Chapter 6: Composure
1425 Words
Everyone bowed and greeted him. To see him at the office is a little too much. He's never got time to be here unless his presence is needed.
"Tell me, what's happening here, young man?" He faced Jerard with his cold and flat gazes.
"Mr. Viazon!" He bowed, but then, he pointed his finger at me after. My father followed where he was pointing at, and right then, I met my father's eyes.
"She's trying to get in, Sir. And he just gave her a card. That's a breach of security, Sir. Clearly, they are plotting something."
I shrugged. That's the most stupid thing he has ever done in his life.
"Get that card over here, and let me see that."
A triumphant smile flashed on Jerard's face, thinking as if he's going to succeed for his hidden agendas.
I walked slowly, holding my head high. I stopped just across from my father. He scanned me with his flat gaze. My choice of clothing is surely not for office attire, but it's decent and more presentable than what I was wearing yesterday.
Black fitted jeans, white sando top under a black coat, probably closer to an office suit, and paired with white sneakers. This is comfortable.
I immediately passed the card to him and he received it without saying anything.
"This is an exclusive pass." He turned to face Louie with a frown, after studying the card. "Did you give it to her?"
"Yes, Sir. She needed it."
My father nodded.
"That's so thoughtful, but take this back." Louie received his pass back, but I was not worried about not having it for myself.
"Mr. Taylor, I hope you know that giving someone your exclusive pass could cause a big problem. Look what's happening here. Someone's making a scene for a pity reason."
Jerard's face crumpled in annoyance. I caught him clenching his jaw, but his silence remained. My father turned to see him again.
"Tell me, young man. What is the reason you're here early in the morning?"
"He wants a picture of your daughter so he could make her fall for him with his face card." I said, refusing to keep my silence anymore.
Jerard faced me with his angered expression, deep furrows on his forehead.
Everyone's attention gathered on me. There was gossip and whispers all over the place but I didn't mind at all.
"He said that he'd do everything now to get what he wanted. He particularly asked Mr. Taylor for that."
"You --shut up! You're not being asked!"
My gaze dropped flat when he yelled at me. From my side vision, I caught Louie and other security personnels ready to go for him.
"Stay where you are." As cold as my voice could get, I let them all hear me.
As if on cue, everyone fell silent after I said that. No one's going towards him. Other employees around the lobby also stopped gossiping in surprise. Probably because everyone just obeyed me, even their CEO.
Unconsciously, I gave the coffee holder to my father's butler standing next to him and he accepted it without saying anything.
"Why would I keep my silence when someone's trying to speak a lie in front of me?"
"It's never your business."
"Never my business." I nodded, raising a brow. "You just broadcasted that I am a thief and is plotting something against everyone. Now tell me, where in that part isn't my business there, Mr. Williams? Clearly, you're accusing me without prior evidence."
"Evidence you say? Isn't it clear evidence that he just handed you that card to enter the building? And what? You'll take money? Papers? Documents? Just to ruin the reputation of this company? I've known people who do that! It's as clear as ice that you're one of them!"
His mind is so clouded with his ambitions that he couldn't even recognize how he's making himself look so stupid right now.
Not being afraid of what he could do, I took a step forward towards him. My father's butler was alerted and ready to put himself between us if something happened.
"Defamation, Public Disturbance, Obstruction of Business, Trespassing - What else did I miss? " I held my head high and gave him a smile, though he couldn't see it. "Make sure you have your lawyer ready, Jerard Williams. See those cameras around you? Everything's recording your voice. That is an evidence that you could never provide for your accusations."
Another step, and he took a step back. Now, he's afraid? No. That's anger, being visible with the way he clenches his hands and how they're trembling.
"Haven't you recognized me yet, Jerard?" I grinned. Furrows registered on his face. "By the way, I heard this from your sister yesterday, so I want to send it back to you. You look like a beggar asking for handouts. Making a scene just to get a picture? That's so cheap of you, just like your family, no morals, no class."
"What did you say?" His hands reached out to grab me, but everyone's hands are faster than his.
Two people pinned his hands behind him, while Mr. Frank, my father's butler, came forward to get in between us. Louie made his way beside me, and my father is still keeping his silence.
When he's mad, he'd always keep his silence. But his silence weighs so many tons that everyone is so careful not to mess with him.
"You f*****g i***t!! Do you even know my family?? Get off me!!"
My laugh almost escaped my mouth, but I refrained myself from doing so.
"Jerard Williams." My father's voice became much colder. I can hear every inch of how he's trying to contain his anger.
"What? Don't tell me you're on her side? Damn it! She's going to bring you all down and you're all turning a blind eye!"
Still on that agenda, huh? They really have no class.
"On what grounds are you accusing her? Have you seen her stealing?" My father asked.
"Right. Mitchie Sullivan. She's Mitchie Sullivan, right? Now I remember." He started laughing as if he had something so bad in his mind. I took a step sideways just to get a view of him.
"Mitchie Sullivan took Arden Fiasco's money. He's been looking for you, you damn thief!! You got millions of his money! You left yesterday, and you had the audacity to show yourself here in the city? f**k! I'm gonna call the cops! Get off me, f*****g idiots!"
Millions of his money? What do I do with a little cent of his?
"I'll call them for you." My eyes landed on Louie. He's pulling out his phone from his suit.
"No need, Mr. Taylor." Louie halted with my father's command. He struggled to meet my eyes under my hat, but he found them, frowning.
"Mr. Williams, I understand your frustrations, but accusing someone for something you have no solid evidence of is a crime."
I shrugged at Louie and just looked back at my father. While he's burning inside of him, he has kept his calm and composed demeanor. He's really keeping everything together just for his big show on Saturday.
I am now a fan of his anger management.
"And Mr. Williams, you need to keep in mind that you are standing at my land and my building. With that, you need to respect everyone here, whoever it might be if you want to be respected. Settle your scores outside, and inform me immediately if that Arden Fiasco comes here with a warrant of arrest for Miss Sullivan. Office hours are starting and you should also go to your own work."
So this is how a professional handles a problem professionally. I nodded. I should learn directly from my father.
"Release him and let him go on his own." When he was done with him, he turned to face me with the same cold stares. It felt suffocating so I looked down.
"Mr. Taylor." To my surprise, he called Louie and not me. I took a glance behind me to see Louie. He's just standing and waiting for my father to continue. "Our scheduled meeting will start in an hour. Bring her with you."
My eyes widened. Slowly, I pulled my head up to meet my father's eyes. Pointing to myself, I looked at him, frowning.
Silence is his answer to that. Why do I need to be there? I'm not planning to go back yet!
"And make her professionally presentable."
What... the heck was that?
- Writer
