Chapter 33: Chapter 33

SMARTLY CORNERED

JANELLE'S / LEILANI'S POV

My mouth gaped wide open. Now everything was beginning to make sense to me. Rashid is a sole Mastermind to everything, to my coming here, to my being promoted as a manager, because no matter what I found it so absurd as to be promoted to such level, that wasn't a luck, nor good luck charm like Olivia had said, it had been Rashid all through.

I was smartly cornered.

Now I felt anger surge up my spine, like an art he had molded and crafted me to his satisfaction, making turns and holes on me, playing me like a guitar while I followed the rhythm of his fingers.

Everyone stood up immediately he entered, including me. Of course, he was the king of this kingdom, while I worked as his servant letting him order me around like a slave. What was I thinking?. Now, I was regretting not sitting beside that bald man.

It brought a foul taste to my mouth. If I had known, I would have sat beside the glaring bald headed man, but now I was left with no choice, Desmond Novak had already occupied the space beside him.

This is total and pure frustration. How was I going to keep my cool until the end of the meeting?.

I was so immersed in my thoughts that I didn't know when the board members sat down. At the king's Curt nod.

My head was bent slightly down, I hated sharing almost the same space with him, I despise him, all through my rainstorm I've been trying to forget this, forget him, but here I'm again. Back in Square one.

"I guess you all have seen a new face in our midst..", Rashid paused, observing the faces of everyone one of the board members.

"Everyone, I would like to introduce you to our new manager, she would be joining in our every board meeting, henceforth", he continued in that deep baritone voice of his, which sounded so husky and like a lullaby to my ears. How could I forget that voice. The voice I had fallen in love with, woken me up each morning with that ragged tone of his, showing how horny he is for me, How could I not remember?.

Of course not.

Everyone turned to look at me, of course, I was the only new face in their midst. It was at that point that I remembered I had a bracelet draped around my neck, I began playing with the emeralds of my bracelet. One way to ignore him and the irrational fast beats of my head due to his close proximity.

"Meet, Miss Leilani Gerald, I would like you all to welcome her to our company. She's the new manager of R&J Modelling Agency", that was all he said. No addition, no subtraction. No endearment. Just point blank, Miss Leilani Gerald.

Beside me was a young man in his late twenties, who angled his head to give me a very welcoming, warm smile. "Welcome to the crew, Miss Gerald. It would certainly be a pleasure to get to work with you!" I turned to face the man who congratulated me with a kind smile. I barely could show him my enthusiasm in return. I was too perplexed for that.

What the hell was really going in Rashids' head?. If he thought this was one way to make it up to me, then he's very foolish. VERY FOOLISH, cause I'm no fool and No God to let go of things so easily, especially HIM.

I tried to ease the anger trying to creep its way up my face, No.

While some of the board members welcomed me with professionalism, most of them remained quiet, of course, they were as surprised as me and it would be very hard and would take a long time for them to come in terms with the fact that I'm the new manager. They seemed to share the exact bewilderment like me.

I could see the frowns creasing their face, when they didn't respond well and expressions of displeasure etched onto their faces, the King Rashid Zadir barked out, "Any objections?" I could sense the anger in his voice.

He needed just one person, a scape goat that would stand out and try to challenge him.

The shake of everyone's head was immediate. "N-no objections, Mr Zadir. I'm sure there must be some reasons behind the decision you took and we totally respect it. We e-er-er-eeerm, we are just a little surprised, that's it", a man who seems to look like in his fifties voice out, shaking in fear.

"Surprised!!, Why should you all be surprised!!" Rashid thundered.

"Because she's female?" he barked.

I saw a huge smirk on Desmond Novak's face. He sure was vibing with the words of this idiot sitting beside me.

I watched him through the corner of my eyes, resisting the urge to stand up and give him a resounding slap on both sides of his cheeks, cause why not?. He deserves it and more.

