Maxwell

"Hello Jill"

"Hello Mr Maxwell."

"I heard you left work early for home today."

"Yes Sir, I did."

"Why is that Jill."

"Sir. I had to."

"What happened?"

"Jackie was fired....I had to leave too, sir."

"Jill, did you ever forget that I am still the CEO of Skin by Nature?? And that nothing is final till I make it so??" I asked her.

"Mr Maxwell, I do not want any more problems. I have not had a single peace ever since my supposed friend became first lady. It's better I leave. I am so sorry Sir."

"Jill."

"Yes Sir."

"What next? Do you have another workplace in mind??" I asked her.

"Not really Sir, but I can sort that out."

"There's no problem Jill. I was not at the head office when it all happened, but I want you to know that anytime you are ready to come back to Skin by Nature, the doors are always opened."

"I know that Sir. Thanks a lot for all your kindness, but there will be no need for the offer. Trust me, I will not be coming back ever."

"Jill, I never knew you to be so cold."

"After all that has happened Sir, I think it is only fair that I protect myself."

"And how about Jackie?? What is she saying about it?"

"She has not spoken since we left. The poor girl is so dumbstruck!"

"I understand."

"Yes Sir."

There was a brief silence.

"Mr Maxwell?"

"Yes Jill."

"What happened to Mr Tim? I did not see him at work today, which is very unlike him. Hope Mrs Ella will not punish him for sticking out and fighting for me. Please, Mr Maxwell, he is a good man and I would not be able to bear it if yet another person was punished for my sake."

"He is fine Jill. I transferred him to Hirecorps our subordinate company. That way he is safe and secured from my wife's grip. Trust me, he is fine and doing well."

I could feel the relief from the other end of the line.

"Thank you so much Sir."

"Maybe you could one day come over to Hirecorps and say Hi to him."

"Maybe, but I am not so sure...."

"I understand Jill, if you need time to heal and process all that has been going on."

"Yes Sir."

"Extend my greetings to Jackie. Let her know that she could. Both of you could actually come work at the production site instead of the head office. That way you both can feel safe and secured."

"I would let her know Sir, but right now she's not in the right state of mind."

"Okay Jill. We will talk some other time."

"Yes, some other time."

"Goodbye Jill."

"Goodbye Mr Maxwell." I was about to cut off the line when she called my name hastily.

"Mr Maxwell."

"Yes Jill."

"I want you to know that I do not blame you for all that has happened. You do not base mainly at the head office, so you could not possibly know about everything going on there, at least not until later. Please Mr Maxwell, do me just a little favor-Do not blame yourself! Please...."

I could not say a word. I felt pain in my heart. "It's fine Jill...."

"Thank you Sir."

She said and hung off.

I have never felt like this in my whole entire life. I felt like I had made the worst mistake of my whole entire life.

"Why did I bring Ella into my life??" I thought painfully to myself.

"Ella! Ella!!"

I stomped up the stairs and barged into our master's bedroom.

"Ella!!" I roared at her.

"What is it Max!" She pulled out of the blankets. She had already gone to bed so early.

"So Ella you can go to bed, in your right, knowing fully well that you have just ruined someone's life!!" I roared at her. "Two people, Ella!!!"

"And what is that supposed to mean Max!" She said getting up slowly from bed. She was still really sleepy, her eyes swollen from all that sleep. Her hair was messy, and I hated to think at that moment that she was beautiful!

"Ella but why??" I asked solemn.

"Maxwell please, I had a long day at work and I need to go back to bed."

"Yes you had a long day at work. Obviously by sacking our capable hands. Two of our very good workers have gone Ella, and if we continue like this, I do not know what would become of us."

"Oh Max. Please stop talking that way. We both know very well what binds Skin by Nature together and...."

"And our team work is a number of those things...." I cut her short. " If our employees find out about what you did-which I feel like they must have already had, we would lose their trust and loyalty."

"Hell no Maxwell!" Ella was fully awake by this time.

"Ella, this is not all about you anymore....."

"Maxwell, stop making it look like I am the devil here. I sacked just one person but the other followed suit, that is what they do."

"That's the point, Ella!"

"Maxwell. Jackie abandoned her duties for days. She was not given a suspension, but she just chose to stay back." Ella tried to defend her actions.

"Who are you going to tell that the reason you sacked Jackie was not because you would not sack Jill."

"Max, I am going to bed." Ella tried going back to bed to avoid this conversation, but I was not ready to let things go.

"Ella there's something I want to tell you."

**A FLASH BACK*

It was immediately after the BBA awards.

"Ella meet me in the car." I was so distraught. "What could have gone wrong?" I thought.

I walked past all the celebrants at the events and walked directly to my car. If Ella does not come to join me in a few seconds, then I would drive off leaving her behind.

"Sir."

"Mr Maxwell Sir."

I could hear a lady calling my name from behind, but who could that be.

I opened my car and sat inside of it, about to move....

"Mr Maxwell Sir." I looked up only to see - Mrs Mia Soo!

"Mrs Mia?" I called.

"Mr Maxwell." She called back breathless.

"What is it you want?" I asked, unconcerned.

"I am very sorry Mr Maxwell."

"Sorry for what Ma'am you have not done anything wrong!" I said, trying to start off the car again.

"If you could give me a few seconds of your time Sir." She said.

I held on to my car's steering, acting really impatient.

"Sir I want you to know that your company did well actually and would have passed the test but..."

"But what??" I asked very impatient.

"On the day, my team and I went to inspect the head office. Mrs Ella is the one in charge of the head office. She tried to cheat the process. She asked me squarely if there was a way her company could get the most important awards at the BBA. I was so shocked and dumbfounded that I had to report Skin by Nature to the coordinators of the BBA. Mr Maxwell, I am sorry!"

"It is too late for that Ma'am." I said trying to keep my cool despite the fact I was so not at ease.

"I tried my best Mr Maxwell. I regretted my actions. I think I moved too swiftly because when I got to the production site for the next inspection I was so pleased with what I saw."

"But that doesn't matter anymore now." I replied coldly.

"Mr Maxwell. I promise I tried to take back my complaints about Skin by Nature, but it was already too late and there was nothing that could be done! I moved too swiftly Sir, and I feel it's only right that I tell you what really happened so you can have some closure! Good day Sir."

She said and walked away.



***

"All this happened before you could join me outside. Ella, I tried to get the truth from you, but you kept on insisting that you did nothing wrong!

When you accused Jill of falsifying the results, you knew what you were doing. You knew you were lying.

Because of your selfishness and the hate you had for Jill, you tried to punish her for a crime she did not do whereby it is you that should take full responsibility for your actions."

Ella was crying by this time.

"You cannot blame me Max. What I did, I did for the company..." She was saying, tears pouring down her eyes.