Volume 1.3 Giving Her Trouble

It was around 8:00 am on the next day at the New Bilibid Prison.

"Mayor, you have a visitor."

The previous Mayor, Mr. Ventruda, glanced at the prison guard who opened the cell. His hair was messy and he was wearing the orange attire for prisoners. He stood up from the single bed he had, and walked without saying anything.

In the waiting area, his expression however became dark when he saw his visitor. It was no other than the man who put him in this jail, Antonio Martinez.

He sat in the opposite seat in front of him, and beside him were two police. Antonio Martinez, gestured to the two police to leave. The two gave a salute and left them alone.

"How is prison life, Mayor?" There was clearly a tone of ridicule in his voice.

"Hah. Don't get cocky just because you were able to imprison me like this." There was also a contempt on the Mayor's voice.

"Do you expect the others will come and bribe you out? You know pretty well that the election is already coming up who would want to put more shit in their asses right now. "Antonio leaned forward to the Mayor. His gaze was menacing. "However, if you cooperate with us, I can lighten your sentence."

The Mayor clenched both his fists.

"I just need you to become our witness on what happened on January 1, 2011."

"That case is already closed, Chief!" The Mayor stood up and slammed both his fists on the table. He was extremely furious.

"I didn't even say what particular case that happened during that day." Chief Antonio remained unfazed. "Plenty of crimes happened that day." He stood up, intending to leave now. "Mayor, a piece of advice, you of all people should know that those people will not help you. The only one who can help you is yourself. I'll come back again to know your answer."

Chief Antonio, left without looking back at the Mayor. When he walked out of the prison, the phone on his coat vibrated. When he brought it out, he saw the email notification.

'The fate of the seventh scum has finally set in stone.'

****

Meanwhile in the heart of Makati, the towering black triple towers of one of the flourishing Redime Enterprise in the country for seven years now, was standing wide and tall. It could be seen entirely when one crossed the Skyway road at the South Luzon Express Way.

At the entrance of the building an expensive limousine stopped. Jade Velasco stepped out of the car. Her beautiful face remained aloof and uncaring. She was wearing a long black coat that was hung on her shoulders. Beneath was a sleeveless latte shirt, tucked under her high waist slacks. A silver necklace of a cross adored her neck and she was wearing silver cross earrings.

"Good Morning, President!" Eliza Sebastian, the Redeemer's top level Sales Manager, greeted Jade. And the guard, Mang Romel followed after her. "Good morning, Ma'am!" His deep dialect of coming from the middle region was visible in his words.

"Good morning," Jade said without much expression then she handed the Mang Romel her car keys.

The door automatically opened as soon as Jade entered. Following behind her was Eliza.

"Good Morning, Ms. Velasco."

The other employees greeted her and she also returned the same with a simple nod before she went on her way.

"Where is Seth?" Jade asked. "I want to know my schedule for this day."

"About that, Ms. Velasco." Eliza seemed hesitant as they entered the elevator. She pressed the Fifty-Fourth floor, the highest floor of the building.

"He has still not arrived yet." Eliza said. "But he already emailed everything for your schedule today. Please let me assist you while he is not here."

The elevator finally reached the final floor. As the door opened, it revealed a long hallway. Jade walked towards it. The sounds of her heels echoed through the marbles as she walked. Eliza followed after her with hurried footsteps as well.

"I am starting to wonder whether I should fire him or not for his incompetence." Jade said which made Eliza become more nervous.

"I apologized for his behavior, President, but he is also in the hospital since you told him yesterday to assist that man. He said that he already messaged you."

"I clearly told him to assist that man, but not to babysit him in the hospital. And I clearly replied to him to come back."

Eliza pursed her lips, not daring to answer any further. Since she already said what needed to be said as well.

Jade simply clicked her tongue then held the two handles of the door that was at the end of the hallway. She pushed it and entered her huge office. Inside, there were plenty of cabinets filled with different trophies and the walls filled different certificates and awards she garnered over these past years.

Aside from that, the whole office had a pleasant view. With a gray carpeted floor and a set of sofa on the side. Then Jade's personal table was on the middle end of the room, where her nameplate as the CEO of the Redime Enterprises was placed.

She immediately went to her seat and opened the laptop to start her work right away. "Just tell me my schedule for today."

"Yes, Ms. CEO." Eliza opened her tablet to read the schedule that Seth emailed her this morning.

"At 8:00 am you have a meeting with Mr. Salmonte. At 10:00 am there will be a group presentation about the mall that we will open at the Inter islands at Bohol. At 2:00 pm, you are scheduled to check the factory..."

Eliza continued reading the list of the CEO's hectic schedule, until she reached the last.

"And at 7:00 pm, you will have dinner with Mr. Fernando from France to discuss the branch opening of the Deluxe Cafe there."

There was a brief silence in the room.

"That is all?" Jade interrupted the silence followed by her rapid typing on her keyboard.

'That is all? This kind of schedule is very hectic and has no break at all. Plus all the paperwork that you need to confirm. You are really a monster at work.' Eliza sighed at her thoughts and answered.

"That is all, Ms. CEO."

*Ring!*

Jade turned her head to her bag, when her phone suddenly rang. She picked it up only to see that the caller Id was her secretary. She swiped her phone to answer it.

"Hello, I'm already busy enough since you are not here." she said. "Make sure the reason for your absence and this call is important."

"Ms. Velasco, you don't have a schedule around 12 pm right?" Seth nervously asked.

"Just go straight to the point." Jade said, already getting impatient.

"Um... the hospital needed you here, I will fetch you at exactly 12 nn."

There was a heavy silence that lingered in the air. "Are you being serious right now? You want me to be at the hospital at all places?"

"I'll make sure that you will not see a single ounce of blood here. This is about Mr. Ezekiel yesterday. Please Ms. Jade, can you come here?" Seth's voice was getting desperate.

"Hah. Unbelievable." Jade sighed. "Fine. Better keep your words, if something were to happen to me and my further meetings were delayed, I'll fire you."

"Thank you, boss! I will properly take care of things this time."

With that said, Jade ended the call. She returned her gaze back to her laptop. 'I just said that I won't see him again. Perhaps, something bad happened to him?' A little guilt struck inside her, since it was mainly her reaction yesterday that got him in that state.

'Hah.' She let out a deep sigh. 'After all these years, even after we meet again, the first thing you gave me is trouble.'