chapter 3

"Get me a cup of coffee." He demanded. He was way too demanding. Maybe if he said 'please' once in a while, it may make working with him less stressful.

I immediately complied to his request, making a cup of coffee for him which I placed on a small tray, handing it over to him when I had reached him. If I had expected a 'thank you' from him, I was probably losing it. He just took the cup and started sipping from it and guess what, he still had his head buried to that laptop.

"Miss Eri, I'd need you to find a time where I'd be free, I need to have a meeting with the CEO of Centeial international, I can't postpone it because they are one of the most prominent companies and they want to strike a deal with Jonzx Haiè. Do you understand?"

I had no idea why he was being so detailed but I nodded either way. "Yes sir." I checked the tab for any available space.

"The meeting would hold between 2-2:45 p:m tomorrow." I continued scrolling on the tab. "And you have a meeting with the fellow shareholders in about 5 minutes."

He rose his head from the laptop, staring at me. For the first time since I'd been working with this dude, I saw an expression that wasn't anger or superiority. He had a calmer expression on, he rose an eyebrow. "Is that today?"

I smiled, this was my first smiling in my work place. The change in expression was enough to make a person smile. "Yes, it's today."

He stared in a confuzzled expression, another new one I didn't know existed. "What's wrong?" His voice was not stern or demanding respect. He sounded more like a human.

I shook my head. "Nothing."

He looked like he was going to pester me more on it, but instead he stood up. "Okay then, let's head to the meeting room."

"Okay sir. Let me go grab the files needed."

***

"...and that's why I think joining hands with the SMK international will add a lot of value to this company." A man who looked like he was in his early sixties concluded while me, just sitting there and writing everything that had been said.

I stared at Don who seemed to be contemplating on whether or not to agree with what the man had said. "We wouldn't be doing any good to the company if we join hands with the SMK international." Don said, causing everyone to stare at him intensely. "Last year their stocks dropped after the CEO's son was arrested for sexual harassment. Of course they have tried to cover it up over the past months, but if we join hands, what do you think would happen to our stocks if the public raise the issue again."

Everyone nodded, murmuring words of agreement, it wasn't like any of them would disagree.

"Mr Jones," a man who I recognized to be Mr Sal started causing all attention to drift to him, while me, the odd one just kept on keeping notes. "I would like to make a suggestion."

"Okay."

"Why don't we go with the mission of turning Jonzx Haiè International into a trillion dollar company." As soon as he said it, there became even more murmurs of agreement and Don looked interested in what Mr Sal had to say.

What?! A trillion dollar company!! What?! Trillion?! Trillion?! Was I the only one seeing this from my point of view? Trillion was not a little amount.

Why on earth was the rich born so wealthy. Trillion?! That made my brain almost explode. Were they so wealthy that they wanted to turn this company into A TRILLION DOLLAR COMPANY. What?!

I just couldn't get the amount into my head, the numbers seemed too much to even count. If he had up to a trillion dollar, then if I asked him for $55000, he'd probably just bring it out of his pocket and be like 'here whatever, it's not like it's going to show in my trillion dollar account'

"Alright then Mr Sal, let's go with your plan, but only a few people would be in the team..."

***

I just couldn't get the figure out of my head. A trillion dollar. That was too much, too too much.

"Are you listening to me?" His annoyed voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Uh, y-yes sir." That was a lie, I heard nothing he had said and from my calculations, he'd probably been talking for ten minutes.

"Then go get it for me." His gaze darkened and his eyebrows fell which only made me nervous.

Get what? What was I getting for him? I was not listening at all.

He seemed to have gotten into my thoughts. "You weren't listening, were you?"

"I'm sorry sir."

"Sorry?" He didn't shout but he said it in a tone that made me flinch. "What type of a stupid and totally useless employee did Miss Donna bring to me. You don't do anything right, you're always lost in thoughts. Where are you gotten from!"

Even though I knew everything he had said was not true, I couldn't help but get annoyed. How did I end up with such a frustrating boss? If not because of the pay, I would have talked back at him. Let him know how terrible he is. Always finding fault in everything when in fact his character is the main fault.

***

"Are you sure you don't want me to come along?" Suzy asked.

When I had gotten home after the most stressful day at work, I needed to clear my head and what was a better way to do that than with a few sips of alcohol.

"I'm okay, and you need to rest. Just let me clear my head. Who knew working with that asshole could be so frustrating?" I scoffed which led to Suzy chuckling.

"Okay then, go clear your head but make sure to not get drunk and come home early, okay?"

"Yeah yeah, whatever." I left the house, walking to the road side. I stretched my hand out to call the attention of a passing taxi which worked as one pulled over.

"Where to Miss?" The taxi driver asked.

"Take me the Holm's bar." I opened the passenger seat, entering it and closing the door, and the car zoomed off.

As soon as we got to the bar, I got out of the car, pulled out some money from my purse, handing it over to the driver and watched him zoom off after he collected the money.

I walked into the bar remembering how Don had insulted me, people like him were nuisance to the society, they needed to be banned. They were the ones ruining America.

I sat down on the chair opposite the barman, both of us separated by a slap. "Get me your cheapest alcohol." I said and the man complied, giving me a bottle of alcohol and a glass cup.

I filled the cup with alcohol, gulping it all in. Filling it again and gulping it in. How on earth could he want to make his company a trillion dollar company. That was so frustrating to think about. I'm here struggling to raise $55000 why he is just getting a trillion dollar.

I gulped another full glass and realized the bottle was empty. "Another bottle." I was given another bottle of alcohol which I also emptied after a while. "Get me another one." After I said that, I realized my head was already spinning. I shouldn't take any more, Suzy would be so annoyed if I came home drunk.

Don's insult kept ringing in my head, maybe just one more glass. After I had emptied the third glass, I knew if I took any more, I'd probably not be able to go home. I paid the barman his money and staggered my way out if the bar.

Everywhere was blurry and Don's words kept ringing in my head. "Motherfucking bitch. Who the hell do you think you are to insult me that way Don!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

I felt an arm wrap around my waist. "What is a young lady like you doing out here in the night?"

I didn't recognize the voice. I wanted to pull away but was too tired to do that, instead I found myself resting my head on his chest. "Leave me alone." I said, but it came out more as a whisper.

"Don't worry love, I'd take you to a safe place." His voice spoke lust and I sensed danger but for some reason, I couldn't drift apart.

"Let me go, please." I said again, the alcohol doing wonders with my brain.

"Come on baby, let's go."

"She said to leave her alone." Was I dreaming or was that Don's voice I just heard. I managed to turn my head and there he was standing behind the man.