I still couldn't believe I struck the deal. It was the first time I didn't mess up a huge contract like this and I couldn't help but be overwhelmed as I got congratulated by the board members.
Grandpa just looked at me and without saying a word, he left.
Well, the action didn't surprise me, after all grandpa would always be grandpa and there would be nothing I would ever do that would please him.
"Congrats, bro," Steve Congratulated.
"Congrats, Sir, you finally did it," Jenny, my personal secretary said and for some reasons, it actually irritated me.
"Excuse me?" I said with a frown..
"I'm sorry sir," she fidgeted.
"Tell the team to start work immediately," I said sounding very harsh.
Well, that was just a boss being a boss. They are nothing but my workers and they should be subordinate to me.
I left the conference room and headed straight to my office. I finally had the chance to rest after a three- hour board meeting.
As I sat on my resplendent chair, my thoughts drifted to the lady I met earlier. It was really ridiculous to me thinking that someone, a woman to be precise, would refuse help from someone like me, who the hell did she think she was?
And to think that I was actually willing to help, it was strange to me.
I stood up and headed towards the glass wall which served as a window, it was nice getting the view of a city from the seventh floor.
I looked downwards but then, my eyes focused on a figure on the ground.
Black jacket, white shirt and black trousers, it was her, the girl I met earlier.
No, it must be a joke. I was just thinking of her and now she was in my sight? I must be hallucinating.
My office door opened and before I could scold, Steve spoke.
"Bro, it's me."
"Steve, please come and have a look," and he stepped forward.
"Who do you see at that end, close to the canteen," I asked him..
"Hmm.. Two ladies, one in black and white and the other in -," he was saying but I interrupted.
"So, I am not hallucinating, it's really her."
"It's really her? Andrei, who is she?" Steve quickly asked.
"Steve, aren't you supposed to be supervising the project?" I quickly changed the topic to avoid Steve's remarks. And that got Steve out.
I went to my desk and called the security chief. Within seconds, he was at my office, certainly no one wants to mess with a CEO like me.
"I need the CCTV footage at the entrance of the canteen, I want to see where a particular person came from and ask the receptionist to come to my office," I told him.
Within a few minutes, both were at my office.
"Sir this lady is the newest intern in our company, she resumed today," the receptionist told me when I showed her the lady's footage.
"I need all the professional details of this lady."
"Name, Cherry Sebastian, Age, twenty two, she is a marketer by profession, recently graduated from-," she was saying but I cut her off.
"You may leave."
I found myself smiling as I looked at her files on my computer. So, her name is Cherry and she's just twenty two. Well, seems like fate made us meet again. Who would have thought I was her boss?
Cherry's POV
Fortunately, I arrived just on time at the company. A lady led me in and took me to the fifth floor where I would be working.
The company was way bigger than I expected and I was marvelled at how supercilious the arrangement was at the fifth floor. The office we walked into was a large office, there were tons of staff, each with their chair, table and computer like in a library.
"We have a newbie here, she is an intern," the lady announced and everyone's attention was on me. Some welcomed me, others just stared.
"This is your desk, you'd be working here as a typist for the time being. The lady led me to a desk at the corner of the office with a large computer on. It was just two desk at that corner unlike the rest rows which contained up to fifteen.
"Okay, thank you," I told the woman.
I never expected I'ld be a typist here, I was expecting something better, after all, I was a marketer not a computer personnel.
"Hi, I'm Everly," my desk mate told me with a smile. A smile that reminded me of Amanda, my best friend. She was also dark skinned and had brown curly hair just like Amanda.
"I'm Cherry,"
"Wow, Cool name. I'm certainly going to name my future daughter that," she said in a very funny way and I had to admit I liked her. I think I'ld be getting a new friend.
There were tons of paper, mainly minutes and speeches to be typed. So, I begun work immediately.
"It's lunch break," Everly told me some hours later.
"Oh, I see... Everly, is every one here a typist like you and I?" I asked..
"No, but everyone here deals with paperwork. Some are typists like us, some are editors, others have one work or the other relating to paperwork," she answered.
"I was actually wondering why I was brought here, I'm actually supposed to be an online marketer," I told her.
