SHANTAL's P o V
~~~
I was planning to take one of the spot at the backseat but Ms. Smith and Mr. Almiro already secured it as their own. It was as if they already discussed about it before hand, which left me unable to make a choice but to seat beside my cousin since Jodi was the one who would be driving for us. Not that I am complaining though, because I feel that this was like a perfect manipulation of faith. Never in my wildest dream did I ever thought that I day would come where I would be thankful to have Jodi as our driver, but here I am today. Doing the exact opposite. I used to hate my cousin's driving skill, to be honest. But she was the exact kind of driver that we actually need at the moment because as far as I know, Jodi was the fastest driver that I knew of. She was our best shot, albeit it also comes with a little downside. Jodi loves to cut lanes which often led her getting tickets for over speeding a
ADELAINE's P o V~~~"How will you protect me?"As soon as the old man opened his mouth, the first thing that came out from it was an inquiry regarding his own safety and right there and then, I was able to tell that the main reason why he decided to see us, in the first place was not because of an entirely altruistic act. There was no need for him to say it directly because even without him blatantly admitting it to us, I could already tell his real intention just by hearing his words; the purpose of his cooperation was for his own personal gain. He sees this partnership no better than his security plan.I would not fault him though for seeking protection to us. As a matter of fact, I am already expecting that the other party would ask us to give him a guarantee for his safety in exchange for his cooperation
ADELAINE's P o V~~~There was no way that I would allow all my efforts to go to waste so when Mr. Almiro showed me no sign of accepting the documents which I prepared prior to our meeting, I pretended like I did not notice his reluctance at all.For the most part of my life, I used to take a pride in the fact that I am quick to notice things for the reason that this helped me a great deal before in making prompt decisions and adjustments whenever I am in the middle of dealing with something. However, at this time, I found myself wishing that I am not as attentive to details as I often was.The old man made it clear for both mine and Ms. Nordstorme's eyes to see that he was still not satisfied with what we could offer him and I took it as read that we were not yet even near at convincing him with our terms. My observation skill was keen enough for me to be able to tell all of t
ADELAINE's P o V~~~At first, I thought that Mr. Almiro reached out to Ms. Nordstorme to accept her handshake, but I soon found out how wrong I was; rather it was his disguise. So that in case anyone was spying on us, at the moment it would not look right away as if he was already trying to hand us the evidence.As it turned out, the moment that he let go of my boss's hands, there I saw what it was all about. I snickered upon coming with the realization that Mr. Almiro was indeed a meticulous person. Likewise, it was also at this point that it dawned on me how he was able to keep himself safe and out from Madam Mathilde's radar. No wonder the old man was able to make it until this point. He knew how to play the game. He aged with wisdom.Meanwhile, lying within my boss' palms was a seemingly innocent pen. With its black coatin
ADELAINE's P o V~~~I was silent as I waited for my boss's reaction. Meanwhile, the other party threw a look at the pen lying within her palm. She literally stared at it blankly and it took her quite a few seconds to process what was going on, before a smile finally broke out from her lips."Thank you so much."I heard Ms. Nordstorme mumbled the moment she realized what the old man just handed to her. Then without wasting another second, she stood up and sprinted outside. Just a few moments ago, she was actually sitting with us on the same table, but the next instant, I am already watching her departing figure as she made her way towards the door with hurried steps. But there were no words has to be said anymore because I already knew what she wanted me to do. She trust me enough for her to leave the r
ADELAINE's P o V.~~~Ms. Nordstorme might not have said anything afterward to disagree. But even though she chose not to leave a comment to express her contradiction. I was still able to notice that she also did not comply straight away. Her expression was blank but it only made me more convince that she was unhappy. On top of that, she even let out a scoff and threw Jodi a side glance with a scornful look pasted on her face. I was almost certain that the other party was so close to doing an eye roll. I was just waiting for her to snap at her cousin at any moment from now and tell Jodi to do it herself.However, just as when I thought that my boss was planning to decline her cousin, I saw her inching closer to Jodi instead. It did not take that long, she was able to take Jodi's phone straight out from the other party's
