Chapter two

 We got to the penthouse an hour forty five minutes later and began our quest. Madison and you prepared the list of potential investors and fixed a meeting with them. It was a long day, but we were able to secure four meetings out of sixty potential investors.

      It's a good sign Madison assured. The next day, I was up earlier than usual and I prepared for my first meeting at 7am. Madison and I began our quest for a solution. The first meeting ended barely thirty minutes after it started. It also ended in a deadend.

      Madison squeezed my hand in the car giving me hope. We attended the second meeting with Mrs Beverly, she accepted to help us but she needed her husband's signature before proceeding. I was very happy and I prayed it would get finalized soon. After placing a call through her husband, she left a disappointing response.

     The disappointment was all over her face as she broke the news. The next two meetings got canceled before we even got there. I sat in my car and wept my eyes out. Madison sat quietly at the passenger’s seat. “It's all Cole's fault! Annabel's fault!! They ruined my life" I cried bitterly.

     “Yes!! That's it!" Madison screamed excitedly. I wiped my tears and turned to her, waiting for her to spill. “It's Damien! He has accepted our meeting which was canceled" she said catching her breath from excitement. I grabbed her phone and saw it for myself, my eyes pooped wide and I couldn't help but smile. 

   “You mean, the prince of Cabin city rescheduled the meeting?" I asked to be reassured. Madison nodded smiling. I screamed “yes" and started the engine asking her for direction. “Calm down ma'am, the meeting was scheduled for tomorrow morning at 9:15 am" Madison replied.

    I drove back to the penthouse with hope and high expectations,as This was all that I had left. The next remaining hours till the meeting was slow. I would stare at the clock for hours and it wouldn't move. Finally, it was Friday. I woke up at 4am and fixed breakfast. The uneasiness in my stomach made it extremely difficult for me to have anything settled in my stomach.

     Madison and I left for Damien Company's headquarters at 7am. luckily, the traffic was not as intense as every other day. We got to his company at 8:30am and sat at the reception. I constantly reaffirmed positivity and silently prayed for help. Immediately we arrived, I noticed a beautiful girl hugging her legs opposite where we had sitted.

     She had a teddy beside her and she paid no attention to it, instead she sobbed softly. At first I tried to ignore her just like the receptionist did, but I couldn't. I walked to where she was seated and sat beside her. “Mr Fluffy is sad because you are sad too" I said, almost whispering, holding her teddy in my arms.

    She raised up her head, looked at me and turned away immediately. I pulled her closer and gently asked why she was sad. The little girl wiped her eyes and responded. “I don't want to go back there. The boys are mean and they always laugh at me because I wear male underwear" she said, sobbing.

    I quickly understood her, I guess she had been raised by a single parent. I also experienced this. I pulled her in for a hug and promised her she won't go back there. “What is your name princess?" I asked packing her messed up hair. “Chole," she said, handing me a hair clip.

   “My name is Irene and I also have a meeting here. After my meeting I promise to talk to you… … “ I stopped half way because I tried not to be insensitive. She nodded and completed "my dad? He wouldn't listen! Uncle Raymond talked to him but he refused to listen” she concluded. I smiled sweetly at how smart she was and I insisted on trying to talk to him.

    Chole was the sweetest five year old I have seen. She was smart and beautiful as well. We both chatted like we had known each other from way back. “Can you call me sometimes?" She asked sweetly, handing her phone to me. I knew what she meant so I typed my phone number on her device and watched her save it “Irene Angel".

    I was surprised at her action and asked her the reason. “You are beautiful, kind and sweet. Just like an angel" she whispered softly. I hugged her and kissed her cheeks. “It's 9am ma'am" Madison interrupted. I nodded and tried to bid goodbye to Chole but she was close to sobbing again.

   “Listen princess, I have a meeting in fifteen minutes and I need to get going now" I tried to sweetly explain but this baby was one stubborn girl. “I hate being alone. Uncle Raymond is not picking me up till 10. I want to come with you, I promise to be a good girl and sit quietly" she pouted. Reluctantly, I accepted and we stepped in the elevator heading to the 10th floor, leaving Madison at the reception.

     Something was different about Chole, she seemed to have been very familiar with almost all the staff we met. “You are heading to the CEO right? This hallway is much shorter" Chole said, pulling me to a different direction from what I was given. “How did you know… .” I asked but she kept walking till we got close."Here! “ She pointed at the last office.

