The New CEO
The next day, in the evening, seated on the bed, in her room, Kendra's mind wondered in thought to what Douglas said to her yesterday. It was a few hours before the night event.
What did he mean by he wants her? At first, she thought he could be taking her as a mere commodity but when she began to think deep, she understood what he actually meant, and still left in shock.
Could it be that he had been waiting for her for the past four years?
Kendra spent some hours of the night researching his company, and it turned out Douglas was doing pretty well in his real estate business with international recognition.
There was no way he could want her because of material gain from her family. So, what could be his motive behind this marriage? These thoughts were clouded in her head.
She was quickly jolted out of her reverie by a sudden knock at the door. “Please, come in,” she said, turning to the door. It opened, revealing Allison who held a box in her hand, walking towards Kendra with a smile on her face.
“What is that, girl? Why are you smiling like you’ve won a lottery?” Kendra asked, and Allison stretched out the box to her. Kendra narrowed her eyebrows, clueless about what that was all about.
“It’s a gift from Mr. Nelson.” Allison winked at her sister and Kendra's eyes widened again.
“We aren’t married yet, and he is already sending me gifts?” Kendra said and dropped the little mirror she was holding.
Kendra asked her sister to open the box as she wondered what could be the content. Her eyes widened in shock and her hand flew to cover her mouth.
It was a gown – a beautiful blue gown. She joyfully pulled the gown out of the box. A note fell from it to the floor. She picked it up and read:
“Dear wife, I would love to see you in this gown at tonight’s event. As the CEO, you deserve all the eyes on you tonight.
Your love, Douglas.”
Her heart melted at his words not knowing when she reeled with a smile. She dramatically took off the clothes she was wearing and slid into the new gown.
It was as if her measurements were taken to make it. It was beautiful on her, accentuating her curves in all the right places.
“You look stunning, Kendra,” Allison gushed.
“Thank you,” Kendra replied, still staring at herself in the mirror. Allison helped her arranged her hairs and her legs with a silver heel, a good match for the blue gown.
“Have you gone through the list of the guests yet?” She asked, and Allison nodded.
“Yes, and you can’t believe it. Bianca is going to come, and since she is your ex-husband’s new chick – “
“He will come to the event with her.” Kendra completed the sentence. They both laughed hilariously.
She picked the divorce papers from the bed which she signed last night after giving it much thoughts. She was entering a new phase of life – one in which she didn’t want any stinky gold diggers around. With a smile, she dropped the papers inside her bag, giving a smirk.
……………………………..
Kendra and Allison arrived the company, walking and looking around like the first ladies of the city.
The place was filled to the brim with different businessmen and women. Some were in a heated discussion, while others just made connections, with glasses of wine in their hands.
It was obvious most of them didn’t know Kendra in person. They only knew her father had two daughters.
Some only barely knew Allison and of course, they must had been expecting her to be the new CEO to be announced tonight. What a joke!
Kendra scanned through the crowd, hoping to see Douglas, but he seemed to be nowhere around. She wanted to send her appreciation for the gown. She was still looking around when a strange hand tapped her shoulder from behind.
“Kendra?”
She turned only to behold the presence of Philip, and just as expected, his hand was wrapped with that of Bianca.
Bianca scanned her from head to toe with her eyes snorted.
“I almost didn’t recognize you. What the heck are you doing here? Are you probably a servant to one of these influential men?” Philip asked, mockery dripping from his tone.
“Oh, goodness! She even borrowed a dress to fit in. Or did she steal it because there is no way she can afford this dress!” Bianca said, laughing out loud.
“Are you done?” Kendra asked the two mockers, and they blinked at her. “Not everyone is a broke ass nigga like the two of you. This dress can buy you two, so watch your stinking mouth.” Kendra threw back at them and turned to leave, but Bianca held her hand.
“I’d let go of that hand if I were you.”
They all turned towards the direction of the baritone voice. There stood Douglas Nelson.
Kendra observed he was dressed in a black suit and was even hotter than yesterday. Could it be because he gelled his hair or something else?
