Fire Them #A: Lady Clever

I knew I had it coming. One, then two, and three, now four. A total of four knocks, meant only one person. Charles Clever. I could have informed him in person, now he would rake the living daylight out of my peace of mind. I could deal with Charles anywhere, but not every time. Not when I was studying the proposal for our new branch in Vienna by the strategy department.

"Celestine." Charles shouted as he stormed in.

Charles was much more taller than I was, for while I was managing a 5ft 4in height, he was closing in on the 5ft 12 inches mark. He also looked more like our dad than I did, well, his muscles and broad shoulders were much more just Charles Clever, than Williams Clever, who was on the slim side. Other than his well formed masculine features, he did look like my dad, with his brunet hair that had hints of golden brown in them, the same slim strong jaws, narrow eyes, and perfectly arched nose. With the authority he carried as he walked in and the way he shouted my name, if I didn't know myself, I would've believed he was the CEO of Cleverstine, because right now, he sounded like he was.

"Please Charles," and I sounded like his secretary.

"I just signed a file from the finance team, I saw your signature in there, meaning it was from your office. Do you know what's funny? About the whole ordeal? It was meant to be the other way round, Celestine, I sign then you sign. That's how the whole being CEO thing works." Charles walked to the bar and chose a beer rather than whiskey.

"Oh you did? Thank you." I said without looking at him.

I wished he would just go now but I was sure he was not leaving any time soon. The new Cleverstine Hotel could draw in millions in months and I needed to see everything, I needed to experience it through the colourful pages of the proposal. The charts were well illustrated, that a layman could understand the complexities within the world of economics and hospitality.

"Don't thank me. Why is Cleverstine opening a foundation and throwing a hundred million dollars in it." He asked and slumped into a chair in front of me.

"Because we agreed to have one this year. I thought we talked about it." I said. The board had actually planned it, but it was a plan for the end of the year 2027 not the beginning of it. The Foundation was going to be named after Charles because he was the one who brought it up. Charles Cleverstine Foundation, CC Foundation in short, it was an amazing project the board could not wait to begin.

"Celestine, just don't, we both know it was a plan due for September, not January. We have a resort to plan for, and also fund in case you have forgotten."

"Let's just say I couldn't wait. Is that good enough?" The proposal was no longer intriguing, thanks to Charles. We were having this discussion, so I dropped the folder.

"Couldn't wait?-" He snorted

"-, please. I need a better excuse than that. Is that why you went ahead to open the account in HHB? That's one of the lowest banks in the country. What happened to the banks we are already in business with, like Central Fed or Pentagon? Do you still remember those?"

"Come on, Charles. HHB isn't low. It's just for…"

"Commoners. Not for Cleverstine. They don't have the facilities we require." He cut me off then drank his beer.

"Commoners are humans too. Besides, Round Pentagon already has three of our accounts, and adding one more wouldn't be fair."

"Fair? Who's talking about fair in business? There's something else you are not telling me. What's up Cel. Spit it out, so we would be in the same wavelength and save both of us the hassle."

"There's nothing up. I just need a glass of water." Saying that, I stood and walked to the bar to get what I wanted.

"I'm not just some random guy who knows nothing about you. I can read you like a book. Tell me, what are you plotting now?"

"I'm not plotting or scheming. Can't I be a philanthropist who wants to help both people and businesses?" Charles eyed me through the rim of his bottle as he sipped his beer.

"Are you trying to woo someone in HHB? Who is he? Or is he a she. I won't judge."

I chocked when I heard him say woo. After clearing my throat, laughter followed.

"With a hundred million dollars? Then, that person must be God. I am not trying to impress anyone, neither am I in pursuit of anyone's favour."

"Then is someone threatening you. Are you in trouble?" Although he asked, he didn't look like he cared or maybe meant it. It was more rhetorical. I didn't mind, though. No one in their right mind would threaten anyone like me.

"No. Charles, please I'm not a child." I chortled and walked back to my desk, shaking my head at his ridiculous questions.

"Come on Cel. I'm interested too. It's not like I can stop you now. I have already signed the document, and I'm sure Matthew is already at the bank. I'm on your side too." This time, his golden-brown eyes showed emotions.

"Matthew, from the Indian Branch?"

"Yes. Your footnote read that it was for the foundation. Didn't we plan for the foundation to be based in India?"

"Um, yes. Yes, that's true." That had slipped my mind, but I was not going to show him that, so I sipped my water and nodded.

"Then Matthew, who's the Managing Director of the office at India should be in charge, or did you expect me to go back and forth from Metro to India?"

Incredible, Charles just made my job easier. I hadn't even thought of that part. It could have backfired at some point, but with this, the plan was safe.

