THE UNENDING LOVE

CHAPTER 2

RAY
My phone vibrates on the nightstand waking me up.  I reach for it sleepily and check the caller ID. It’s Amanda. She is my secretary and I wonder why she is calling me this early. This can’t be good.
“Amanda.” I snap sitting on the bed, my back supported by the headboard.
“Sorry for waking you this early sir.” Her soft voice travels through the phone and I can trace some fear in it.
“Get straight to the point.” I know I sound snappy but that’s Ray for you. I’m always stone-faced and stoic. Everybody is scared of me.
“There are some losses in the company. The financier told me to inform you.”
“What? How?” this is shocking. This has never happened before.
“I don’t know sir.” She answers cautiously.
“You better know.” I snap getting off the bed. “Tell the financier  that he has a lot of answering to do. I’m on my way.” I hang up without another word and toss the phone on the bed.
Fuck! Loss in my company? This has never happened. There must be a problem somewhere.
I quickly take a shower and dress up quickly. I take my coat and car keys and run downstairs.
“Breakfast is ready sir.” I didn’t notice my help Emily was already awake. That’s how stressed I get when there is a problem in the company.
“Not now Emily. Later.” I snap not sparing her another glance.
I get into the car hastily and drive off turning on the music once I’m on the highway. I increase the speed tapping on the steering wheel anxiously. There are too many cars on the road. I might get a card for over speeding but that does not matter for now. I will just bribe my way out.
Fuck.
Do I have to run into another car at such a time?
Shit.
This is going to take long. I hit the steering wheel in frustration and wait for the furious lady from the other car to approach me.
“You son of a bitch!” she screams making me want to put on some ear muffs.
She can’t see me though. My windows are tinted and I don’t make a point of rolling them down. A lady I assume to be the bitch's friend is behind her, her hands on either side of her waist. I hate how feisty she is.
I don’t want to exchange words with them but I have to tell them off. No one abuses me and goes Scot free. They will know who Ray is. I wanted someone to vent out my anger on and this is the perfect timing.
I walk out and hear her friend gasp. She ogles me clearly forgetting why they are here. We get into a conversation with her screaming at me.
“You know what you should do? Write your opinion on a piece of paper, fold it nicely and stick it up your ass!” She shouts on my face when I tell her to dispose the toy and buy another one.
I grab her hand and glare down at here.
“Listen bitch! No one talks to me that way. You don’t know who you are dealing with.”
“No. You listen to me. I know who I’m dealing with. Some rich, spoilt bastard.” She has the guts to say this to me? I will show her who she is messing with.
“You are messing with the wrong person and because of your stubbornness, I won’t take care of this.”
I'm totally pissed off by her
“Go to hell?”
“What’s that?”
“I’m going to draw you a map so that when I tell you to go to hell you will know exactly where it is.” I should kill her for this but I don’t have that time. I will hunt her down later and strangle her.
“I have no time for this.” I get into the car and reverse leaving them stranded. I hear her cursing but I don’t really care. She has messed with the wrong person. I would give them a piece of my mind if I had time but let it stay that way for now. My company has issues and I want to save some anger for Adrian. That son of a bitch will tell me why there some losses in the company.
“Tell Adrian to come to my office.” I order Amanda getting into the office and slumming the door furiously. I don’t have any time for greetings. I pace my office waiting for the asshole to walk in.
“Come in.” I shout when I hear a knock on the door. Adrian walks in timidly of course scared of me. They all know I might erupt anytime.
“You called for me sir?”
“Can I get a fucking explanation why we are making losses!” I bellow and notice him recoil with fear.
“I don’t know sir. A lot of money is missing.”
“I asked the question why! How much are we talking about? No. Just forget it. I want a written statement of all this. How much we have lost then send me an email giving me an explanation for all this. AM I CLEAR!” he steps back in fear.
“Okay sir. Will work on it.” Adrian is ever polite. That’s why he is one of my favorite employees but I don’t recognize that at the moment.
“GET OUT.” I shout and he gets out quickly.
I take the phone and punch a number.
“To my office.” I hang up and bang the phone on the mahogany table.
“Excuse me sir?”
“Amanda.”
“Yes sir.”
“I want to meet all the managers, accountants and the financier in the conference room.” I check the time and look at her. “In the next ten minutes. Everyone should be seated.”
“Alright sir.”
My phone rings once she is out. My mum can’t be calling at such a time.
Yes mum.”
“How are you son?”
“I’m fine. Can I call you later? I know you won’t be ending this call any soon.” That’s true. She will go on and on about how I should marry and get her a grandson. She has been connecting me with lots of ladies but I don’t have the time. I have a girlfriend but she doesn’t like her. She says that Leila is so proud and she can’t have such a daughter-in-law.
“We have a party and Camilla is coming with her daughter, Caren. Wanted to invite you over. She will be great company.” I knew it. That’s why she called. To try and hook me up with some girl again.
“I will call you later mum.”
“The answer is either yes or no.” that’s where I got my stubbornness from.
“I will come. When is that?” I can’t say no to her.
“On Saturday.”
“I will be there.”
“Something else.”
“Yes mum.” It’s now becoming boring talking to her. I already know her next statement.
“Don’t come with that Leila girl.” I can trace hatred in her voice.
“Okay mum. Have a good day.” I hang up and walk out taking my tablet with me.
Everyone is already seated when I walk into the conference room. They all keep quiet and wait for me to speak. That’s the problem with my employees. They are always scared of me but I like it that way. We are here for work and anything past that is not accepted. They all know that. I settle on my seat and clear my throat.
“I will go straight to the point because we have a lot of things to do today.” I pause waiting for any reactions but they know it better than to talk. “The main reason why we are here is that you are all becoming reluctant in your jobs. You are not working as per the company’s expectations.”
“I believe everyone of you was given a script on what the company expects from you. You signed a contract agreeing to that and now you are going against it. There are some things I won’t condone. Laziness in my company. If you are not ready to work just resign. If you are ready to work then do your work without any supervision. I won’t hesitate to sack anyone who is not productive. Any questions?”
Everyone is silent.
“If there is no question, then get to work.” I command and walk out as everyone scrambles to get to work.