"I have not been serious"
Claire would not stop talking since they stepped out of class. Rhea who walked beside her did not seem to be listening at all. All she did was nod countless times even though it was boldly written on her face that she was lost to the discussion.
"Honestly Rhea, it's our last year in college and I have a bad feeling about it. I have been losing focus easily these days. To make things worst, my aggregates will not stop falling. I just don't know what is wrong with me!" She paused. Her eyes were evident of her weakness.
"Do you think I will fail.... Rhea?" She asked, stopping to turn to her friend.
"Huh..." Rhea started. All she heard was her name and nothing more. Now, how could she possibly know what her friend asked.
"Do you think?"
'Think what?'
"Obviously, Yeah" Rhea said quickly hoping she made the right choice of answer to the unknown question. But she lost.
"What!" Claire gasped.
It looks like someone is going to be in a hell lot of troubles today. Without Claire saying a word yet, Rhea knew she had made an outrageous choice of answer.
"You think I will fail?" Claire uttered unbelievably. She thought the sound of failure was no big deal when she voiced it herself, but hearing it from someone else scared her.
After all, she had come this far. Only she knew how had it had been these past years of self sponsoring. Now that she was just a step closer to the peak of her profession, she would not back down.
Claire had never wanted to be a lawyer. She would rather be a chef but the world threw at her a different offer. She studied law because of her dysfunctional father. She wanted to advocate for abused wives and children.
That was her future hope. But did she know whatever is to come her way eventually?.
"Hell no! What is this you are saying about failing? Look Claire, you have come this far... just a little more effort you give won't hurt" Rhea who finally got the understanding of the situation on ground spoke.
She felt she was silly at first to scare her friend. She also knows about how much her friend put in to reach this stage. She would support her she decided.
"Not everyone is as intelligent as you... you know right"
Everyone has a time to breakdown. Surprisingly, Claire had her fair share. She was only being scared of how much longer she could bear her facade.
"Don't be silly" Rhea frowned. "Come, let's find an ice cream shop nearby. I think you need to be revitalised.
Rhea dragged her friend out of the school compound. Since the nearest ice cream shop was only a stone throw from the school, they walked down to the shop.
The shop was always filled with people, it never ran out of customers. There was usually an outdoor vendor who attended to others outside.
Today, there was practically no space anymore. Rhea and Claire joined the queue outside. After they bought their flavored ice cream, the took a seat on a bench near the shop.
"If I will ever get married, I won't choose a man like my father" Claire voiced.
"Me neither" Rhea agreed and Claire gave a small laugh.
"I wonder if there are any good guy out there any more" Claire said softly. She looked at the people's moving to and fro before looking away.
"Maybe" Rhea shrugged. She shared her friend's sentiments.
They fell into silence, just watching the who were moving around. Just then, Claire's phone rang. She picked it up.
Although she did not say anything to the caller yet, one could tell it was an important call as her eyes widened and she was almost jumping out of her seat. Whoever the caller was, Rhea was curious.
"Okay, I'll be there soon" Claire finally spoke before ending the call.
"Who was that?" Rhea asked her friend who was already putting her things together to leave.
"That's the lawyer handling my father's case, something came up. I am sorry but I will go first. See you some other time"
"Ah.."
Before Rhea could blink, Claire disappeared from before her. She shook her head and finished her melting ice cream and stood up to leave.
*
"You are really hell bent on dragging this company down ain't you? I see.."
Eris cold gaze fell on the two men before him. Even though the young man was years younger than the two, they couldn't help but fear him.
"What do you mean! We have been walking with your father since you were a toddler!" One managed to voice out.
"Ain't you an interesting one. Tell me more on your plans to transfer the company's fund into your accounts?" Eris mocked.
The two men gasped and looked at Eris. Sure enough, the two were wondering how he found out. The account manager was about to speak but Eris cut him to it.
"Watch what you say right now else.." Eris said and stretched forth his hand towards Audrey who was also in the room.
She understood his message and quickly placed some documents in his open palm. Eris gave the document to the account manager who had been looking at his every move.
"Bam!"
The papers fell from his hand and he stumbled. He held the chair in front of him for support.
"What is that..?" The auditing head asked but the account manager was to shocked to form words. Angrily, the auditing head picked the papers and skimmed through.
"How...how—" He paled and his fingers shook.
"Taylor" Eris called and immediately,Taylor stood from his seat and hurried to stand in front of Eris.
"You know what to do"
"Sure boss" Taylor nodded. He was eager to do anything. He walked to the two men and roughly ushered them out of the office.
"Eris, you better don't do anything stupid. You are not the CEO yet and you are this arrogant! Let's see if your father will be pleased with you... ah, the shareholders don't like you after all—"
The sharp mouthed auditing head blabbered. Eris who did not seems to mind only flicked his wrist and Taylor whisked the two out.
