Chapter 007

JEROME.

“Did you find the flash drive?” I asked without taking my eyes off the shredded documents.

Andy looked at me with a complicated expression and lowered his head.

“I'm sorry boss but we didn't.” He whispered just loud enough for me to hear.

“She's not stupid.. She knows you've been trying to recover the flash drive.” I clenched my jaw in frustration knowing I was losing control.

“I'm afraid you'll have to keep playing this game till we find out where she'd hidden them.”Andy suggested and I waved my hand to dismissed and he excused himself immediately.

Only when he'd left did I raise my head and heaved a sigh, anger still evident in my eyes.

I glanced at the shredded papers and it only made my blood boil.

How dare she throw a tantrum when I'm doing everything for her?

Divorce? Not going to happen.

“You'll have to try harder, Luv.” I muttered under my breath as I stood up and walked towards the floor to ceiling windows overlooking the maze with my hands shoved into my pocket.

A knock landed on the door and I muttered a low ‘Come in’ and the housekeeper walked in with her head hung low.

“You asked to see me, Sir?”

“Prepare her favorite meal and take it to her room immediately.No matter What happens, do not let her leave her room.” I spoke without sparing her a glance.

“Uhmm…sir what's the madam's favorite dish?” I almost placed my hand on my forehead when I realized The housekeeper knew nothing about Ava's favorite dishes.

“Egg fried rice, spaghetti meatballs and honey glazed chicken, Amanda.” I cleared my throat and she nodded in understanding.

She wanted to say something else before deciding against it and left.

I turned around and walked towards the door and walked out of the study room.

I wanted to check in on Ava but she definitely wouldn't want to see me after I just made things worse Between us.

I made my way down the stairs and headed towards the gray Lamborghini Avantador parked right outside and the driver held the door to the driver's side for me and I got in after acknowledging him.

I took out my cell phone and dialed a number after connecting the call to the car.

“You called, Boss?”

“I want you to look into what I asked and I want you to be discreet about it.” I spoke with my eyes on the road.

“I don't care how you do it, Andy get to the bottom of this immediately.”I added as I felt anger throughout my entire being.

“I'll get right into it boss but in the meantime the shareholders are getting impatient from waiting for you, what should I do?” He asked.

“Get everything prepared, I'm on my way.”I said and hung up.

I turned on the ignition and zoomed off immediately and the only thing left behind was dust from the tires..

“Trying to leave after everything you've done? Tsk!” Scoffed as I stepped on the acceleration breaking all speed limits once again but of course I was going to buy my way through as usual.

I ran my fingers through my already disheveled hair as I drove through the city.

The drive to the company took 30 Minutes and in no time I'd pulled up at the lobby of the company.

A guard bowed respectfully and held the door to the driver's side while I got out of the car and threw the keys at him.

Andy who was also waiting bow respectively as he trailed behind me immediately.

The employees at the ground floor all stopped whatever they were doing and bowed respectfully while I made my way to the Vip elevator with Andy trying to keep up with my long stripes.

“Did you get the thing I asked?” I muttered dryly as soon as we were in the elevator and he handed me the documents in his possession.

“All 19 shareholders.” He whispered and I scoffed before handing it back to him.

“We won't have to use that at all if no one tries to cross the line.” I scoffed and soon the elevator opened up at the executive floor.

I got out of the elevator with Andy following closely as we made our way to the boardroom.

I could hear the murmuring coming out of the room as I moved closer.

The guard respectively opened the door and as soon as I walked into the room they all stopped talking.

“Apologies gentlemen,I had to take care of some trivial matters.” I coldly said I took off my coat and sat at the head of the table while Andy stood right beside me.

“Does this matter include your mistress?” John, one of the shareholders, asked in a condescending manner and I scoffed.

“I would advise we all watch our tongues so we don't end up losing it, okay?” I calmly said and they began murmuring once again.

Of course I'd just threatened to take out their tongues so it was only normal they whisper among themselves.

“Do you realize how this could potentially affect the company?” Mrs Bellingham,a woman in her 60’s and they all seemed to agree with her.

“On the contrary it is the best marketing scheme that has ever happened to this company but unfortunately you old fools can't see the big picture.” I smirked as Andy picked up the remote right beside me and turned on the projector to show the profit charts.

They began murmuring once again until one person decided to speak.

“I'm afraid your recklessness is going to put the company at jeopardy. You need to get your affairs together else we would have to ask you to step down.” He seemed to be taunting me thinking they could use the situation against me but unfortunately I've got something even bigger coming to all of them.

“I was going to be lenient with you all but you just had to press your luck.” I chuckled softly and Andy began distributing the files to each member.

