6 CHAPTER FIVE

The 'Antonia Empire' was gracefully designed with polished marble floor and numerous garlands. The eatery was portrayed as outstanding. From the tiled floors to the well-furnished waiting couch that lay here and there; the lustrous grey marbled front desk and some fashionable touches that hung on the wall depicts a classic joint for rich people. The eatery was really a master piece; nobody visits it without coming back.

From where Benedict stood watching the whole proceedings going on in the eatery, he could see that the business was flourishing and that in sum; the whole customers that flood in each day contribute not less than a billion. That really interests him. Who knows; perhaps, he will be the richest man on earth!

Feeling full of himself, he turned at the young man that stood with him waiting and spoke pompously.

"It'll be a little while longer that this eatery will have no boss…"

Benedict was awakened from his wild imagination by the young man who had walked up to them. The young man seems well fed and handsome; he was in fact the present senior secretary to the deceased Ben Antonio, the boss of the ANTONIA EMPIRE.

"Mr. Charlie," he said emphatically and brought out his hand for a good shake.

Charlie took the hand and spoke at once. "This is Mr. Dexter," He introduced the man beside him. "My new lawyer and personal assistant." he turned to the latter and grinned.

"Good to meet you again sir," Gordon, the secretary made a slight bow. "This way please," he ushered them towards the stairs. "You were just in time for the meeting."

"Of course." Charlie noted and followed the young man towards the stairs.

The three men walked briskly in the long walkway, keeping to their right. Gordon was at the front and Charlie followed with the lawyer behind him. They walked in silence, not even their Italian shoe made a noise on the tiled floor.

With no time they approached a large door and Gordon, being in the front line eased the door open and the rest surged in without being beckoned. They shot the door closed and only God knew what they talked about inside the room; maybe that was another trick for Charlie to unveil his secrecy to the rest of the men.

Since Charlie had chosen to be a wild human, one needs to treat him delicately.

∆∆∆

Carly halted her car right in front of the parking lot. For a while, she peered at the magnificent building before taking her decent park in the zebra like crossing in the parking lot. She hung her bag; letting it drop down from her shoulders as she came out of her car. Walking out of the parking lot, she admired the building; what her father had worked on so far as he lived; now it left for her to maintain it, despite the struggles it brought.

'ANTONIA EMPIRE,' was all she could see in front of the eatery. She wondered why her father chose the name 'Antonia;' and at the same time she believed it was dedicated to the name of somebody, either for their family name or her mother's.

The man behind all the magnificent architecture had been murdered, and now, it's left for her to continue from where he stopped and to keep on track all he had worked for.

She glanced down at the face of her wrist watch: it read 12:08. She increased her pace and prayed she wasn't late. She did not have the timetable for the company's schedule and her father's secretary who was supposed to put her through had been difficult to get to since the day after her father's burial. However; now she's here in person, it's never too late, she thought as she pushed the door open only to be called out of her thoughts by the sound of two lovely voices, ones that sounded like an angelic song.

"Welcome to 'Antonia Empire' madam," she looked up at two ladies who smiled at her showing their expression of gladness fully. "Have a good stay here."

"Thank you."

She returned their smile and walked straight to the reception, where three lovely dark ladies sat looking so engrossed in their work. Without looking at their faces as she approached; she greeted.

"Hello?" she called out to them and they took notice of her greeting her altogether.

"Good morning ma'am," they all chorused in anticipation.

"Can I see the secretary to the deceased chairman?"

The receptionists looked at her puzzled.

"Do you have an appointment with him?" one of them spoke out in a confused manner. The lady who had asked the question held out a heavy book, taking note of all she was saying.

"Something of that sort," Carly heard her voice firm and commanding.

"Okay, if you'll excuse me." the lady raised the office phone to her ear as she hits some keys on the dialer with her index finger in a haste. "Hello sir. A young woman is here to see you-"

She nodded and looked at Carly, "-your name please?" the receptionist fixed at Carly hazily.

"-Carly…"

The young woman spoke into the telephone again, "Carly, sir." her face became distorted as she turned at Carly and asked again now more slowly.

"-Carly who…?"

