8

“You should watch the way you speak to me Mr Wyatt” I boldly faced him, I had enough of him acting like he was on top of me. For the sake of family I hadn’t thrown him out of the meeting but he keeps pushing for it.

He wouldn’t even be considered as family if Grandfather was seated here today.

“You must be crazy to think that I would let you do that, our family has a long tradition of donating for charity” he expelled my words to remind me of family.

Family!

“Our family, last I remember you were disowned, you no longer bear the family name. What right do you have to say our family?” I asked him.

His mouth was sealed, he hadn’t expected me to air his personal matters in front of the board but since he chose to disrespect repeatedly, it was my duty to put him in his place.

The meeting had turned into a full blown fight between me and my uncle, eyes widened at us.

Neither of us wanted to submit to the other. I had every right because I was the heir and he claims to have a right because he is my uncle.

“The fundraiser would commence as instructed” he responded.

“The fundraiser has been cancelled, Grandfather may have allowed your mischievous acts but I won’t. I will not bend my neck for you to have a little happiness Mr Wyatt” I blocked him off once again.

His breathing was all I could hear as he tried to hover over me, yet I kept my pose staring back at him.

The Kiddies charity was Uncle’s foundation, a huge amount of donation goes in for the kids each year but he takes 80% of it and shoves it down his throat. While he buys cheap things for the kids and almost expired foods.

Last year, there was a case of food poisoning due to and expiration from one of the food produces he had bought. Three kids winded up dead but he felt no remorse for it.

Now he wants to repeat the same thing this year and let the company suffer the loss for it, Grandfather was kind to him and he used to kindness against him.

“Don’t you try me little rat, the fundraiser will not be cancelled” he leveled up, aiming to force his authority over me.

Afterall everyone was looking at us, whoever came out with the final words won.

I pushed back the thought of hitting him to the back of my mind, as much as I hated him, he was still my uncle and I would respect that.

“I am the CEO and Chairwoman here and my word is final, if I say that the fundraiser is cancelled then it is cancelled. You can change that when you finally become the Chairman of this company, which I doubt would ever happen but for now I still hold that power. Is that understood Mr Wyatt” I slowly raised my head to him, his eyes were bleeding red as they stared back at me. I could see the tiny vein popping out of his forehead.

Poor Uncle, right from childhood he loved to have things go his way, and when they didn’t he would throw a fit.

All the things Grandfather said about it were right, he was like an open book, easily predictable.

“I will not…”

“You may as well leave this meeting if you are satisfied with my verdict or do you want me to tell this whole room why you are so adamant about the fundraiser. The real reason why you choose to have this meeting behind my back”

Finally, he sealed his lips, I held that as my triumph card, knowing that he would be mute the minute I try to expose why he is so adamant about the fundraiser.

Nobody wants their dirty laundry aired out like that.

He let out a smile as he nodded his head, then pushed his seat so far back that it slammed into the wall.

He paced towards the door and slammed it as he left.

I turn back to the people in the room with me,

“Does anyone here have any more contradictions to my decision?” I asked, hoping his supporters would follow him and we can get this over with.

I could see Marcel lean back into his seat, his finger knitted tightly together with a smirk on his face.

He wasn’t standing up, so I believe he is abandoning his father after profiting from the charity for years now.

No one spoke so the meeting continued, it went on for about an hour before I finally adjourned it. There was still so much to do but I couldn’t attend to it all in one day.

Besides it was my first day, no one was expecting all that from me and I definitely do not answer to anyone to.

They left the room one by one until I was left alone with Marcel. He took his precious time standing up but instead of using the door closer to him, he walked towards me.

He leans down and whispers, “Keep this up and you might end up like Grandfather” he says with a smile and then walks out through the door behind me.

They were several meanings to what he said, I might end up dead like Grandfather or as powerful as Grandfather was, I chose the positive side.

So I smiled back at him, just when he closed the door.

Immediately he left, I rub my ears clean like I had been defiled by something unholy.

Once I returned to my office, I was met with more documents on my desk than when I had actually stepped in.

I picked up the phone and called Vivian into my office.

“Yes ma’am” she runs in, her hair in a bit of a mess and her skirt was shorter than it once was. Someone was definitely having fun in this office, but I ignored it.

“Can you trust you?” I inquired.

She nodded her head as she tried to rectify the mess made to her hair.

“I need to hire somebody to watch someone of importance to me, he might be causing trouble sooner than I expected” I said.

“Who ma’am?” She inquired.

“Mr Wyatt, I want weekly report of his day to day activities, when he leaves the house, what time he arrives at work, who he meets? Where he goes to besides his home. I need all that information. Can you do that?” I questioned.

She looked shocked that I wanted to monitor my Uncle but I had my reasons.

“Yes ma’am, I will get someone immediately” she replied.

Six hours in and I was finally done with work, I was exhausted and hungry. I stepped out the door to find Alfred staring at his watch,

“Eager to see me?” I teased him.

He looked at me and tilted his head, Alfred claims he is never shy but the redness on his cheeks says otherwise. I have recently found it amusing enough to tease him all day.

He may not seem like the jovial type but the expressions on his face was more than enough answer for me.

“How was your first day?” He inquired in a polite manner.

That was a question Grandfather asked frequently, each time he called me, it reminded me of him.

“Draining” I responded, I had barely made it to the car seat as I laid my head down to rest.

All I could hear was the humming sound of the car and the soft music playing on the radio as we drove back home.

I had no idea Alfred was into blues, he didn’t strike me as a lover boy, but the song was soothing enough to put me at ease.