"Troublesome" Eris muttered as soon as they were gone.
"Eris..." Audrey started. She waited for his permission to continue.
"Speak"
"I know those two have done wrong.. but don't you think you should let your father handle them. I am not meeting to say you can't, but I don't want you to get into trouble with your father" She said picking her words courteously.
"Trouble.." Eris gave a small emotionless laugh and Audrey almost shiver.
"I am sorry, I did not mean to say anything to offend you—" She quickly said.
"Audrey, you should remember I am the boss here. I see you have been stressed lately, take a break" Eris said.
"No, I am okay with anything"
"Take a break" He uttered, leaving no space for argument.
Audrey bowed a little and left the office unhappy. She did not want to leave Eris side after all.
"Why do you look so down?" Taylor who was just returning asked Audrey as she walked out of the office.
"Nothing, Eris just wanted me to have a break" She answered.
"A break? Did you offend him?" Taylor furrowed his brows.
"I don't think so"
"Then if it is a break, it's a good thing. Don't think too much" Taylor said calmly.
"Thank you Taylor" She said and smiled a little.
Seeing the small smile, Taylor nodded. He could not help but smile too. Audrey walked away while Taylor watched her back. He gazed at her for a long time before entering the office.
Eris was on phone when he walked in. He sat on the chair and listened since the phone was on speaker.
"News got to me that you fired the account manager and auditing head" A male voice was heard from the other side of the phone call.
"Sure enough, you have a trusted news carrying agent"
"So it's true.."
The line went pin drop silence and none said a word.
"You need to get on the good side of the shareholders... son"
"That is what I am doing" Eris said as a matter of fact.
"I heard you haven't given consent to the invitation to the city's camping event. Accept the invite, then you can be an important person at the camp and also our company could sponsor the social event—"
"Father, I will go first, I am busy" With that, Eris ended the call.
On the other side, the man in his late forties heaved a sigh.
"I hope he stop being so stubborn" He thought out loud.
"Keep monitoring his works and report everything to me" He said to the young man standing beside him.
"Yes boss" The young man answered and left the room.
*
"Miss, this money will only take you halfway of where you are heading, are you going to come in or not?" The cab man who seems to be in hurry said to Rhea.
After Claire left, Rhea realized she was stranded and had no means of going home. She was supposed to hitch a ride with Claire but the latter had things to do. Now she was left with no choice but to take this ride halfway home then she can walk the rest.
''Okay no problem, take me with you" She said and entered the car.
After driving for a while, the car suddenly stopped and the driver motioned to her to go out.
"But this is not even halfway yet" She complained with a frown.
"Miss, I am short of fuel already, this is where I can drop you. Now leave my car" He said impolitely.
"Are you trying to cheat me?" Rhea asked looking at the man angrily.
"What do you mean by cheat. You know well enough that your money cannot take you to your destination so what right do you have to accuse me of cheating. Come out now or I'll drag you out myself" The man threatened.
Angrily, Rhea got out of the car and the man drove off Immediately at high speed.
"You said you had no fuel! You big cheat!" Rhea yelled in fury and kicked the dust with her boot.
"Seriously, is she always a damsel in distress?"
Just then, Taylor who was being Eris' unpaid chauffeur arrived at the scene. He almost laughed at Rhea's angry face.
Eris who had been working on his laptop heard Taylor say something about 'damsel in distress' and he looked up from his work.
Few meters away from the car stood an angry Rhea. It seems like she had been dropped by a cab. She was so angry that she even kicked sand.
"Do you want to be her knight in shining armor?" Taylor asked casting a quick glance at Eris who surprisingly gave the idea a thought.
"Let's help her" He finally said and Taylor smirked. Even before Eris agreed, he was already driving toward Rhea.
"Come in" Eris rolled down the window and said to Rhea.
Rhea heaved a sigh and looked at him gratefully. She entered the car and saw that he was busy. Not wanting to disturb him, she was silent all through till she dropped from the car.
Unknown to her, Eris was not exactly pleased at her silence. He would cast a side glance at her few times but she wasn't even paying him any attention.
"Do you want to know something good?" Taylor asked after Rhea had left the car.
"Speak" The ice man said.
"Rhea attends the college that sent you an invite. The camp is a last even for all final year students Unfortunately for you, Amelia goes there too and will surely be at the camp. What do you think?"
Eris paused, his fingers stopped typing. He raised his head giving Taylor's words a thought.
"It is not a big deal sponsoring a small event after all. Accept the invite" Eris answered and returned to his work. He did not know there was a silly smile on his lips.
'Sponsoring an event indeed' Taylor thought.