"-Carly Antonio…"

Carly observed briefly the series of alteration on the lady's facial expression at the mention of her last name. It seems to her that the receptionists are now feeling cold; she glared at them strangely thinking what was wrong by her mentioning her name to them. In amazement, the lady who had forgotten she was holding a telephone spoke into it once more.

"Miss Carly Antonio, sir…"

She placed the phone on the dialer and Carly followed her hand; looking at the dialer, then slowly back at her. The latter spoke hurriedly as if she was pressed and Carly observed without a word.

"He's not around ma. He left a couple of minutes ago."

The rest of the receptionist glared at the lady who just spoke and then, at the confused Carly.

Carly's shoulders fell. "Thanks, maybe some other time I'll come and check on him." she turned and walked out wondering if he's okay and well; his phone has not been reachable. Poor secretary, she tries to understand the situation when she felt a slight vertigo right in her head.

She hasn't had a good minute rest since she came out of her car. She felt her legs vibrating against the tiled floor on which she trembled along quickly, walking towards a nearby seat and settled on the seat heavily. She zipped her bag open, plunged her hand into it and brought out bottled water, turned the cover till it became free, took it off and bent the bottle making it balance on her lower lip letting the water flow down her throat. She glared around observing the eatery and the workers who seem too determined in carrying out certain jobs allotted to them. The customers that flooded the vicinity reminded Carly of how the company is valued among her folks, and how it has helped satisfy travellers who barely had food with them on their journey. She sat upright again after allowing the water do its work in her body and was about to leave when she heard a laughter that sounded like that of her daddy's friend. Astonished by that, she stood immediately as her gaze traced the laughter where she saw three men of who were Charlie Benedict, her father's secretary and a strange young man; all dressed in an Italian suit. Her heart sank deep down her belly. She hoped it wasn't what she was thinking but of course it was. The climax of her suspicion swept her into conclusion that her father's friend had come not to purchase a thing, but to claim something. She glared at the trio and Benedict's lips moved as he spoke indistinctly as Carly could not hear them.

"You can imagine the guts of that girl" Charlie said looking at the other two. "What was she thinking?" he jeered on.

"That we'll allow a girl lead us?" the secretary chipped in making Charlie laugh out hard with his eyes closed in complete emphasis to the said words of the secretary.

As they reached the reception, they caught Carly glaring at them in amazement and looking unwavering.

The men were dumbfounded at the sight of Carly except Charlie. The two men stood aghast, one of them looked left; then right and seem to gather a little courage as the person with him wasn't the least startled.

"So this is it, Mr. Secretary?"

Carly found her voice thick and simple, she stared at the men especially Charlie with the utmost wonder. Disappointment shielded her joy and her face became pale with anger. With the motif to get her point across to the latter, she spoke still at the spot and maintaining her posture

"This is the reason why you're not reachable? Why on earth are you doing this?" Carly questioned the young secretary who seem restless and looking away from Carly trying to figure out if anybody would come to his rescue or not.

The secretary stammered out, trying to speak or at least defend his fellow associates when he heard the voice of Charlie.

"Carly!" Charlie spoke at once calling Carly's attention towards himself and Carly's gaze shifted at him in frenzy.

"Keep your words to yourself," Carly lashed out on him, she didn't even give him a chance to speak. "I'm talking to the traitor in front of me." She turned and faced the secretary again, making the man's heart hop nervously.

"After all my dad did for you, Mr. Gordon? All you could do was to let his property go into the hands of predators? Is it how you give your own payment back?"

Gordon's gaze lowered at the floor searching for a perfect word to suite his situation. He looked up again without a word praying someone comes to his rescue once more.

Benedict who seems frustrated and tensed spoke out of eagerness, trying to understand the young lady before him.

"Predators…?"

Charlie looked sternly at the young woman, and chose his words shamelessly.

"I am your father's friend and this young man;" he extends his hand towards Franklin Dexter, "Is my new lawyer-"

"-oh please spare me those shitty words already!"

Carly said at the top of her voice calling unwanted attentions from customers and workers.

"Get your-" She directed the word at the latter, searching for the right words to use. "-mad men out of my father's company, while I'm still being nice!"

"I've heard a lot from you, you know."

