2. A new CEO?

★JENNIE★

"A-nty Jennie, I want cornflakes."

I tore my gaze away from my phone and looked down at my adorable four-year-old sister, Joanna. She meant the whole world to me and I don't mind going through hell and back, just to make sure she is always doing fine. 

"Okay baby." I caressed her chubby cheeks and whisked her into my arms, out of my bedroom door to the dining table. Slowly and gently, I set her on the table right beside me and picked up a bowl. "Jo baby, tell Aunty when it's to your fill, okay?"

She nodded. "Okay."

Smiling, I poured the cornflakes into the bowl, only to find out that we had already run out of it and my brows laced with disappointment. Looking straight at Joanna, her lips pursed and I could see the tears pooling in her eyes. One thing about my lovely sister right here is that if she wants something, she doesn't stop until she gets it. 

And Joanna is very fragile. Aside from being a sickle cell anemic patient, she also suffers from asthma attacks. For now, it wasn't that severe so I always made sure to keep her inhaler right in the knitted purse hung around her neck. 

The doctor said as long as I kept her away from smoke and dust, she will be sixty percent fine. Sometimes, I wished Joanna wasn't the one that carried all the detrimental health issues from our parents. Mom and dad had me at the early stage of their marriage and it was only after nineteen freaking years, God blessed them with Joanna. 

"Let's go to the grocery store and get another pack of cornflakes, milk, and your favorite biscuits, what do you say?"

Joanna squealed happily. If she wasn't sitting at the table right now, I knew she would be jumping around for joy. So I carried her gently to stand on her feet and dashed into my room to get some money. 

I picked up my cellphone and stared at the chat with Mr anonymous. Ever since the splendid sex we had that night, he hasn't contacted me or sent me a text. 

Feeling quite used and taken advantage of, I heaved a sigh. He could have at least asked if I got home that night. Why are men like this though? 

I shrugged off the weird thought and feelings away from my mind and picked up my purse from the bedside table. Without further ado, I dashed out of my room only to meet Ma'am Evelyn walking back in with my Dad. 

Ma'am Evelyn was my late both best friend. My mother on the other hand died three years ago, leaving me to cater for my baby sister and my sick father. Dad was diagnosed with a brain tumor a couple of months ago and the burden of sorting out his surgery bills rests on my shoulders. 

"Hi, ma'am Evelyn," I said with a wide smile as she made her way through the front door, guiding my dad alongside.

"Jennie." She breathed, then she helped my dad slowly to sit on the sofa. "Today was hectic. Doctor says we have to admit him soon and begin to process for his surgery or else, we might lose him." 

I walked over to my Dad and tilted his chin to face me. "I promise nothing bad will happen to you. I will make sure to get the money no matter what and no matter how, please hang in there." I squeezed his shoulder softly and tears brimmed my eyelashes.

To be honest, my family problems were weighing down on me. I do not have a single time for myself. Alas, that was why I intended to go for the one-night stand offers without thinking twice.

Joanna placed her hand into mine and stared at Dad with sympathy and pity in her eyes. She doesn't know much about him because Dad hardly speaks. When I asked the doctors to run a medical check-up on him, they said it was because he misses his mom so much. But in fact, all of us do. 

Mom was another backbone of the family. But when she got pregnant with Joanna, she began to face various ailments that couldn't be cured. They said her immune system could no longer fight back because she was also a sickle cell anemic patient. Dad spent every dime he had just to make sure she survives. 

But as fate would have it, she didn't. She died a year after giving birth to Joanna.

"Where are you off to?" Ma'am Evelyn asked, eyeing the purse in my hand. 

"Oh!" I gestured at Joanna. "I want to visit the grocery store and shop for Joanna. We ran out of cornflakes and milk." 

"And biscuit! " Joanna chipped in. 

I nodded. "Yes and biscuit." 

"Okay." Ma'am Evelyn dropped her handbag on the couch. "I will prepare something for us to eat. What do you say about pasta? " 

With a faint smile, I responded. "It's all fine. Anything goes with me." 

Having heard that, she dashed into the kitchen then Joanna and I walked out of the front door, going to the grocery store. 

"Hey, Jennie!" 

I looked up to see my best friend, Lauretta walking up to me with a sweet smile tugged at the corner of her lips. Lauretta and I have been friends for as long as I can remember. We attended the same high school and the same college. And now, we work as secretaries in the same company. I believed she was meant to be my twin, considering how our path was so entwined. 

"Hey Lauretta, what are you doing here?" 

She arched a brow at me. "Do I need permission to come to your house, Jennie?" 

I furrowed my brows and tossed my free hand in the air. "Of course not. It's just that today is Sunday and I wasn't expecting you." 

She ignored me and focused her attention on Joanna. "How is my beautiful princess doing?" She asked, combing her fingers through Joanna's long black hair. 

Joanna smiled at her. "I am fine, aunt Lauretta." She considered Lauretta her fairy godmother because she always bestowed her with gifts and toys and now wasn't an exception. 

I watched Lauretta bring out the fluffy elephant she hid behind her back all along. "I got this for you, I hope you like it."

Joanna squealed happily. "Thank you so much. I love it!" 

"What alphabet is for elephant, Joanna?"

Silence fell as Joanna tilted her chin as if she was in thought. "E for Elephant."

"That's good!" She handed over the stuffed toy to Joanna who took it with so much joy and happiness.

However, Lauretta finally returned her gaze to me and I mouthed a quick thank you to her. 

She twitched her lips. "She is also my sister, Jennie. I ought to do these things for her." she looked at us both with furrowed brows. "where are you guys off to?" 

I inhaled deeply and exhaled afterward. "We are going to the grocery store. Joanna wants cornflakes and we ran out of them." 

"Okay." she took Joanna's other free hand in hers. "Let me accompany you." 

Without further ado, we walked side by side to the grocery store. Then Lauretta broke the silence. "You have a new boss, Jennie."

Furrowing my brows in confusion, I stated. "I don't understand."

"Mr. Stanley has cancer and he was flown out of the country to India this morning. The president called me to inform you to clear out his table and prepare for his younger brother, your new boss."

"Wait what?" I gasped. "When did all of this happen? And why didn't you call me?" 

"Your cellphone wasn't connecting." She paused to look at the road before we could cross it. "And the new CEO arrives tomorrow. I have done the needful for you at the office but please, be punctual tomorrow. Because I heard he is very strict and he hardly smiles."

I nodded in response. "Okay."

We crossed into the grocery store. While I stood with the cashier, Lauretta and Joanna went to get what we came here for. I unlocked my phone and checked the chat between Mr anonymous and me once more. 

Deep down, a part of me hoped he would at least send me a single text, depicting how he felt about that night. And to be honest, I have never had anything like that before. I found myself craving for our sexual escapade to happen once again because I could not get enough of it.

Lauretta and Joanna walked back to my hand in hand, with the stuff they shop for and I issued the cashier my credit card to pay for everything. 

I mouthed a quick thank you to her. Then, Lauretta, Joanna, and I walked out of the grocery store, holding what we bought. 

My mind drifted to how work would be tomorrow at the office as we made our way back to the house. I hope the new CEO would be as nice as my previous boss. 

Yet, a part of me couldn't help but dread what tomorrow held install for me.