CHAPTER 5 The Heiress is Back

　　Sophia waltzed into the company with Gerald and her bodyguard on her heels. She had taken off the sunglasses and she tossed her blonde hair once again, aware of the image she projected.

　　Everyone knew Gerald, she was sure, but no one knew Sophia Blake – at least no one knew how she looked. But there were whispers, and she heard them. She smirked and entered the elevator that her bodyguard just opened for her.

　　Turning around, she kept the smirk on her face.

　　The heiress is back.

　　The elevator began its smooth ascent upwards.

　　While in the elevator, Gerald began to brief her about the meeting she was going into.

　　"You will be meeting with the board of Directors. That includes all heads of relevant divisions of the company such as the Chief Operations Officer, the Managing Director, the Chief Financial Officer, Head of Human Resources, and Editor-in-Chief of the Public Relations Department."

　　Sophia nodded in contemplation, a million thoughts flitting through her head.

　　"What is going on? I thought this was going to be a brief meeting so that they can know there's a new CEO. I didn't expect to meet all the think-tanks," she mused.

　　"Well, it's a bit more complicated than that. You'll see for yourself."

　　The elevator glided to a smooth stop and the doors slid open. Gerald and her bodyguard started to step out, but she called out, "Wait a moment."

　　The men looked back in puzzlement as she opened her purse, picked out a tube of red lipstick and applied it liberally on her full lips.

　　She brought out a small jewelled hand mirror and examined her reflection. When she was satisfied, she snapped it shut and smiled; a foxy, dangerous smile that Gerald counted on to win her an edge.

　　Knowing the people in the room, they would chew her up and spit her out if she didn't have a spine.

　　"Shall we?" she said, strutting out of the elevator and past them, her stilettos clicking on the polished marble floor.

　　Each step echoed, adding an ominousness to her arrival. She stopped in front of one of two doors on the whole floor, allowing her cousin to get the door for her. The more dominance she showed, the better.

　　There was chatter abuzz when the door opened, but the conference room went as silent as a pin when Sophia walked in, flanked by the – now former – acting CEO and a hulking man dressed in a dark suit. The ridge of a weapon bulged under his three-piece Armani, and his eyes glittered hard behind his sunglasses.

　　The hardness in his eyes could not hold a candle to the pure iciness and intelligence in the young lady's eyes.

　　Dressed in a well-cut black dress that hugged her slim, curvy form and reached just below her knees, she sat down with an elegance and flourish that was a product of grooming as much as it was inborn.

　　A cloud of alluring feminine fragrance followed her as she settled down, folding her manicured hands on her laps.

　　Her long, blond hair was swept back from a beautiful, angular face in a sleek ponytail.

　　Her artic blue eyes met each of the 5 pairs of eyes present in the room before she cleared her throat and smiled, "Gentlemen, shall we begin this meeting?"

　　Finally, the men in the room found their voices and began to murmur, turning the previously silent zone into something of a discussion.

　　She cleared her throat again, and the silence returned, "Shall we get to the order of the day?" she asked a bit more forcefully.

　　One of the men in the room stood up furiously, "Who the hell are you, young lady, walking into this highly confidential meeting, and acting like you're the owner?"

　　Sophia cocked her head, studying the man. Armani suit, a limited edition Rolex on his wrist, and his brown hair slicked back with silver at his temples. She casually looked down to the table, where a tag sat. Arnold Baker, Chief Financial Officer. Noted.

　　She met his eyes again with cool indifference, relishing the silence and tension in the room.

　　Breaking proud Mr. Arnold would be fun. "But I am the owner, Mr. Baker. Haven't you heard?"

　　"Young lady, you are being delusional," he barked, spittle flying out of his mouth, his face turning red and blotchy, "I will give you till the count of three to walk out of this room with your dignity and your pretty face intact. One!"

　　She didn't move a muscle.

　　"Two!"

　　"Sophia Blake is the name, Mr. Baker. The ‘Blake' in ‘Blake-Peterson'." She introduced herself.

　　"Three! Leave, young lady."

　　Sophia broke eye contact and surveyed the room. Everyone avoided her gaze. She threw a question out into the open, "So no one knows the name, Sophia Blake?"

　　The Editor-In-Chief, a wiry man answered, "I've heard the name, ma'am. I j…just uhh…didn't know that… that you would be the… the new CEO."

　　Everyone murmured in agreement.

　　Sophia faced Arnold Baker again, "Still don't know the name? Or you still think I'm an intruder?"

　　All colour washed out from his face as he began to tremble. He broke out in cold sweat despite the cool air conditioning blowing through the vents.

　　"F…forgive me m…m…ma'am. I wouldn't have d…dared if I knew it was you. I'm very…very sorry," he stammered.

　　"Now sorry wouldn't be enough, would it?" Sophia said with a foxy smile, her eye slightly raised, "I need to make sure you're disciplined. If not, we might have a repeat of today."

　　"Y..yes, ma'am. You can t…take appropriate disciplinary measures," he conceded.

　　She shook her head, "That won't do, Mr. Baker. You see, I have my own brand of discipline. Very effective too." She gestured to her bodyguard behind her.

　　"Jake, why don't you show Mr. Baker my own brand of discipline?"

　　"Gladly," Jake growled as he stalked towards Arnold Baker who was frozen in fear.

　　Without warning, Jake slammed his fist into Arnold Baker's midsection. All the air whooshed out of him. Hardly had he recovered when another fist ploughed into his sides.

　　Then, they rained down on all of him – his face, his chest, his back, his groin, his midsection. The beating was very methodical and clinical, and it was designed to serve the most pain possible.

　　Sophia looked on, unfazed, while the other heads were stiff with mortification.

　　"Enough," she finally said.