Despite bringing the food that my wife has prepared for me to work, I don't actually eat it. Instead, what I do is, I give it to my assistant/secretary while I enjoy eating outside in one of the trendy and fancy restaurants near our company building. What my secretary does with the food is none of my business, he can eat it or throw it out for all I care. I am forced to eat my wife's cooking in the morning and evening as it is, I don't want and have to force myself to eat it during lunch. But, her cooking is not that bad though, and she's improved a lot since we started our marriage, during those days, the food used to be too bland for my taste compared to how it is now.
When my secretary hands me back the bento, it has already been washed and cleaned. My wife had asked me about it once and even told me that I don't have to wash them but I told her that I have my secretary do that for me.
As soon as I walk into our company everyone greets me, I then take the elevator to my office on the seventh floor and proceed to drop my bento on my secretary's table before entering my office. I don't want to see any traces of my wife or her family in my office, lest I won't be able to concentrate. Our wedding photo is kept inside the bottom drawer of my table, and only make it outside and on top when I'll be having guests over, just for show. And if these guests are not family or friend, that picture is kept hidden and locked away.
"Good morning, Sir," my male assistant and secretary would then begin to tell me my schedule and agenda for the day. "You have a scheduled lunch meeting with the CEO of the CK Group at The Oak at 11:30, sir. However, this coincides with the meeting that you're supposed to attend with our budget and marketing teams."
"Oh yeah that, I almost forgot about that. That's also at 11:30?" I asked.
"Yes, sir," my secretary answered curtly.
"Why can't they reschedule again?" I asked.
"That's the only time they are available for today, they also have a meeting with finance after that," my secretary told me. "Shall I postpone and reschedule--"
"No, tell them to push through with the meeting, you'll attend it in my place," I said.
"Very well, sir. The rest is the usual," my secretary said after double checking his tablet. "Thanks for the bento again, sir. If you'll excuse me."
I begin my work with overseeing drafts, reading and analyzing reports, as well as checking the minutes of every department's meetings, reviewing contracts among other things.
At 11, I buzzed for my secretary.
"Where are the files for the proposal of RT Group again?" I asked him.
"It is with you sir, you took it home with you yesterday for review," my secretary said.
"Well it is not here with me," I said in exasperation.
"Perhaps, you accidentally left it at home?" my secretary suggested more than asked.
"Maybe," I said with a sigh. 'What a pain'.
"Call my wife and ask her," I said.
"And then?" asked my secretary.
"What do you mean? Get them to me," I said, starting to get irked now.
"Well, that would be a problem, sir. Your meeting with the CK Group is in 30 minutes, the meeting with our budget and marketing team starts at the same time, and I will be attending that one on your behalf, and then your driver will be taking you to that lunch meeting with the CK Group in 10 minutes, which means there'll be no one to come and pick that document up at your house," my secretary said. "Unless," he paused.
"Then what do you suggest we should do?" I asked him.
"You can ask your wife to bring those documents in for you, sir," he said in a small voice but I heard them alright.
I never speak about my personal life with my employees, they aren't exactly forbidden to speak about my personal life but they don't dare from fear of reprimand. But, I doubt that they even know the truth about me and my estranged wife, with the exception of my assistant/secretary and my personal driver/bodyguard. They don't exactly know anything but they might have an idea of what our real relationship is like.
"Whatever, I need them before 1 PM today," I said.
"Ah, I don't know where those documents can be found in your home, sir," he began again.
"Don't worry, I'll call my wife," I said with a sigh and shooed him away.
I hate needing her more than anything else. Asking her to bring documents over is nothing at all but since we're not your ordinary couple, it's taxing and quite a bother for me. I dialed our home number, better to do it that way, it's more impersonal than having to call her directly on her mobile phone.
She answered on the third ring.
"Hello?" her voice echoed.
"I left some important documents at home that I need before 1 PM today. They should be on my desk in my office labeled RT Group proposal, bring them to me here in the office," I said and hang up.
'That should do it,' I said and resumed with my work. A few minutes later my secretary came in again to tell me that I should get going for my business lunch.
"What should I tell your wife when she gets here?" my secretary asked.
"Whatever do you mean?" I asked with raised eyebrows.
"I mean, should I just ask the receptionist to receive those files when she gets here?" his voice faltered, after all, he has a hint that I hate talking to and about my wife.
"Do whatever you want, just as long as those documents are here waiting for me after my meeting with the CK Group," I said and left.
"Understood, sir," my secretary said before I left.
***