CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER TEN

CHARLOTTE'S POV

The cracking of ACE'S door brought me back to consciousness, he had phoned me two minutes ago , and I was still seated, that is going to be serious trouble!. Entering his office I saw him standing with his face against the window , I wondered, what the problem was .

"Boss , you sent for me " I said genuflecting unconsciously

"Two minutes ago, I sent for you two minutes ago charlotte, do you think I have all the time in the world , or I am that jobless?"

"I'm sorry sir , I was sending the reports of the last minutes to the auditing department "

"Do I care ?"

"No sir , I'm sorry it won't happen again"

"Yes it shouldn't"

"Okay si.."

"Summon everybody got a conference meeting in an hour , anybody who gets the notice and fails to be in attendance , stands the risk of getting fired"

"Sir but, there is always a twenty four hours notice for meeting, there's no how they are going to make it , sorry I mean I could send the notice against tomorrow"

"Do you make the rules here or I do?"

"You sir " I replied praying I had not crossed a line

"Then do as I say "

"Alright I would get to it now"

With that I hurried out , I began sending multiple invites to each department, they were over fifty of them and over a thousand workers in total, I was wondering why he would send for an impromptu meeting, if someone was getting punished or sacked he would do so without anyone knowing about it .

After about ten minutes I was done , I prayed silently that everyone got the notice quick enough, else I might be held accountable for the low turn up.

From the glass view of my space window, I could see the members of the management staff hurriedly arranging their files or whatever they were working on, it was obvious there were preparing to head to the conference room.

The conference room was on the left end of the second floor , no elevator was linked to the room,the only staircase that led there runs through the first floor to the last , this made it a ten to twelve minutes walk and everyone is expected to be there before ACE'S arrival. There was once a rumor of Ace firing a staff member because he got to the conference room before her.

I stood up and began arranging the files I figured Ace would ask for, I didn't forget the minute book and my office pen, ready to leave I straightened my skirt , opening the door I began walking towards the staircase .

"Charlotte" turning I saw the ever smiling face of Lucas, the managing director.

"Good morning, MD" I said trying my best to sound formal

"Oh , no , we've been through this, call me Lucas please" he corrected for the umpteenth time

I always called him that , I noticed he loved been around me or he was a jovial fellow and I was reading too much meaning into it.

Despite his harmless friendship advances I always found a way to give him space , I didn't want Ace thinking I was a cheap slut accessible to just anyone, "that is if he cared anyways" , my inner voice reprimanded.

"Okay I would try to get used to it" I replied smiling too

"I understand, how was things been around here , how are you coping with your work"

"Well I'm holding up for now, it's not easy "

"Definitely not, Ace is one to thread around with caution, he has a good heart but terrible temperament and attitude"

"Good you say ?, Nah I don't think so" I said as we continued walking

" You would get used to him soon" he whispered smiling sweetly.

We finally got the door , " I would see you around " I said to lucas before heading towards my seat.

In the room I found over half of the employees seated , surprised I checked my wristwatch to be sure I wasn't late , noticing we had ten minutes more before the commencement of the meeting,I was elated.

I took my seat next to ACE'S seat. The whispers in the room was brought to an abrupt end , Ace walked in. Adjusting in my seat with the files I was with . He sat on his high legged adjustable chair , clearing his throat as though to signify his presence of commencement of meeting, he begun

"Good afternoon everyone, I'm impressed to see the massive and prompt turn out despite the impromptu summon, nevertheless desperate time calls for desperate measures , within the last three weeks ,we have been turned down by two different potential companies, two !" He paused to absorb the mood of everyone.

"That is so unlike LLB, I do not know where the problem is from , probably members of the staff responsible for pitching and contracts or the designers and social workers giving a poor outlook of the company, we are the number one business promoting corporation in Canada , number two in the global market ranking. This position and image we must protect no matter the cost , so therefore to this effect, everyone including the third grade staff , would be working an extra two hours per day , after the normal closing hour , until further notice"

" Anyone who flaunts this order would face a dire penalty without judgement", "any contributions, questions or suggestions?" He added looking around .

From where I sat I could see Lucas raising his hands , holy Mary ! , What does he want to say

"Yes , Lucas", I wondered what he had to say . " Sir I don't think two companies rejecting our bids condemns us as incompetent or being a loser , we have been the best , we have always maintained our place , sir I also strongly advice that increasing our working hours would change the status of acceptance or rejection of a client rather increasing innovative researches would " , damn I was impressed, lucas wasn't only sweet but courageous and smart.

