Sunday

Sunday, a rest day for some and a time to spend with family and friends, but not in Voltaire's case.

He's working hard as usual, and he can finally manage his time since his secretary is finally with him. He got a little flustered when he saw her having some stitches on her forehead and cheeks. He asked its reason but she just replied with an invalid reason.

Stupidity.

Voltaire is currently reviewing his latest investment, which is the 'sports festival' and the beauty pageants that will be held at their campus. Conducting something like that in his university is not a big deal since it's a school for elite-class students but what bothers him is a why.

"Why did I agree on this?" Volt asked himself while staring at the funds he'll provide for the event.

The only reason he agrees is that his grandfather seems eager with conducting something like that and it made him wonder why. He's certain that the chairman won't do something to harm the company he started and his son, Robert, worked hard for. Chairman Flammia also proposed to build another company branch to focus on developments of technology products like smartphones but Voltaire rejected them since they are not stable enough to build another after the sudden conflicts of changing CEO.

Who can forget the successive problems that the company faced because of Vermillion? Luckily, Voltaire is there to snap the dilemmas and take care of them. However, many are still doubting his skills since his older brother is similar to his records in his first half of leading so, the boards decided to make him as 'in charged CEO' and prove his skill as a CEO for six months.

A knock disturbed Voltaire from his work. He turned to the door and saw Keisha peeking.

"Sir, Mr. Javier Clifford, the chief financial officer, is in here. I'll let him in sir."

Volt closed his folders and exit tabs then he stares at the man in brown business attire sitting on his couch while looking around in his office. He has his annoying smile and his lousy jokes with him.

"What do you need?" Voltaire asked without sparing a glance.

"Sir, I just want to submit reports about the recent increase in our marketable products. I also have suggestions on the recently approved project which is the 'sports festival' and pageants." Clifford informed as he submits the report to Volt's desk.

"What suggestions you mean?" Voltaire asked with his daunting stare focused on him.

"I've been doing my research about the investment. In the document submitted to you, it is written that we'll take care of the expenses of the event such as the decorations, assistance, medical needs, and many more related to advertising our best seller products..." Mr. Clifford brings out his laptop and connects it to the TV in Volt's office. He flashed a PowerPoint presentation showing the cycle of funds for the event and starts to explain further,

"Through this, we'll be displaying the company as someone who cares for students also. However, this won't have a strong impact on audiences. They'll probably think that we are being political, so, I figured another way of sponsorship..."

"And that is?"

"We have a clothing line sir which is new to our market. Since the event is big, we can use it to advertise. The regional round of tournaments will be aired on live television right? Uniforms, dresses, gowns, and casual outfits for the pageants. Sports we'll be sponsoring each team their official uniforms made by our professional designers." Mr. Clifford answered.

Voltaire seemed intrigued and fascinated so he laid his back on his chair and thinks deeply. He doesn't want to put malice on his words, but something in his guts is telling him to not do it.

His eyes analyzed his facial expressions and found out the sincerity in his job and for the company's sake. He critiques deeper to find a speck of acting but he saw none which surprised him.

"The idea is brilliant not gonna lie. Hence, that's a lot of budgets that we'll be needing Mr. Clifford. Where are we gonna get that?" Voltaire raised the question that caught him off-guard.

"Now we're talking." Voltaire thought and smirks.

"I'm planning on giving some of my money and also from the proceeds of our best seller products from the other branch." Mr. Clifford answered looking down. Voltaire stands up frowning at his answer.

"Dismiss. I'll think about your suggestion and just remove some unnecessary funding in the contract." Voltaire announced and went back to work.

