A MEETING

Judas-Caine's POV

We arrived just outside the company building and the nostalgia i tried to hold back hit me rather hard.

Taking in one breath at a time, i shut my eyes to the shaking feeling and looked up to find Antonio staring at me.

"You don't have to do this if you don't want to do it. We can always come back when you're ready." He said to me.

I sighed and shook my head, "No, it's been eight months, the company is drowning. If we waste anymore time, we would not be able to pull it out."

Antonio let out a deep sigh and nodded. I had always kept my composure, even when i felt like dying. I was probably the toughest person people knew.

It was easier to act like the world wasn't happening to you and you were the most emotionless person in the room, than to let a bunch of people swarm you with their understanding of how you felt.

And so, i reached into my pocket, tossed a pill in my mouth, washed it down with water and stepped down. Two other bodyguards, Effy and Stone met me outside the building and walked with me inside. I acknowledged their presence, because I knew they were mother's idea of my security.

The company building was quiet, most of the staff had been laid off due to inability to maintain them. Our company's reputation had dwindled over the last couple of months and it was getting harder and harder to keep it standing by the minute.

I strode into the conference room, and the air which had previously been teeming with arguments, simmered down.

I took my seat at the head of the table, directly opposite my mother and faced the room of what used to be fifteen money desperate shareholders, but now had eight very dissatisfied investors seated. All our other team mates had moved ship towards the competition.

"Well, finally, he showed up!" One of the men seated there grumbled. From his fat frame and stout stature, i was sure i recognised him, but his name skipped my memory.

"I apologise for my lateness -- there was a little accident." I stated.

I heard some gasps, but everyone in the room was slightly professional - i looked at my mother, Athena Brex Laurent always had a face card, no matter the situation. She kept composure, even though her eyes asked me all the questions i knew a mother had in a situation like this.

"I am in one piece and luckily, no one was harmed." i spoke in a bored tone.

"Now, to the point of this meeting, i am willing to step up as CEO and take charge of the company."

Silence...

"It has been eight months exactly since the unforunate incident that claimed my father's life." I kept my eyes wide open, to avoid shutting them, or else, they'd figure it out.

"It's alot and we have lost a great amount of resources and sponsorships --"

"Including one that could have taken us past the global stage." One of the men at the table rudely interrupted.

I nodded, acknowledging his point, even though i had no idea what the fuck he meant. "Including that. However, my father built this company from scratch and right now, it is at a point that isn't Its apex --"

"Far from it!" The fat man from the first time i walked in commented again, and a dull ache settled on my left temple.

I shut my eyes, clenched my jaw tightly in a thin smile. I was also short tempered, and it was one of the reasons i took my pills often.

"Anyway, it is definitely not impossible to take it back up there, and i intend to do that, with your supports of course." I concluded.

"And what measures do you intend to take to ensure that?" One of the three women at our board of directors table asked.

"Well, first of all, we have to work with the public again -- I'll pay every blog, magazine and newspaper to lobby for us." I replied.

"So, you intend to bribe your way through this?" The fat man scoffed in amusement. "Classic!" He added.

I held back a retort but my restraint was really slipping. "Not exactly, but this is the elite society, the business world -- we deal with money, Mr. Amblecote." I smiled at the horror on his face when he learnt that i remembered his name.

Talk of perfect timing. He chuckled nervously with unease, "of course you can't just buy your way back to the top. The image of this company is already dead!" He guffawed.

"Yet, our building still stands. And no, i don't intend to buy us to the top, but i intend to play this the smart way, not the hard way. You would know about that Mr. Amblecote if you were not such a poor, tedious worker." I snapped and mother sneezed.

I looked her way and caught her bite back a smile. Meanwhile, Mr. Amblecote's horror had climbed up to 60 percent. It wasn't possible for him to get any redder than he already was.

If he did, we'd probably mistake him for a traffic sign.

"Well, i look forward to your support, and i hope that you allow me do the work allotted me, without needless interference - and i assure you, this company would be riding the sun in no time." I muttered and turned to leave.

As soon as i stepped out the door, the room broke into its previous state of murmurs and arguments. As long as i wasn't there, i didn't care, i was used to people judging me anyway.

Mother was at my heel in no time. She looped her hand through my arm and smiled.

"Well, i have never felt prouder. You sure told him." She smiled and i stopped, understanding she wanted to talk.

I pulled my hand out of the loop, as a result of habit, i was still not comfortable with being touched.

"You will have to get over this at some point." She said, taking a step back to assess me. Her hands touched air, but still, she pretended to grab me during her assessment.

"Don't bank on it yet." I replied, giving her a small smile and she chuckled.

"So, tell me, who is she and when do i get to meet her?" She asked.

My eyebrows cocked up in question and then i knew -- Antonio -- the slimy bastard.

I squeezed the skin between my eyebrows with my thumb and forefinger.

"Soon..." I replied.

"Does this mean, you are really over Jeda?" Mom asked about my fiancée with whom i broke off our engagement a couple of months back.

Remembering what the actual plan with miss Goldie locks was, i smirked. "I'll let you be the judge of that."

"Good, because, you would need a date for the Majors elite ball come next week, and next time, don't show up intoxicated. " She smirked and walked away.