Bianca quickly let go of Kendra's hand and beamed at Douglas.
“We were just sorting some issues out, Mr. Nelson,” she tried to explain, but he said nothing and held Kendra's hand as he took her from there.
They both immediately halted. Douglas looked at her for a while, taking in her beautiful figure. “You look stunning.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ears.
“Thanks. You look good too. And thanks for the dress. I deeply love it – the color is catchy,” Kendra smiled at him.
Douglas was about to say something when the sound of the mic stole their attention as they faced the stage.
“Ladies and gentlemen, before the event begins, I’d like to introduce you all to the new CEO of Winchester Enterprises. Let’s make welcome Winchester Heiress, Kendra Winchester!”
The hall thundered with applause.
“Now, that’s you,” Douglas said, turning to Kendra, beaming a beautiful smile. “I’m proud of you.”
“Thank you,” Kendra said, returning the smile as she made her way to the stage. The clapping increased and cameras flashed in different directions as they tried to get a shot of her.
She got to the stage, taking in the overwhelming sight of the crowd, she gave a slight bow.
“Hello, everyone. I am Kendra Winchester, Heiress to the Winchester Enterprises and now the CEO!” She announced, and the claps intensified.
Kendra's eyes went to Bianca and Philip, whose eyes were wide in shock.
That was exactly what she wanted!
She has risen and no longer the lady they looked down on.
Now it was time to make them pay for all they did to her!
Kendra looked at Brian and he nodded vigorously, which made her shiver. “Philip?” She said softly, almost in a whisper. “Oh, yes, Mom. Uncle Philip was very kind to me, he almost ran over me with his car but he managed to swerve and stopped the car just in time then he alighted to check if I was alright.” Kendra's mind was reeling. Philip? Here? After all these years? She breathed in deeply as she tried to calm herself down. “Mrs. Winston,” she called the nanny. ”How could you allow this to happen? Brian could have been injured badly.” “Oh, Ms. Winchester, I am so sorry. You see, he was playing with his friends and the next thing he is running towards the street, and before I know it, I was struggling to catch up with him.” '‘What am I paying you fo r?!’ Kendra said, her fear translated to anger. ”I handed over my son to you and you were meant to protect him!” “Mom, please do not be angry with Nanny,” Brian pleaded, pulling her hand gently. ‘'It was my fault, I saw a pupp
Philip's POVI was standing in front of the mirror adjusting my tie. Today, something seemed to be off, but I couldn't quite think of what it was. My phone vibrated breaking me from the train of my thoughts. “Mr. Brooks,” Adrian’s voice came through the speaker, “I think the board is panicking now, the sales are down and they want an emergency meeting, like, now. ” “Christ,” I said aloud, as I raked my fingers through my thinning hair. ”I’ll be there in twenty.“ Taking the keys, I ran out of the house with streams of thoughts in my head. It could not be this bad, could it? We used to dominate the market for quite a number of years. This could only have been a blip, right? Staring off into space, I nearly ran into a kid. I hastily held the brakes and shuddered at the close proximity that nearly claimed th child's life. '‘Bloody hell!’' I cursed as I slammed the car into the park and got out. "Hey, kid! You okay?" The boy then raised his eyes towards me and I could see he was on
Kendra’s POVI lost my breath the moment I heard Brian utter that name – Philip. A name that I had tried so hard to leave in the past, a name that I had wanted to wipe off my memory. But there it was, rearing its ugly head once more, and from my own son’s mouth at that. I got engrossed in my mind when I heard two young ladies talking near the door of the conference room. “I heard that Mr. Brooks,” one of them said to the other. ”Some people said he owes his employees several months of unpaid salaries.”‘‘Oh, really?’’ The other one said, ‘’I am not surprised. A friend of mine in the account section told me that he always boasts of firing anyone who dares to question his authority.” ‘’Oh well, typical Philip Brooks,” The first woman said. “He just likes to bully people around with his muscles but he cannot even pay his workers their salaries when due.” This made me shiver with cold blood. Philip Brooks – it could not be the same one, could it? I muttered to myself, annoyed by my
