Chapter 1

Aleia’s pov

“Where is your assistant?” my chief financial officer asks from my office door.

I lifted my head from the report that I was writing on my desk to look at him as he walked into my office like he owned the place. She took a seat at my table and looked at me with furrowed brows as I moved my gaze from my Melissa to the door.

“She isn’t here yet?” she asks

“Nope”

By then irritation was already building at the pit of my stomach.

“Wow, you look murderous. Ever considered giving her this look before? She asks me

I released a sigh, my growing annoyance at my assistant’s lateness was beginning to boil over into anger. I shifted the report aside, my concentration down the drain. “I need a new assistant”

“We will get to that but I wanted to let you know that we succeeded in buying Mr. Hank’s company, the one you were looking to acquire with lesser money than you intended. Can you believe that?” Melissa said excitedly.

I allowed myself to squeal for a minute, it was very exciting.

She alone could understand this was exciting news, she was with me when I went around pitching my ideas in college to anyone who cared to listen. We have grown over the years to become one of the most sought after Tech Companies.

“I got a call from his assistant,” she said, looking pleased with herself for bearing the good news. “He said he was going to call you to send over the contracts to be signed”

My gaze went dark as I looked out to my office door. “Maybe he has but miss lateness wasn’t at her desk”

“Yeah, you really do need a new assistant, I heard the reason why she has been coming late is because she got a new man in her life now” Melissa told me

I was so tempted to roll my eyes at that, I didn’t need the office gossip and I really don’t care if she got a thousand men in her life, I need her to be competent.

“If that’s the only reason she is here then it means I am screwed”

“Alright, fire her then” She says. “There must be a lot of qualified candidates who are more than ready to step up for the role”

“She is not completely useless, just that we need to work on her punctuality a lot. But you are right, I have to fire her. At this point we don’t need liabilities” I told her

Melissa was about to talk when the door opened and whoever it was barged in without knocking, opening my mouth to yell at the person but closed immediately I saw it was my assistant, Trina. She strolled in carrying a folder and I had to take a double take at her appearance, she was a complete mess.

Her cheeks were puffy and her eyes were red, she had obviously been crying a lot. It was none of my business but if this was the reason she was late then we were going to have a problem.

Everybody here in this company knows not to mix personal with business, I have warned them to not let it affect their work or they were getting fired.

She stood in front of my desk waiting for my acknowledgement but I refused to feel anything but contempt for her.

“You are having wild nights, Trina?” teased Melissa

She flashed a sad smile at her in return.

“I hope you have a good explanation for barging into my office without warning and a better one for coming in late” I stated casually

Her lips quivered but she composed herself before answering me. “I apologize for that ma’am.

I nodded at her but I still waited for an explanation as to why she is coming late, she can’t possibly think she could apologize and everything would be fine.

“I broke up with my boyfriend last night and I cried so hard that I forgot I had to come in today” she said honestly.

I didn’t know what to say to that at all, I didn’t realize I would be dealing with relationship problems as well as multiple reports I had on my table. I had no words to say to her that wouldn’t come out hard and cold. I didn’t have business meetings or clients to see except the folder she was handing out to me and immediately opened it and started looking at our sales figures.

“Have you gotten a call from Mr. Hank’s assistant about the contract?” I asked her

“No, I haven’t checked me messages yet” she replies

My head came up so fast I think I got a whiplash and before I could scold her for delaying this important call, she turned around and made her way out of my office but before she could reach the door, I called her back.

“Trina, are you sure you are okay?” I asked her

She turned around and nodded in response but she didn’t say anything else to me, just stood there waiting for me to dismiss her.

I looked at her closely trying to find a sign of insincerity but I didn’t find any at all and all I could find was a heart broken woman. I was not the type to be emotionally open and I didn’t know how to handle my assistant who was clearly an emotional mess.

“You can go now” I dismissed her.

It wasn’t until the door to my office closed shut that Melissa spoke again.

“You didn’t have to be harsh to her, you know?” she said. I rolled my eyes at her, a minute ago she told me to fire her now she was acting like mother Teresa.

I gave her a disapproving look and she just laughed waving me off.

“But yeah, you are right. I will talk to her when I get the chance” I told her.

