c h a p t e r t w e l v e
i h a d t o d e a l w i t h a g i g a n t i c c o c o n u t a n d a s t u p i d t r e e
***
The first thing I saw was his stormy grey eyes glisten up a little. I looked away immediately, biting the inside of my lip. I noticed the bags underneath his eyes...being the CEO of a company comes at a price.
I didn't bother to wish him a good morning.
He closed the file he was working on and gestured for me to continue.
I handed him the Foreign Affairs file.
'The land we'd bought in Morocco five months earlier is facing legal issues, sir. Kenneth Parker had signed over the land to Eric Parker but Eric failed to stand by the clauses of the contract and the neighbouring land owned by Morocco's local trading company, Yvonne's, is slapping charges against Parker Co.'
Sebastian seemed to slap out of his daze and opened his mouth blankly, clearly not having heard what I said thirty seconds before. I rolled my eyes and repeated my said words earlier.
This time His Highness heard what I said and replied, 'But that is Eric's concern, not ours. Why is Yulu's charging us?'
I rolled my eyes again. Did that guy even listen to me when I was speaking?
'Yvonne's, sir and Eric Parker heads the Morocco site of Parker Co.'
He seemed having an inner battle with himself and he shook his head, I guess realising that Eric Parker, his cousin, indeed was the head of Parker Co. in Morocco. He normally was calm and composed but today he seemed to be so distracted...probably because it was Ivory's first day here.
I stared at him for a response but he was only looking at me blankly. I cleared my throat to get his attention and he jerked back to attention. I actually felt like laughing, looking at the stern CEO daydreaming.
'Uh, can you give me five minutes or something? I need to go through this file first. And if you can refill the cup too, please. I will take my usual.' He said picking up the nearest file and opening it. I nodded and went forward to take his empty coffee mug on the table. Sebastian shifted uncomfortably in his seat but pretended to read the blue file in front of him.
After taking the mug in my hand, I looked at the file...it was turned upside down. I bit back a laugh and walked out of the cabin.
I made Sebastian's usual espresso and after I started to make my way back to his cabin, I saw Beth coming out of Ivory's cabin followed by Ivory shouting at the top of her lungs.
'What do you mean by that?' Ivory shouted at Beth...it wasn't yelling at all, I mean I could whisper louder than this but this is Ivory the Princess we are talking about.
'WHAT DO I MEAN? I WILL TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN!' Beth yelled, gaining the attention of all the workers on the floor. Quickly keeping Sebastian's mug beside the coffee maker, I made my way to Beth who was thankfully a few steps away from me. I held Beth before she could lunge at Ivory and throw a punch at her along with showcasing her underwear.
Beth was really petite and that woman couldn't kill a fly so it was really easy to hold her back. All I had to do was use one arm to hold her back.
'Oh you do not have any brains, so get out you dumb bimbo!' Ivory said, trying her best to raise her voice but it came out as a poor whimper. I snorted when she called Beth a dumb bimbo...look who is talking.
Ivory glared at me but didn't say anything. She was probably waiting for Sebastian to come so that she could insult me in front of him and get away it later. Sebastian would pay over a grand to watch me getting publicly insulted.
I looked at Lily scurrying over from her desk along with some other colleagues of mine. To say 'interested' would be an understatement, the people looked like they were so ready for a catfight to start and I was the only barrier keeping them away from their entertainment.
I rolled my eyes at them before turning back to Beth and Ivory.
'What is the matter, Beth?' I asked as Beth continued glaring at Ivory, vice versa.
'You –' Ivory started to say something to me but I cut her off midway.
'Shut up and don't speak unless you're asked to.' I snarled, pointing a finger at her. She shut her dirty mouth immediately and I snarled at Beth, 'Are you deaf? Answer me!'
People don't mess up with me when I am angry. I can turn into a real bitch. And the last thing I would need on this Earth is for two stupid exes fighting over a guy who is daydreaming inside his cabin. God help me, I want to throw all the three of them out of this office right now.
'She said I was a stupid tree!' Beth whined and I rolled my eyes. A few snorts erupted from behind my back. Honestly, I felt like a snort was coming out from my mouth too but I stopped it.
'And she said I was a gigantic coconut.' Ivory whined too. Remind me what age are we again? Again, a few snorts erupted from my behind.
'Don't you have work to do? GET BACK EVERYONE!' I said each word as menacingly as it could get and everyone was back to their cabins in 0.9 seconds. I smirked inwardly.
I raised a hand dismissively at Ivory, who was going to say something at Beth, 'Not here, Ivory; in my cabin, you both.'
And Sebastian's cup lay forgotten beside the coffee maker.
Once all the three of us stood in the cabin, Beth started arguing with Ivory again. I rolled my eyes and told them to shut up.
I can't believe I had to deal with a gigantic coconut and a stupid tree...aka Beth and Ivory.
'Now, Beth. Tell me what happened exactly.'
'I went to Ivory's cabin to give her the Walter Business Charity file and she told me that the accounting parameters were absolutely wrong. I got angry because I was the one who had overseen the accounts and finances in the Walter Business.' Beth said glaring at Ivory, who merely shrugged.