"Thank you, Lucas, I would look into initiating latest innovative skills and creating room for more researches, where is the director of the head department of research and control?"

"Yes sir " an elderly man on glasses stood up

"Dr Abel , do well to see me after the conference"

"Aside the suggestion from Lucas does anyone have any other contribution?"

After a minute silence signifying no one else was going to speak, he continued.

"The extra hour still stands , while we look forward to improving our skills, alright thank you once again, that would be the end of the meeting for today, you can all get back to work" he said with his signature stern look.

People began walking in files out of the office with almost every person murmuring to one another.

Ace was busy with the director general of all departments, I packed his files and mine and headed back to the office room .

ACE'S POV

I was done with the meeting, I met with the entire directors of every department, I saw charlotte taking my bags and files to the office , it was then I went back to the office room.

Charlotte despite trying to get my attention she never crossed her line, and being quite different from all my previous secretaries, she did her job well enough, although I never applauded her , rather I prefer to act ignorant to the fact .

I had few documents to sort , after which I would head out for a spa treatment, I needed a soothing relieve, not from any of those gold digging women ,whom you know there a doing this for your money and attention, I had better pay some worker at the spa which we are carrying out an exchanging contract than them.

Halfway through the files , my phone began buzzing, checking the callers name I saw Jane , she rarely called except it was something urgent , most times Mary did the calling, although they both worked for me , mary was slightly older than jane.

"Hello sir"

"Yes jane , what is it"

"Your visitors arrived about an hour ago , I've been trying to reach you but your line wasn't connecting, the lady wants to see you "

"By lady you mean Isabella?"

"Yes sir "

"Tell her I won't be home till evening and whatever question she has should be kept till then"

"Okay sir "

"Anything else?"

" No sir bye sir"

With that I ended the call. There were here , I didn't know how to feel , I just hoped I wasn't making a huge mistake, atleast doesn't sound like I was.

A week ago when I found out about Santiago's plans of killing them, I initially wanted to let it be , they is no point waking a sleeping dog when you do not want to run , but then Gomez took a lot of risk nineteen years ago , to make sure I did not die, although he never got to live long enough, the least I could do to honor his memory was take a risk for his family too.

I asked Chris to advise me, which he did and told me how proud he was that I was finally willing to do something as grave for someone else for the first time in my life.

Well it wasn't new , most people believe I'm the bad guy , who doesn't have an iota of emotion, they don't know my story . I wasn't ready to explain either ,they would understand when the time is right.

I remembered one of the incidents in elementary school , which left a scar in my heart , we were playing football on the school pitch during break , when an older kid Marcus , stomped on my foot with his new training supra mk4 boot he had worn , that moment the joints in my ankle region dislocated , the Referee whom was a ninth grader asked what the problem was , I explained to him , ignorant of the fact that he was the best friend of marcus , he smiled and asked that I left the field. The other kids around did nothing but laugh at me , I limped home with a swollen ankle, I told my dad about it and all he said was

" You are naturally a stubborn kid , how then would you not get an injury, you probably jumped off a cliff and you're making up stories"

"Don't talk to him like that , how would you accuse your own child of such crime"

"I expected you to support him as always, and that is why you both are losers"

I didn't have the perfect childhood like most children did, I had to grow up faster than my age .

Getting up from my office seat , I called my driver , instructed charlotte on what to do and left the office.

I got to my usual spa house , the gave the best treatment .

Entering inside the manager approached me, "good day Mr Montgomery, it's been awhile, we've been expecting you , please sit our girls would be here shortly".

Settling down, I was stripped of my suit , and given a small towel round my waist , two girls in short uniforms, came over and asked that I turn over , they began with the oil application, and then gently rubbed down my lower back, I felt relieving sensations. After an hour of an amazing session, I was given my clothes and ordered a drink .

After which I began my unsure ride home, I drove for close to fourty minutes, till me estate was in site , driving through the compound I parked at my lot.

I got inside the house and Jane hurriedly came to collect my bags , I waved her off and headed for my room.

After changing into a more comfortable t-shirt and shorts , I walked down to the living room,

"Mary , ask the girl down here "

"Okay sir " with that she climbed upstairs

After few seconds footsteps were heard from the staircase, looking up ,I saw Gomez's wife now looking pail and fragile due to stress and maltreatment.

Behind her I saw a totally different person, her courageous Aura stood out , she was breath taking and nothing close to any of her pictures I saw , her curves were ... No Ace, you shouldn't admire her like that ,oh Lord save me , was all i could pray.