"Not really. That was an excellent decision."

"All my decisions are excellent. Matthew was in town, so it was somewhat okay. I just called him, and he took the file from my secretary, Janice." He said and took another gulp.

"Thanks a bunch Charles." I said. I think this move of his deserved a reward. Telling Charles of my plan would be more beneficial, since I will need him in a few days time, therefore the earlier he knew, the better for both of us.

"Okay fine. I will tell you what I'm plotting." I said, smiling because I knew what would come next.

"I knew it. You scheming witch. Whose your next victim now? Which company?" Charles asked, grinning from cheek to cheek.

"Company? Oh no, Charles, that was so last year. I'm talking people now."

"People?" He sounded confused, he should be.

"Uh huh, bullies to be precise." I said and opened my drawer.

"Are you not one of them?" Charles said jokingly, but when I lifted my head with the notebook the smile in his face faded.

"Celestine."

"Charles." I replied and stretched the book to him. He reluctantly took it without removing his eyes from mine.

"Them?" He asked.

I wasn't sure if Charles knew who they were, but I was certain he could remember those dark years of my life when I was bullied. He was also affected somehow then, I could feel it, but he never said anything. Whenever I came back from school half beaten, or almost naked, or with dried up egg yolks and eggshells on my body and hair, Charles was always silent, as though he was the one who was suffering my pain, or the one who looked worse than he was when he went to school. The look on his face back then, always broke me down, but somehow it also bolstered me into going back to that hell the next day, to try to defend myself. But I could never win, how could I? They were five, and I was outnumbered and alone.

"Yes them. It is unclear to me why I didn't do this earlier, but now it came to mind, I have to handle them and move on." Charles nodded before dropping his beer. Then he opened the folder and the first person was Owen. He looked up at me, then turn to the next page, where the details were printed.

"He works at HHB." He stated.

"Yes. So maybe, I'm trying to woo someone after all."

"What's your plan? Are you going to terminate his employment?" He asked. He wasn't against it, I could see it. That was normal though, Charles always agreed with all my decisions, and I was sure he would agree with my steps too, so I took the black notebook from my desk and again gave it to him. He dropped the folder next to his beer and opened my notebook.

"This isn't your writing." He stated without looking at me.

"No. It's Bob's."

"Oh he was already aware, and I had to beg you to be part of it?"

"You were already in the plan with or without your consent." I said with attempts to defend myself, then, I saw him smile when he whispered the heading to himself, he then slowly read the steps, nodding as he turned to the next page.

"Oh I see. Here I am." He said and tapped at the stage two page.

"Yup. Are you sure you are up for such tiring task? I must say, you are quite young to take this much responsibility." I joked.

"Well I will try my best to impress Lady Clever." He replied like a king, and I chuckled. He kept turning the pages, reading through, then turning until he arrived at the final page. Then slowly he closed the notebook.

"Intriguing. I would like to see all these play out." He said.

"Me too, for more reasons than one." I replied and took the note book he was handing back to me.

"Could you send this through my private email? I need to know which step you are in and this information folder too. I would like to study them. I never knew who they were then, but now seeing their faces, I think I feel much better since I know whom to direct my rage to."

"I will. Once Bob returns, he would scan it to my email and I would forward it to yours. Thank you for understanding, Charlie." I really did appreciate the support from all those I found important, I really had the best of all peoples surrounding me.

"No need for thanks Cel. So you are in the first step now?"

"Yes."

"That's good then. But I think you will need to make some changes in you plan. You see I will be stepping into the plan earlier than you had arranged. Let me handle the Raymond Throdsen guy. I see we have just one year and we need to get it over with since we have a lot of projects this year. If that's fine with you." I smiled, of course it was okay with me. I needed them fired from all their jobs before the end of January.

"Yes. I don't mind at all. I will send the documents, then you can go on with whatever way you want to go with it. But be discreet." I said.

"Alright then. Are you going to mum's today? She said she wanted us to come home."

"I saw her text, but I'm not certain. Are you?"

"Yes. The office officially opens next week. It's best I go now I have the freedom. Than being dragged and disturbed within the year when I'm really busy."

"Yeah, that's true. Alright then. I will head over there tonight."

"Okay Cel. Later, then, and good luck with that." Charles said and stood to take his leave.

"See you later, and thanks." I said and watched him leave my office.

Finally, that was over and it went smoothly. The heavens must be on my side this year, like they were last year, and the one before that. Although Charles always agreed with me, he never volunteered to help out unless it was for his benefit, well maybe this was for his benefit, but the bottom line was that he offered to help. Now he was gone, I could go back to my Vienna Resort and so I did.