When A Playboy Loves

|| 27.

King

The boardroom was deathly still, so still that I was afraid to breathe for fear that I would break the quietude. Sweat formed under my armpit, my singlet stuck to my body, my palms were clammy. My socked feet found its way out of my shoes and onto the rugged floor. I was trembling.

Surprisingly, every other person in the room looked relaxed, too calm and it made my heart race even more. The AC was on but it seemed to be blowing hot air. This felt like a set up comprising of familiar faces, only that I had been given a forewarning.

"All in favour, raise a hand." Mr Adams deep voice bounced off the cream walls.

If my heart was racing before, now it was on a full gallop, threatening to jump out of my chest. I looked around me, at the grim faces of the other board members and the lopsided grin on Wole's lips. My hand trailed to my chest, in hopes of quietening the sound that my heart made as it trotted like a wild horse that was set loose. It was a wonder no one else could hear it.

Six hands went up and sweat broke out on my forehead. My jacket grew tighter, I wanted to remove it but I had to maintain composure. I settled on loosening my tie. Seven votes. That was all Wole needed for the position of CEO to be transferred to him.

There were seven of us on each side of the long table with Mr Adams sitting at the head. Wole was sat opposite me, a seating position I was certain was deliberate. Every now and then, he would flash me a smile that I badly want to wipe off his face. The members of the board who voted in support of the motion were also seated on his row.

One of his hands reached out to adjust his tie and I wished for one moment that it was my hands around his neck, squeezing the life out of him. We were both dressed in the same black suit and a white button-down shirt. But I was a better model for the attire.

Even in my state of disarray, I was rocking it with a grace that the wannabe would never possess. Try as hard as he did to impress everyone, I could never see him as more than the overambitious CFO he truly was. His glasses were still missing, replaced with contact lenses that made his eyes look as dark as the cup of coffee in front of me.

Plain, black coffee. I hated it. If it didn't contain enough sugar, excess milk, there was no need for it. The whole content should be emptied, the cup dumped in the trash with Wole. It must have been his idea to serve everyone coffee that was the same colour as his soul. Dark and bitter.

Wole raised the mug to his lips, taking a heartfelt sip. Of course, it tasted good to him. If only the coffee would burn his throat or hands. Sadly, it didn't. Instead, he placed the cup down with a certain delicacy as though he could read my mind. Our eyes clashed and the lower part of his face moved to form a smile. My fingers itched to pluck out those contact lenses, if he was within reach, I might have tried. 

"Mr Daniels," I wasn't the only one whose head turned in the direction of Mr Adams, "do you have the document?"

"No. No Sir." My voice came out steadier than I expected and I gave myself a mental high five. One more vote to seal my fate.

Mr Adams placed both hands on the table, his gaze swept across the room as if the solution rested on the foreheads of the men present. I rubbed my sweaty palms over my trousers. If only I could knock Wole out with my unopened bottle of water, then all of this would be over. Too bad I couldn't.

Six weeks had elapsed, was he going to join Team Wole or remain on my side? I wasn't so sure. Mr Adam mouth opened to speak but Wole beat him to it. 

"I have something for the board, Sir." 

A feeling of dread took over me and all my pep talk about staying calm flew out the window. Why couldn't he shut up?

One look at Wole, the smirk on his face and I shivered. He produced a document from his briefcase, made a show of handing it to me before giving it to the person closest to him so he could pass it to Mr Adams. I could feel it in my guts. I knew without even seeing it yet, what the content was.