    I checked my watch and I was 7 minutes early. I knocked and I heard a cold voice "come in”. I walked inside with Chole who seemed more at ease than her. Chole found a couch and sat comfortably on it. I have never seen an office this luxurious. The size was big, well organized and a big wall screen. More like a monitor. There was another screen not as big as the first screen,where I saw Madison and other staff at the reception. It was like a CCTV screen.

    “Sit" I heard him say. I quietly sat down in front of a large desk and dropped my purse on the table. I noticed a figure sitting in front of me but his chair was turned against me. He sipped coffee watching the busy streets in Cabin city. “Miss Irene Swift. Your meeting has started" he said.

   I looked at Chole who had a thumbs up with a smile. I smiled back and the meeting began without a slight glance at who was talking to me. After twenty minutes of selling myself, he finally concluded “that's a piece of cake. I can help".

The uneasiness in my stomach fell asleep immediately. I was super excited but I tried to get it all together.

    “I am a businessman Miss Swift. My assistance will cost something too" He chuckled. “I fully understand sir, and I would be willing to agree to any of your terms and conditions” I said. He slowly turned the chair and my heartbeat rose by forty times. “It's been a while," he said with a mean smile. I could hardly breathe. I noticed how slippery my feet were becoming in my stiletto. I was sweating under 16° temperature. 

      “Chole, what did I say about talking to strangers?" He walked towards Chole scolding

Her. Chole adjusted and bowed her head at the sight of him. “To Rita's now!!" He commanded. Chole immediately picked her teddy and walked out. I noticed his footsteps towards me and I stopped breathing. 

    “We meet again, Miss Swift” he said, trailing his hands on the chair I was sitting on. “Like I said, I am willing to help you, but there are certain agreements that need to be reviewed and signed," he said gradually. I nodded, sweating hard, almost panting. “Calm down, miss, this is business" he said sipping coffee.

    "I will buy 80% of your company shares and invest millions without making claims to the company, in the public eye you still own your company, but part of the company belongs to me as the major shareholder” he explained seriously. I nodded and waited for him to mention his terms. 

    "Chole is a sweet girl and I suppose you have met her. Chole is all I have and making her happy will not cost anything for me. The reason I am offering just a generous offer is because of my daughter Chole and not because you warmed my bed” My ears rang several times when I heard the word "daughter” Chole was his child? I pondered. Immediately it came to me like a flash. “Their striking resemblance".

      " My child has lacked a woman's figure all her life and she seems to have loved you for no reason despite her phobia for women of your class. Here is the deal miss! You are to become Chole's new mother for eighteen months' ' my whole body went numb immediately he finished his statement. I knew nothing about parenting, I grew up as an only child and had no siblings till a month ago when Cole showed up.

      I tried to talk but my words failed me. “You have till 4pm to decide. “How can I become your child's mother?" I blurted out as politely as I could. 

Damien hissed and returned to his computer “you are not that dumb miss Swift. Marriage!". The uneasiness in my stomach woke up and almost made me nauseous. I nodded weakly and picked my purse to leave.

    “Your meeting has ended. Till 4pm tomorrow". He said as I walked out. 

Damien's Pov.

   “You have a meeting with Sheets and zincs LTD by 2pm sir". Rita informed me the day before. The news of bankruptcy has spread like wildfire all over Cabin city. And as always, I am the Messiah for such bankrupt companies. For six years, I have lifted many financially struggling companies and all I got back from them was unnecessary competition.

     “Cancel" I said, sorting other documents. At closing hours, Raymond walked in and I briefed him on the meeting that I had canceled. "The Swift's has been nothing short of amazing in the business world. Miss Swift, the supposed heir, opened a new branch in Africa last month. It's really unfortunate that the company ran bankrupt a few weeks after Cole, Mr Dave's illegitimate son took over” he said reading a newspaper. 

   I immediately took interest in the meeting. I dialed Rita and had her fix a meeting with them again. Chole woke up the next day insisting she no longer wanted to attend piano classes. This is the only way I kept her away during school breaks. I tried to explain to Chole as calmly as I could, but she insisted she would rather walk behind my car to the office than go with Paul to the piano class.

    Chole sat at the reception, because I had warned her ahead of the consequences of her decision. Her presence will distract me and I wouldn't be able to carry out my full responsibilities at work. I walked out and informed the receptionist to keep an eye on her. Few minutes later, I turned on the CCTV footage to spy on her activities and I saw a familiar figure sitting next to Chole.