Philip’s POV I was at my desk, head resting on my hands, staring at the piles of financial statements that lay before me, wondering how things had got this out of hand. I remember we were on the top and enjoying our success and now... bankruptcy? It didn't seem possible. A knock on the door brought me out of my spin cycle of anxiety. “Come in,” I said as calmly as I could despite the stress building up in me. Lillian, my secretary, leaned in through the door. ”Hello, Mr. Brooks, the conference room is free and available for the meeting. Right. The meeting. I'd almost forgotten. “Thanks, Lil I will be there shortly.” I sighed, adjusted my tie, and left for the conference. When I entered the conference room, it was quite evident that the heads of departments were stressed up. Everyone was looking at me with the expectation to deliver answers I was not certain I had. “Okay, everyone,” I said, attempting to sound much more certain than I actually was. '‘There will be no ne
Ghosts and GamblesAs Philip drove into the casino parking lot, his thoughts were a blur of whiskey and what-ifs. He got out of the car and left the door open with the aimlessness in his eyes that comes with worry and the sense of seeing a familiar figure. This silhouette could only belong to a woman he regretted ever leaving.Kendra. His ex-wife. The woman whom he had treated so despicably. “Kendra?” he tried to call her name but it died off in his throat. As he moved closer to her, his phone rang loudly in his pocket with a disturbing tone. When he reached in to pull it out, the ghost was no longer there. "Yeah?" he answered gruffly. Phil! Where the hell are you, man?” Jacobs’ voice came through the speaker. “The game’s about to begin!” Philip touched his temples and scolded himself for daydreaming. “Yes, I’m on my way.” It was a sea of lights, the blinks from the slot machines, and the sound of low voices and dreams being lost and dreams being made. Philip tried to move and
Philip’s POVTo my surprise, I literally could not believe what I was seeing. And there she was, Kendra – my ex-wife – pictured on every television and in every magazine. The woman I’d so callously tossed aside was now a global icon, a self-made billionaire. I felt a lump in my throat as I came to the terrifying reality of what I did wrong. “How the hell did you get these?” I whispered to Adrian. Adrian looked at me and raised his shoulders. “It’s all over the media, man, she is all over the media!” I sat down at the table, the burden of the past deeds weighing down on me heavily Jacobs my friend and a business partner frowned at me in silence. ”That’s her, isn’t it?” Jacobs finally spoke. "Your ex-wife?" I looked down ashamed and just nodded. Jacobs huffed deeply, irritated. ‘’You’re one complete and utter fool, Philip. Why did you do that?’’ “I was…” I said, rubbing the back of my head. “I was young, silly, and had no idea what I was doing. I was pursuing something I beli
Kendra’s POVThis was unbelievable. My past had come back to haunt me like an express train and I was knocked sideways by it. Philip. Of all the people in this large city, it had to be him who almost ran over my son with his car. Isn’t it quite amusing how the universe can be quite cruel at times? I felt overwhelmed with a lot of things going round and round in my head, as I walked around my office. How did he end up here? Why now, when all that was left in my life seemed to be working so well? Sometimes I got to the point where I was ready to burst if I didn’t talk to someone. Pulling out my phone, I dialed the digits to reach Grace. I could hardly control my fingers when the phone rang and I waited for her to answer the call. “Hello Kendy!” Grace said in a very friendly tone. “Grace, I... I need to talk. Can you come over?” I said in a weak tone that clearly showed my feelings. I think she heard something in my voice because the next thing I knew, Grace’s voice switch to worri
Philip’s POVOne name I couldn’t seem to get off my mind – Kendra. Even after all these years, she was there, looking more beautiful and successful than I knew her. And our son... I had a son, oh God! The burden of my sins bore down on me as if a ton of bricks were placed on my head. I walked back and forth in my hotel room and raked my fingers through my hair one more time. I had to talk to her, to ask for forgiveness, to compensate in some way, for what happened between us. But how? She had probably told me she did not wish to have anything to do with me. “Get a grip, Philip,” I said to myself out loud. “It’s gonna be okay.“ I took my phone surfing the internet for the contact line KEDIS Cosmetics. My finger was resting on the pad that was going to initiate the call. Was this too much? Too soon? But the image of my son – our son went through my mind and before I could change my mind, I hit the call button. “Hello, this is KEDIS Cosmetics, how may I help you?” a friendly voice r
