SJ’s eyes hardened as he re-watched the file footages sent to him from the security office of all the accidents that Ellisande has been involved in. He watched as he saw the culprit, who whacked and pushed her inside the meeting room that made her lose her balance.
He then clicked on another video where the supervisor she was assigned to, threw a thick file of drawings that landed on her face while screaming curses at her.
After receiving a hard slap and some tongue-lashing from his close friend Florence over the predicament that his wife is going through, he called up security and ordered all clips that involve Ellisande’s accident sent to him. He was surprised to see that there are more than twenty files.
“You are such a despicable man!” Florence screeched after slapping him. “Did you see the state of your wife just now? Let me guess. Of course, you didn’t. You just came back from lunch with your lover, didn’t yo
“She’s over fatigue and dehydrated.”SJ looked up from the Nordic lazy sofa chair after the doctor had finished the diagnosis and his eyes narrowed at the statement.Dr. Paige McIntyre took off her stethoscope and placed it inside her bag and stood up. She looked at him, whom she had known since childhood, being cousins on both their mother’s side.“She can see a specialist, if she wants,” she commented lightly as she followed him out. “Probably more rest and some fluids. I gave her a sleeping pill so she can recover her strength. I don’t recommend her going in for work tomorrow. You should call Flo and informed her about it.”“And, then received another tongue-lashing from her,” SJ muttered as he went to the refrigerator and open it, finding himself and hers two bottled waters. “I swear, if you tell her what happened here, I’ll definitely make your life hell.”&ldq
Elli slowly opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling for a few minutes. For the first time since she arrived in the city, she felt well rested. She clutched the blanket to her face, closed her eyes and rolled to her side to savor a few more minutes before getting up and was shocked to collide with something solid.She opened her eyes and quickly sat up, backing away when she saw her husband, sleeping beside her, only wearing sweatpants. She turned to her bedside table and saw that her clock read eight in the morning and she suddenly jumped out from her bed, rushing to the toilet.I’m late! She thought frantically.She took off her clothes and took a quick shower, her mind picturing the face of her supervisor screaming at her. She cringed at the thought as she turned off the shower and grabbed her towel and wrapped it around her body. She then reached for her lotion and applied it quickly as well as her face cream.“This will do,” she mu
SJ looked up from the costing he is studying when his cellphone rang. He placed the document down and reached for his phone, looking at the caller.“What have you got for me, Leo?”Leo Reynolds, his long-time private investigator sighed at the other end of the line. “Nothing except for all those standard information, SJ,” he said calmly. “My men are still digging up but so far we have nothing that can help with whatever you’re planning.”“He couldn’t be that difficult,” SJ pointed out.“Yeah, well some are good at keeping their lives private that they even take them to their death,” Leo replied with mild irritation. “This Michael Porter was one of them. I’ve been digging information for the past month and that’s the only thing I came up with.”“Have you checked his wife?” SJ asked again.“Yes. Same results,” Leo said.
Elli looked up from her computer the following day when she heard Valerie calling her name. She quickly stood up and rushed to her area.“Yes, Ms. Valerie?” She asked formally.Valerie looked at her darkly.“I need you to go and get me three reams of A3 size bond paper at supplies,” she said curtly.“Noted, Ma’am,” Elli replied. “I will call supplies and have them here ASAP.”Valerie cursed at her angrily. “Did you hear what I just said?” She sneered. “I said that you go and get them. I did not tell you to have them delivered here. I could have done that already. Get them now. ASAP! I’m pretty sure you can move quickly considering you were absent yesterday.”“And about that,” she continued heatedly. “The next time you’ll be absent without telling me and only telling the VP, I will suspend you. Who the hell you think you are? Get a move
Three Weeks Later …Florence looked up from the proposals she is studying when she heard SJ cursing under his breath and throwing the document he is holding back on the table. It was Friday morning and he and Florence are going through the proposal for the interior schemes of the hotel lobby and presidential suite as requested by the client.“That won’t help,” she snapped with a frown. “We all know how difficult of a client Mr. Grande is but stop doing that.”“How many schemes have been rejected already? Three? Four?” He questioned dryly. “And, he’s giving us a short notice every time!”“He’s a mover, we all have seen that,” she explained as she reached for another scheme that her staff had submitted, in the hopes that it will be the one chosen by the client. “Why do you think he has hundreds of chains all over the world? That’s the way he works.&rdqu
Ellisande leaned back on the park bench, shaded by a tree, she occupied while enjoying the sandwich she made back at the apartment and brought with her for lunch along with some lemon bars. She even made one for Mr. Jones for dropping her off again last night after another overtime in filing materials samples. She looked at her watch and reminded herself that she got another hour of lunch break.“Miss Val must have been in a good mood to extend my break,” she muttered.But, over the past weeks, she noticed that her supervisor is slowly releasing the reigns on her. She would still insult her from time to time and make her run some errands, but not too much. Perhaps she had seen that Elli never fought back and just do whatever she is told.After finishing her sandwich, she then reached for the sketchpad she brought with her and stared at the schemes she made for their latest and VIP client, GHI. She remembered the day when their VP, Ms. Florence called
SJ got out of his private elevator early the following week and was met by Debra.“Mr. Grande is at your office, Mr. Kincaid,” she informed formally. “Ms. Florence is on her way up as well.”“SJ!”He turned and saw Florence alighting from the elevator with an anxious look, while bringing with her the portfolio of all the schemes her department had made.“Why do you think he’s here at this time?” She inquired curiously. “Debra called me. I’m glad I came in early today.”The two entered his office and saw Mr. Grande sitting calmly on the sofa and to their surprise, he was holding a piece of paper. He put down the cup of coffee he’s drinking when he saw them.“Mr. Grande,” SJ greeted formally. “It’s a bit early. Is there anything that we can help you with?”Elliot Grande stood up.“There definitely is,” he replie
Ellisande stepped out of the elevator on the 78th Floor, after receiving an order from the CEO, two hours after their encounter on the ground floor with their VIP client. She clutched her bag tightly as she walked towards the secretary, who is busy typing on her computer.“Good morning, Ms. Debra,” she greeted the ever-serious secretary, who earned the highest reputation as the most trusted employee of the CEO. “I’m here upon the CEO’s order.”Debra took her eyes off the screen and looked at Elli calmly. She had been working in the Kincaid’s company for past thirty years, and she will only take one look to know one’s personality. Right now, she is staring at the young Kincaid’s wife, few of the people who knows, and Debra kept her comments to herself for now.“Mr. Kincaid’s waiting for you, dear,” she said patiently. She stood up and led the way. She knocked on the wooden door bef