Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"I'm sorry I can't you to the airport myself. As much as I want to, they really need me at the company"

"I understand. I'll just take an Uber to the airport. I'll call you when you reach there"

"That sounds good. I'm going to miss you", he smiled.

"I'll miss you more", she returned and hugged him.

"Please don't forget to pick Vivian from the airport later in the evening. She told me that the plane will arrive by six. I've given her your number, so she'll call you when you get lands."

"I'll try not to", he teased.

"And one more thing..."

"What's it this time, Rebecca?", He groaned.

"Nothing much... I was just wondering what was going on with your love life"

"Are we really going to discuss that now?, You realize the plane doesn't wait for you, right?"

"I have literally an hour to get there", she frowned.

"But then, the traffic-"

"Don't change the topic, Anthony. I can't remember the last time I heard you talk about a lady in your life, or seen you with one. You never talk about your love life with me, and I don't even know whether you have plans of getting married. You're not getting any younger, you know"

"Becks, I have work. It's not easy to run a company as large as Greenville Ltd. It takes all of my life, and you know that. I don't have time for relationships or other frivolities. I need to focus on getting the company to its apex"

"You're not the first one to be a CEO, neither are you the only CEO in town. Are you telling me that other CEOs of big companies don't have relationships? You're a good-looking guy with a lot of cash to spare. You also attend a lot of functions and business meetings. You mean to tell me that you haven't at least talked to a nice looking young lady in the sector?", She asked.

"I don't have the time to talk to them, Becks. You don't understand when I say the company has literally taken over me"

"Well, you'd better change that before I return. You can't keep living a lonely life. Will you promise me that you'll get yourself a girlfriend before I return from my masters program?", She asked.

Anthony, who was at loss of what to say, took his phone out of his pocket.

"Oh, it's the office, Becks"

"But the phone is blank-"

"Hello?", He slapped the phone on his ear before she could say anymore.

"An emergency?! What happened?!... Not over the phone?... You need me there right now?... Umm, okay. I'll be there right now!", He quickly placed a light peck on his sister's cheek and entered his 2022 Range Rover Evoque. With left hand out the window, waving Rebecca goodbye, he sped out of the compound.

***

Anthony yawned for the upteenth time and took a long stretch as he rested his back against the office chair and took his eyes of the computer. He glanced at his digital clock on his table, and it read 8:00 pm. He couldn't believe that he'd been ok the seat for over four hours.

Even though he faked a company call to get out of his sister's trap, it turned out that there was actually an emergency and his attention was needed. He thought he was just going sort a couple of things and go back home to rest before he picked Rebecca's friend at the airport. When he got here, there was a lot more than he expected to sort out, and so he stayed more hours than he planned.

Wait...

Rebecca's friend...

He was supposed to pick Rebecca's friend by six!

He checked the time again. It read 8:03 pm this time.

"Shoot! I'm two hours behind!", He exclaimed. He checked his phone and he realized that he's gotten over twenty missed calls - Most of them were from his sister, the others were from an unknown number, and he knew it belonged to Rebecca's friend.

"Shoot shoot shoot!! She must've been waiting for me for a quite while now", He stood up from his seat and began to pack up. He was done in less than a minute, and he left his office.

It was way past closing time, so the only people present apart from him were the cleaners.

He took the elevator and was soon out of the building. He got into his car and joined the traffic, on his way to the airport.

****

It took Anthony exactly fifty-four minutes to get to the airport - a journey that could've taken less than thirty minutes, if not for the traffic.

He got out of the car and into the airport terminal. There were too many people there, and he didn't even know what this person looked like.

He took his phone out of his pocket and dialed the unknown number that rang his line earlier.

It rang and rang, and stopped ringing.

He dialled it again, hoping she was with her phone, and that she was still in this airport.

The line came alive, but save for the echo of noise, he didn't hear anything else.

"Umm... Hello?"

"Yes?"

"Is this Rebecca friend?"

"I'm Vivian, Rebecca friend. Yes"

"Where are you right now? I'm at the airport, and I don't know where to locate you"

She began to give directions, and cut the call. Confused by her weirdness, he decided to follow the directions and he soon caught sight of her.

He walked towards her.

"Hi. Are you Vivian?", He asked, and she took his eyes away from the laptop on sitting her laps.

"Are you the guy who was supposed to pick me three hours ago, but left me here long enough to grow white beards?"

"I suppose... I'm Anthony. I'm sorry I kept you waiting for so long. I genuinely forgot to get you. I was busy. My apologies", he said.

She didn't reply him. She just stood up, put the laptop back in her bags and took her belongings.

"Can we go now?", She asked.

"I... I guess. Follow me"