Chapter 4

Maxwell's POV

"What is this?!" I roared furiously while staring at the papers in my hands.

"I asked for you to propose a new project, not make me go bankrupt. Can you be any more daft?" I yelled at my employees. It had been two weeks since I requested for a new layout and this is what they brought me?

"We're sorry sir. It must have been an oversight." Janice, my assistant, spoke up. She was trembling. Amusing.

"Oversight?! Any mistake that adds an additional $10 million is not an oversight. What were you, drunk? I will give you one more chance. If you try this again, I will make sure none of you are hired by any other firm in this state, after I fire you." I said firmly, a chill tone in my voice. I meant every word.

I stood up and left the meeting room, leaving them to ponder on what I just said. Surely, they'll sit up now. The mistake was obvious, a miscalculation of figures. Next time they'll double check. I slowly rubbed my temples. Being a CEO of such a big company wasn't easy. I needed a drink. 4pm, my wristwatch said. I decided to leave the office when my secretary sent a message.

"Sir, your wife dropped a package for you." She said on the phone. My mood instantly got worse. Wife. Yeah right.

"Throw it away." I told her as I walked past her desk. She stared at me for a while. "Didn't you get that?" I said coldly.

"R-right away sir." She stood up, on her way to dispose of it.

"And throw out any other ones she sends." I instructed before shutting my office door.

Hannah Smith. Ridiculous. I already warned her to stop sending me lunch, now packages. I wonder what was in it. A "Please treat me right" card, or a cake, even cookies. Stupid woman. I laughed in my head. Another reason to yell at her tonight then.

I slid into my black Mercedes AMG and headed to the Luminar Lounge, I needed to get drunk badly. And a hoe for tonight too. It's been a while since I fucked.

***

"Ahhh..."

"Oh fuck yes......give it to me..." The slut I picked from the bar moaned as I rammed in and out of her, releasing all my frustrations.

"Quiet down bitch." She was a little too loud. I had to cover her mouth with my hands as I kept stroking. Slowly, then quicker. I kept this pace until I couldn't anymore. I increased my strokes. Her moans got louder, not that I cared anymore. Harder....faster....deeper until I came. I put on my clothes and threw a wad of cash on her body. She laid on the bed, lifeless. Maybe I fucked her a little too hard. I smirked and left her in the hotel.

As I drove home, my mind wandered. Mom...Dad... Hannah... Julia... I quickly pulled over and shut my eyes. Her pictures flashed in my head. Julia. Young vibrant Julia. My first and probably only love. I had fallen deeply for her and wanted to get married but my parents didn't approve because of their silly feud with her parents. I was weak. I should have retaliated. I had the power. The money. I should have taken her somewhere safe. She's gone now. How they persuaded me to marry that brat Hannah on the other hand, I didn't understand. I would never acknowledge her as my wife.

I pulled into the driveway and stared at my house. Servants moving in and out, the dogs barking occasionally, the security guards their darting eyes everywhere, alert as ever. It was harmony, like a well-oiled engine, each part working perfectly well. Only on the outside. I alighted from the car and walked inside.

"Welcome sir, good evening." The servants chorused as I walked through the living room and made my way upstairs.

"Dinner will be ready in 20 minutes." I heard Holly say before I shut my room door. Where was Hannah? I didn't see her outside, and she wasn't in any other room. I know she's not still out, It's 7pm. Usually she'd be out here bothering me to tell her about my day. Or pushing me to have a shower. Oh well, peace and quiet, at least. I went to take a shower.

At the dining table, I still didn't see Hannah. Was she actually still out? It wasn't my nature to care, but I had gotten used to her presence.

"Holly, where is Hannah?" I questioned, carefully tending to the croutons on my plate.

"She asked to take dinner in her room, sir." She replied bluntly.

I raise my brow in surprise. She never does that. "Okay." She was at home, that's all I needed to hear.

After dinner, I walked into my study. I still had some unfinished work to do. My cell rang. Rufus, one of my estate managers.

"Sir, a client reached out to me about the properties on the Northeast side of the city. There's something odd about his deal." He said the moment I picked up the phone.

"And you're telling me this why?" I queried. It was unusual.

"He's offering $200 million for two of them." He replied. I understood why he called. That's an outrageous amount for a property in a remote location. He was desperate.

"Who is he?" I asked.

"The man goes by the name of Greg. That's all we know sir." Hmm. Something's off.

"He didn't provide any ID?"

"No sir."

"Sell it to him." I said before dropping the call. I've had odd clients before. This one would probably be no different. Plus, more money for me.

I got bored of looking at my laptop and Hannah came into my mind again. Why am I thinking about her?