And of course the entire boardroom was thrown into a state of Shock and shame.

They all looked at me with fear and confusion in their eyes.

“I guess you all must be wondering how I got my hands on those..Tsk! Like I said it's going to take a thousand of you all to bring me down.” I shrugged my shoulders as I placed my legs on the table.

The once confident shareholders were now looking down, unable to say anything else.

They were all shivering in fear and unable to meet my eyes.

“Your job is to sit back and enjoy the profits and not question my authority.” I stood up and adjusted my jacket before picking up my coat.

“This meeting is adjourned.” I walked towards the door unhurriedly but paused when I remembered something.

“Oh there's more where that came from so I would advise you all to think twice before trying to scheme against Jerome Parker.” I added before making my way to the exit.

They just don't know when to stop but unfortunately for them I don't give up either.

They will have to try harder than that before they can ever lay their hands on my company.

I walked towards the elevator in large stripes and took the elevator to the 100th floor where my office was and to my Surprise I found Autumn waiting for me.

She wore a white dress making her look fragile and pale.

“What are you doing here?”I asked with a frown as I made my way towards my desk but she got in the way.

“Baby !” I was welcomed with a shriek voice as she threw her arms around me but I peeled off her hands and glared at her.

“Learn to keep your hands to yourself else you might lose them.” I calmly said with a cold expression and her smile dropped instantly.

“You left me all alone,Jerome.. For Christ sake I just lost our baby, remember?” She looked at me with teary eyes while I made my way to the couch and sat down with my legs crossed.

“For the record I'm not a doctor neither am I a babysitter so? What were you expecting?” I said with an uninterested expression.

“How dare you barge into my office without calling me first?” This bitch sure knew how to get under my skin.

“Can you please stop being so hard on me? It's not my fault that we both ended up together that night.” She fiddled her fingers with her head hung low.

She seemed to be in tears but I wasn't moved by any of that.

She was right but for some reason I couldn't trust a word out of her mouth and I wasn going to look into everything once more to be sure I'd truly taken her to the hotel room that night.

“You are so pathetic and it's disgusting.. Try not to accept any more interviews, okay? It's starting to get out of control.”I sat there with a blank face and that seemed to drive her crazy.

“What do you expect me to do when you're not paying any attention to me huh!” She snapped at me as tears rolled down her cheeks but I wasn't moved one bit.

Autumn was like a white lotus who knew the act of manipulation but unfortunately I would have to bear this a little while longer until I get what I want from her.

“Tell me, Jerome.. Are you in love with that cheating wife of yours?” She sure knew how to poke the bear.

“Did you already forget how she almost ruined your company with that man?”She kept going and looked at me with a taunting smile.

I glared daggers at her and she immediately stopped talking.

“Don't you ever..” I threatened with a dangerously low voice and she moved away from me instinctively.

“But it's true she fucked her ex when you couldn't make love to her.” She blurted out and before I could control myself I found myself holding her by the neck and pinned her to the wall.

“How dare you?” My eyes were blazing red as my hand tightened up around her neck.

Autumn tried to push me off her as she struggled to breathe.

“Be grateful I'm still trying to tolerate your crab.. I would kill you right now and no one would care.” I muttered coldly as her eyes turned bloodshot red.

I shoved her aside roughly and took out a handkerchief and gently wiped my hands like I'd touched the dirtiest item in the room.

Autumn fell to the floor and began coughing out loud as she tried to catch her breath.

I Crunched down to her level and she tried to move away in fear but I gripped jaw roughly making her look at me.

“You and I are just business partners,okay? Know when to keep your mouth shut else it's going to get you killed.” I whispered just loud enough before letting go and moving to a standing position.

“Why are you doing this to me,huh?” she glared hard at me with those ugly eyes of hers.

How I hated those eyes, makes me want to gauge them out.

It's a shame she's related to Ava else she would have been history.

“Let's keep things professional, okay? So no one has to get hurt and one more thing.. Only call me when there's an actual emergency.If you show up like this to my company once again, there's no telling what I would do to you next.”I calmly said before making my way towards the door ignoring her screams as I walked out of the office and into the elevator.

The elevator had just opened up in the basement when I was suddenly met with flashes.

What the hell?

“Mr Parker,a word please!” The parking lot was swamped by the reporters and that was when it clicked.

So this was her emergency?

“How do you feel about losing your baby?” One of the reporters asked, ignoring my cold expression.

“Get out of my way everyone.”I calmly said as I tried to make my way to my ride.

“Mr Parker, what do you have to say about the ongoing news about your ex wife?” I was bombarded with questions and I was slowly losing my patience.

“Is it true you left your Girlfriend to go be with your ex wife instead?”