Chapter 2
964 Words
"Miss Bethel, someone sent you flowers". Her caretaker, Mrs Sarah, came in with a huge bouquet of white roses in her hands, the white note slipped off unnoticed, it was her favorite -- Roses --
She set the vase by her bedside
"I leave you to it, dear"
She said, smiled and took her leave
"Thank you, Mrs Sarah". Bethel greeted, her smile warm, voice soft.
She watched the door close gently, then reached for the roses
A small laugh escaped her
"He is such a rascal, said he just dropped by with nothing and now this?"
She smiled and brought the bouquet to her face, eyes closing. She inhaled deeply with satisfaction
"It's so fresh"
____
Jea got back to her office, exhaustion sat heavy on her shoulders, she had to slip out and back in the office.
What
"A vote to oust you?"
Her secretary, Liora said to the air
"To save the company."
She said it in that fake, boardroom voice.
Tilting her head. One eyebrow up.
Then she turned fully, eyes on Jea
Her voice dropped, real now.
"The only way?"
"And Mira. Taking your side?"
"I thought you two couldn't stand each other"
" We can't"
Jea said flatly, not looking away from the portrait she stared at the whole time
Liora slapped the tablet she held on the table, then dropped on the sofa, thoughtfully
"There's more to this"
She said
"More?"
The word lingered
"It's unusual for Mira to back me, she's probably waiting to claim she saved me or something just to feel important"
Jea paused
"For Manson, he did what he had to"
"He thinks I'm the threat"
She scoffed
"If you say so"
Liora exhaled
"But Jea"
Her voice lowered
"I know how to handle myself"
Jea cut her
"Father respected him"
She rolled her eyes, let out a heavy sigh, then looked at the document on her table
"Ping". The tablet on the table lit up
Liora picked it up
"Miss Jea"
She called out slowly, eyes fixed on the screen
"Yes"
Jea answered
Liora handed the phone to her
She glanced at the screen
'The stocks had dropped, it hits $38.7, everyone's selling at a low cost, no ones willing to buy, they are scared to fall with her and lose their money, trading gets halted, SEC had already begun their investigation without a warning letter or media report, they halt trading just like that.'
She didn't blink, her jaw clenched, her grip tightened on the tablet
"Cowards"
The word came out sharp and clear
"It hasn't been a day and they"re already bailing"
"Fears sell faster than fact"
She said with disdain
"Miss Jea it's not just stocks--"
"I see them"
Liora stood still, heaved, held the tablet down , her head bowed
Jea sat upright, legs and arms crossed
"What do we do now"
Liora asked
"Inform the IR team, I'll be there in 5 minutes"
"Okay"
She hurried off
-----
In the hallway, the lights hummed, only the echo of her footsteps could be heard
Then an unfamiliar sound cut through, one that didn't belong to her
It was her uncle
He clicked his tongue, shaking his head in disappointment, the walls absorbing his voice
"Halted"
He said
Not a question but a reminder
Jea finally reached him and stopped moving
"You just can't handle it all"
He stated
"That's what you made them believe"
Jea replied
He scoffed, tugging both hands in his pocket, straightening his posture
"The company is bleeding"
"They all see it"
He said, something in his eyes was pleased, as if he'd expected the outcome
Jea tilted her head, her eyebrow arched
"Miss Jea"
Liora called behind her, then paused on seeing the tension between the two
"Sell to me"
Manson's voice came
Loud and clear
The words hitting the walls of the room
"I'll pay higher"
He continued bluntly
Jea's face turned cold, a smile slowly formed at the corner of her left lip, then she closed and opened her eyes in a slow motion
"The meeting is in 15 minutes"
"I'll help you"
He made it sound generous, both knew it was a leach
Jea held his gaze from the corner of her eyes
"Think about it, it's the best you can get"
The elevator door slid open, Jea looked over his shoulder
"Since you have that much, why don't you invest somewhere else"
She scorned and brushed past his shoulders to the elevator
Liora hastened her steps following behind
Manson remained fixed until the elevator door closed
He turned to the direction Jea had left, hands still in his pocket
"We'll see to that"
He muttered with a quiet certainty
Then a smile appeared on his lips like someone who had already won the trophy before the match began
The elevator door closed, only the humming of its movement was heard
Her jaw unclenched
She stared at her reflection on the steel, ran a hand through her hair and let out a short, quiet sigh
"Ma'am, this strategy will only hold up for a few days"
Liora said panicked
"I know"
"I'm"
"Just buying time"
Jea said, picked up her bag and turned to the door
A few steps away from the door
Her phone rumbled in her hand
She paused, looked at the caller
It was an unknown number
She picked it up and placed it on her ear
The other end was dead quiet for 5 seconds
Then the voice came, low and precise
"Stock drops, assets freeze, investigation begins"
Jea's eyes squinted, her fingers went still on the phone
"Investigation stops, stocks get normal, market moves"
He continued
Jea's face turned stern
"Terms"
She asked
The silence stretched again
"A board seat....."
She hung up without a word
- Writer
