CHAPTER FORTY TWO: AN EXPOSITORY OF THE PAST( PART 36); Two can play at that game.

Rylee Athena titled her head and looked at Ryleigh Georgia who was looking deep into her eyes unwaveringly. It was like a fight to be won by the best - a staring competition. Rylee Athena was very aware that Ryleigh Georgia wanted the post to try and build her reputation but she was ready to take her own. Momentarily, Rylee Athena looked at the floor and blinked twice before she looked back at her stack of documents on the table.

After looking at the two, Ali Maddox cleared his throat and pronounced, "Since it seems like a war on who will meet the contactor, let us choose on who will do the job. But if it would be fine, I would rather choose Ryleigh Georgia to show us her talent and capability." He concluded as he drank up the cold bottled water on the table. He knew very well that nobody would have dared to question his choice, he just wanted to improve his relations with Ryleigh Georgia's father and this would have earned him support even financially.

This statement made Rylee Athena seem rather shocked as she expected Ali Maddox to choose her, but she was somehow wrong. Rylee Athena only kept quiet because she had no power in the company perhaps, she was just a bystander and would soon walk away and go to mind her own business after the expiring of the contract.  But still,  a string of questions ran through her head as she tried to figure out why Ali Maddox had chosen Ryleigh Georgia over Kinsley, she knew very well that since he was the head, everyone would end up choosing Ryleigh Georgia over her. Kinsley, knowing of how Rylee Athena felt at that time, glanced at her questioningly, but Rylee Athena only answered her with a reassuring smile showing her that she was fine as she would have only been there for a specific period of time then disappeared into thin air like smoke. However, it did not take too long for Kinsley to figure out why Rylee Athena had chosen not to argue with Ali Maddox. He was the sole leader of the group and nobody would have supported her save for her, so it was even utterly useless to try.

Just as Kinsley stood up again, flipped open her folder and then read out the budget to be involved in the project, all the mouths of the members present in the meeting dropped out of shock as it was far too large. And that meant that if any loss occurred during the process, a huge loss would be experienced.

Afterwards, Ryleigh Georgia's male friends, Manager Andy who was in a black suit stood up , everyone's attention in the room switched to her as he was very respected as her ideas had brought success upon the company. All the noise in the room disappeared as the people had been discussing the way forward. Then, Andy proposed to let Ryleigh Georgia - one of his close female friends, be  the one who will talk to the contactor because of her connections in the industry and that it would have saved them on finances as her father would also help with the project.

At that moment, Kinsley noticed how Rylee Athena's facial expression, which had been a happy one, turned a few shades of anger and disgust before she composed herself and put back on the usual smile on her face. Rylee Athena hated rich kids who used their connections in the industry to beat others in competitions as they did nothing important.

"I don't agree!" Rylee Athena stood up and glanced at Ryleigh Georgia, who's eyes flashed with happiness, she smiled amiably exposing her eggshell white teeth as she had already won the war. Rylee Athena clenched her fist in anger, she clasped her palazzo pants tightly in anger before she let go and finally spoke, " Manager Andy, I do not agree. Everyone in our group worked hard on this proposal, I just think that it is unfair that you have to choose for the team. I think that the team should choose their own representative to take up the responsibility. On what basis should the team give it to your friend?" As Rylee Athena concluded, everyone in the meeting room shook their heads as they conversed in low but audible tones that it was absurd and that the team should have chosen it's own representative. Ryleigh Georgia felt so angry at that time that she immediately sneered at Rylee Athena and clicked her tongue. Who was she to say such a thing.

' You foolish girl! Who are you challenging?!' Ryleigh Georgia said in an incoherent voice.

Rylee Athena had a displeased look on her face, her and her teammates had not struggled just to pass on the responsibility to another human being who could not even say out loud the name of the project. That was not fair, it was very absurd.

The two of them started exchanging big words of mockery to each other in front of everyone. Even the others were shocked as Rylee Athena seemed like a person who always kept quiet and was always naive but they had just gotten the wrong impression.

From Rylee Athena's point of view, the responsibility should have been handed over to a person with experience, creativity and innovation so that the project would have improved and assured massive amounts of profit to the company and not to a person who did not even know the content of the project and expect to get massive amounts of profits like Kinsley or others, not necessarily her.  A newbie could not have given them the expected results.

As the argument between Manager Andy and Rylee Athena intensified, Ali Maddox as the vice President of Max's Corporation finally snapped and banged the palm of his hand on top of the table twice. This made every noise that was there before disappear as everyone kept quiet and looked at him.

Everyone could see the anger in Ali Maddox's eyes. Though he had always been quiet in most of the meetings, and sometimes did not attend all the meetings save for the important ones. He still had authority over everyone, everyone still feared and respected him. After all, even when his grandfather - Raymond Oliver was still in the company, Ali Maddox was still the most feared and this increased the fear of him by employees as the one who controlled his moods had left. All the ideas and changes were made by him making Max's Corporation rise up to the top like it was once was before the death of Ali Maddox's parents.

"Alright," Ali Maddox finally spoke and killed the tension that was in the room.

"Since the both of you want to be the representative of the project so much, we will settle it regarding everyone's opinions. We'll vote!"

As Ali Maddox concluded speaking, Ryleigh Georgia titled her head and faced Manager Andy, who gave a reassuring smile, something fishy was going on. Kinsley noted that and immediately texted her group members who looked at their mobile phones. They all afterwards looked at each other and nodded their heads in agreement each at their time. The message read:

' It seems that Ryleigh Georgia and Manager Andy have planned a resolution with already predetermined results, we must support Rylee Athena since she is on our side.

From Kinsley.'

From where she was seated, Kinsley continued observing everyone in the room. Ryleigh Georgia's lips tugged a devious smile while Rylee Athena had a displayed look on her face. Rylee Athena then tore her gaze away from Kinsley and turned to Ryleigh Georgia with a dubious smile.

' Two can play at that game.' Is what Rylee Athena mouthed to Ryleigh Georgia before giving her a smirk.