"You should be glad you were given the privilege to work at this department, seems like your performance at your interview really impressed them. Other interns work in lower departments," she told me.
"Are you an intern?" I asked.
"No, I'm a professional typist," she said.
"Don't worry, you can apply for marketing department after some months," she added.
"I sure will," I told her
"So, won't you come with me for lunch?" she asked
"No, I'll just stay here."
I had too much things to do with money and spending for lunch was certainly not among. I'ld rather stay hungry.
As if she read my mind, she spoke.
"The company offers free lunch to staff to a certain limit per day."
Free lunch, I was completely in.
It was the best news I had heard since morning, that means I wouldn't have to skip lunch anymore.
"I'm in," I told her and we were off to the canteen.
it was 7:00 p.m. I had finished my task and joined Everly who was heading downstairs for home.
"Bye-bye," I told her before we parted.
I walked towards the gate heading outside. My car broke down this morning, that means I would have to think of another way to go home and a cheaper way at that. I did a rough calculation, towing fee, two thousand, repair fee, five thousand, that's seven thousand.
I had already spent seven thousand today just for my car, my account balance would be fifteen thousand. I still had my rent to pay, it was due a week ago and I knew how money conscious my landlady was.
Since I have free lunch everyday, I won't be eating much for dinner, so the food items at home should last till I get my pay. I still had my piggy bank, if I add that to the money in my account maybe I'ld be able to pay my rent.
I just have to not spend money for other things. I'll take the subway then, since its cheaper.
As soon as I stepped out of the company, I heard a car hooting at me, probably to get my attention. It drove closer to me.
"Care for a ride?" I heard the voice say. No, I've heard this voice before. It was the man I met earlier.
"You again? are you stalking me?" I asked because I had to.
"Me? why would I? I just happen to drive past at the moment and I saw you," he said. I noticed his driver wasn't with him, he was driving.
"Anyways, I don't need your help. I am an independent woman, I can take care of myself."
"Is it really a big deal to accept help from someone? why are you so...," he was saying but suddenly stopped when he heard his phone ring to answer. I left immediately I noticed he was distracted.
Andrei's POV
I checked the time, it was 7:00 p.m. Mum had called earlier, asking me to come home early that she wants to have dinner with her children. I knew mum, she would not eat until I arrive. So when I saw it was seven, I headed straight to my car. I had asked David to go home earlier, he was so happy.
As I was about to open the car door, I saw her again. She was walking towards the gate, tossing her purse to and fro like a pendulum. Obviously, she was in thought.
I entered my car and trailed her but she didn't notice. I had to hoot to get attention.
"Care for a ride?"
"You again? are you stalking me?" she replied.
"Me? Why would I? I just happen to drive past at the moment and I saw you,"
"Anyways, I don't need your help. I am an independent woman, I can take care of myself," she said with a pout.
I've never met such a stubborn girl in my life.
"Is it really a big deal to accept help from someone? why are you so..." I wanted to say why are you so full of yourself but mum called and I picked up, just to hear her complaining of how hungry she was because I refused to come earlier.
By the time I ended the call I couldn't find Cherry.
I want straight home, and when I arrived my humble home, I went straight to the dining table to find mum, Alex and Steph. I called it humble because that was what it was. Many people had asked why influential people like us chose to live in just a simple house instead of a mansion and why we had only few helpers and security guards but the question was left unanswered.
What was Steph doing here? So, this was what it was all about.
"You're finally here," Steph welcomed.
"I made dinner," she added.
"Good evening, mum," I greeted mum.
"Good evening, Andrei," Alex greeted.
Dinner began and as expected, mum started talking about marriage. Then she moved to children and then she asked plainly,
"When are you going to marry Stephanie?"
It was a question I hated to be asked because to me, it made no sense. I was never going to the date Stephanie, let alone, marrying her.
Stephanie was my childhood friend, she had loved me since high school. To me, she was just a friend, as if that was true because I didn't consider her one. She was the most shameless woman I had ever known, she had no iota of self-respect in my own view. I mean which girl with high self esteem forces herself into a man who doesn't like her.
"Mum, can we just eat peacefully? I didn't even know Steph would be joining us for dinner,"
"But why Andrei?, aren't I a part of this family?" Steph asked quietly.
