Chapter 28
Unforeseen Circumstances
Damien
(Flashback_six months ago)
It was barely eight am but I was already dressed and ready for work, the car was outside waiting for me.
The house felt emptier as I strode downstairs, I hated having maids walking around the house so they usually came in when I'd left and cleaned the place before I came back.
It'd been a day and I'd heard no news from Albert I thought, descending down the stairs. He hadn't sent word if he'd found Elena, I was beginning to think this was a lost cause.
Maybe she didn't want to be found, I thought.
I slid into the back seat and the driver drove me out of the estate and onto the main roads. Within half an hour we'd pulled up into my private parking space and minutes later I ascended my private elevator up to my office.
Clara was busy with some documents when I walked in.
I'd discovered her when she was only an intern, quick and sharp-witted. I'd employed her as my secretary and never regretted it, I paid her handsomely of course.
She was the only person I'd brought over here with any relation to Father's company.
"Good morning sir," she greeted, walking in behind me, and she gently placed a cup of coffee on my desk. Black, no sugar, and hot, just like I liked it.
"What's my schedule today?" I sipped the coffee, sitting down. The caffeine rush made me alert.
"You have…" Clara glanced at her ever-present clipboard, "The boardroom meeting by nine, the…" She listed out four other meetings I had to be present.
I groaned, internally irked by the stress of it. But I knew I had to attend.
I'd taken over the company as a punishment from Father, we'd had a huge falling out and he'd raged at me for months.
The company had been decrepit when I'd taken over; losses were so low it couldn't get lower, employee morale was at an all time low and its quarterly earnings were abysmal.
I wanted to show Father what I was capable of, to prove myself to him.
I smacked my lips in satisfaction and I downed the remaining coffee in one gulp. Few months down the line and I'd done it I thought, a triumphant smile on my face.
I'd turned the situation around, too bad Father was overseas on a business trip. He wasn't back yet. It was time to move back up to where I belonged.
"Get the papers ready for the meeting," I instructed Clara, glancing at the clock. I still had plenty of time before the meeting.
I quickly found myself engrossed in the sea of paperwork on my desk. Another issue I found with working small companies I'd realized was; there were too many incompetent people amongst the staff.
The amount of errors and stupid mistakes I saw was staggering, so I'd made it a habit to cross-check whenever I could.
Time moved slowly as I worked. By the time I stopped, it was still early.
My phone beeped suddenly, snapping me out of my thoughts, my face changed when I saw the name on my screen.
Why would father call me? I wondered curiously. Father rarely called me, especially for random reasons. He preferred to send a fax or email.
"Hello," I swallowed the lump in my throat, feeling self-conscious.
"You've not been to the house," Father spoke, his tone cold and unfeeling. "Margaret's complaining," his words made my eyes narrow.
Magaret? Complain that I hadn't been to the house? This was the funniest thing I'd heard all year. I had no love for this stepmother I was stuck with, and it didn't help that she'd somehow managed to do the impossible, manipulate Father.
"I've been busy," I said, sounding apologetic. "It's a crucial period at the company right now, the profits have improved and I've taken out a lot of dead weight," I added, instantly hating myself for it. I sounded like a little kid bragging about the things I'd done just so I'd get a candy.
"Hmmm," Father didn't react, merely grunting. "I'll be back in a few weeks," his words made me pause, my mind already racing with thoughts.
"How are things there?" I asked carefully.
"Good," Father was brief. "Victoria's doing well at the company," he added. "Something you should learn to do," his tone became cold. The line went dead.
Father was coming back? My mind swirled with thoughts and my eyes dimmed. If Elena hadn't disappeared, everything would've been perfect.
I thought and decided against Calling Albert. I didn't want to look desperate.
There was a knock at the door and the door opened, revealing Sophia.
"Sophia?" I raised my brows, surprised at her sudden entrance, I hadn't been expecting her. I'd met Sophia at an art gallery where I'd gone for an event.
We'd hit it off pretty quickly but I wasn't really keen, I'd seen women like her. I knew what women like her were after.
"You're a hard man to meet," she said, her voice nothing more than a purr. "I had to lie to your secretary to get in here," she chuckled, taking a seat. She crossed her legs and the long slit shifted revealing something for a split second.
I felt my mind snap and my breaths became laboured.
"What are you doing here?" I finally asked, dragging my gaze to her face.
"Well," Sophia smiled, the look in her eyes told me she knew exactly what I'd done. "You didn't call me back and I couldn't wait," she rose to her feet, slowly skirting the desk to stand before me.
"I was busy," I said, staring up at her. I would be lying if I said I wasn't the least bit interested in her, I was, but I didn't see the point or benefit and things like that… I had no interest in it.
"C'mon," Sophia sat down on my lap, straddling me. I could perceive the scent of her perfume, it was light and floral. "Are you not the least bit interested?" She asked, her eyes searched mine.
I sighed secretly, silently admiring her beauty but my expression was cold. "I'm not interested," I said coldly. "Get off—" I was just speaking when she leaned in and kissed me.
I froze, the audaciousness of her move surprising me. Despite myself, I let my lips loosen, letting the kiss flow for a moment.
The sound of the door opening snapped me out of my daze and we pulled away, my eyes narrowed when I saw who'd walked in.
Elena. Damn it!