CHAPTER EIGHT

Alex sat on his swivel chair. He steepled his fingers and rocked on his chair. He was contemplating on how he could get his business back in shape. At that moment, it was disoriented.

"Seriously, Vivian and that her brother are fools" Theresa commented as she toyed with a pen on Thelma's office desk. She sat on it and crossed her long legs.

"How can you call them fools?" Alex asked. "They need a better adjective worst than the word 'fools'. How can they even think for a second that I will give them 80% of our monthly income?"

"I know, right? They have proven to me that not  everyone that looks normal are actually sensible" Theresa exclaimed, flailing her arms.

"Okay! Instead of insulting, let's think of a plan" Thelma suggested.

"What do we look like we're doing?" Alex snapped and narrowed his eyes at her.

"Playing?" Theresa quizzed with both brows up.

"Okay! I was just saying" Thelma heaved a sigh and chewed on her bottom lip. "Please, don't vent your anger on me" she whispered.

"Then act sensible" Theresa spat.

"Exactly!" Alex added. Theresa turned to him with one heavy brow slanted in strong disapproval.

"And you? Since when did you start agreeing with me?" Theresa snarled.

"Women are just filled with drama and no idea!" Alex rolled his eyes and stood up.

"What... "

He cut Theresa short and added "None of you were able to think of a plan. But I did?"

"What's the plan?" Thelma asked.

"Well, let's just burn Anthony's company to ashes" Alex said as he tried to suppress his evil smirk.  Theresa hopped to her feet and giggled with a devilish smirk.

"Great idea!" she gave him a thumbs up.

"How can..."

He interrupted Thelma and with a serious tone told them off, "Fools! I'm not that stupid. I have a friend willing to invest billions. I just have to convince him we are not fraudsters. I will get my personal detective to investigate on Anthony. He needs to be sued to court for his deeds. I will also handle the media. Maybe we can get our investors to come back"

"Great idea!" Thelma complimented.

"Yeah!" Theresa cheered in a low-spirit. "The first idea was the best!" she mumbled and her eyes gleamed of deviltry.

"I admit that my first idea was evil and good. But what I fear is my company getting burnt in return or else that would have been the best plan" Alex scowled at the thought of Anthony. "Well, thanks for nothing, ladies. Out of my office! " he gave a dismissive wave and plopped down on his chair.

"I'm your P.A. Shouldn't I stay?" Thelma's soft voice echoed.

"You can. But your opposite should leave!"

Theresa felt indirectly slapped. "Whose opposite?  You are crazy for saying that. She is my opposite not the other way"

"What am l saying?" he cocked an eyebrow.

"It sounds the same but there is a difference. You are making it sound as if I am the bad one while she's the good one"

"Your point is invalid. Leave!" he sighted her out of the corner of his eyes and proceeded to typing on his laptop.

Theresa pursed her lips and balled her fist. She stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind her.

Thelma felt bad for her sister. She knew her sister hates it when they call her the opposite of her. They were different but that was what made them unique.

She looked at Alex. He had a devious smile. It seemed as if he did it intentionally to get Theresa to leave.

"Why are you staring at me?  Get to work!" he snapped.

Meanie! Thelma huffed and walked to her desk.

*****

Theresa was infuriated. She hated being compared to Thelma. "How dare he call me the opposite of Thelma? That guy is a jerk," she sneered. "He thinks he knows how to annoy someone. No problem! His day of frustration is coming. I can't wait to snatch this company from him. Oh, that day would be lovely and I will make sure to rub it on his face. Victory will be mine".

With that thought still fresh in her mind, she rubbed her palms together and gave out an evil laughter just like what cartoon villains do.

"Urgh! Thelma's continuous habit of watching cartoons is really affecting me" Theresa blurted and rubbed her forehead.

***************************

The time was 6:00pm. Everyone was on their way home. Theresa packed her things and was ready to leave. She got to the front of the CEO's office.

She recalled seeing Alex on the television screen. He had given a heartfelt speech that they were falsely accused. This touched the hearts of the media in general and they realized their mistake. Now, the company's name has been rebuilt by him. However, she was still angry with him. She was hoping not to see him in the ofiice.

However, she barged into the office. As soon as she noticed Alex's presence. She made sure she didn't acknowledge it by walking straight to Thelma.

"Hurray! Your time of working for the beast is over. Let's go!" she sneered with a sour tone.