"Seriously, what's his motive? Is he saying he's corrupt and wants a new life? Tss." Volt mumbled.

~~~~~~

"Meow," Tala answered her.

"So, you think practicing baking a cake is alright as a gift for Volt? I still have a month to learn tho." Ashlyn asked her ragdoll cat, Tala, as she thinks of a present for Volt's birthday next month.

"Meow." Ashlyn kissed her cat before going downstairs with her iPad to practice baking.

She went into the kitchen and saw no one so she starts preparing the ingredients, the needed materials, and of course she puts on an apron.

Ashlyn's mom traveled to another place for a campaign while his stepfather went on a business trip, leaving her and Natasha home alone in their huge mansion.

"Alright, I already preheat the oven. Now gonna mix dry ingredients. Here goes nothing.", And Ashlyn starts to mix flour, baking powder, and salt. She messed up a little making some flour flew to her face. Now she looks like a clown having a white face.

"Hack! Hack!" Ashlyn coughs as she inhaled the flour.

"I didn't expect looking like this while baking." Complaining while she stirs the dry ingredients. The video now wants her to mix butter, sugar, and vanilla on the electric mixer and so she did. She's clueless on how to operate the mixer so she searched only.

"Alright, this will be easy," Ashlyn mumbled when suddenly...

"Huhu, I'm sorry little butter." The butter splatters her clothes. She pouts seeing her situation.

"I wish I have a mother to teach me stuffs like this," Ashlyn mumbled then bits her lower lip. She felt envious of those families whose parents have time for them. A family filled with love and support is a dream of hers.

"Ugh! focus Ashlyn! You can do this on your own." She clenched her fist and cheered herself before continuing baking.

The next step made her gulp because she is, again, clueless about breaking eggs. She prepares the eggs on the counter and stared at them for a minute.

At the entrance of the kitchen, near the narrow hallway, a teenager is peeking at her older sister struggling with dealing with the ingredients being mixed.

Natasha is amused at the same time happy about seeing her sister's effort to learn things on her own. She wants to step in, but, she doesn't want to get close to her. Distancing herself is the best way to avoid saying harsh things to Ashlyn.

Natasha knows how cruel their parents are to both of them, but sometimes, she can't help but feel jealous of her older sister.

"Ouch!" Ashlyn exclaimed after the broken shell cuts her finger. Natasha is alarmed hearing her. The teenager quickly entered the kitchen and saw Ashlyn having blood on her hand.

"Tsk! Careful!" Natasha blurted. She grabs her sister's hand and washed it on the sink. Ashlyn stiffened at her sister suddenly appearing.

"Is my sister a mushroom? Appearing then suddenly disappearing." Ashlyn thought while gazing at her sister cleaning her wound.

Natasha glances at her again and arches a brow. She wandered her eyes on the filthy place making Ashlyn cover her mess by spreading her arms and sweetly smiled at her sister.

"Are you baking?" Natasha asked.

"Y-yes. I'm gonna clean this up, uh... you can use it afterwards." Ashlyn told before she begins gathering her used materials. Natasha pulled the bowl back and halted her.

"No, I want to bake too," Natasha whispered looking away. She starts to grab the mixture of dry ingredients.

"Wait, Nat. I don't know how to bake so don't expect me to teach you." Ashlyn reasoned out while scratching her nape. Natasha let out a small giggle then clears her throat, switching to her poker looks.

"I know how. Come, let me teach you," Natasha insisted.

~~~~~~

The essence of alcohol surfaced the whole pharmacy together with the feeling of the cold temperature.

She went to get some bandages and some ointments at the rack and placed them on the counter to pay.

As she went out, the hot sun welcomed her tan skin. She sighed when she remembered forgetting to bring an umbrella with her.

"Guess I'll be walking until that man's rest place. Gosh! This is too much heat for my skin." She complained and starts walking.

Thirty minutes of walking under the striking heat of the sun when she arrives at the place. The injured man is doing his best to strike punches in the air.

"I bought bandages and some other stuff. You owe me." She started and placed it on the bed.

"Thanks, Cy," he replied in gratitude.

"Hep hep! Don't thank me yet. You promised on helping me with finding my mother!" Kacey reminded that made the man chuckle and asked,

"What will happen if I didn't do as told?"

"I'll surrender you to that Voltaire Flammia and watch you rot in jail. " Kacey threatened that made the man's eyes gape.

"Tsk! I need to take revenge on that agent 'SX' before going to jail, I never cared for that Voltaire. He's just part of my mission. I know that's my last destination anyway." He mumbled making his fist clasped.

"You're so arrogant yet you look like rotting vegetables with all of the unhealed wounds that you have. Luckily, if it wasn't for me saving you you'd be dead now near the canal." Kacey guilt-tripping the guy to get his sympathy. The man rolls his eyes in annoyance.

"Whatever you say, Kacey."