38. Meet an old friend...
"Did you guys hear that. That didn't sound like the boss yelling. Someone said.
" I think she's finally lost her mind, she just yelled at the boss. Shelley said.
"it sounded like eesh-la did it? Angie asked
" it was definitely her. She totally just lost her job. Security is probably on their way up to drag her out. Shelley said.
"But did anyone of you here what she just yelled about? Jennie asks.
" I'm not sure, but I think it's something about some texts or something. I think that's what I heard.
Shelley answers. Just as they were gossiping about her, she barges out of his office like an angry bull. The look on her face clearly read 'do not mess with me right now, I'm an angry lioness'.
"Ben is there a fist aid kid in here?
" Hey what happened to your hand. Ben gasped pointing at her wrist, and everyone's eyes went to her wrist. Even people who could not see clearly stood up and stretched their long necks, and they all went...
Oh my gosh, what the hell happened to her hand.
" I dropped my pen into the Boss's tank of piranhas. She said without a hint of lie in her voice.
" What? A tank of piranhas? Everyone's eyes widened even more. The boss has a tank of piranhas now? His head then rings a bell. Oh that's what was in the package they brought in a while ago. Well you could have bought a new one, why risk your hands for an ordinary pen.
"I'll also like to know the answer to that question myself. Why did I do that? She said now hitting herself in the head with the bloody hand.
" Ahhh. She cried out as she felt the pain on her wrist. Ben the first aid kit where is it? She reminds him.
"oh, there's one in each toilet. In the ladies room and the men's room. He said. Do you need me to help you with it? He asked sincerely feeling bad for her.
" No, you're not supposed to stand up from here unless it concerns the boss. She reminds him of his own words. I'll do it myself. She walks away into the ladies room, with curious eyes following her.
She looked for the first aid kit and found it. She now actually looks at what she did to herself.
"You must have lost your mind Isla, talking back to your boss, shouting at him, and dipping your hand into a tank of piranhas. She wanted to slap herself in the head again with the injured wrist, but then she stops herself and instead uses the other one.
What if he decides to fire me now. After that just now, I'd fire me if I was him. Should I go back and beg again.
But still he was just too much threatening me with the piranhas. She looked at the pen in her hand, she didn't even give it back to him again.
She shakes her head vigorously... Stop thinking about it. What's happened has happened, there's no going back. I'll just try to stay away from his bad side from now on.
She picked up the disinfectant, and was going to put it on, but she couldn't bare the stinging pain that it would cause her, so she just turned on the tap and washed the blood away instead. Now she could see the bite mark clearly. It really bit her deep. She then put the bandage round it.
*****
"Sir, we just received an email saying he'll meet up with you at J&S.
" So Damon agreed to meet with me this time. I thought he'd refuse knowing his personality. He always refuses my offer, I wonder what changed his mind this time.
*****
"What? He bellows as soon as he picks up the call.
She had prepared herself for the shout, but she still flinched as he spoke.
" Sir., I just wanted to let you know that I scheduled your meeting with the Director from StriDon for three in the afternoon at J&S.
"Fine. He was going to hang up as usual, but then he remembered something. Do you know who this Director is? He asks her.
" No, sir. I don't but I'll check for it right now if you want me to. She heard him scoff.
"No, no that's not necessary. He's not someone important. Just another trash. He made sure to point out the last two words.
" Three in the afternoon will do, just do one thing for me. Be there on time. But don't show yourself to me unless I call you. He then hung up.
She didn't even know what this meeting was about, so she had no idea if she was to carry anything there like she did the last time.
"Ben do you know which of his machines he brought today??
" I'm not sure, but seeing that he came dressed in just polo shirt and jeans, I bet he came in his Ducati. His bike. He made it simpler for her. She nodded a silent okay.
****
She wasn't going to make the same mistake she made the last time, so by 1:30, she was out of the office, going to J&S, even though she felt like she really wasn't needed there. She still had to do what he asked. After her little showdown in his office earlier, she was sure he was really angry at her, and any slight mistake, she might be in big trouble.
Today was really better than the last time. She flagged a taxi down easily and by 2:45 she was already there. She went ahead and made sure her reservation was intact. When she was satisfied, she went out of the building and just sat in a place with a shade just outside it.
