The Memoir of Aderyn Clark

Worse,

I should've been relieved when King didn't show his face for two weeks straight, but that didn't give me any relief, it makes me worry. Not worry for him, worry for myself. Because the last time he stop his pestering, he only come back ten times stronger, maybe even a hundred. So now I'm afraid, thinking what he's going to do now when he's finally back.

Also, he said he lives in my building, yet, I have never seen him anywhere near my building except the times when he showed up at my apartment. Then I remember him telling me about the building manager, how he's a cheap fuck and would give you keys for a hundo. Not that I would ask for King's apartment key, I'm just gonna ask him if King was telling the truth about living in the building, that's all.

"Hey, Shane," I knock on his opened office door

"Ms. Clark, what can I help you with?" I'm surprise he knows my name..

"I was wondering if I could possibly ask you a question about a tenant?" I asked him unsurely

"You know that's not possible," he shakes his head

"I didn't need to know which unit he's in, I just need to know if he's actually living in the building."

"Can't help you." He said more sternly

"Is there anything I could persuade you with..." I started to open my bag, taking out my wallet, "I promise to keep quiet," I added with a smile

"There is something..." from the way he smiles, I think I could guess what that something is, but imma play dumb

"Is 100 good?" I pulled out the bill from my wallet

"I was thinking more of a favor for a favor," he sit up straighter

"Oh, um, I don't know," I shake my head, "can't I just give you money instead?"

"No can do, sweetheart," he grinned, "take it or leave it."

"I'll leave it. Thanks." With that I walked out the office

Maybe it's different. With King, he's a man, Shane wouldn't be asking him for a sexual favor, while me, a woman, it's more natural to ask for favors than money. Not that I condoned it any further, I don't, women aren't a sexual object to be exchanged with favors. I guess I just have to figure out another way myself. Or you know what? Why do I even bother? It's not really that important for me to know if he's living in the building or not.

°°°

Another week went by and the news of Nuvola expanding to another sector broke the media. Maybe that's why he haven't bothered me this past weeks. He's busy with his company. Ugh I don't even know if it is his company or it's just another project of his, but I do know Kane Industries keeps on thriving despite all of the ups and down of market values.

"Aderyn," someone called out from my office door

"Thomas," he's one of the board member, "do we have an appointment that I forgot about?" I asked him while trying to open up my schedule for the day

"No, this is a courtesy visit," Thomas walked in my office, "may I?" He pointed to the chair in front of my desk, I gave him a nod

"What for?" Board member don't usually do a visit to the CEO office just for fun, especially not Thomas.

"I think it's time for a move on," he said confusing me

"What do you mean?" I stared at him confusedly

"I'm selling you back my share." He can't be serious...

"What have you been hearing, Thomas?" I asked him with a smile, "you must be hearing something big for you to ever feel the need to give up your share,"

"I'm old, Aderyn, I also have nobody to give my share to when I'm dead—"

"Whoa, hold it right there, Thomas," I cut him mid sentence, "why are you taking about dying? Are you sick?" Thomas gives me the signature old man laugh, "What?"

"I've been sick, sweetheart, I've been sick for the past years," he smile, a genuine smile

"What?" I'm actually surprise, "how.. what? Why didn't I know about this?"

"Well, I didn't tell anybody, it just seem like a burden." He shrugged

"But you've been looking healthier than ever, you can't be sick!" I insisted

"God works in a mysterious ways" was all he said

"Do you need money? Is that why you're selling?" I asked him once again

He shakes his head, "I have plenty of money,"

"No, I can't allow you to sell your share back." Is it weird if I felt like crying?

"Why?" The old man laugh

"It won't be fair to all the board members," I told him, "have you talked to the others?"

"They're the one that encourage me to sell it back to you, actually," he said calmly, "they don't feel like getting an extra 0.4% on their plate."

"Are you really sure, Thomas?" I asked him again

"Very sure," he smiles

"Okay, give me a sec, we need to set up an emergency board meeting soon," I said then about to press the button on the intercom to call Dexter, when Thomas stopped me

"I already putting it on the schedule, it's tomorrow at 10 a.m." Thomas assured me

"I'm pretty sure I'm not free at 10 a.m. tomorrow," I told him remembering there's a rescheduling from today

"Well, it's in the schedule, I've confirmed it with Dexter myself," ugh, I have to check my schedule

"Lemme see..." I open my calendar for tomorrow, and for some reason, it's not updated yet. Not bothering with the intercom, I shouted, "Dexter!" Loud enough for him to hear me

"Yes, Ms. Clark?" He showed up on my door 3 second after

"Why is my calendar for tomorrow's not update yet?" I pointed at my computer

"Oh, I'm sorry, I haven't got into that yet," Dexter said lowly

"Speak up!" I told him, "explain what you've been doing since I'm sure I didn't give you any chores for today, yet." he didn't have an answer for me, he just open and close his mouth without any word coming out of him, "update my calendar, now, and starting tomorrow, you're fired."

I saw his face morph into a surprise and unbelieving, but I don't care. He's been slacking off for a while now, I didn't say anything with hope it's just a phase, but he never picked up the pace, and he knows how this works, you don't keep up, you get left behind. And that's exactly what's going on now.