You've Gotta Be Kidding Me!

Lucien Hayes stared at his reflection in the full-length mirror on the side of the room. He saw a man who was sad and utterly terrified of losing his marriage.

Even though today was his first day as an employee at Gilmore Enterprises, one of the best companies in town, he still didn't feel quite happy.

Rather he felt… hollow.

He sighed for the one-thousandth time and adjusted his tie once more before grabbing his suitcase from the desk.

He headed downstairs and found his wife, Allison, feeding their five-year-old daughter, Grace.

“I'll be heading out now.” He announced.

“Bye.” Allison retorted, without so much as a glance. Her gaze up focused on Grace, “Eat up darling.” She cooed.

Lucien sighed, “Allison… can we please talk?”

“There's nothing to talk about,” Allison replied, without sparing him a single glance.

“Allison please…” He pleaded, “Are we done? You want us to continue like this? Is this marriage over?”

“It was already over when you forebode me from moving to LA.” She snapped.

“Come on, Allison,” He begged, taking slow steps forward. “We have a life here. Be reasonable, you want us to leave everything we have here and move to LA simply because you got a job offer?”

She quickly snapped her head towards him, “‘Simply because I got a job offer’ you say?” She hissed, “You're unbelievable! I've done literally everything for you and I left my life, my dream and everything just to be with you because I loved you, but now you can't do the same for me? Come on, I endured this marriage even when your mom was horrible to me all through these years and you did absolutely nothing about your mom, but still, I stayed, why? Because I loved you Lucien and I thought you did the same but I was clearly mistaken.”

“Come on, Allison you're being too dramatic, just because I refused to move to LA, that means I never loved you?” He asked exasperatedly, “There are thousands of job offers you can get here, it doesn't have to be in LA!”

“Mom, Dad,” Grace called staring from her mom to her dad, “Are you both fighting again?”

Lucien sighed, pinching his nose as he shut his eyes.

“No sweetie, we're not fighting.” He replied, smiling at the cute little ginger-haired girl. “Mom and I are just having a talk.”

“Finish up your meal by the time I'm back, okay?”

“Yes, Mommy.” Grace nodded.

Allison walked upstairs while Lucien stared behind her.

He shook his head sadly, sighing again before kissing Grace goodbye.

If this continues, it'll only be a matter of time before Allison asks for a divorce.

He couldn't quite place what was wrong with Allison, she wasn't the woman he fell in love with and married. The Allison she fell in love with wouldn't even think of applying for a job over in LA.

She's being incredibly inconsiderate and selfish, she expects him to abandon everything he's worked hard for and move to LA with her just to make her happy!

She's been married to Allison for five years now, and even though it wasn't easy, those five years were the best years of his life.

But recently Allison has been acting like someone else for the past month. Was she tired now tired of their union and wanted out? Is that why she doing this? As a perfect excuse!

No, it can't be, Lucien told himself. That's ridiculous!

As he boarded and took his seat on the bus, he shook his mind off Allison and her problems.

This was his first day at Gilmore Enterprises and he wouldn't let any bad energy ruin his beautiful day.

A few minutes later, the bus had already dropped him off at the bus stop. He had to walk the rest of the way towards Gilmore Enterprises.

After a five-minute walk, he halted just in front of the gigantic building and stared at it, still not believing how he managed to get employed to work in this paradise.

He walked through the revolving door and entered the lobby.

The smell of fresh coffee instantly hit his nostrils and he couldn't help but drift it down his lungs. It's been so long since he missed this feeling.

But a sight caught his eye.

On the corner of the lobby, a man dressed in a dark suit was throwing incessant punches at a fellow man whose knees were dropped helplessly on the floor.

“You…” The man punched, “... imbecile,” He punched again, “... how…” Another punch, “... dare…” Another one, “... you…”

Lucien was astonished that none of the people in the lobby were sparing this scene a glance, as though it wasn't even happening. Not even the guards!

Lucien had to step in, this man might die if he didn't.

He threw his bag on the floor and ran towards the man. He flung his fist and it landed on the evil man's cheek.