She sounded like a harmless cheap but in reality, she was a very harmful wolf and only mum could be fooled by her pretence, not me.
"Steph, I have told you times without number, nothing can ever happen between us," I said before leaving the table.
Just as I put on my nightwear, Alex knocked on the door. Alex was my younger sister, she was only seventeen but to me, she looked twenty three.
"Come in," I ushered.
"What? aren't you going to usher me a seat?" she asked.
"Alex, if you're here to talk about Steph, then leave."
"Andrei, don't you know I always got your back, I'll definitely stay by your side always, but, since you don't need my help, I'ld leave," she said and stood to leave.
"Okay, fine, I'm sorry. What do you want to say?"
"Yeah, that's more like it. I support you and I don't like Stephanie. I hate her, I hate her so much. Do you know what she's been doing to me," Alex stated.
Of course, I knew Alex and Steph where never friends, maybe.
"I don't know why mum always listen to Steph, I was supposed to go on an excursion with my classmates, the last excursion before I graduate. But do you know what Steph told mum? "Mum, youngsters these days cannot be trusted, she might be planning to go out with a boyfriend behind your back," And to think that mum actually supported her, now I'm stuck at home while my friends are enjoying because of her," Alex complained.
"So, you're actually here to complain and not sympathize with me," I told her.
"Andrei...," she screamed before leaving.
I smiled at how cunning she was, she actually wanted my approval for the excursion. Alex really is cunning but I will always catch up with her cunningness.
And then, my thought drifted to Cherry, the one whom I just met but find amusing. The very first woman who my mind couldn't let go of.
Cherry's POV
The alarm rang loudly at 4:00 a.m. My back ached as I woke up, I remembered what happened yesterday when I arrived home.
I got home to find my house in a mess. Alcohol was spilled everywhere, the sink tap was left running and so the whole kitchen and dining, even the living room was flooded.
As if that was not enough, vomits of different people where on the floor. The most painful part was that the food items that was supposed to last till the end of the month, all of it was gone, it was either cooked and poured or flooded. And my piggy bank, it was broken with all of its money gone.
Daisy had done all this, she must have partied with her friends. And the worst part was that she didn't come home last night, so I was the one to clean the mess.
Now, where would I start from? I had the bills to pay and there was no food at home.
I stood up for my bed and went to the tub to brush my teeth. I looked at the reflection of myself in the mirror and a tear escaped my eyes.
My life had been full of ups and downs. First, it was mum and dad's divorce, then it was mum's death and then I had to look after myself and my elder sister, Daisy who was a thorn in the flesh for me.
It was five thirty, I heard a knock and rushed to open it to find Daisy.
"So you're back now, you ran away after what you did?" I spoke.
"Cherry, you don't have to start complaining this early," she replied and forced her way in.
"Daisy, don't you know what they call pity, do you pity me at all?" Daisy didn't answer.
"I try my best everyday to fend for us, I've done all types of legal job there are, I do everything but you still choose to make it harder. I was working yesterday, typing from morning till evening, hoping I'ld come home for a rest but you turned me into a cleaner," I just had to let all my anger go.
"Cherry, I would not let you insult me, I am still your elder sister," she screamed.
At least she remembered she was older, which younger sister does what I do. I felt like just kicking her out of my life and disowning her as my sister but the promise I made to mum came up.
"Promise me you would look after your sister, promise me Cherry," mum said before she died .
"I promise," I said and then she left us.
It was the last thing she made me promised.
I took my purse and blazer and left the house, I knew it was early but I didn't want to arrive late at work again. And since I was taking the subway, I didn't want to meet a very long queue. I'ld ask Amanda to help
pick up my car later since I'ld be at work them. Amanda was more like a sister to me than Daisy. Amanda was a business woman, she was always chanced.
I arrived work early that day and was so glad. Soon, I began my typing and time went by. I was so engrossed in typing that my rumbling stomach did not affect me. No food at home and no money meant no breakfast and lunch. Thank goodness for the free lunch that would serve as my dinner from now on. As for Daisy, she would fend for herself till I get my pay.
I patiently waited till lunch time and was the first to walk out for lunch along with Everly.
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