Chapter III

Chapter 3 

Marcus’ POV 

Daylight.  My god what time is it?  It’s Sunday right? 

Ugh, I remember now.  I got way too drunk last night.  Shit – what happened? 

Well, I’m in bed.  I’ve still got last night’s clothes on.  I remember going with the guys to Cosmo.  I remember whisky chasers.  Bad idea.  I remember being sick on the rooftop.  I remember a woman.  I remember her handing me a pill and some water – shit, was I spiked?  Then all I remember is getting into a taxi.  I start to sweat at the vague memories.  But I’m here, and I feel weirdly ok.  Tired, but ok.  I should be worse considering what I drunk last night.  I’m not used to binge drinking. 

The woman came home with me in the taxi!  Shit, is she still here? 

I get up and I check the bathroom, no one.  I walk to the kitchen and living room space.  No one.  I spot  a note on the counter.  Right, so it was a one night stand?  And she’s probably left her number.  I pick up the note to read it 

Dear Marc, 

Hi!  Hope you’re ok.  I’m just leaving a note in case there are some blanks in your memory in the morning.  We met on the rooftop of the Cosmo club.  You looked like you needed some help.  My taxi took you home.  I gave you some vitamin Bs to (hopefully) reduce the impact of the booze in the morning.  Anyway, hope you’re well.  Have a good life.

Best wishes from a good karma hunter xxx

Riiiiight.  Where’s the catch?  I read it a few times again before realizing there was no catch.  I’ve learnt over the years to be careful of every pretty face.  There have been some close calls.  My status and wealth attract fame and fortune hunters.  Anyone I ask on a date are quietly vetted beforehand to avoid any media disasters that could impact the value of the company’s shares.  This woman whoever she is, has left no name and no number for any sort of reward.  She was here in my penthouse, she would’ve worked out quite quickly that I had money, and only had to do a quick search of my wallet to find my details, then a quick internet search to work out who I was.  This is going to bother me.  I tell myself that it’s bothering me because she could be retaining some details from last night for future use, or blackmail….but the reality is, I’m bothered by the memory of being helped at the balcony last night. 

It’s hard to describe as the details are fuzzy, but it was a sense of comfort I haven’t felt in many years. Then again, I haven’t been that vulnerable in many years either.  Marcus you fool, how could you let the Board of Directors get to you like that?  I suppose it was a long time coming.  I’ve steered the ship without opposition for so long.  In the past, if there was a slight whisper of hesitation for any of my decisions, I’d win every member of the board over without breaking a sweat.  Yesterday, went to the vote, and I lost.  The meeting was held following the conclusion of clinical trials for a new drug that would slow down the effects of nerve damage caused by several diseases.  The results of those trials were outstanding.  I moved to place the drug on the market at cost price, so there’d be no profit.  The drug was going to be worth billions, I accept that, but the publicity for such a philanthropic move would knock our competitors out of the park for years, giving us the run of the market on future drugs.  Not to mention the lives that it would change – it would be available to everyone, not just the privately paying elite.  It was a clear win win, but they couldn’t see that.  They only saw the short term non-realisation of profit.  I was so damn confident that I could steer them to side with me.

Anyway, I’d strategise on that issue again.  For now, this note in my hand bothered me.  A lot.

It’s a Sunday.  There was a punishing schedule ahead of me for the week to come.

Let’s a have a refresh; Monday was a visit to the labs to receive reports on the latest round of clinical trials.  Tuesday was back to back meetings with the  heads of PR and Marketing departments.  Wednesday….let’s have a look at my schedule…..Board meetings in the morning, and in the afternoon I meet with the highest ranking sales rep and go take him/her to dinner….hmm I’ll need the personnel file on that one – I’ll just email my secretary to pull that up for me to brush up on before the meeting. 

This note….it’s bothering me.  I can’t let it be.  I know what I’ll do, I’ll ring my most trusted friend and head of communications. 

“Jake, Hi.  Listen, don’t ask what got into me, but I went on a bender last night….”

“Ah that’s what happened to you”  Jake’s gruff voice on the other line came through.

“That’s not like you boss?  I tried to ring you several times.  You’d switched the phone’s tracker off as well.  I sent some boys round to your apartment building to check on you.  They said you were in bed at 1.30am when they stopped by.  You must’ve been in relative good shape to find your way home”.

I tightened my security team and security measures following the attempted kidnapping two years ago.

“Yeah, well that’s the thing…..I didn’t.  It’s a long story.  You want to come over for a coffee, and I’ll talk you through it?”

“I’ll be there in 5”

“Good man”.