It was a quiet, perfect morning, with Brian playing nearby, his cheerful laughter filling the room as he built an elaborate castle out of blocks. There was a serenity that lingered in the air, a peacefulness that spoke of dreams realized and hopes fulfilled.Kendra leaned her head against Philip's shoulder, letting out a contented sigh. "If you'd told me a few years ago that we'd be sitting here like this, I wouldn't have believed it," she murmured, a smile playing at her lips. "Sometimes it still feels like a dream.Philip wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close as he looked down at her. "Well, if this is a dream, I never want to wake up," he replied softly. "We've been through so much, Kendra. And to come out on the other side like this… with you, with Brian… it's everything I could have ever wanted."They sat in comfortable silence, watching Brian place another block in his castle, the furrows deepening across his little brow. Philip chuckled low in his throat at the determ
Philip fidgeted, his hands clenching and unclenching as he felt the weight of Douglas’s intense gaze. The murmur of the crowd grew louder as all eyes in the room turned to Douglas, Philip, and Kendra, awaiting a confrontation. Philip drew a breath, willing himself to stay calm, to stand his ground.Just as Kendra began to step forward, moving protectively in front of Philip, Douglas raised his hand and offered Philip a warm, unexpected smile.Philip froze, surprised, while the crowd held its breath, awaiting the worst.But then, much to the surprise of all present, Douglas reached out his hand to Philip, the smile on his face not feigned. "Congratulations, Philip," he said in that steady voice of his, his gaze clear. "You have shown bravery and true love toward Kendra. And now, you have in your life the most hardworking, creative, and beautiful woman on this earth."There was a collective expiration of breath from the crowd; a few gasps ran through the room amongst the guests. Phi
Philip's heart almost stopped as he waited, eyes fixed on Kendra's face for a reaction.Time froze, the world collapsing to just these two in that one hot instant.Then, as if time started up again in one glorious ebullient burst, Kendra's lips split into a bright, beaming smile, her eyes welling up in tears."Yes," she said in a soft tone yet full of conviction. "Yes, Philip, I'll marry you."A collective "Whoo." went up from the guests, and the balcony erupted into applause. Philip's heart soared as he slipped the ring onto her finger; the mixture of relief and overjoyed feelings mingled in a warm embrace as Kendra pulled him close. It was a sea of laughter and congratulatory shouts that filled the air, as family and friends closed in, each one swooping in to be part of the celebration.Philip leaned in close and whispered, "You've made me the happiest man alive."Kendra laughed, her eyes shining bright. "I'm the one who's lucky, Philip. I never thought this kind of happiness woul
Applause filled the room, and Kendra and Philip smiled in pride over shared success. It was after months of planning, negotiation, and sleepless nights that their companies were merged into one, something that to them meant much more than business. This was a pledge for a new future-to be together, in every word's sense.Philip inclined toward Kendra, speaking in a low tone, but the undertones of pride were unmistakable. "We did it," he whispered, the sparks in his eyes telling volumes about the excitement inside him." "I always knew we could, but standing here with everyone, seeing it actually happen, it's even better than I'd imagined."Kendra's smile spread wide, and her heart swelled big with pride and affection. "It isn't just business anymore," she whispered back."This is our life now. I never thought I'd feel this way again, hopeful, excited… like we're creating something that's ours in every way."They stood in the center of the boardroom, surrounded by team members and cl
Philip’s fingers tightened around the note, his eyes scanning the familiar handwriting once more, as if a second read would change the words scrawled across the paper. That casual, cryptic message struck a cold knot in his stomach, and he knew Kendra felt it too.Kendra's gaze darted between the note and Philip's face, her expression a mixture of concern and irritation. "Do you… do you know who this is from?" she asked, though the tenor of her tone was suggestive that indeed she did have her suspicions. She just needed him to confirm it.Philip exhaled loudly, folding the note as he met her gaze, the name catching in his throat like a bad taste. "It's… Bianca," he admitted quietly, tension lacing his voice. "It's her handwriting. I'd recognize it anywhere."Bianca's name had Kendra tense up, a mixture of anger and hurt crossing her face.What does she want now?" she asked, her voice shaking with the weight of Bianca's return weighing on her mind. "Why can't she just leave us alone?
