Seventeen Years Ago

There was a pin-drop silence in the meeting room, as though there was no-one in, but in reality, there were eleven people seated on the long meeting table; five on each side and one sitting at the end; there was about two feet gap between the man at the table end and the other board members; as though he was infected with some kind of disease.

He was busy with his phone as they waited for him;

He was twirling a pen in his right hand; and although he carried a fearful aura, the female board members, couldn't resist admiring the godlike sight; he wore a quiff hairstyle, but it hadn't been styled for a while, thus a few strands flopped forward, stopping just below his brows, giving him a fresh messy look. His brows were nicely carved, and although he was looking downwards, his long lashes could be seen. He was putting on a sky blue body-hug shirt which was rolled up at the sleeves, revealing his athletic abs and muscled chest. The first two buttons of his shirt weren't hooked and there was a visible tattoo on his chest which led downwards; although he was just twenty-five, he commanded an irrefutable aura.

Suddenly, he dropped his phone and looked at the people in the board room;

''Begin,'' he said, reclining backward on the seat.

A young woman in her early thirties, who had lost herself staring at him, staggered up from her seat, she blinked severally as she arranged the files in front of her;

''The stock prices of Hilton Skies had risen by 10%; there was about 25% profit in the last month. ''

She said, passing a file to him;

''Next ''

''The cargo arrived by sea yesterday, the factories had started work''

Another man said, standing up;

''Next ''

Nicklaus said; still twirling his pen. There was silence; he raised his eyes to look at the board members and noticed that they were in a state of panic.

''Next! '' He repeated himself, this time, his eyes narrowing at them;

A woman in her forties stood; her hands shaky; the other members' heads were bowed because they knew what was to follow her announcement.

''Warren Corporation gained an extra 5% of the… Howells Shares, making them among the top 20 highest shareholders. ''

The pen twirling in his hand froze immediately and his eyes glanced at the woman who just made the announcement;

Her head was bent and her hands holding onto the file for support, her face was already pale with fear and there were beads of sweat forming on her forehead;

''What did you just say?''

Nicklaus sat upright in his seat; his brows narrowing;

There was pin-drop silence in the large room, as the board members held their breaths;

''Who sold those shares?! He asked, his voice ringing in the room; no_one could respond.

''Don't make me repeat myself; else this would be the last day you set your foot in this company. ''

His chest was rising and falling heavily, his eyes were already dark with rage;

Knowing that he meant every single word he said; they stood up immediately;

''They... they bought the stocks from the lowest shareholders, offering them at almost double the price, which was almost irresistible. ''

The Chief Accountant said, his head bent low; Nicklaus rage was nearly bursting through his veins, he grabbed a pencil holder beside him and flung it across the table;

''Get out!! All of you!! Get out!''

He screamed at them with rage as he stood up from the seat; they instantly scrambled out of the room; leaving him red with rage.

His assistant was plastered to the wall behind him; he wished he could leave too, but that was not possible, he needed his permission to leave.

Nicklaus breathed heavily, his head bent, and fists on the table.

He was so angry, he needed someone to vent it on; turning around he saw his assistant fidgeting, almost hugging the wall.

''Come here! Come here!! ''

Frederick hopped to where Nicklaus was standing;

''Did you know about this?!''

He glared at him; riling a file towards him; Frederick narrowly escaped a cut as the file breezed past his face; he turned and picked up the file but didn't respond.

''I don't know how you do it, I don't care how you will do it, buy those shares back! Don't appear before me until it is done, do you hear me?''

Frederick nodded and sauntered out of the room; as soon as he was outside, he heaved a sigh of relief.

Niklaus fell back on his seat, his hands gripping the sides firmly; his bluish veins popping out to the surface of his skin. The flashes of what had happened seventeen years ago replayed in his mind.