AMANDA's P o V ~~~ "Get your side ready. The recording is on our possession now and we are on our way to the station." Amidst the sound of tires screeching at the background, I heard the melodic voice of Ms. Smith speaking to me. It took me a while before my brain was able to process the information that I just heard. But the instant understanding dawn on me, my eyes bugged out. For a split second, a silly thought crossed my mind as I start to wonder if they made a pact with the devil. I knew that this idea of mine sounded nothing but absurd. However, the fact that I just had a conversation with Ms. Nordstrome last night and then on the very next day, they were calling to inform me that they already got what we needed was what left me stupefied the most. "Just how fast you guys could get things done on yo
AUTHOR's P o V~~~"We shall now begin the ceremony for the company merger between Ironscrapes and Nordstrome Corp. "Mr. Takashi beamed as soon as he confirmed that every person he needed to attend the meeting was around. He was a board member from the Nordstorme Corp and was only second to Shantal to own the most number of shares in the company and for some unknown reason, he seemed to be highly in favor of Mathilde. Likewise, since the board of director was nor around, naturally, the job to facilitate the meeting fell on his hand.At the same time, Mathilde also bring her own tech team that was lead by a Japanese national, Mr. Yakamura. He was the same person that came with Mathilde when they took 1096 at Harold's lab.Mathilde was thinking of making use of the other party to her at explaining her proposal later on. As it turned out, she also chose this same day to intro
Left with no choice, Mr. Yakamura started making his way towards the exit along with his men. Today was supposed to be a big day for him as well just as how important it was for Mathilde. They agreed to be business partner and planned to venture robotics together. In fact, Mathilde let him in to her plan of stealing the idea from the Alpha Tech team and he did not say anything against it so long that his IT team would be the one who would take credit on this one.Indeed, birds with the say feather, flocks together.However, the last thing that he would want to happen was for his name to be dragged with a murder case while he was overseas. Getting himself involved to this would only make things harder for him. He did not want to attract unnecessary attention towards even if it was bad publicity. Thus, as soon as Mathilde gave him the signal, he left right away with no question asked.He left without uttering a single word
"Gosh it's good."Harold said when he got to taste how refreshing the drink was. When he looked at the other two guys, he saw them gesturing to their head but he did not give them much attention."Yes.Sam repeated the same thing with a voice and face devoid of emotion."Something needs fixing."Harold told Sam afterward and so Sam fought back to urge to do and eye roll before replying flatly to him."Okay."This time, Harold noticed that Rico and Michael still keep on doing the same thing so he asked them instead,"What? Is your scalp itchy.""No."The two answered in unison. Jodi on the other hand who was watching all of this farce unfold right before her eyes, could not help but let out a sigh."You sure are made for each other."She said to no one in particular and it was also as seemed she was only talking to herself."Anyway. Michael, I need you to go to Casterly."
"I am right here. Respect my existence."Michael insinuated afterward before he sarcastically added,"Do you guys want be to get you a room instead?""I should not have fallen asleep that night."He muttered to himself as he recalled the night Jodi asked Rico out for a date. He believed that if only he was not asleep that time, then maybe Jodi would also consider dating him.On the other hand, Rico seemed to be out of it and oblivious of him."Lover."The other party mumbled to himself as he observed the tarot card in his hand.'"I did not know this will happen. I feel so lonely."Michael muttered to himself out of despondency and while he was in the middle of self pity. Someone walked into the room.They though the one arrived was some random girl who was in full glam and obviously had just gone to salon for her touch up when it decided to have some coffee."Wow! I told her she would be pretty."
