Five

Chapter 5

It’s almost 6 pm and the notorious business owners in the country are invited to attend the most awaited event for tonight. The 65^th anniversary of Mavro’s Company will be held inside the prominent hotel in the center of New York City. Everyone is anticipating the event because they see it as an opportunity to widen their connections in business industry.

Jacob have been preparing for this event, he wants this to be special and he wants everyone to remember who he is and how successful he became. Mavro’s company is the legacy of his father who died in a car crash when he was 18, and he wants everyone to realize that he can handle the business without his dad.

When Jacob arrived at the venue, almost everyone turned to look at him. He flashed a smile for the camera and greeted the audience. He wears a dark-colored navy suit and tie together with a navy trousers. He went around the venue and engaged with small talks with the guests.

“Sir, we will start the event now,” Kate, his secretary whispered behind him.

Kate has an emerald eyes and a pear blonde wavy hair. She is carrying a black purse that matches her black dress for the evening.

Jacob turned to look at her. “You’re dazzling tonight,” he whispered.

She smiled at him. “Thank you.”

Kate have been working for him for a couple of years now and she cannot deny the fact that she loved working with him, especially when they are doing personal business together.

He instructed her to follow him and she obliged. Jacob kept glancing around to see if anyone is watching him but relieved to see that the eyes of people are busy with their own companions. They reached a private room and opened its door.

He started kissing her on the neck as soon as he made sure that the door is locked.

“Sir, the event will be starting soon,” she said huskily.

Jacob did not listen and continued on kissing her until his lips moves down her chest. He looked at it and squeeze her breast.

“We really have to go now, sir,” she said between her moans.

Jacob asked her to turn her back and she obliged. He was about to unzip the zipper of her dress at the back when they heard a knock on the door.

“Anybody there?” a voice from outside called.

“Damn it!” Jacob blurted out.

“I’m Jacob Mavro, I just need this room for a minute. I’ll be out shortly.” He responds.

There was silence at the other side of the door.

“Okay, sir. Take your time,” a voice said after a while.

“I’ll go first, follow me after five minutes so we won’t look suspicious,” he said and kissed her lips before opening the door.

“Sorry sir, did I disturb you?” a staff said when he opened the door.

“No, it’s okay. I was just answering a phone call inside,” he reasoned out.

The staff was about to enter the room when Jacob pressed his shoulder.

The staff look at him confusedly. “Why, sir?” he asked gently.

“Will you lead me to the restroom? I have been trying to find it,” Jacob asked casually.

“Sure, sir. This way.”

Jacob followed the staff and glanced at the door once more.

He was certain that they won’t get caught because this is not the first time it happened and he is used to it. He actually finds it more challenging whenever something like this happens.

He thanked the staff when they have reached the restroom. He fixed his tie and made sure that he looks decent and respectable before making his way out of the room and greet the guests again.

“Where have you been, Mr. Mavro?” a man in his 60s who is one of the board member of the company asks him.

“I just answered an important phone call, Mr. Rodriguez,” he said and saw Kate in the corner of his eye talking to someone.

He glanced at his wrist watch and prepared himself for his speech.

“Good evening, ladies and gentleman!” everybody’s attention turned to the stage and listened to the host of the night.

“Thank you all for clearing your schedule and making time to attend this event tonight,” the host continued.

He introduced the Mavro’s company and gave a little background about it, then proceeded on calling its CEO.

“And now, let me present to you, the CEO of Mavro’s company, Jacob Mavro!” the host announced and the crowd greeted him with cheers and applause.

Jacob walked towards the stage while waving at the guest with a smile.

He stood in front of important businessmen who came to witness the event for the 65^th anniversary of the company.

He waited for the applause to die down before finally speaking.

“Good evening, everyone. Thank you for coming here tonight despite your busy schedules. Tonight is a very special night, not just to me, but also for my father who poured his life on growing and running this company,” he stopped talking for a second and look up as if remembering his father.

“Dad, I hope that you are proud of me and to who I’ve become. I owe all of my success to you and I wouldn’t have done this without your guidance when I was a child. To my father,” he said and raised his glass. Everyone in the crowd also raised theirs and toast with him.

He smiled and started to talk again about how grateful he is for everyone who supported his journey. He never mentioned Howard, his brother, in his speech. He invited him to come because he don’t want to start a rumor that he is neglecting to attend the CEO of Clemente Industry who is also known as his greatest competitor. There are only few people who knew about his real relationship with Howard and he wished not to let anyone know that he is his brother.

“My dad died when I was young and it was the most tragic memory I ever had, but I live to preserve what he started. I live to continue his legacy,” he said smoothly.

“And now, in order to remember and commemorate the memories of my father, the late Steven Mavro, I would like to present this video presentation I have made myself. Steven Mavro, everyone!”

The crowd cheered and clapped for a moment then grew silence to watch what will be presented.  After a while, a video flashed on the screen and it shows an image of a man in a business suit with a lettering beside him. “The late Steven Mavro”, then the video suddenly went black.

The audience were perplexed about what is happening, the screen was black for almost half a minute then starting playing again, but instead of being glad, the gossip and confused expression of the audience took over the silence. There was no Steven Mavro in the screen, there’s only Jacob and his naked secretary making out inside his office.

Some young businessman who attended the party laugh at what they saw but grew silence upon realizing that it is a serious matter.

“This is ridiculous! Jacob, what the hell is this?!” someone yelled from the crowd. Everyone can’t believe what they were seeing.

The video is still playing on the background and the soft moans coming from him and his secretary embodied the whole room.

“Shut it down, shut it down!” Jacob ordered furiously and the staffs immediately found a way to turned off the video but couldn’t.

“What is happening?” the head of the security team furiously asked the staff who is managing the video presentation.

“Someone invaded the system, sir. We couldn’t determine how to turn it off.”

“That’s nonsense! You were the one who played it!”

“Fuck this!” Jacob said in exasperation and kicked the chair beside him.

Everyone in the room doesn’t understand what’s going on but one thing is for sure, Jacob will have an exhausted night waiting for him.

At the back of the crowd, a woman wearing an elegant black cocktail dress watched as the venue turned into chaos. Natasha watched with no visible expression in her face. She looked at the exasperated face of Jacob and wonder what his next move would be.

“Are you sure you want to keep on doing this?” she didn’t notice that Howard have approached her.

“I’m only showing the world who he really is,” she stood up and grab her bag.

“Want to grab a drink with me?” Harold asked when she sensed that Natasha’s already preparing to leave.

She looked at him, he wears a formal black business suit and he turned his hair into ash gray which matches his light brown skin tone.

“What?” he asked.

“I like the new color of your hair,” she said smoothly.

He caressed his hair with his fingers shyly.

She smiled, but it was not an enthusiastic one. There is pain inside her.

“So… where do you want to go?” he asks, wanting to just wipe the sadness in her smile if only he could.

They wouldn’t still able to turn off the video and Natasha felt uncomfortable hearing the soft moans coming from her ex-boyfriend and his secretary.

Her eyes searched for Jacob and watched his frustrated face.

“Anywhere, just not here.” she tells Howard and led the way out of the venue.

He followed her silently, not saying anything or asking anymore questions until they reached their cars in the parking lot.