Chapter 3: Risky Decisions

I paced the floor of my office, thinking deeply of the paperwork I was working on before I stood up to just think about this really well before signing those papers.

I've been trying to get a joint business I'm contemplating on doing with a business partner.

The offices line suddenly rang, breaking my own line of thoughts, so I went to pick it up. It's the man I'm meant to do the business with. I picked up the call without a blink.

"Good morning, Mr Vincent." He said the moment the call connected.

"Mr Andrews, good morning." I greeted back.

We stipulated a convenient time for the physical meeting to hold today and I hung up.

I tossed myself around and sat down on my chair. I've never gone through any straining act over a business step, I always have it all under control.

But this one can turn out to be a huge risk with a lot of losses and a really huge profit for the organization.

A knock on my offices door broke my line of thoughts again.

"Come in." I mumbled.

It was the janitor I helped home last night. Oh, not now.

"Good morning Sir." She had cleaned the office before I got in this morning, so she hadn't seen me.

I inclined my head up and down, in response, gesturing for her to go on with what she's here for.

"I… Thank you so much for last night sir, I really appreciate it." She said, her voice breaking.

I nodded stiffly again, waiting for her to say another thing but she said nothing. She came in with cleaning equipment again.

"What now? Do you want to clean here while I'm in it?" I asked.

"No, I actually brought this in because your secretary won't let me in, I had to lie that I wanted to clean the toilet."

She's said so many words already.

"Good for you, now leave." I said in a plain tone.

She gulped visibly and left me alone. Last night was hell for me, I almost couldn't sleep.

I was wondering who has the big, brown eyes that kept appearing in my mind each time I tried to sleep and now that she came in.

I just realized that I dropped her at home and I made the mistake of looking at her face before driving away, her big brown eyes was what I saw.

"I shouldn't be thinking of things not applicable now, I have other things to go over in my head.." I groaned.

I dragged the paperwork before me and started looking over it again. I wasn't even able to focus my thoughts well because those brown eyes made themselves known once more.

I made a sudden percussive noise on the table out of frustration. I don't even know her name!

~

"What's your conclusion on this, now that I've analyzed everything there is to know about the merger." Mr Andrews asked me.

"Do you mind giving me a few more days to think this through? This isn't just about business." I asked.

"Sure, just get back to me any time you deem fit." He stood up and left me alone in the conference room.

I sunk back into the chair, I've never been this stressed over making a decision.

I ran my hand through my hair in frustration, then walked out of the office. I was almost in my office fully when I was stopped by someone who made me almost yell out.

It's the janitor again. " Mr Vincent, can I have a word with you?"

I kept walking and she chased after me, my legs were long compared to hers, making it almost impossible for her to catch up.

My secretary saw us and wanted to stop her but I held up a hand at him to let us be.

"It better be worth my time." I said, opening up the door to my office.

"It is."

"Speak." I ordered.

She was quiet for a while and I glanced up to see her looking nervous, she was playing with her hand, I raised up an eyebrow in a questioning stance.

"Uhm, this is going to sound really bad. But I kind of eavesdrop on your conversation with that man. I was outside the conference room cleaning when I heard the business deal." She rushed out the words.

The glare on my face made her visibly make a swallowing sound, my jaw clenched hard in anger. I hadn't even allowed my secretary to come with me because of how secretive the deal is!

"I'm sorry, please. But I studied business and I know how risky that step is, but it's also a really good one. The demand for his own supply is on the high side and most people would want to try it out since it's from Vin enterprise."

"How dare you?! What manner of disrespect is that?! You think you can just find your space here and try to advise me? You're just a cleaner, what do you know about business?!" I roared angrily.

"I'm s-" I interrupted her.

"One more word and your job is gone." I said in a really icy tone.

I glared hard at her till she left my office on her own will, I didn't even say a word.

One thing I hate most is intrusion of privacy and she just got caught up in the web, she eavesdropped on a very important one at that.

I'm meant to have let go off her job with strict threats of what I would do to her if she runs her tap about it to anyone but I just held back.

She did sound intelligent, like she really knows the depth of what she was talking about though, still doesn't mean she's right.

I mean, who would take the words of a mere cleaner seriously, especially when it comes to being at the detriment of everything I've laboured for years.

I found myself thinking about her again, is it even possible for anyone to sound that intelligent and end up working as a janitor here? She's not just intelligent but also beautiful.

"Beautiful?" Where did that come from? I almost banged my head on the table. I must be running crazy.

I picked up my office line and made what could be the worst decision of my life ever.

"Mr Andrews, I have my answer now."