Chapter Five: Bulldozing

Adam’s P.O.V

Bittersweet. The taste of alcohol has become bittersweet. It’s the only liquid I could stand at the moment. Ever since Her. I couldn’t afford to think about her or what happened. Hence the need to take my fourth glass of whiskey. It almost has no effect on me at this point, it’s lost it’s potency in my body. It doesn’t make me forget what happened to her, it just made me numb. I embraced that feeling. Staring at the pile of documents in front of me, I keep on sipping my glass of whiskey. A pile of vision less business proposals stared at me. I tossed them aside, lacking the time to glance through them.

It’s been a year since It happened. The most excruciating day of my life. The day that took her away. I don’t know how I managed to survive it. I can barely call this surviving, I knew I was just going through the motions. I had too many responsibilities to just not give a shit. Whisky has been my greatest support system. Being the CEO of one of the biggest companies in the states required that I had no distractions. I can’t afford to be distracted.

Every day I carry on with the same monotonous routine, bathing, coming to work, meetings and meetings, working out, drinking and sleeping. My life used to have colours. She was my favourite colour. Images of her random calls and little motivational sticky notes on my desk threaten to surface but I surpressed them. Now she’s gone. There’s nothing in me that can be motivated. Shaking thoughts of her from my head, I carry on with the task ahead. I successfully separated the pile of buisness proposals into disgustingly bad and less disgustingly bad. Two managed to make it to the less disgusting side. Huh, that’s an improvement.

One was Robolex Technologies and the other was The Malloy Holdings and Co. I’ve had my eye on both companies for a while, one more for a vindictive reason that the other. The CEO’s daughter of the Malloy Holdings always had a knack for troubling my tracy. At least she was my Tracy, and that arrogant father of her’s has been trying to get my company to go bankrupt for years. No one messes with my possessions, not when I’m alive. The offer they were making wasn’t even enough to make a profitable sales. What do they take me for!. Ticked off and feeling insulted, I picked up the telecom.

“Robert get in my office this instant” I commanded and ended the call abruptly. I push up from my desk and take the remaining bottle of whiskey in the fridge. I prefer my personal habits to be kept that way.

“Yes sir, you called for me,” Robert’s submissive voice said as he walked through my office door.

“When I hired you as an assistant, I expected you to at least be competent,” I began as I pivot to face him. “It’s the least you could do considering the amount I pay you monthly.” I tossed out coldly, not bothering to turn to him. My patience has already cut thin.

“I’m sorry sir, but I…I don’t understand what I’ve done wrong,” He replied nervously.

“The last time you brought in documents for my approval, what did I say to you?” I asked nonchalantly. The only indication of my brewing anger being my ticking jaw.

“You said I should never waste your time bringing in baseless proposals to your desk,” he replied, sounding out of breath. Good. Better to be feared than disrespected.

“Now what the hell did you bring to my desk, since it seems your brain cells are still functioning?” I demanded icily.

“But sir I sorted them out based on your last instructions. I’m sorry if it didn’t meet your expectations Mr Adam,” he apologized with a downcast gaze.

“Clear those folders from my table at this moment. Leave only the Robolex folder and get out of my office.” I dismissed already tired of this conversation. I watched him hurriedly do all I instructed before he quietly exited. Checking the time on my watch I notice it's just 12pm in the afternoon.

Shit it's gonna be a long ass day!.

************

I'd been sitting in the position for hours, trying to get some much needed work done, when the telecom for the reception rang. Raising an eyebrow up, i picked up the phone.

“Speak,” I demanded of the receptionist at once.

“Good afternoon Mr Adam, there's a lady here looking for you and she says her name is Miss Stephanie Malloy. Should I send her up sir?” the receptionist said. I don't even know her name. Stephanie Malloy, though, I do know.

“Let me see her through the camera’s” was my response and I quickly keyed the CCTV system on my Macbook. I study the lady that was standing, I'm either hallucinating and drunk or that's really Stephanie. The hell!?!.

“Send her up” and I hung up the call. But I remembered seeing the news of her and her parents funeral some years ago. How is it possible that she's still alive. Thinking back now, she has always been a strong force to contend with. Since our college days, trust Stephanie to beat the odds of death. Still deep in thought, I hear a sharp knock on my door.

“Come in” I respond to with while trying to subtly fix up my appearance. First was the clacking heels. Then was her peculiar scent that wafted my nostrils. Then my gaze landed on her honey brown eyes that seemed a little red. Must've been crying.

“Long time no see Adam Phlem. I have a proposal that would benefit both of us” Stephanie’s cocky voice said, a slight smirk marring her lips.

Well, this ought to be interesting.