The Marriage Deal

The Privileged Detail

"Good morning Mr Rowland," Susan Griffen, the receptionist greeted as Chris walked past her,

Susan had been working in Rowland-line Pharmaceutical company for many years, even before Chris took over as the CEO.

He smiled at her and nodded in acknowledgement, "good morning Susan," he called before walking into his office.

Taking his Jacket off, he hung it on the back of his seat before sitting.

He called Susan with the intercom phone on his desk,

"Susan, arrange for a call between me and Josh in the few minutes, will you?"

"Alright Sir, I'll do that," Susan answered before he dropped the call.

He had just one more thing to do, and that was to read through the gathered information about a person of intense interest, Dr John Rivers,

Dr Rivers was rumoured to have the cure for a deadly Virus known as the OC Virus, it was a strange ailment, it visited once every decade and wiped out almost five per cent of the human race, but the only problem was that the Doctor was unwilling to share the secrets of the cure with just anyone, as he feared it would get into the wrong hands and be used for evil and not good.

This same Virus had killed Chris' only beloved sister, the initial heir of his father's fortune barely a few years after their father was murdered by Jack Triffling.

He had seen the face of the man in the news and magazines, he was an icon, the old man had been a billionaire long before Chris took over his late father's company, therefore relieving his mother from the long duty of holding the company down for him till he was mature enough to look after it like he was doing now.

Chris had never met Dr Rivers before but had heard how strict and principled the old man was, but he needed one more detail about the man which would give him an edge over other competitors, anything at all to put him in the good books of Mr Rivers, he had to get the cure to the disease.

He couldn't send Lucinda, his secretary, as a spy since Dr Rivers knew her face well enough from her constant failed attempts to persuade him to do business with the company.

His phone rang, he picked it up from the desk and peered into it, it was Josh, the one whom his secretary he had just slated a call for.

Josh was one of his staff and a research scientist for the company, he was also the Executive assistant to the CEO, making him Chris' second inhe had been tasked with getting any vital information about Dr Rivers that could help the company to win him over.

Josh was more than a staff to Chris, he was his childhood friend, they had come a long way which was why Josh was the only person he could trust with such a task.

Josh had taken a trip to the Maldives to spy on and get information on Dr Rivers and find out how to impress him, Josh was the eagle eye of Rowland-line Pharmaceutical company.

Dr Rivers was presently in the Maldives, enjoying a splendid vacation with his young and recently married wife, Veronica Rivers, it was a three-weeks vacation and also the only time one could get Dr Rivers to talk about new business ventures or partnerships because the moment he got back to his lab, he was bound to block off all contact as he usually did. So Chris has just less than three weeks to get across to Dr Rivers and make him like him enough to consider doing business with him,

All he needed was the vaccine for the OC Virus which Dr Rivers was rumoured to have.

"Josh, tell me some good news," Chris spoke into the phone,

"Chris, I got something on the old fox, something I'm certain no one else has observed," Josh announced over the phone,

"Let me hear it," Chris said,

"whew!" Josh sighed, "I just found out that the only way to the man's heart is a woman!"

"What?" Chris exclaimed in confusion, what was Josh talking about, Mr Rivers was no womaniser, if that was the case, he wouldn't be such a sly fox, difficult to catch by other companies clamouring for his attention and extension of the business hand,

"That can't be right Josh!" Chris disagreed,

"Trust me, Chris, it's women, just not the way you think!" Josh clarified,

"What do you mean by that Josh?"

"Well, Dr Rivers seems to have a fond liking l, respect and admiration towards men who appear happily married, you'd have to impress him by showing how much of a happily married man you are!"

"Unbelievable!" Chris exclaimed, "what does being married have to do with getting a contract?"

"No idea, Chris, no idea, I'll surely get to the root of it but as you know, the old fox is a sly one, I've watched him be stern and uninterested to single men while smiling politely and receptively to the men who are standing next to their happy-looking wives all through his vacation here,"

"This is privileged information, Chris" Josh continued, "and we have to use it to our advantage, I'll leave you and Lucinda to come up with a plan while I enjoy the rest of my vacation!"

"No way Josh! you better get back here this..." the lines went dead before Chris could complete his statement.

He sighed, he knew Josh would not be returning soon, Josh was his long-time friend who enjoyed such privileges that no other staff in his office would dare to.

"what was he to do now?" he thought, he wasn't married and never even planned to get married anytime soon as he had no time for commitment and display of emotion, he had too many enemies to bring down, so starting a family was a no-go area for now which was why he didn't object when his mother and her new husband moved out of the country, even then, he placed two of his strongest spies to follow her from a distance every day and also keep her safe from harm, she was the only family he had after his father and sister died many years ago.

Calling his receptionist again, he started,

"Susan, arrange for a meeting with Lucinda and other members of the board in the next ten minutes!" he hung up before she could respond.

He couldn't think of a next line of action, If Josh was right then he might as well need to make the sacrifice of getting married, but to whom? It couldn't be Lucinda his secretary and secret lover, but only because Dr Rivers already knew her as the unmarried secretary of Rowland-line Pharmaceuticals, Inc. he didn't want to arouse any suspicions in the mind of the Doctor. He had to find a new face, someone he could trust but the question remain "Who?"