bar, the manager turned to Alex and requested him to accompany the stranger to the hospital together with Flora for assistance.
Alex nodded in agreement, understanding the urgency of the situation. He therefore reached out to a security officer to assist him carry the stranger over to his car.
As he was about leaving, he turned to Amelia and asked, “Are you okay?” with his voice soft and filled with concern
“I can’t say for sure. I’m just surprised at the length at which someone would go in framing me up” Amelia responded
“Don’t worry, you will be fine,” he assured her, trying to calm her nerves. Meanwhile, “I requested to see you, did Flora tell you?” Alex asked
“Oh yes, she did. She also told me you were in a meeting with the manager at that moment, so I needed to hold on for a while.” she responded
“Okay, that’s not a problem. There is something we need to discuss. How about I call you after I am back from the hospital?” Alex asked
“Okay sir” Amelia responded
“Please, don’t call me that. Just Alex is fine.” Alex pleaded
“Okay, I won’t” Amelia responded, letting out a short smile
Immediately, he left for his car and drove to the hospital. Upon arriving, the stranger was assessed by medical practitioners. After the examination, the doctor requested to see Alex privately.
In their discussion, the doctor revealed to Alex that there was nothing medically wrong with the stranger. In fact, he suspected that she had faked the whole fainting process. The doctor assured Alex that he was free to take her home whenever he wished.
After leaving the doctor’s office, Alex angrily confronted the stranger, demanding to know who sent her. The stranger agreed to tell him if he tripled the payment she was to get, and Alex obliged. When she revealed it was Cora, Alex became furious.
In the midst of his heated emotions, Alex’s phone buzzed with an incoming call from his personal assistant, Lucy. “Your father is in your office, waiting to see you,” she said, her voice tense and urgent.
Alex’s curiosity peaked. What could be so important that his father would come to see him unannounced?
Following the call, Alex turned to the stranger and said, “I never want to see you again or anywhere close to Amelia.”“Sure, you won’t.” the stranger responded“As for Cora, do you know where I can find her?” Alex asked“I’m afraid I can’t disclose that to you” the stranger answered“Okay then, you can see yourself out of the hospital.” Alex saidIn a fit of anger, Alex strode towards the door, each step deliberate and filled with anger. Reaching the door, he hesitated for a moment, his hand hovering over the handle as he struggled to contain his rage. But then, with a sudden burst of fury, he swung the door open with such force that it banged loudly against the wall.After storming out of the room, Alex made his way to the reception floor, where Flora awaited him. Without a word, they walked out of the hospital together.After dropping Flora off, Alex headed straight to his office, where his stepfather had been waiting for him. 5PMAs Alex arrived at his office, he pushed the door
Alex noticed the change in Amelia’s expression. Her eyes once bright with laughter, now seemed distant with a shadow of concern and a state of dilemma. “Is everything okay?” Alex asked, reaching across the table to gently touch her hand.“Yes, I am fine. I thought I saw someone I knew,” Amelia responded ”Oh! Okay, that’s fine.” Alex said with a soft smile as he continued to admire Amelia.With soft music playing in the background, Amelia listened carefully as Alex discussed the pressing concerns they had gathered to address. His passion and dedication towards her affairs were evident in every word he spoke, and Amelia found herself admiring his gesture. She further consented to seeing the person Alex requested for her to meet.As they conversed, minutes turned into hours, but neither of them noticed as they were engrossed in their discussion. Despite the seriousness of their conversation, they shared moments of laughter which made their time together worthwhile.As the evening drew t
The news of Mr. Sebastian’s sudden decision to sell off the bar sent ripples of curiosity and concern through the organization. As they gathered in small groups, discussing the possible reasons behind the manager’s departure, one question remained unanswered: who would be the new owner? The workers went about their daily tasks for the day, but their minds were preoccupied as they were concerned about whether the new owner would be kind and whether they would run the bar effectively. A few other workers worried about the possibility of layoffs or drastic changes to their work environment.As they left the meeting spot, the workers exchanged worried glances. They knew that change was inevitable, but the unknown was always unsettling. All they could do was wait and hope that the new owner would be someone who would lead the organization with compassion and integrity.The morning gave way to the evening, leading to the close of the day at the bar. Other workers had taken their leave afte