Thelma sighed. She looked at Alex who just realized Theresa's presence. He rose, stood upright, crossed his arm and walked up to them.

"I'm afraid Thelma cannot join you" he said with a dry and emotionless voice.

Theresa remained silent. The fact that he called her  Thelma's opposite was piercing her deep.

"Thelma, don't tell me you want to work as a jackass for this fool" she didn't point but kept a fixated glare on Thelma. 

"Sorry!" she pouted, giving out her puppy dog cute face. "But for the progress of this company, sacrifice has to be made"

"Whatevs! Why am I bothered? Work for him. It's none of my business "

"Exactly, it's none of your business," Alex blustered. He walked back to his office desk.

Thelma stood up and gave Theresa a bear hug. She whispered, "You know, we plan to retrieve this company for our dad. It has to be functioning properly,  don't you think?" Theresa smiled mischievously at her sister's statement and nodded.

"We are going to retrieve this company has ours. That's gonna hurt our friend here. Men! I'm gonna love the look on his face," Theresa said under her breathed and left with a short wave of her hand.

***************************

Thelma began the tedious work. Alex was also at work. They were both operating the laptops on their desk.

"Thelma, where is the documents I gave to you after we had a meeting earlier in the afternoon?" Alex asked, his eyes fixed on his keyboards.

"Oh, it's here" she checked her desk, the drawer and her bag. Nowhere to be found. "Uh! I think I left it on the large table at the conference room".

"Then, go and get it. I need it now" he barked. 

"Okay!" she nodded and left the office.

As soon as she left, a female walked in. Alex thought it was Thelma.

"Did you find it?" he quizzed.

He got a reply that made him to look up.

"Yeah, I found what I'm looking for," a flirtatious voice hissed.

It was Vivian. Her raven black hair was let down. She wore a ripped jeans that exposed her thigh and a transparent top. Her lips were glossed with bright red lipstick.

"What are you doing here? Get out!" Alex yelled.

Vivian walked up to him and purred, "I see you are alone. So I came to entertain you".

"I don't need it. Get out!"

She jumped on his lap and sealed him close to her chest. She batted her artificial long lashes and ran her index finger down his face to his chest. "I'm crazy for you and still, you don't want to notice this sexy babe," she whispered in a husky voice.

Alex flinched and frowned. He pushed her off him but swiftly, she pushed herself back to him. He tried to stand up but she had placed all her weight on his thigh.

With much force, he began to push her. Suddenly, she came off like some kind of gum sticked to a shoe.

He realized that it was Thelma who actually helped him. She had used the energy in her to pull Vivian which had freed him.

"You are a disgrace to all women. How can you force yourself on a man? Don't you feel ashamed?" Thelma yelled and with her wide eyes stared Vivian down. 

"How can someone not feel so attracted to him? He is a hunk!" Vivian batted her lashes and leered at him. She licked her lips and smirked.

Well, she is not lying, Thelma thought. I used to ask, how can someone be this good-looking?

Alex's face was strong and defined. He had a black perfectly carved brows that sloped downard in his serious expression. A prominent jaw curved gracefully around and the strength of his neck showed in the twining cords of muscles that shaped his entire body.  His lashes were full, thick and bright black. To top it all, his lips were what she called forever pink. His lips were always pink and ripe for a kiss since the day she first met him till that moment. His muscles were well-built. You could call it an althetic body. But whoa! He was smoky hot in suit! One look and you would be swoon by his beauty. She won't blame Vivian but the least she could have done, was to show some respect. What she did was wrong, Them concluded.

"Don't say much" Alex said and gripped Vivian's arm. "Rather, throw her out. That security guard must be fired for letting her in".

He threw her out of the office room and scowled, "Trust me when I say this. I will strangle you to death. If you try that again"

Tears rolled down Vivian's cheek. "I'm madly in love with you. Is it my fault?" she whimpered. Alex grimaced and slammed the door at her face.

His shoulder heaved with a jutting chin. His jaw was rigid as he ground his teeth.  Thelma decided to say something to lighten his mood. "Alex, please calm down!" she whispered. However, he rose his head and glared at her. A shivering feeling ran down her spine under his gaze.

"Get to work," he howled and stomped to his desk.

"All females are full of disappointment and deceit," he blustered.

Thelma was about to pick a pen when she heard it. She slowly turned to him.

"What did you say?" her brows furrowed as her eyes met with his.