"No, not that, we all respect your decisions. Afterall whatever decision you take always come out as the best", the man cowered in fear. Turning to look at the men in the conference room, he urged then to concur with him.

"Isn't it my fellow colleagues?" he asked.

"Of course. Yes", the men in the room all said, except the bald headed man. His lips didn't move, he muttered something incorrigible, with the syncing and movement of his lips, I was able to pick out his words.

"Speak for yourself, you fool!!" the bald headed man said, of course, he was referring to no other person than... I peered my eyes to look at the badge on the man who spoke earlier. Yes, Mr Valencian.

"Good for you all", Rashid bawled in a stifled tone.

"The sooner you all get over the surprise, the better. Now, you all may proceed with the meeting." He continued, playing idly with a customized diamond bracelet which had a big J on the surface.

My eyes kept shooting daggers at him as he leaned back in his chair, listening to whatever his board members were saying one by one, cause I, Janelle Parker knew nothing of what they were saying and I didn't even care to listen. My only thought was on how smart this man is to manipulate me into coming to Qatar, he knows personally I wouldn't step my foot here again, Never. If he wouldn't give me a divorce, I knew how to do it myself, even though it would all be a very futile effort, since he's got everything, power, wealth, fame. So it was a game between one and a crowd.

I placed my arms straight on my thighs beneath the table, when I felt strong callous hands wrapped around mine, bending slightly, I froze in alarm when I noticed it was Rashids'. I quickly jerked my hands off his and heard a deep resonating growl coming from him.

~~~~~ ΩΩΩΠΩΩΩ ~~~~~

"I know you have a whole lot of work to do and you're new to this, but you need to go home. Unless you would be developing back and waste ache before the month runs out and sincerely, I don't think Mr Zadir would be happy about that. He would surely be mad at you, since your stay isn't even up to a month. So please, shut down the laptop, you should get going. I'll take care of the rest. It's just you left in this whole building", Olivia said, but I wasn't ready to give in, I needed to know everything and how I would begin working.

This is my first time doing this, but Olivia wouldn't hear such, she took purposeful stride towards me and yanked the laptop away from me.

"Miss Gerald, please. I don't want the boss shouting at me, or firing me because of your mistakes", She whined.

"Your boss?, Why would he tell you to watch over me!, Does he think I'm an egg or what, I'm super strong, please", I frowned.

The man was just so annoying, so it got to the point of hiring someone to watch over me as a babe or what?.

"For safety sake", she curtly replied.

"I need to use the restroom", I said.

"Okay then, let me show you", she said, I immediately followed her to the restroom.

Once I was done I came back, Olivia decided to wait for me in the garage, while I go pick up my things. I wasn't even bothered about the fact that I was the only person left in this enormous building.

Walking to my office, I was unconsciously fixing my frontals which topped over my forehead.

Once I was in, the lights went off, my brows creased in a frown, and that was when I saw a shadow standing in front of my window, facing the city side with hands in both sides of his pocket.

I began taking backwards step, at the same time looking for something I could use to bash this person's head, just incase he wants to come after me when his voice rang out.

"No need for that, Janelle", ohh God!!, Again..!!

"What are you doing here?" I questioned, my heart thumping loudly.

We were sharing the same space, he could do anything. Not harmful, No. Something that would make my body shudder and wet in some discreet places.

Wasn't it so obvious?, I loathe him for everything, yet, the reminder of how he could bring this mini god, to her knees in a trembling mass kept me in high awareness.

He turned to face me, using his palm to smoothen his jet black hair, which looked so spiky, down.

"You left me.....," a deep pause before he continued, "WHY?", four words, four words that made the loathe I have for him intensify. I could sense the weariness in his voice. Sincerely, he's grown all muscled and all that stuff, but within, I know he's just as broken as I am. The funniest part is that, I gave no damn about that.

"I saw no future with you." I shrugged. It felt so good shattering this huge man bit by bit, funny enough, I wasn't even started.