The CEO's

1

I pounded the treadmill, the sweat dripping down my face. My feet slapped against the moving rubber belt as the music blasted in my ears as loud as it could go. I'm sure the people next to me could hear it but they made no move to ask me to turn it down, not that I would. I needed it to attempt to drown out the memories that always came back to me when I worked out. Soon maybe the music would distract me and I would forget all together.

But I didn't.

The memory hit me like a wave, consuming me and pulling me under as I remembered the harsh words he said to me.

"Hey Piggy?" He walked up to me slowly, tantalizingly, a smirk across his face. I stuffed the rest of the snickers bar in my mouth looking away."Don't avoid me Pig, I'm always going to be right here." He sneered again.

I swallowed the nutty caramel chocolate mess in my mouth, and began gathering up my stuff, but I wasn't fast enough. He took his arm in one big sweeping motion and pushed my stuff off the lunch table.

"Answer me when I'm talking Pig!' He yelled.

The entire lunchroom interrupted in giggles and laughs at his nickname for me.

"Uh- erm- yes Christopher?" I responded meekly.

"How come you're so fat and ugly? You need to do something about that, you're burning my eyes."

The same hot tears flowed down my face as I remembered the sounds of more laughter and other people chiming in with cruel sayings and names. I ran as hard as I could, using my last burst of energy to finish the circuit on the treadmill. It stopped when it was done and I grabbed a complimentary cold towel from the rack. rubbing my face and wrapping it around my shoulders.

That memory was one of my worst ones, and when those came I always was sore in the morning from going too hard.

I looked disdainfully at the back of a dark haired man talking to a small woman. He was loud enough for any people passing by to hear.

"I can show you if you'd like. I have an meeting in about 45 minutes, so we'd have to leave now." He said as I walked by, I didn't get a glimpse of his face but I could hear the woman praising him and basically falling at his feet to get a chance to go with him, wherever they were going.

Probably back to his house.

I walked into the locker rooms, making my way to the misty showers at the back. My gym bag was packed with my work outfit so I could shower and go straight there since I had an important meeting for Lush Building to build a very profitable new movie theater that would make millions. Not to mention the extra credibility my company would get for building the theatre.

The shower was quick and hot, melting away all the sweat and tension that the gym always brought me. I dried my hair quickly tying it in a very professional fishtail side braid and put on a minimal amount of makeup, the men at these meetings often thought I wore makeup to impress them. I've taken to wearing none or very little so they wouldn't take it in the wrong context, some of the men were old enough to be my grandfather.

I slipped on a grey form fitting dress and tall Louboutin heels, and walked out of the changing rooms towards my sleek white car.

When I walked in the front doors of my office building there was a sudden silence that filled the room. Usually my employees greeted me and scurried around to do the tasks I assigned. I walked past them, giving weary glances at all of them.

My assistant ran to my side just as the elevator doors closed. She pressed the top floor button nervously and began talking quickly.

"We tried to tell him you had a meeting. Instead he just bulldozed his way through us and told security if they touched him he would sue them and have them fired with the snap of his fingers. We didn't know what to do I'm sorry." She said as the doors slid open.

She followed me down the hallway towards my office as our heels clicked on the tile loudly. "Who is it?"

"Christopher Rodgers." She answered. My heart dropped to my stomach and an instant headache hit me.

"Ms. Marie are you okay?" She asked. I straightened my back and forced myself to walk towards my office.

"Is he behind that door?" I ignored her question.

"Yes, he is." She said, as she opened the door for me to reveal a dark haired man sitting in my chair.

"Ms. Marie I assume?" He asked. "Actually I don't assume, I know. I'm Christopher Rodgers. We need to talk." He stated.

He had the exact same voice as the man from the gym, and the exact same colored hair. Christopher Rodgers was at the exact same gym as me and I didn't even notice.

"What do you need?" I gritted my teeth, my heart pounding quickly.

"My company would like to talk to your's about having you build a place for my people to shoot movies." He said, his voice was deep and assured, it was the exact same voice as the one who taunted me for four years of my life.

"I build theatres, not places to make the movies that go in theatres Mr. Rodgers. You can leave now. And next time, make an appointment. I am a very busy woman." I snapped.

"I don't make appointments Ms. Marie. I speak to who I want to speak to when I want to speak to them."

"Not me." I snapped once again.

"We can talk about this now Ms. Marie, I have all the time in the world." He said.

"I don't. I have a meeting right now actually."

"Those men in your board room? Don't worry I already told them to leave." He smirked. That smirk that caused me so many tears.

"You did what?" I growled angrily. "Those were very important clients Mr. Rodgers, you do not just march into my office and assume you own the place and kick out who you want! This is my building, my company, and what I say goes. So I'm saying you need to get out of my office right now. " I seethe.

He stands up from his chair, storming over to me and standing inches from my face. I flinch as he raises his hand to grip my wrist. His anger doesn't leave his face as he yanks me toward him. "I'm not leaving until you have a proper meeting with me. I will be in your boardroom waiting for you, if you're not there in ten minutes I will drag you in there myself Ms. Marie. Do you understand?" He growls.

"Y-yes I do." His harsh tone and close proximity takes me back to being vulnerable young high schooler.

"Good." He releases me and stalks out of my office.