A young man scrambled out of the study of Mitch. He was so flustered that he fell down multiple times before he got to the living room, which was just a few meters away. He picked up the files he had dropped and practically run out of the house. He nearly bumped into Ella who had just finished her morning exercise and training session with her trainer.
Ella nearly screamed at the man because she was in a bad mood herself, but before she could open her mouth to snap at him, the man had already left the driveway in his car. He looked like one of her father's assistants.
Ella did not know which assistant this one was and not that she cared but her daddy's assistants never lasted more than a couple of weeks, so she had long since stopped the practice of knowing their names. She turned towards the open door and cringed when she heard the shout, "AAHHHHHHHH!!!" followed by things breaking. She quickly walked inside to find out what was going on.
When she entered Mitch's study, she saw vases and glassware broken all over the floor. Thrown and scattered papers as well as files and many other things on the floor.
"Daddy?" she spoke out hesitantly from the doorway, but Mitch ignored her and pinched his forehead in frustration. His face was all scrunched up as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulder.
"Daddy? What is going on?" she asked again but this time, Mitch said in a low and strained voice, "Ella, not now dear, Let's talk later."
Ella ignored her father and looked at the newspapers spewn on the ground. She picked one up and read its front page:
Financial Times: The stocks of 'Menas Kente and Clothing' have taken a drastic dip in the stock market opening today…
Ella's eyes widened because 'Menas Kente and Clothing' was the family's company founded by her dad a few years back. The company was very renowned and prosperous. She picked up the next one and read its front page as well,
The News Headlines: Menas Kente and Clothing', the leading clothing line in Beo City lost a major investor yesterday…
"Daddy, t-t-this, what is happening," she asked in a frightened voice. For once Mitch was not in the mood to entertain his youngest daughter whom he held close to his heart, so he shouted angrily, "Get out!"
Ella flinched and her eyes brimmed with tears as this was the first time that her daddy had spoken that way to her. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, and she run out of the study to her bedroom when the tears rolled down freely.
After she had cried for a bit in her room, she dried her tears and picked up her phone. She ran through some popular news websites, and her heart sank more.
Beo GenNews: 'Mr Menas who took us by storm with his 'Kente' clothing launch a few years back and continues to dominate the industry was caught in his own trap by his daughter: I must say, she is one bold one…'
Glamour Times: 'Yvonne Menas Does it again! She wore one of her designs to her daughter's engagement yesterday! The dress was sheer water floor-length design that hid all but, in reality, hid nothing at all. The dress had an open back design which she coupled with a stiletto-heeled ankle strap sandal and…'
Elite Dressing Corner: 'Ella displayed another of her Yvonne Menas custom made dresses. She should be rightly known as Ella Enchanted! Because that is what she did to us! She…'
'… Yvonne Menas shocks us with the new design line, launched at her daughter's engagement dinner, To find ou-…'
As Ella read various headlines, even the news about her gown and how pretty she had looked did not lift up her mood because the press specialised in gossip more, so there were numerous stories about those. She continued to scroll through her phone, and she clenched her hand so hard that it hurt.
Gossip Colum: 'Daddy beaten at his own game…. More in this edition!'
'…. Headlines: Menas Scandal Unheard of!...'
'…Unmasked! Cruel father nearly forces his daughter into a Gramps marriage!...'
'…. Who marries their child to a pervert? Find out more in this edition…'
Beo Entertainment Times: "The two Menas sisters hitched in one night! One married, One engaged… Find out mor-…"
'…Drama at a family engagement, The Mena-…'
Ella stopped reading and threw her phone against the wall. She screamed at the top of her lungs to vent out her frustration.
"This is all because of Amanda!"
"She will pay!"
Back in the study, Mitch was still very furious and run his hands through his now messy hair.
Ding!
His phone signalled that he had received a message and he immediately checked the email only to put it down defeatedly. His only hope was dashed!
He looked at a copy of the marriage certificate of Kelvin Kay and Amanda Menas which was dated a week before and clenched his teeth so hard that he felt pain.
"What do I do now?" he asked himself as he felt that he was at loss.
"Maybe I should force them to separate and divorce!" he thought and then he calmed down slightly. He knew that he had to address the problem of his stocks plummeting as well, as that was the priority.
"When I am able to get them divorced, the investment issue with Mr Corns will naturally be resolved." He convinced himself.
"The boy is just a poor waiter so some money will solve the problem." He sighed as he gained some of his composure back.
Ding! Ding!, his phone beeped again and his frown returned. A shareholders meeting had been called and Mitch knew exactly what they would demand.
He picked up the phone and made a call. After conveying his message, he laid down on the couch in his study and just stared up at the ceiling.