The man lost his balance and staggered backward.

The hall reeled with scared gasps… oh they were now watching?! What the hell?

“You didn't just do that!” The evil man hissed through gritted teeth, tightening his fists.

“Are you out of your damned mind?” Lucien yelled angrily, ready for a fight if this man made a move. “You want to fucking kill him?”

The man was more muscular and a little bigger than he was, but he felt he could take him, he's always believed that size didn't matter a dime when it came to fighting.

Tactics and strength did.

Then out of the corner of his eyes, he saw men marching towards him but they suddenly stopped as though they were commanded to do so.

The fuck…

“Do you know who I am?” The evil man asked, adjusting his suit as he stepped closer to Lucien, he glanced at him over, his eyes glinting not with venom nor anger, but with something Lucien couldn't quite name.

“You think I give a flying fuck?” Lucien shot at the man, “You want to kill him?”

“No one in this lobby had a problem with that.” The man said gesturing around the lobby, “Why is it only you?”

“You and them are sick!” Lucien still wondered why out of over hundreds of people here, not a single being had the heart to step in. He extended his arm and helped the man who was just beaten up to his feet.

The man's face was an utter mess, filled with blood and swells.

“Are you okay?” Lucien asked the man worriedly, “You need to go to the hospital…”

“Leave me the fuck alone!” The man yelled, shoving Lucien into the arms of the evil man and taking to his heels.

As the man ran out of the building, Lucien saw men stepping out of the shadows and chasing after him.

What the hell is going on? Lucien wondered.

“That's why people shouldn't be helped.” The evil man whispered to Lucien's ear and he jolted as the man's breath fanned his neck.

Right! The man was the one who broke his fall… but why would he? Lucien wondered, and why on earth was he holding his waist like that.

He quickly shrugged the man off him and glared at him.

The man wasn't looking as menacing as earlier, he had a smirk on the side of his lips.

“Look man, I don't know what that man did to you but you shouldn't have beaten him up like that.” Lucien said, trying to reconcile, “And I'm sorry for punching you.”

The man didn't reply, he kept staring at Lucien with a sparkle twinkling in his eyes.

“I gotta go,” Lucien announced awkwardly before hurriedly walking towards the elevator.

He met up with the HR department and was oriented on his work as a sales representative. After orientation, he was shown to his cubicle.

Lucien was glad when he sat down at his desk, feeling fulfilled.

“Hi,” His neighbor called out and Lucien turned his gaze to him, “I'm Brody.”

“Hi,” Lucien beamed politely, taking the man's hand in his. “I'm Lucien.”

He and the man got talking and Lucien was already glad he had already made a friend.

“Mr Hayes?” The lady from the HR department called out to Lucien.

“Yes?” He answered.

“Mr Gilmore wants to see the recruits.” She let him know.

Together with the other recruits, Lucien stepped into the office of the so-called legend, Mr Gilmore, the man who built Gilmore Enterprises from nothing at just a young age, Lucien's inspiration.

The man was facing the city's overview through the glass wall, the swivel chair turned to them and from the looks of it, he was smoking.

“Introduce yourselves.” He commanded, his voice authoritative, still not turning. “And your vision for joining my company.”

Lucien and his fellow recruits began to introduce themselves one by one.

After a long while of introduction, it finally reached Lucien's turn.

“I'm Lucien Hayes,” He chirped earnestly, “I joined this company because of you, sir. I heard you built it from nothing and I want to be like you. You're an inspiration to me.”

The other recruits swiftly snapped their heads towards him.

Buttlicker much?

“Really?” The man seemed amused.

“Yes sir.” He replied, silently praying for the man to turn.

He has been hearing all about James Gilmore and his inspiring interviews but no one had ever seen what he looked like.

Then the man spun in his swivel chair and faced them.

Lucien's face instantly dropped as he froze in utter shock the moment he recognized the man.

This was that same man I nearly fought just a few minutes ago, he thought miserably, swallowing the lump in his throat… he's… James Gilmore? You've gotta be kidding me!