As Lucy arrived at the office, she could sense an air of disapproval from her colleagues, making her feel increasingly uncomfortable. Some of them muttered under their breath, while others exchanged whispers that seemed to be directed at her. Their expressions seemed to convey a mix of disappointment and annoyance, as if they were silently judging her for being late.Lucy ignored the tension around her and headed straight to her desk. She focused on clearing her desk, hoping to convey a message of her readiness to begin work. As she began to arrange her desk, arranging papers and setting things in order, her pen slipped from her hand, falling to the ground.As she bent down to retrieve it, she heard a sharp noise. It was Mr. Dan who snapped some papers on her desk, a clear sign of his irritation towards her lateness.Mr. Dan is the Chief Operating Officer of Tate Industries who is the second-in-command after Mr. Alex, and is responsible for overseeing the company’s day-to-day operatio
Following Mr. Dan’s address to the entire staff of the company, the workplace took a profound transformation. His words laden with authority and wisdom, seemed to have a positive impact, infusing a renewed sense of purpose and commitment into the employees. Everybody seemed to be up and doing with their daily tasks.As the day progressed, the board member who had interacted with Mr. Dan took it upon himself to approach his fellow board members. His demeanor was one of urgency, a man on a mission. He sought out each member individually, engaging them in earnest conversation.His aim was to persuade other board members not to entertain any further offers from the mysterious individual who had sought to sabotage their project. Despite his efforts to persuade them, they remained steadfast in their decision to entertain further offers from the saboteur.Their refusal to listen was met with frustration and disbelief by the concerned board member, who could only watch helplessly as his warni
The door swung open, revealing Mr. Dan’s arrival. He stepped into the room and walked towards Alex, in a kind gesture, asking Alex if he could take a seat. Alex nodded, indicating that Mr. Dan was welcome to join him.With a short smile on Alex’s face, he said, “Good day Mr. Dan. It’s good to see you”“Good day to you too Mr. Alex, it’s good to have you back.” Mr. Dan said“To what do I owe this visit?” Mr. Alex asked, his mind racing with anxious anticipation of what is to be said“Our board members have been compromised” Mr. Dan said, taking a deep breath and genuinely lowered his gaze, his voice softening as he delivered the sad news“What?!”“What do you mean?” Mr. Alex exclaimed, in eyes widened in amazement“Oh! This whole nonchalant attitude from the board members make sense to me now” Alex muttered to himself“You see, Mr. Alex,” he began, “It all started with the subtle hints of unease during our board meetings. I initially thought it as stress or personal issues, but as one
The evening gave way into the morning with a gradual transition of darkness fading into the light of a new day. Flora began her morning ritual of preparing for the day. She meticulously laid out her clothes, choosing the perfect outfit for the day. Flora’s brother, Tony, who was currently unemployed, took on the responsibility of managing the household chores while she headed to workBefore stepping out of the house, Flora said, “Hey bro, I already made breakfast so you don’t have to stress over that.”“Oh! Sounds great. Thank you.” Tony said, with a short smile as he bid his sister goodbye “Meanwhile, all the best in your interview. Be brave, I know you’ve got this!” Flora said, with a friendly and supportive tone.Tony responded, “I really appreciate that, thank you so much. I will try my best.”As Flora left for work, the morning was still and quiet. However, within minutes of her departure, Tony received an email. It was form the company he had applied to, informing him of a chan
In the heart of the city, the Mirage Lounge bar was transformed into a dazzling venue for the grand handing over ceremony. The atmosphere was filled with excitement and anticipation as guests arrived, greeted by the sight of an elegant bar being set up. The bar was meticulously arranged, showcasing an array of fine wine and spirits. The manager ensured that his workers, who had contributed to the bar’s growth were also honored guests.As the guests settled in, Mr. Sebastian, the outgoing CEO, took the stage to address the crowd. He spoke passionately about the history and inception of the bar, recounting its humble beginnings and remarkable growth under his leadership. He also thanked his entire workers for their dedication and endless commitment. Their presence was a testament to hard work, making the ceremony a heartfelt celebration of their collective effort and the promising future ahead.As Mr. Sebastian continued his speech, the atmosphere in the Mirage Lounge bar was filled wit