CHAPTER SEVEN

"Thelma, hurry up" Theresa yelled as she walked down the hall. They were on their way to work. Thelma fumbled with the bundle of keys as she tried to lock the door to their room.

"Just... Leave! I will lock it" Theresa pushed Thelma and locked the door. "As simple as ABC, sis!" she shook her head.

They entered the elevator. On their way out, they saw Kelvin but he wasn't the usual Kelvin this time, rather he was gloomy. He had a long face.

Thelma noticed this. She decided she had to say something to Theresa about last night. She turned only to find Theresa leaving the hotel building. Quickly, she ran behind her.

"Wait for me! "

"Wait for you? We are late and you are telling me to wait. Let me remind you, I am the Managing Director. I am suppose to possess leadership qualities" Theresa flipped her off.

They got into a taxi. After some minutes, they got to the company's building. They saw something strange. Looking through the window, Theresa asked "What is going on here?"

They got down and a number of reporters gathered around them. They all had microphones and cameras with them. It was more like a paparazzi. They flooded the entrance of the building like ants around honey.

"Tell us, are you the CEO's personality assistant?" the question was directed to Theresa.

"No, I am the sale manager" she replied, trying to move among the crowd.

"So ma'am, you are the personal assistant?"  a reporter added and positioned a mic in front of Thelma.

"Can you tell us if Alex Roger is actually a fraudster?" one reporter asked.

"Why is it that news are going around that Mr Roger was trying to cheat his investors?" another reporter asked.

"Why is that all your investors have come this morning to terminate every agreement you had with them?"

"Is this company filled with deceitful employees?"

Theresa was fed up. She couldn't take it anymore. She felt suffocated and her blood was hot. She was ready to fight.

She slammed a mic from a reporter who placed it in front of her and she pushed a camera which fell and broke.

"I won't say this again," she yelled. "Get out of the way. I want to go to my office this instant. GET. LOST. NOW! " She screamed with all her strength. The veins in her neck were clearly popping out as she yelled every single words with authority.

Like magic, they created a narrow space. She saw the entrance door at the opposite end. She flipped her hair and began to count her step towards the door. She walked with pride as Thelma followed with downcast eyes. When they got in, the receptionist shut the door.

"Go! The CEO wants to talk to you two" she said quickly. Her shoulder heaved as she try to catch her breathe. She had said everything in a rush.

With speed, Thelma pulled Theresa and they ran straight to his office. At the hallway, they heard crashing of glasses, books and any metal. They rushed into the office only to find Alex trashing the place. He was groaning with gritted teeth. All his veins were clear at that point. He was furious that he broke a small glass table in the office.

"Sir, what are you doing?" Thelma ran to him and held his arm. He was bleeding at his knuckles due to the force he used to break the table.

"He has lost it!" Theresa exclaimed and rolled her eyes. She folded her arms over her chest and watched.

"What are you doing? Get a first aid kit" Thelma  shrieked.

Why is she so worried about him? Let him bleed beside he is the one that hurt himself, Theresa thought.

Suddenly, Alex shoved Thelma aside. "I don't need a first aid kit. I'm fine. I don't need your help"

"Theresa, get it. He's bleeding profusely" Thelma ordered.

"Are you deaf? He said he doesn't need it" Theresa shrugged.

"Aargh! I'll get it myself. It's a waste of time to send you," Thelma mumbled. Theresa heard her but overlooked it.

"Alex, what's happening? I don't understand?" Theresa fixed her gaze on him. Her eyes darted to his bleeding fist. His blood dripped as he clenched his knuckles till they were white.

"My assumption was right. You don't watch the news" he yelled with his deep voice.

Theresa's eyes widened and she looked at him. She was thinking of a comeback when he signalled her to switch on the television. She picked the remote, switched it on and she saw the headlines.

'R&L building and construction company is a big fraudster'.

'Investors have confirmed this. The CEO is the leader of all their fraudulent acts . All investors have abandoned the company'.

Her glare traveled with unnerving thoroughness. She clenched her jaw and shifted her angry glare to Alex. Thelma ran into the office with a first aid Kit and a man beside her. Alex gnashed his teeth and his brows furrowed as his mouth turned grim.

"I said I'm fine. Why did you call my doctor?"

"I didn't. He came on his own" she replied.

The man walked up to Alex and began to dress his wounds. "I came on my own. I knew you were going to do something silly" he uttered.

They heard a knock and a tall good-looking man on a red suit strolled in with an older man beside him.

"Surprise!" he said as he walked close to them. Alex stood up abruptly but was pulled down by the doctor.

"Control yourself!" he warned him.

"It would be rude of me if I do not introduce myself. I'm Anthony Russo. Your awesome and winning competitor" the man on red suit chuckled. He had a goatee around his chin and a long black hair that he packed as a ponytail. "I see you have hurt yourself. If only you committed suicide, it will be good because your existence in this world is a pain in the butt".

"Hey!" Theresa snapped, held her hand in the air and narrowed her brown eyes at him. "And who are you to speak like that?"

"Wow! Feisty! I like you already!" he chuckled and stroked his goatee.

"I will wipe those words from your mouth with a slap. Who the heck are you?" she demanded and placed her hand on her hip.

"I see you have not been told. I am your archenemy, nightmare and biggest fear" he proclaimed and waggled his brows.

Thelma frowned and asked, "Meaning?"

"Whoa! You guys are dumb. Can't you figure it out? I am the one who sabotaged your business. Now it is crumbling" a cynical laughter left his lips.

Alex stood up and stretched his hand in an attempt to strangle Anthony but the doctor pulled him back.

"Let me also introduce my right hand man, my lawyer and also my right hand woman..." he pointed at some individuals behind him and laughed. "Sorry, my right hand... woman, Vivian. Please come in"

Vivian walked in swaying her hips. She held her head up high and gave mischievous smirk, "Hi!"

With a slacked-jaw, Thelma exclaimed "You?"

"Oh, Thelma! Are you surprised...because I'm not," Theresa jeered. "I always suspected that lady. Always did!"

"Pfft!" Vivian scoffed.

"You can always smell a rat. Most especially ones that look and act like it" Theresa added and eyed Vivian with a look of disgust.

Alex's mouth also dropped. He didn't even understand his life again. "How did this happen under my watch?" he mumbled. Now, he wasn't angry. He felt betrayed and ready to defeat Anthony. "It's time to completely eliminate that fool" he raged.