CHAPTER 6 – BEHIND THE SCENES

MIKE MILLER 

“Mr Miller!” I snapped out of it instinctively looking up, I met my assistant’s worried gaze. “What are you yelling about? I am not deaf you know.” My assistant was getting bold, how could he yell at me like that. well, he was Jackson, of course he was bold.

“Mr Miller, you have been like this since Mrs Vance came here four days ago.” I frowned. “Like what?” He sighed; the moron boldly pulled a chair and sat down. “You have been spacing out; I would call you three or four times before you answer.”

He was right, I have been distracted. “Derick is a jerk!” I said trying to tell him what was eating me up without going into details. He nodded eagerly crossing his legs like a village gossip. “He is! The man would be walking around arrogantly like the world owes him something. So, rude!” Where did I get Jacson again? I wondered. But the smile on my face couldn’t be denied.

He understood me better than anyone. “His wife made him look good.” Opposites really do attract. Kora was strict when it comes to business but also kind and fair. “I know right, I don’t even know why she stopped working. When she was around, we got a new client every week, with her gone. That horrible man started giving more of our clients to that damned start up. Now they are growing fast and arrogant thinking they are in our level.”

I leaned back, Derick always hated how well his wife and I worked together. Kora was one of the few people I could trust to challenge my ideas without trying to undermine me. She would always point out why I lost after each competition. Not in a demeaning manner but educational. I appreciated that about her.

Apparently, that was enough to make Derick suspicious of us. He confronted me once accusing me of having an affair with her. I found it deeply offensive and disrespectful to the wife who was loyal only to him. Then a couple of months later, she announced that she is taking a leave of absence for a while from work to focus on family. Even then, she didn’t stop doing charity work.

That was until over a year ago, she just stopped and disappeared from the world. Derick started appearing in her stead and always with a woman by his side. “They are not our clients, and he is not obligated to recommend us to them.” Jackson scoffed. “I hate how everyone in the industry is so afraid of him. How they just bow their heads and follow his lead like his a God or something.”

A sigh left me, Kora’s place was showing, many were asking about her. I wondered about her whereabouts well. I saw how badly she looked when she came, she kept that confident look in her eyes, but I could tell. She was no longer the woman she used to be. Then she showed me the divorce papers and I finally understood.

“Because his wife gave him that respect both behind closed doors and in the boardroom. Derick is not as capable as people think.” I stood and went to stand in front of the floor to ceiling window looking out. “Why do you think they divorced and who do you think initiated it.” I found myself getting angry at the question.

“You saw Derick at the charity gala.” He slapped his thigh standing up and rushed to stand next to me. “I did!” I covered his mouth with his hand dramatically. I watched him and couldn’t help but wonder why he insisted he wasn’t gay when everything pointed to that direction, but he insists he was just a feminine male. Whatever that meant.

“Did you see the woman he was with?” I gave a nod. “I think she is the reason they divorced, she was so fake with the soft voice, walking around like wind could blow her away.” He tilted his head wanting to look at my face. “Let me tell you, people like that are the most vicious and manipulative. Derick got played, he doesn’t even know it.”

He looked thoughtful then his face changed and a sad look quickly replaced the cheerful smiling one. “I feel bad for Mrs Vance though, she is a good person.” He looked at me. “You saw how she looked when she was here.” he sighed shoving his hands into his packets mimicking me.

“Under normal circumstances, she would have never set foot here. but she did and offered to work with us to take Derick down.” She must have suffered a lot for her to resort to that. “Are you sure there is nothing we can do to help? She helped us a lot over the years.” I looked at him with a serious expression.

“We can’t openly help her.” his face fell. “Why? We are where we are today because of her. do you remember how we struggled when we were still starting out. Back then you were using your own savings to pay the rent for our old office, and you owed me two months salary. If she didn’t recommend those clients to us, we wouldn’t be here.”

I knew exactly what Kora had done for me. I wished I could openly stand by her side and help her deal with that arrogant jerk! “I didn’t say we couldn’t help.” He frowned, “But you just said…” he stopped talking a smile spread across his face. “You said we can’t openly help her. so that means you have a plan. Right?

I walked back to my desk with him following behind. “Is your cousin still the editor of The Voice News?” He nodded. “Contact him.” he frowned. “Who?” I smiled. “The Voice News.” A bright smile broke on his face. “Yes, yes! and he is very principled. A man of integrity and will never real where he got his information from.” I tapped my fingers on the desk.

“Contact him, we are leaking Derick’s divorce.” His eyes widened. “Boss, are you sure?” his eyes were filled with excitement. He hated Derick as much as I did. “Yes, but we are doing it in parts. First the divorce, then how he left his wife with nothing. then the rest. Bit by bit we will show the world who Derick Vance really is.”

He jumped up and rushed to the door. “I am going to contact him now.” he opened the door and was about to rush out when I called to him. “Use a secure line and make sure nothing gets back to us.” He rolled his eyes. “Duh, I am not new to this.” He closed the door behind him. it was time someone showed Derick he was not untouchable.

Did Derick really think he could destroy the woman who helped build my company and walk away untouched? Not a chance. Derick, do you think your IPO will pass after Kora takes back her chips? A smile spread across my face. Time to watch the show.