I needed to tell my assistant that she was getting fired.

“How are the kids by the way?” I ask her. Melissa and her husband just gave birth to their third child and she has been complaining to me about how hard it was to keep up.

“Don’t ask,” she warns me. “The whole of last week was spent cleaning up the baby’s mess and changing his diapers. My hands were literally in shit the whole time.”

I made a face to laugh and she sent me a glare, it made me hold back my laughter to avoid her wrath.

“Like the other day, Mitchell was having one of her tantrums when I wouldn’t get him ice cream. Mitchell is her five year old son, he fell to the floor wailing and screaming. I was so tired that I left him there. I went to the kitchen to get me some ice cream, wine would have been better but I am still breastfeeding. I turned up the volume on the TV to catch up on my show.

“No, you didn’t!” I told her laughing

“I am dead serious, I was so tired from work and chasing the kids around all day.” she said

“You are joking, you left your kid there?” I asked her

“She wanted attention and I wasn’t ready for that nonsense” she said sternly.

I was shocked at this, she was always the warm one in college so it is a bit surprising to hear that she heard her kid crying and didn’t do anything about it.

“How long did your nonchalance last?” I grin

“Three minutes, my heart couldn’t bear to him cry so I picked him up”

“I thought so” I told her

“I mean I love my husband and the kids but God! I need to be young again and feel alive. You know, just like we used to do when we were in college” she said

Yeah, we used to be wild then, partying everyday but still crushing it in our studies. It was back in our young days. Now, we were trying to be serious and build a legacy for our children, well for her anyway.

I was 40 years old and I still didn’t have a boyfriend, I had certain trust issues when it came to men and it was difficult for me to commit or open up to them hence why I am single. I was happy with my choice, I could go out whenever I want and get a good looking guy to go home with me with no strings attached or expectations.

“So what is your point?” I asked her. It was obvious she wanted something and she was beating around the bush for some reason.

“We need to go out more” she answered

“What? You mean you?” I asked her, I go out when it suits me but without my wing woman, it sucks to be out there without her but I have been doing well on my own. Her getting married sucks for me but I am happy for her.

“I know, I know. I have been a bad wing woman but I want to make it up to you. Mainly because I want to let loose for the night.” She told me waving her arms in an excited manner.

I knew it! She was only going out because her husband wanted her to do so. I rolled my eyes at her. What was I expecting?

“Alright have fun” I said dismissively

She stopped waving her arms, she sighed when she saw the expression on my face. I was giving her the “I couldn’t care less look” and I knew she understood what it meant.

“You are going to make me beg, huh?” she asked

“You bet your ass I am, you ditch me after you get married and want to remember me now that you need me, hurts!?” I asked her to place a hand on my chest in a dramatic gesture.

“So where are we going?” she asked

“We are going to the new club opening downtown, I have a reservation there. Our clients need a good place to hang out for our meeting” I grinned at her.

I wanted to dance and let my hair down, I couldn’t remember the last time I did that. I have been working so hard lately that I have forgotten how to have fun but at the same time I would make sales.

“Oh cool!!! I am so in” she said, her voice rising a little at the end.

I laughed and I kept on laughing as she danced her way out of my office.

My phone rang just as my door closed.

“Hello” I out the phone to my ear

A few seconds pass as I listen to the man complain to me.

“I will call you back” I say to him just before I end the call

“This girl really knows how to piss me off” I hissed to myself. I storm over to the door, I jerk open the door and walk out of the reception just to find her on her desk with her head bent. With the way her shoulders shook, I assumed she was crying.

“You haven’t sent over the contract?” I ask her quietly.

She jerks up from her desk, hastily wiping any trace of tears from her eyes.

“I will do it now, I am sorry” she said as she tried to arrange the files on her desk, her hands were trembling as she did that.

I picked up her phone and called Melissa.

“Hello, please have your assistant send the contract over to Mr. Hank and while she is at it, I would like some wine and pizza delivered immediately to my office. Thank you.” I said in a rush before hanging up.

Trina stared at me with her eyes wide open as I made the call,

“Miss Halls, I am sorry…” I cut her off before she could go further,

“In my office. Now!!!” I entered my office expecting her to follow me immediately.