"That robot was sometimes human and sometimes a robot for me and that was why others who can't understand my situation mistakes me as someone who hallucinates and believe a robot as a human just because I am treating it just like one. But for my opinion, my situation was no different from those who loves their pets so much, they even considered them as their child and called themselves as furparents.""My emotions were input into that robot and that person. That is how this miracle happened. That fact completely changed the way I view things. This will be yet another scoop for the reporters present. Nordstorme Corp will go from financing mergers and acquisitions to investing in futuristic industries that involved human sensibilities. Just like what Alpha Tec Inc pioneered years ago.""This is your first change in business strategy in 15 years. Do you have anything mapped out?"One of the reporters raised a question just like what a normal press conference should
On the flip side, just like what Shantal assumed, Mr. Takashi with Mathilde's instruction called for an emergency meeting on that afternood. Which happened to coincide to the time when Shantal will hold her press conference.Moreover, since Mathilde would not be able to make it there since she was still held in prison, her secretary presided the meeting."We shall begin the emergency board meeting."Secretary Ye declared loudly and her voice reverberated in the room. Jiro was also there along with other board members."The agenda is the dismissal of Director Shantal Nordstorme and the cause is as you were all informed. An illness."She continued while everyone was silent and anxiously prayed so they could ever this meeting once and for all. On the contrary, Mr. Takashi was nodding his head on the side and though he was anticipating for this day come.Mr. Takashi nodded his head toward Secretary Ye to signal her to start it once and for
In there, Jodi found a list of shares under her name as well as a soft copy of memorandum of renunciation address to Shantal with her name on it and it was then that Jodi realized that her mom had already long planned about it ahead of the time.As it turned out, Mathilde was thinking of using her influence to oust her cousin out of the position.In addition, inside the flash drive she also found an old email account with records of bunch of emails and it took Jodi more than four hours to go through all of them.But by the time she finished reading the exchange of chats Mathilde had with her hitman, Jodi's eyes was bloodshot.It was unsure if this was cause by her prolong exposure to the screen or if it was exhaustion that was doing this thing on her body, but when she get up from her chair, Jodi balled her hands into a fist.She slammed the door shut behind her back as she left the office and on the screen, the last conversation
It was late in the evening when Jodi received a call out from nowhere. When she checked that registered on the caller ID, she was surprised to see Jiro's name.Truth be told, he was the least person he would expect to contact her. After all, the two of them never talked to each other for ages.Jiro used to be a good friend of hers as well. Just like how she and Shantal were cousins, Jiro and and Zorens were first cousins too so naturally all four of them get to know each other and as a child, they eventually became acquaintances in no time.Besides, since Zoren's parents were a family friend of the Nordstorme they often had an opportunity to hang around during their childhood.However, ever since the day Zoren committed suicide due to the incident regarding the Nordstorme controversy, Jiro also stopped communicating with them.So this made Jodi wonder what had come to Jiro to decide and phone her at this time of the night.But
"In other words, she wants me to become director and cover up all his shortcomings?"Mr. Takashi insinuated after his contemplation. He did not exactly declined the offer this time, unlike before. Although he also did not directly implied that he would do it.Nonetheless, Secretary Ye considered his response as a good sign. At least, the other party was no longer adamant at turning them down.So with the same insinuating manner, she answered him back."That would make it easier for you to do your duties once you become a director. All that was left for you now is to leave Ms. Shantal Nordstrome no other choice but to step down and abdicate the position of board directory to your hands.""Ousting her is not enough. He will just come back. We must make sure he loses the will to come back."Out of nowhere, Mr. Takashi declared with conviction and for a second, the secretary was taken aback by this.One moment, he almost drove her a
"You told Jodi about everything?"Mathilde asked her secretary as soon as the two of them were finally allowed to have some private conversation within the prison hall where she was currently detained. Panic was noticeably present on the other party's face when she raised her question. Meanwhile, the secretary remained silence yet that was all enough for Mathilde to guess her response and not long after that, her shoulders dropped on the side when the realization hit her."I guess she was bound to find out about it sooner or later."She muttered under her breath with despondent undertone.An exasperated sigh escaped Mathilde's lips afterward. But then, she suddenly tenses up when she recalled about something else.Leaning towards the other party all the while grabbing a hold to the iron bars, Mathilde looked around her warily first to make sure that no ears were on them.Only when she confirmed for the umpteenth time that no one was listenin
Adelaine Smith's P o V~~~~While Jodi and I were driving down the road looking for any sign of the robot, I received a call and when I checked who it was, I found out that it was Amanda so I accepted the call right away."Ms. Smith, the robot just got on the bus number 707."I heard her voice telling me the moment it picked her call"Great! Thank you for the information."I replied and not long after that, she hung up on her because I reckoned that it would be best if I could relay this news to the other search parties. In this way they would also know where to start looking. Of course, the first one that I tried to call was my lady boss. However, to my dismay, I was only redirected to the voice call feature of the phone.'The number you have dialed is busy at the moment. Please try your call later or leave a message aft