Chapter 15: Chapter 15
: HOT HEADS.
August, 2014.
Beautiful and weird was the only thought that crossed Nina's mind when she saw the shareholder’s representative beenushered into the office. She chose Chris’ office for the meeting and was seated in his chair when she was brought in. Nina assessed her from head to toe. She hated how the other woman acted oblivious of her beauty like a plain wall flower. She could detect the sanctimonious, holier than thou attitude the other lady possessed.
Chris liked her. He didn't even know it yet, so she was going to find out how much he did and what exactly he liked about the plain woman. The way he defended her during last nights’ call was weird and it hurt Nina much more than he knew. She was the only one entitled to such defense from him. Since Christiana and David, he has had only Nina, defended only her and loved only her.
"Hello Miss. Your guest is here." The new secretary called out gently. Nina waved her off with a clipped smile.
Does she even know who Chris is?She thought for a split second
He never really showed it but Chris was rich. Although from a rich home, his wealth was made with his sweat and blood. After running away from home at the age of 12 and making it abroad, he started his own company with almost 4billion US dollars in net worth. Chris was good looking and kind; he was every woman's dream. He was Nina's dream.
"May I sit?" Pamela asked gently and politely. She was a little put out, not finding Chris here and didn't like the way the woman's stare made her feel.
Nina flipped her pin-straight bob wig from her face and motioned to the chair "Please do".
"Welcome to CHANCE Corporations" She continued drumming her brightly painted orange nails on the table.
All through the drive down here Pamela was praying not to have an uncomfortable encounter with Mr. CEO and heavens must have answered her prayers because they put her with his girlfriend "Thank you, I’m here to sign a transfer of shares agreement" she replied in that silky voice of hers, meeting Nina's icy glare head on.
Nina could faintly detect an American accent and the way she acted so graceful, face so blank and peaceful almost like she didn't see her as a threat and that irritated her more than anything else. She was going to wipe that look off her face with the revised deal.
Chris was giving her 18% which was double what her shares deserved and Nina couldn't understand why Chris didn't just buy the shares rather than exchanging them with the new company’s shares. This once, she thought, he was thinking with his male member and not his brain. Pamela was trading 30% of a low life company for CHANCE, the highest she should have gotten was 10% which was clearly stipulated in the legal document she had prepared.
Pamela scanned through the document, eyebrow bunched up in confusion "This is below what we agreed on yesterday."
"Darling, I am the lawyer and this is what is rightfully yours” Nina retorted, a gleeful smile on her cold face.
"Firstly, please don’t call me darling" hating how derogatory it sounded coming from this lawyer lady's mouth. "Secondly, is this a joke?" Pamela asked. Who did this two think they were, bouncing her up and down like a tennis ball?
"Do you see any of my canines out for fun?" the bitch snapped rudely
"Okay, let me set something straight. Whatever point you are trying to prove, don't bother. It’s going to be a wasted effort. If your CEO made a deal and is reneging on it last minute, it also means his word means nothing. I am signing 18% or nothing. Oh and you need to acquire my shares before you can merge or I will sue you and your CEO's damn ass for fraud." She angrily finished her statement and pushed back the folder towards the lady.
"With what funds if I may ask? Take a look around you darling, we are deep pockets" she replied derisively, laughing at her.
"Maybe I can match it up, maybe not. But one thing is sure. I am no coward. At the very least I don't hide behind a woman's skirt to change a deal I already agreed on. Enjoy your day Miss lawyer, I'll be in touch." Pamela made sure to bang the door behind her.
"Oh sweetie I will enjoy this. Bring it on baby" Nina replied into thin air. She was juiced and ready, anything for Chris. In the court, she was queen. Finishing magna cum laude from Harvard law was no joke and this tacky lady won’t know what hit her.
A big smile graced her face. She was so ready.
PAMELA
I called the driver back to take me home straight to Ibadan. Disappointment singed my veins. Changing a deal to give me the shorter end after giving me his word all because of maybe last night, showed the kind of person he is.
That lady though, such nerve! She and her husband or whatever Mr.CEO is to her I don’t care, not one bit. The way she called me darling, made my skin crawl.
He looked like a decent person.
