“Who made this proposal?” Brett Holmes, the Chairman of Holmes Finance Corporation, asked everyone in the meeting hall. “Who made this proposal again?” he repeated. His expression, which seemed like a glass of water, was hard to decipher.
He’s smiling, and his voice sounded like he can forgive anyone who had committed a big crime. But for quick-witted people, they could tell what was on Brett’s mind. DESTRUCTION.
“Miss Nathalie,” Brett called out.
Nathalie tensed up. “Y-Yes, Sir?”
“Tell me who made this proposal. This isn’t a question.”
He showed the folder in his hand, waiting for Nathalie’s reply.
Nathalie then looked at the man responsible for making the document. The man hid well behind the person sitting beside him as if he was clearly warning Nathalie not to bring his name and take the blame in his stead.
However, working years under Brett, Nathalie knew that it is impossible to fool their boss. She, therefore, decided to tell the truth. “It is Director Gastvo’s idea, Sir.”
Gastvo’s nostrils grew larger right after his name was brought up. He gulped first before gradually turning his head in Brett’s direction.
“Ohhh, it’s your idea, Director Gastvo,” Brett awed a gasp.
“Y-Yes, president,” Gastvo replied. He bowed his head and gritted his teeth as he thought of a way how he would punish Miss Nathalie after this meeting.
“It’s very unique,” Brett hummed. “But I can’t pass this,” he confessed, sighing. “I’ll give everyone a few more days to come up with new ideas.”
Brett stood up. Chairs scraped loudly on the floor as everyone got up in respect. The flustered Gastvo hurriedly avoided Brett’s gaze by tilting his head to the other side.
“Then, I’ll see everyone at the next meeting.”
When Brett left the meeting hall, everyone breathed at ease.
“Hey Gastvo, what kind of sh*t is this?” one of the Board of directors asked Gastvo.
“You know that the President hates not well-prepared ideas,” another added.
Gastvo loosened his necktie before he answered, “I was nervous as hell. That darn young Chairman thinks he’s that perfect.”
“Watch your mouth, Gastvo,” the person beside him warned, as he pointed to the other directors who are loyal to the President.
Gastvo cleared his throat and then soon sent a glare toward Nathalie, an indication that it’ll be her turn soon.
“Be thankful that the President is kind,” the other parties laughed at Gastvo. “That was an awful idea.”
Everyone thought that Brett was a kind boss who could tolerate his employer’s mistakes. But that’s not the truth.
“Director Gastvo is a very useless scumbag, right?” Brett asked his secretary while he was walking on the way back to his office.
His secretary fixed his gaze on Brett’s side profile. Opposite to the mean words, Brett was smiling just because they were outside and there might be some who could watch him from afar. Nonetheless, his secretary felt Brett’s boiling fury at the stupid presentation he saw a moment ago.
So, Secretary David waited until he and his boss entered the office. As soon as Brett arrived at his office, he perched down on his seat. He placed his feet above the desk before he leaned against the chair and loosened his tie. He looked like a mess with his untidy hair and an untucked shirt.
“Do anything to kick that bastard out from the Director’s seat. I hate useless people like him, tss,” Brett said before he closed his eyes.
“I will, sir,” his secretary reassured. He stayed standing near the desk, watching Brett.
When Brett sensed that his secretary was still there, he asked him without opening his tired eyes. “What? Do you want to say something?”
His secretary knows how workaholic Brett is. He seems like a person who’s resorting to this lifestyle in order to forget his dark past that wasn’t known to many. But today, he looked more annoyed.
“Do you want relaxing tea, Sir?” David offered.
Brett opened his eyes and looked at David.
“Was it obvious that I am in a bad mood?”
The secretary nodded his head. If he’s allowed to say more, he could tell that Brett looked anxious, and it’s really rare to see him in this state.
“David, I’m gonna ask you a question. It’s about my friend.”
Oh the famous ‘It is about my friend’s story.’ Even without hearing it beforehand, David knew Brett would talk about his story. And maybe, Brett also knew that David was aware, but they were both pretending idiots.
“A girl was leaning her head on a guy’s shoulder while they were on the bus ride. What is their relationship?”
“They are a couple,” David answered.
Suddenly, anger boiled deep in Brett’s system, and he knew it was too much for him to handle. It was as hot as lava, churning within and hungry for destruction. The pressure of this raging sea of wrath inked his eyes with darkness, as he suddenly kicked the table in front of him.
Bam!
David’s eyes almost popped out forward in surprise. His face lost its color as he carefully detached his lips and murmured, “S-Sir?”
"What did you say again?" Brett asked. The Left side of his lip tugged upwards, creating a baleful smirk on his god-like face; forming a spell of range to eyes that dare to look away.
David then realized he made a mistake. He concluded that the girl Brett was talking about was probably Agatha.
“You think they are lovers?” Brett asked him in an unusually loud tone.
“N-No. Not really. I mean, that is just a possibility, sir. They are maybe just good friends.”
“Friends? Are you sure?”
“Y-Yes, Sir.”
“Really?”
Brett smiled widely, and the murderous aura swirling around him subsided.
“So, what’s left for our schedule today?” Brett asked.
David, who was glad that Brett changed the topic, picked up his notes and read Brett’s schedule. “This afternoon, you were scheduled to meet the CEO of Heysome Mall. But Mr. Lawrence called this late morning. He was sorry to say that he’s out of the city right now, so he re-scheduled it next week.”
“That bastard. He probably thinks he's the only busy one,” Brett mumbled.
“I don’t think so, Sir. Because when I checked Sir Lawrence, I found out that he’s working as Professor in a Review Center.”
“What?” Brett asked. “Why would he?”
“As for that, I am not sure, Sir. However, he’s working in the Review Center where Agatha was studying for her upcoming bar exam.”
Brett frowned. Was it only a coincidence that Lawrence suddenly works as a professor at Agatha’s review center school?
Aside from that, the field trip came into his mind.
“Call Mr. Lawrence again,” Brett said to his secretary. “Tell him, I will meet him tomorrow.”
“You are going out of the City too?”
“Yes, to meet Lawrence.”
No.
Brett was so sure that if he follows Lawrence, he can meet his slave too.
‘I found a good excuse to see you,’ Brett thought with a grin.