Charlie approached the latter with his hands folded into each other against his chest.

"But I was thinking, perhaps; we could run this company together and settle our differences, don't you think so…?

"Shut the fuck up, mister," Carly rants. "How do you expect me to allow a stranger to run my father's company…surely, you are out of your mind!" Carly screamed again making the man before him irritated.

"And she called me a stranger…"

He smiled, making the rest to chuckle; then he made a short direct approach at Carly and gripped her by the arm. Carly saw the smile on his face vanish slowly. His fingers felt like claws as they jabbed into her bare skin almost popping blood out of it. On the other hand, Dexter and Gordon witnessed the proceedings without a word. Benedict still held her in the previous manner while he glares at her vacuously.

"You have no right to say shit."

He resumed glaring at her; with his fist still clutched at her tightly. His gaze on her was that of anger and voracity.

"Your crazy father made me years ago, sign half of my property to him with the intention that he will pay back in due time, now he is dead and I came back trying to take what I lend him since he could not pay back; and here you are, making fun out of it!"

Carly maintained her unwavering look and the latter went on angrily.

"Here I am today, in the rightful location. Now here's what it feels like being pissed off; you who had the privilege to live in luxury, a place that does not really belong to you, I shall see to your dismissal!"

He turned to the thug in front and signaled them with the wave of his hand.

"Please take her out."

He released her arm and moved backward, leaving the thugs who were in all blacks with heavy chests and well-formed muscles to grab Carly off the ground by the arm; one for each. She closed her eyes and yelled out while kicking hard on the two men who were busy carrying out the instruction given to them, although she kicked hard at them; but it seem she was kicking against a wall, or perhaps, they were enduring.

"You'll pay for this. I promise you!"

She yelled at the top of her voice.

"Will you get your hands off me?" She poked both men repeatedly. "I am not lame; I can walk on my own…"

Without paying any attention to her, they dragged her out of the mansion and walked all the way back into the building and stood as if nothing had happened.

Outside the building, Carly refused to leave the building; at every attempt to go back in, she was stopped. Feeling so embarrassed, she wiped the tears off her face, sniffing in an irritated manner. She was hot with temper and frenzy like a vicious widow as she walked to the parking lot.

She approached the parking lot where her car parked precisely and brought out a bunch of keys, she jingled the bunch, picked one and tried inserting it into the key hole but it fell. She bent over, picked it up and tried again; the same result. Feeling frustrated, she kicked the key away from her and slumped on the floor; with face buried in both palms placed beside each other. Her anger reached a climax and all it could yield was a streaming tear down her cheeks. She began to cry without making any sound. It was only her that knew she was crying since she buried her face into her palm, if she hadn't done so, many passers-by might begin to wonder why a young rich lady had to cry under the sun. But when she had given a good thought to it, she was convinced that any passers-by should be able to know that rich people have their own problem; and it seem to be worst when it comes.

"Lord…" she cried out and yet was interrupted by a masculine voice.

"Hop in miss," The voice spoke briefly.

"I've helped you now so it's alright" The voice was plain. There was no sense of pity, neither was there a sense of ridicule.

Slowly, she raised her head to look at who it was that came to her aid, perhaps; one of the passers-by. The sun ray rushed into her eyes as she peered into the face that stood just close to her, although the sun was too bright, she could see dimly the face that looked down on her without an expression. The sun ray almost blinded her eyes. She raised her hand over her eyes, only then did she see him. He wasn't fair like she, but his fairness could be appreciated, and could be termed okay. The young man still glared at her with his hand held out to her to grab. His facial features were well chiseled. He wasn't smiling but he seemed good natured.

"Get up miss," he spoke, still stretching out his helping hand.

Carly pushed it away.

"I can lift myself," she struggled somewhat and soon she was up.

"-you are all the same." she muttered and pushed him aside wildly and dragged her car door open, got in and slammed the door.

The latter who had come to her rescue glared around, seeing that no one had noticed what happened, he watched in amazement as the young lady ignored his presence, reversed and drove off in perfect madness.

He shook his head and walked up to a red sleek car, hopped in and drove off leaving a hazy trail on the tarred road. All he could think was that he offered an unwanted help.