I got to my office and signaled her to close the door.

“Sit down, Trina,” I told her sternly.

She opened her mouth like she wanted to argue then ended up closing it as soon as she saw the look on my face.

I took my seat watching her as she made herself comfortable on the chair, she was nervous, I could see that. She probably thinks she is getting fired.

“I was going to fire you today,” I said bluntly. I watched her face turn ashen as she struggled for words to say.

“Miss halls, I…I” she started to say but I held up a hand to silence her.

“None of that, I was going to fire you today but then I realized that all you needed was a little guidance” I told her.

She nodded and sent me a shaky grateful smile.

“Now, tell me what happened between you and your man” I prompted her.

She looked confused and hesitant for a second, I wouldn’t blame her since I make it a point to avoid any personal problems here at work.

“Go on” I urged her

She nodded and started telling her story.

“It started when he cheated on me because I was working late nights, it was around the time we were working on the blooms contract. You ordered everyone to give it their best. He cheated on me and blamed it on the fact that I was working late. I forgave him but then last night he did it again and I wasn’t even working late. He blamed it on the fact that he thinks my work was more important than he was” she finished.

I didn’t know what to say, I burst out laughing. I held my sides as I laughed hard. It was the best I have laughed in a while. Men are really babies, that was a silly excuse and I am surprised that she wasn’t lighting him on fire. If you are going to do something, please make sure you come up with a very solid reason.

“Trina honey, do you know why I am at this level that I am?” I asked her

“Because you have worked so hard?” she asked me

“Yes and also because I don’t spend time listening to bullshit men concoct all the time. He clearly doesn’t love you and he is just making up excuses to cheat every time he feels like it. If I were you, I would focus on my career and forget about him. The right one will come for you when it is right.” I told her.

“I didn’t know you believed in the right man” she observed.

I chuckled a little “I don’t but I know you do and that is all that matters right now.” I told her.

I was too old to believe in fairytale, I wanted a partnership but after all the shit I went through in the hands of men, I think it is safe to say that the ship has sailed. I couldn’t keep deceiving myself thinking the right man was going to come around when I am almost forty. Not that I was looking for a man right now, I was very happy with the way my life is right now.

“Thank you, miss halls. That means a lot coming from you” she thanked me

“Buckle up and do your job right or else I am firing you, heartbroken or not” I told her.

“Yes ma’am” she said before leaving me alone in my office.

I was satisfied with myself, it would be unfair if I fired her. Trina has been with me for a long time and she was actually a smart girl. I tried taking her under my wing but it looked like her mind was elsewhere.

I gave her a second chance because I was once young and naïve like her but the difference between the both of us was that I wasn’t gullible. I never cared about anyone as much as I cared about my career. Coming from a house where I was oppressed every chance I got made me defensive and I had to channel that energy into something positive.

I knew my step sister Diane always wished she was in this position but she didn’t have what it takes, she was the social butterfly between the both of us. She craved a life of riches that she didn’t have to work for while I wanted people to respect me knowing I worked hard to make a name for myself.

She was more interested in building a relationship with a man that didn’t care enough to respect her to even bother pursuing her career. The one thing that would be there for her when her boyfriend disappoints her.

It was nice to know that she has learnt her lesson and would get her head back in the game long enough to learn something.

I went back to the reports I kept aside earlier, I needed to finish them if I had plans of going anywhere tonight.

I was already excited for tonight, it has been a long time since Melissa and I went out together. I couldn’t wait to see her in action. My whole body was buzzing with awareness at the thought of alcohol and a hot variety of men even though I had a date of my own tonight. I had to impress my clients and the only way I could do that was if I had a man. So sexist! I was going to be so wasted tonight, it was a good thing Melissa was coming so she could be my designated driver.

My phone ringing on my desk distracted me from my thoughts, I heaved a sigh as I picked it up.

“Hello” I said into the phone.

All I heard from the other end was squealing, I held the phone far from my ear.

It continued for thirty minutes and I was about to hang up when the familiar voice of my step sister, Diane stopped me.

“Aleia guess what?! I am getting married!” and the squealing continued again. I winced as I felt a headache coming. It was always like this dealing with her.