'I was correct. There was a problem in the accounting parameters and I was the one who noticed it. As a worker of this office, I find that as my job to work for the better of this company that –'
'Save the crap for someone else, Ivory.' I deadpanned her and she glared at me. Beth smirked at her. I continued, 'You are the publicist, Ivory Hastings. You just need to give Beth or me a decision whether or not it will be beneficial for Mr. Parker to attend the charity event or not. If you find a problem with accounting, you just express your concern about it, like a civilised co-worker. You will not go around accusing your colleagues, do you get me?'
Ivory only glared at me, for a reply. I couldn't help but yell, 'DO YOU?'
Ivory flinched at my tone but nodded nevertheless. Beth smirked at her, again, which only infuriated me more.
'And as for you, Beth Rogers, I believe I didn't ask you to oversee the financing of Walter Business Charity? I specifically asked you to overlook the date of the charity and Mr. Parker's schedule for that day and just handle the whole event from our side. The financing comes under the Finance Department and not under the personal assistant of the CEO. You will do only what you're supposed to do.'
The smirk from Beth's face vanished in an instant.
She looked furious. I scoffed. If she expects me to be biased towards her, then she's wrong.
'And now Ivory Hastings, you will send us your feedback about the event in an hour and Beth Rogers will then look at the schedule to avoid any clashing of the events. I hope I have made myself clear.' I said and started to walk out of my cabin.
I stopped in my tracks when Ivory muttered under her breath, 'Fat bitch'
My jaw clenched tighter and I turned around and walked until I was only two steps away from her. It hurt a lot, yet again, when she called me fat. But I couldn't let her know that.
'I may be fat and you may be thin, but here I am,' I said, raising my index finger at her, 'Holding an authority over you.'
Beth stood there, saying nothing. I didn't expect her to, she looked furious at me for scolding her earlier. I wasn't going to apologize so she better deal with it.
I smirked again. I smiled at her; a menacing one.
'Ivory, you may have everything – looks and boys – but you don't have the one thing that I have; power. Look at you, publicist of Sebastian Parker, listening to a fat bitch like me. I'd choose power over a good body any day.'
I smirked at her and left the cabin, leaving Ivory and Beth rooted at their places.
-
I made a fresh cup of coffee for Sebastian and made my way to his cabin. Knocking gently, I entered the cabin to find him typing furiously on the keyboard. I cleared my throat and he looked at me, his piercing stare on me the whole time as I walked up to his desk and placed his coffee on the roaster.
'Thank you, Miss Hastings. I see you finally got the time to grace me with your presence.' I blushed lightly at his comment.
'I...uh was...' I staggered to tell him the reason I was late. I couldn't tell him that two of his exes, who still liked him, were fighting like weasels.
'Perhaps you forgot that you were supposed to be in your boss's cabin about twenty five minutes ago?' Sebastian said, getting up from his chair. I didn't know what to reply to him – normally I come up with something in less than ten seconds – but my eyes were too busy checking him out. I scan every inch of his back as he walks to the huge window at the end of the cabin. I follow him there. The slight smell of orchids and carnations fills my nose.
'There was an urgent matter that needed to be handled.' I replied, mentally slapping my brain for this stupid reply. Obviously, he would ask me what the matter was.
'What was the matter that was more important than your boss's orders?' He asks me, his back still facing me. I wanted to tell him the reason right then and there but Sebastian had a very favourite hobby of his – he loved blaming things on me. If I told him that Ivory and Beth were fighting, he'd blame it on me saying I was incapable of keeping worker's conduct in the office.
But I couldn't lie to him. He would burn me alive and spit on my ashes later.
'Miss Rogers and Miss Hastings were discussing the finances of the Walter Charity event that is coming up in some time. They called me for some advice and I lost track of time. I apologize for that, sir.' I said, almost laughing at what I said. I mean I hadn't exactly lied to him; just covered up the situation.
'I believe you're my personal assistant and not someone from the finance department. I suggest you abide by your set of works.' Sebastian says. I scowl at him, thankfully he couldn't see that. Why would he ever say something against Ivory and Beth? So much love for his exes, that peanut.
I scowl at him again. I leave shortly after filling him up with the Atlas Constructions' new project affiliation with company.
-
As I returned to my cabin, Beth was at her desk talking to someone on the intercom and she glared at me the moment she saw me enter the cabin. I rolled my eyes at her childishness and sank back in my seat, looking at the pile of files kept in front of me. But before I could go through all these files, I had to check the financial status of the Walter Charity event. Before presenting it in front of Sebastian, I had to make sure it was perfect. I did not trust Ivory's business skills at all but the way she fought with Beth gave me second thoughts about this event. This event was under Beth's handling but I decided to butt in anyway.
I turned to Beth and spoke in a clear tone, 'I need the Walter Charity event file.'
She huffed angrily but passed me the file, nevertheless.
Before I could go through the file, Sebastian's call on the intercom interrupted me. He asked me to come to his cabin immediately.
I sighed before putting away all the files in the little shelf behind my desk and locking them safely. For some reason, I didn't like the idea of the Walter file being out in the open. I had a gut feeling not to trust Beth with this, even though she was my loyal best-friend. But again, I never trusted anyone when it came to business.
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