****
"Sir, I think we should get going now. The time stated was three o'clock, and it's already ten minutes past the time. Simon said.
" Don't worry Simon, let's just make him wait a little longer. He's been refusing my offer every time I sent him one, and now he accepts, it only means he possibly wants something from us too. So let's make him wait a little longer.
Twenty minutes later...
Simon, I think we've kept him waiting long enough, let's go now. It's just a fifteen minute drive to J&S right? The man said putting on his coat.
"Yes sir.
" okay then let's get going.
****
"We're hear with the reservation under the name Damon King" Simon said, and a waitress takes them and shows them to their table, but to his annoyance, the man wasn't even there yet.
Looks like he'll be the one doing the waiting, because Damon King at this time was still in his office doing nothing but just counting the seconds hand on his watch.
They planned on making him wait for minutes, but he planned on making them all wait for hours if not forever even.
By 4:55, he picked up his keys, and waltzed out of his office with a sinister smile on his face. But just as he got to the door, he saw drops of blood on his floors. His head takes him back to when she put her hand into the tank. He looks at the fishes inside the tank.
"Foolish person" he said then walked out.
*****
"You set the time, and yet you come an hour and thirty minutes late. The man said angrily as Damon finally showed up., taking a seat in front of him.
" oh I'm a busy person unlike some of you. God he loathes this man so much. And he was sure the feelings was mutual. His words made the man boil even more., he wasn't even apologizing for coming late.
" You didn't probably call a busy man out to just stare at me did you? Tell me what you want to, I know you clearly don't have anything to do, but I've got things lined up for me. So be quick. He said with a serious face.
" You already know why I called you here Damon.
" It's Mr King to you... And unless my useless assistant forgot to give me the email in full, I don't think I have a clue as to why you called me here.
"Look Damon...
" Mr King... He corrected him again.
"Fine Mr King, I'll get straight to the point, just drop the Global group project. You know my company will do a better job at it than you would.
" Since when has your company ever produced something that is better than what I make. Is this really why you called me here today? You're scared I'd beat you again like last time. Should I tell you a secret, I wasn't going to take this deal when I heard I'll have to do a showdown first, but then I heard it was your company, and I couldn't help but want it so badly.
The man's brows were now furrowed to their lowest now. The lines in his head so clear and visible. He had planned on pissing this guy off, but now he was the one getting angry.
"Damon...
" Mr King... Damon interrupted him again, firmly correcting him on how to address him properly. And it made the man curse under his breath.
Damon just loved seeing this man like this.
"Mr King. You just said it yourself, you don't actually need this contract. I know we've had our differences in the past, but this deal has to come to me.
" You know it's funny you mentioned about the past. I almost forgot. You see I just hired an assistant, but she turned out to be more useless than every other one I've worked with. Okay let's do this, I'll call my assistant to come here, if she says I should give you this contract, I will. He says with a cynical smirk on his face.
"Come in. Oh and for today, come up five feet closer. And he hung up.
She was already thinking maybe he changed his mind and was not coming again. But what was this about her being able to come 5ft closer. She picked herself up quickly and went inside. She could see him, but the other person's back was turned to her. When she felt like her distance was far enough, she stopped walking.
He raised his head, and saw her standing there and that sinister smile on his face grew even wider.
"Here she is. My useless assistant. He said pointing at her. His voice was not only loud, but was very clear.
" Can't she come here what's she doing there. The man asked not wanting to turn his head back.
"OH no, she can't get too close to me. She always reeks of filth. He said so loud that all eyes in the place turned to look at the person that reeked of filth. Never in her life had she been more embarrassed. This was the biggest disgrace of her life. He just called her a stinking filth in public. He obviously didn't care of what people thought.
She stared at him so intensely, and he also didn't remove his eyes from her. He could see the anger and pain in her eyes. They were blood red. She clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles turned completely white, her nails pierced her palm.
The man finally turns around, to also look at the lady of filth, and first his eyes adjusted for a bit, and then soon it was clear. It was her. It was...
"Isla... He said out loud... Hearing her name made her break the eye contact with Damon and drifted to the person that called her name., and her eyes flew wide open in disbelief. And soon her head started doing the maths.
Director Sheldon was actually...
"Henry Sheldon?