Chapter 32

SOMA:

The moment I step out of the elevator, I first sigh out loud. The sigh could not entail anything else other than it coming out because I am on the way to another day’s job.

I take my time to stare at both ends of the floor I just ascended to. No one seemed to be passing or moving about yet. I get that this is the top floor which is for the executives only, but at least a few walkabouts should have occurred.

Oh, timing, was what came to mind after recalling that I’m actually a little late today to work so most would be immersed already in whatever job they have to get done.

Enough sightseeing. It was high time I find my way into my office. And so, after one more stare at both ends, I start to approach the left side of the floor whole holding firmly a file of documents I brought with me from home.

For today, I chose a one-inch heel. Already said how much I hate heels but I had no choice but to wear it today because it was the only thing that caught my eye. More like the only thing that reminded me of last night just as it is doing now.

The sensation. The bliss. Everything from last night hits me once more and the desire to get involved once more becomes mind-blowing. This was really something different.

I didn’t even know when I unconsciously take my hand to my lips as I start to caress the bottom part. Shows how vulnerable I am now.

“Good morning, Miss Walters,” the voice that gets me out of my thoughts is my secretary’s. Oh gosh, I did not realize that I’d arrived in front of her desk.

“Oh good morning, Tina,” I respond in a tone that proves I’ve been lost in my world already. “I hope you’re well?”

“I am, thank you,” she smiles when she speaks before I nod.

That was when a strong scent hits my nostrils. A scent that is coming from inside my office. Before I could make mention of that, Tina beats me to it.

“The president is here, Miss Walters,” was what she says that has me raising my brows at her.

“And you let him into my office?”

“He insisted that I let him in. I couldn’t defile his order, I’m sorry,”

“It’s okay,” I say, already feeling bad that I was accusing her when I already know how the said person is. “I’ll see you later,” I add before walking up to the entrance of the office and pushing the door open immediately.

Immediately, I catch sight of someone seating on the receiving end of my office space. It was the back view which was showing dark curly hair and the broad shoulders of a man in a grey suit.

I stare at the back view of the person for a while because I was reluctant to go to my seat to attend to him. It would even mean that I would have to face him directly which was another thing I am not prepared for.

I reach for my jacket with my free arm and then tuck it into it. Feels like something that would make me ooze out confidence now. So I finally start to walk up to my space, which was after I relax the tension in me.

“Hey Harold,” I say when I pass by the seat the man was occupying. And soon after I was now seated, ready to commence a discussion with the man.

The man was already staring at me when I look at him. He was fully concentrated to an extent that I have to start feeling uncomfortable despite already beating the reluctance to want to discuss with him. Wonder why I do not ever get to be on the cool side whenever I have a chance to meet him.

“Soma,” he calls my name without any emotion laced to it. Rather strange to me, I must say. “How have you been doing?” he asks.

“I have been well. What about you... brother?”

Mentioning the word ‘brother’ brings back memories from past transpiration between us. And sure, a lot has gone down. A whole lot. And most of it has been way too ugly to even reminisce on.

His face, a younger replica of our father, twitched a little. No doubt, he was not expecting me to call him the word that I have avoided all of these years.

But is it a coincidence that when I finally decide to talk about my brother, that is when he shows up? How did that even end up happening? Feels like there’s something off somewhere.

“I have been too, sister. Hopefully, I will still be by the time I’m done here,”

I know what he’s trying to say and it only results in me frowning deeply. “Are you here to pick up a fight with me?”

“Not at all,” he says as he raises a hand, shaking a finger in the process. “But we’ve got a few to talk about. Could probably be the reason I’ll not be leaving here fine,”

“Ride on then,”

“Sure I will. First I will like to know why you were appointed the vice-president of the family business,”

Is he trying to wallow me in confusion? His question just isn’t something that he should be asking. “What are you even asking? Is that why you came all the way down here?”

“Be patient. You’ll know what I’m getting to soon,”

“I’d advise you to go straight to the point. You definitely wouldn’t be getting an answer to that question from me,” I have to say because I do not see the question as something worth my time. None of this is even worth my time but I will still have to keep it cool with him so I could hear what he came here for.

“Since you don’t want to answer, then I’ll say what I have in mind,” with that, he sits upright. Not that he wasn’t before but this looked more precise. “You have been neglecting most of your duties for the past two weeks,” he starts to say, “Care to tell me why?”

“Oh,” and I could only utter out of impulse. It is because I’m guilty as charged, apparently. With everything going on over the last two weeks, I have had every course to put my mind on other things and not on the work I was supposed to do for the company. Guess this is what falling could do to you.

“But the reports have been coming in early,” I say as a means to pull out a defense.

“They have,” he nods once, “but they haven’t been your doing. It’s all been Cassie’s. You seem to forget how proficient I am in going through documents and other things so I will know if it was you who saw to it that the reports were finalized before being submitted to the headquarters,”

“It’s Cassandra. Don’t call her Cassie,” I correct him. I just hate it when he tries to act like he’s been there all along when Cassie needed a brother. He has no right to be affectionate when talking about her.

“I’ll call her whatever I want,”

“Not when it seems like you’re saying it because you want to sound attached to her. I won’t allow that!” thankfully I controlled myself or else I would have shouted so he could know I was so mad at him right now. “And you’re talking about me neglecting my duty. Didn’t you do worse already? You neglected the biggest thing you were brought to this world for and you come here to complain about me neglecting a job I could end up quitting if I start to lack interest in. Aren’t you thinking?”

“The biggest thing, huhn? Tell me how it is the biggest thing. Or rather, should have been the biggest thing.”

“I’m not stupid. I won’t be going over something you wouldn’t want to hear the end of. But keep it in mind that you failed as a wolfling. You chose not to fulfill your destiny and don’t be surprised that you’ll end up regretting your actions,”

He immediately stands up to his feet, already glaring hard at me. “I won’t sit here and let you say nonsense about my life. You don’t get to tell me how I should live or even how what I should do with it. It has never been your business and it will never will,”

“I wasn’t planning for it to be. I’m only disappointed that you chose not to do the right thing. I’m disappointed in you, Harold. More disappointed that I have you as a brother,”

I didn’t expect him to suddenly change his demeanor. He switches from a glare to a creepy look which has a sly smirk with it. Gives me a feeling I cannot put my hand on.

“So, you think you’re the perfect one right? I’ll show you how imperfect you can be when the time comes. Until then, enjoy your perfection,”

I can do nothing other than stare at him until he walks out of my office. From his change of demeanor to the words he spoke, I do not feel comfortable about any of it. It sounds like he’s trying to plot something against me and I sure hell do not want to think he’s planning such.

This is the most uncomfortable morning I have found myself in such a long time. I already had a good foresight for today and it got ruined right at the beginning. This is certainly not what I want. And certainly, I do not want to have my brother in here again.

Quickly I hit a button on the receiver on my table and then pick it up. “Tina,” I call my secretary sitting right outside. When she responds, I proceed to say, “No matter what, don’t let my brother in here again. Is that taken?”

If I could hear her nod, I certainly will because it feels rigorous from this end. I drop the call when she says a ‘Yes ma’. Now it was left for me to work on how I will make my already ruined morning a better one.