But he already told you he wasn't, repeatedly. Why are you so eager to label him good?
I hissed loudly in the car " This subconscious is a bitch" I said out loud this time. Loud enough that the driver was sending worried glances my way.
I stopped the train of thought and decided to call him. When he called me this morning, I was on my way in. I ended the call rudely because there was a tone in his voice that sounded gruff and almost vulnerable but after today, I am sure that man was pure ice.
He and his lawyer lady will make beautiful ice babies because they were both so cold and calculating. "Pick up, will you?" I whispered after the fourth ring.
The driver was looking at me weirdly. He was probably thinking I was mad or possessed with all this soliloquizing I had going on. After 3 missed calls, I gave up trying to reach him. He was probably too much of a coward to pick the call anyway.
Just when I thought I was done with this shares issue, uncomfortable situations and honey brown eyes, this happened.
Semovita and eforiro (vegetable soup) A Yoruba delicacy prepared by my mum, stepped down with chilled orange juice and a shower hours later and I was ready to go to bed.
I was so tired from the journey, the traffic and the emotional roller coaster. My black extra-large T-shirt had the inscription "bold and black" on it. I got under the cover and whispered "Father, forgive me all my sins. I cover my night rest in Jesus name. Amen". Some days, I forgot the prayers.On the days I remembered, they were so short, almost like a practised statement than a heartfelt prayer. I’d do better tomorrow.
Moving off to dreamless sleep, the place where pure bliss exists and the ever active imaginations of your mind was cut off, oh that sweet land. And then I heard it far away. My phone was ringing.
"It’s false Pamela Temitope Williams, go back to sleep" I muttered sleepily.
The second ring came along, then the third and fourth. It didn't sound so false anymore.
"Who wants to receive fresh curse?" I muttered incoherently, jumbling all the words together. Without checking who was calling. I picked it up.
"Hello, it’s me" the voice said. I know that voice, it was Mr. Ice, Pervert, Coward CEO.
"What do you want this time?" A loud hiss followed my statement.
"Ermm" he stammered gently almost like he didn’t know what to say. "I’m checking to see how the deal went from your end and apologize for the late reply in the morning. Why are you being so hostile towards me? You ended the call in the morning, now you are biting my head off. You called me remember?" frustration creeping into that silky drawl of his.
The entire events of the day coupled with his time of returning the call just set me off. "Are you for real? Are you really fucking for real?" I shouted.
"Language Temitope. Please mind your language" Chris replied.
"I will speak to you anyhow I please. Respect is earned and reciprocal in nature. Agreeing to give me 18% and then writing out an agreement with 10% written on it. It’s just pure bad faith but not having the guts to tell me to my face but instead, sending your lawyer baby to tell me speaks cowardice. Now you are calling me at almost 10pm expecting flowers and respect." I was shouting now.
"What are you talking about? I'm confused" he said.
"Of course, you are confused. Your spokeswoman is unavailable. Let me enlighten you in plain terms. It would be a cold day in hell before I sign over those shares to you at 10%. At this point, I will sell those shares out to another company. Preferably your biggest competition, not caring if I get less but reveling in the fact that you lost your merger and I won't have anything to do with you and all that is yours." This time, I whipped off the covers and bit the last words out slowly.
"Enough!" Mr. CEO shouted in return "I don't really get what the rant is about but no one threatens me. Not even you, sweet cheeks. So in the meantime, do as you please okay? But remember who you are dealing with. You are a representative of Mr. Andrews and he owns four other shares in different places. I will tank those shares by suing each company for their secret shady dealings because I have the means to" he said harshly.
All of this just made me dislike him even more, "You will do all that just to prove a point right? That you have money and you can, not minding the lives this will affect all to threaten me into submission?" I asked for clarity.
"Oh but sweet cheeks I don't make threats. I make promises, which I certainly make do on" he gave a sadistic chuckle after he spoke.
"Go to hell! Your words mean nothing to me" I screamed, not minding how childish it made me sound.
The other line was quiet, as he was probably not expecting the magnitude of my outburst. Then in one of the calmest yet deadliest voices I have ever heard, he said "I have been there. Right to hell and back, baby". A click let me know he ended the call.