Allea

twenty-five

"I recall telling you that I wanted a revised plan from the Marketing team today's morning, where's it?"

"It has been e-mailed to you, please check it and confirm to finalize it or not."

"And exactly how many corporations' have Carlocle's short-listed?"

"Including ours, two more. And Boss I have also e-mailed you all the information regarding the employees you told me to look into."

Giving a light nod at Ben's words I moved my focus toward the screen in front of me and proceeded to check my mails, while Nayla continued with her part of the briefings.

"...I talked to IKs Company's CEO, confirming our investment in them along with shares you demanded, they agreed...and Boss what should I do about Xit Company's CEO?"

"Who's that and what about it?"

"Robert Smith, in the past days, he had called about four times on the number he requested from me saying you told him so. He wants to see if you have time to discuss some project ideas with him."

Ah, the impatient & brazen sperm-giver.

An ambiguous smile formed on my lips, and without moving my eyes away from the computer screen I was reading e-mails from, I spoke to Nayla, "Tell him to prepare a project, we will look into it."

"But Boss, this company..." Nayla left her sentence halfway, I know what she was trying to say, companies like him are lined up to have a single project with us then why was I preferring this one, an equally mediocre one. Nayla has been working with me for quite a long time, and she knows how I work, she must be finding this peculiar.

"Um...Boss, I also checked through Xit corporation, it's just any other ordinary company, nothing particular I found. Do you want me to look into their contracts?" Noticing the doubtful tone, the same as Naylas', I raised my eyes from the screen with my vague smile and looked at my two proficient assistants. Ben's responsible for looking into companies I invest in, and he's petty good at it. "No need, it's not the company I'm interested in."

"Let me play a little, will you?" Before they could ask further or make assumptions, I looked at their confused expressions and continued, "Confirm everything on my behalf, when we reach near the appointed day, and his project is ready, cancel the meeting."

Seeing me smiling in amusement and from my whimsical tone, they must have detected something and guessed my intentions, because, after a moment of realization, Ben's face molded into an eased smile as he added with a chuckle, "Oh, don't worry boss! I'll personally drag things with him," Nayla too nodded with a smile, like laughing helplessly at a recalcitrant child, and spoke, "Okay Boss."

"Oh, and tell him to put his extra effort and time in it, our standards are pretty high."

I added before they were going to leave my office, at my words Nayla's helpless smile widened and Ben excitedly shouted 'Sure, Sure!'.

Years ago I exclusively made a team of CEO, consisted of a total of nine people, a group of skilled people from all around the departments, who initially worked with me on one of our successful projects to this date. In the past years, on one hand, where their loyalty has surprised me, on the other with what diligence they have worked for this company. I only needed to guide or tell them once, they never disappointed me, because of my team, I was always able to have a complete grasp on all the departments, and things that happened around me. From time to time I had various meetings with them, but the most time I have spent was with Nayla and Ben so they know me better and how I work. In reward to the employees, I have always put the HR department forward, placing employees' needs first. But it was not like everyone was loyal toward me or the company, some people just can't lose their instincts of desire -I understand this need, fully but that doesn't mean I can bear them deceiving this company. Just like this one man among other traitors, whose profile was open on my desktop, Vick Lynch.

Amongst others he was the only man, my thoughts are stuck on. If I remember in the past, he had needs, the genuine needs that required money but he's doing the same things this time too. Not an hour ago I was recalled about that girl and now this.

Shaking my head, I read the report of extensive research on his background Ben sent me, I told him to make the list of all the people selling information about our company and taking bribes, they were a total of five. What they don't know is that I always had my eyes on them, but I never expected Vick Lynch to be the same. As far as I have heard, he's a good man, a man to whom I did bad and faced consequences but he had a reason for this, he needed money for his wife's treatment. This time I didn't restrict the HR Department from loaning money if any employee needs it, and along with medical we also provide heavy loans in case of any serious medical need, but, seems like in place of loan the free money offered to him felt lighter on his shoulders. I guess, a traitor's always a traitor.

Giving him a chance has come to bite me, he's a manager of the Finance department, and his messing up our reports and plans of investments could bring a huge loss to the company if not for my team to correct his deeds. I absolutely can't bear this, even feeling stupid thinking this much about him. And about the unfortunate things, he'll bring me in the future, let them come. It's not like I dread any of it, moreover, things are no longer the same as past.

When my eyes fell on the amount of expected loss from his decisiveness, without wasting a second I called Ben and gave him instructions, "Just fire them all with the worst conditions possible."

Sometimes I feel that the desire of doing good, being good, has died somewhere inside me.

This time I'm not wrong, and I absolutely don't worry about doing anything to him. I know what will happen to his family, but this time he himself will be the reason for this. It makes me wonder, will this time too his daughter appear in front of me with the intentions of revenge. Here I'm leaning against my chair with the comforts surrounding me, and there she'll be somewhere, with her mother dying, her father hanging himself. 

A bitter smile formed on my lips as my fingers softly tapped against the table, the person she wanted revenge from was already falling on its own, even without her contribution she would have any moment ready to fall in ashes. Still, her presence acted as a quick spark and ignited everything around me.

I know all of this, but I'm doing nothing to stop it, even did the opposite. But, I can't feel an ounce of regret inside me, I gave her father a chance, everything I could offer, but he still chose what his fate had in store for him. Why should I take responsibility for the world, why should I bother myself with what others have to face and do, I, Allea, am too selfish. I only care what happens to those I care about and above all, my brother.

I'm no saint, I'm not a good person, I'm selfish, too selfish. I'm only good for those who are mine and whom I care about. The rest of the world can burn in ashes and I would hardly blink.

These emotions and cynical thoughts make me realize that no matter how much I hate to think, to recall, to realize, there are some things I could never kill inside me. Somethings will always be here, inside, they'll always be a part of Allea.