Natasha
He looked at me sharply as his eyes darkened and his jaw clenched. "My company..." He said in a domineering voice. "You will increase its status and you will make me number one. Why? Because love makes people weak."
He leans back to his chair. "If you want to fight back you should come when you are fully prepared." All I could feel was sorrow and hate, this man would never change, what was I expecting when I made my way to this place.
Tears filled my eyes but I refused to let him see me cry, I was falling apart. "You have sold your soul to the devil Gilbert Ryan, but one day you shall understand what you have done when there is no one by your side, you shall wake up and find that everyone has turned their back on you and you would be left alone to reap all you have sowed."
I grabbed hold of my back and glared at him. "Your company, I would increase it, but that company shall be your downfall!" I got up to leave but he chuckled.
"Grow up Malinda, the world is not always what you want it to be." I could hear his cold laughter as I made my way out of the study room.
He was right, the world isn't always what we want it to be, he shall see it when the time comes, his reward shall be given to him in a hundredfold and the pain he would feel would be so unbearable that he wishes he would die.
"Natasha Wilbur, did you contact the Fantasy company?" One of the directors asked me. I was absent-minded as his question pulled me out of my thoughts. Just like I had wanted to end this quickly, I had called this meeting and decided that we would make a vote.
I was sitting in an Oran company with some directors who were about to vote between Mr Malcolm and Mr Gilbert since our last song which would hit and rank top one was soon going to go live.
I looked at Russeli who was also seated there, he was staring at me, his eyes were filled with emotions I couldn't explain, the same looks he had when he came over to my apartment telling me we have to end this quickly, I only hoped he was terrified.
"I did," I responded to the question and glanced over to Gilbert Ryan who looked calm and innocent like we had not discussed anything the last time we met, he must be glad since I was still pushing forward with all these.
"What was their response?" Another director asked and I turned my eyes to look at the elderly man. My real father would have been this age if he was alive. Too bad they were dead and couldn't see who I had become.
A part of me was glad they had not seen me as a maid or seen me suffer so much, they would have felt sorry for me and might have the same look I see in Russeli's eyes, but a part of me wish they were still alive, I may not go through all these pain if they were.
"They need to hear our votes first because it depends since we aren't the only ones competing for the top rank," I answered professionally, pushing away the sad thoughts that had filled my head. What should matter right now is the present.
"How is the record?" A director asked.
"Sinead!" I called out and Sinead who was sitting behind us handed me some documents which I passed over to them.
"We are two companies racing for this top one rank and only voting makes us decide which should be and the higher the votes makes it all counts and even." They glanced through the document and I saw one of the directors open his lips to speak.
"Since Oran Company is in cooperation don't you think otherwise? Also, Mr Malcolm and Mr Gilbert are the owners that had come together for this."
I smile as I look at them both, this was my part to play, a part that would tear the two apart, I was glad when the headquarters in the US music centre brought this up, it was a bit of luck to me and I just hope it all goes down well since the time Gilbert reap what he sowed was soon approaching.
"This is music and being the first ranker, so cooperation or no cooperation they both applied also for the first and it is left for the winner to help the loser. Whereas, I am not the one who makes the decisions but the headquarters in America."
"But you are connected to it." Mr Malcolm spoke up this time and I looked at him, he is Yvonne's father and I was sure he knew little about what his friend or his daughter had done, I have not had any face off with him and he looks like a good man.
"Although I am connected to them, it is the vote we have here today and their final decision over there that counts, so let the vote begin." I looked at Mr Gilbert who had a smile on his lips, he was so confident, but that will lead to his downfall.
I smile to see the tension in the room and I looked down at the sheet I was with and the pen in my hand, I smile and pen down the name of the person I choose and looked up at Russeli who was staring at me, he could see the smiles on my face but he seems to be the only one who understands me and the hurts I feel deep inside of me.
Five minutes later the vote was over and the record of the vote was handed over to me and I opened it with a dark smile when I saw the result and I put the record down and looked up to see the eager eyes watching and waiting for me to announce the winner.
"You are all curious to know whose vote came first." I paused to make a whole lot of tension run across the room as Mr Gilbert and Mr Malcolm sat up straight waiting for the votes.
"For Mr Gilbert, we have 13 declined and 27 accepted and for Malcolm we have 22 declined and 18 accepted." I glanced at Mr Gilbert who had a broad smile on his face.
What a selfish man!
"This result would be sent across to the headquarters for a final decision and we would be hearing from them soon after the main music, I wish you don't get your hopes up just yet," I said to everyone present but I directed it to Mr Gilbert.
This would be all for today, we would see the main music." I got up and left the office, behind I could hear the loud laughter from Mr Gilbert as the others congratulated him.
A hand pulled me over to a private place in the hallway and I turned to see Russeli staring at me intensely. "You voted for my dad right?" His brows were raised and his eyes bored into mine and on his face was the sadness that should be on mine.
"Why? Shouldn't I have?" I asked.
He gently left my hands and swallowed hard. "You are determined to help raise his Company." He tilted his head and he looked so torn, I wanted to hold him and tell him not to feel sad for me that I was okay or that I would be okay but…