Kendra took a deep breath across from Douglas as she felt the heaviness of their shared history settle between them. This meeting had been a long time coming; an opportunity to say goodbye to a past that once had promised comfort but had never fitted her. She looked at him now, a pang of sadness in her heart and deep resolve to shut this chapter finally.The silence was broken first by Douglas, his voice firm yet soft. "I suppose this is it, then?" he softly asked, as if he also had finally reconciled himself with what was about to happen.Kendra nodded, her lips tugging into a sad sweet smile. "Yes, I think it is," she replied, keeping her voice warm, though a part of her did feel a little bit sad. "We've come a long way, Douglas. But… it's time for both of us to move on. We deserve that."Douglas leaned back, running a hand through his hair, and gave her a faint smile. "You know, when I think back, I will always be thankful for the time we had. You helped me grow, even if it did
“Kendra, we need to talk,” Douglas said, his voice firm but almost pleading, as he caught up with her outside her office building. She'd just got to work, barely recovered from the shock of Bianca's sudden coming back into her life, and here was Douglas, pushing all that urgency she had just tried to leave behind.She clutched at her bag a bit more tightly and watched him steadily on his face while she waited for him to continue."Kendra," he started all over again this time with so much softer a tone, "I simply cannot stand by and watch you go back to Philip. You know his history as well as I do; he's proved time and time again that he can't be trusted."She frowned, clearly not in the mood to hear yet another lecture. "And I have already told you, Douglas, I know about his past. But things are different now. He has changed and we're rebuilding our life together not only for us but for Brian."Douglas exhaled and ran a hand through his hair, frustration fairly evident. "But that's j
The sun was beginning to dip lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the beach as Kendra and Philip moved from stand to stand, asking every person they passed if they had seen a little boy fitting Brian's description. The fear clutching Kendra's heart deepened with each shake of a head and sympathetic "No, I'm sorry."Her voice broke each time she had to repeat Brian's description to yet another family. "He's seven, dark curly hair, he was wearing a blue T-shirt, small white anchor on the front," she managed to get out, her throat tight each time the boy's name came from her lips.The mother of the group cast Kendra a sympathetic glance at her clutches of children clinging to her sides. "I'm so sorry," she said, the softness in her voice sincere. "I haven't seen him, but I can keep an eye out. I can't even imagine how scared you must be.".Philip laid a steadying hand on Kendra's shoulder, gave it a brief, encouraging squeeze as they passed on to the next group.His own fear
Kendra's voice cracked as she yelled out Brian's name, her eyes scanning the crowds with growing desperation. She and Philip had searched most of the campgrounds already, going stand to stand and calling out, but there was no sign of their son. With each corner that turned up empty, that knot of fear in her chest pulled tighter, her breaths coming in shallow gasps."Brian!" she cried again, her voice cracking, as if the very weight of her fear might somehow will him back.Philip leaned into her and laid a soothing squeeze on her shoulder. "Stay calm, Kendra. He's around here somewhere; I know it."But she could see the concern etched across his face, his eyes darting to and fro on the beach just about as frantically as hers were.Kendra bit back the welling tears, holding it in, but the panic bubbling inside her was getting too big not to let loose.A group of families nearby glanced over at them, taking note of their worried looks. One parent was a kind-faced woman with two childr