"That is no way to welcome your mother," the woman replied with a smile, taking her seat afterwards.
His eyes were fixed on her with his back resting on the chair. Holding onto his pen, he darted as though he had plenty to say but didn't have the time.
She rumbled her eyes and sighed.
"Lucian, you are grieving. You should grieve." She said.
"Is that why you came?" he asked.
"I needed to see you," she said.
"About what?" His words came out upset.
"You can't avoid me." She said.
"You don't get to tell me what to do." He emphasized.
"You are angry, I get it," she said.
—"I am not doing this with you. What do you want?" He inquired.
"I need some funds." She said.
"Oh." He raised his brows.
"It's just a loan." She pleaded.
"Yeah. Like every other loan." He said.
"I will pay back. It's just crucial. Truly." She explained.
"The responsibility of this company fell on my shoulders the day the will was read. I can't be careless with funds." He said.
"We both know no charge is too expensive for you. I am your mother." She said.
"Funny how the title fits seamlessly into every statement you make now. Why not? I just got five times richer so why not come to my office whenever you need money when you run into problems in your life?" He said.
"I know how it sounds but it isn't what it is and I know I owe you but every dime will be paid. There is simply a bill on my name that needs to be cleared." She stated.
"Last I checked, even you got a share in the will. What have you done with it?" He inquired.
"Not enough," she said.
"I see." He said,
"Please, Lucian. Just help me. I could have turned to someone else but I can't stain the family name." She pleaded.
He kept his eyes fixed on her. It was a deep gaze and a lot ran through his mind instantly.
Not long after, he blinked his eyes away.
"You never will tell me what you use these monies to do, will you?" he asked.
"I swear I would if I could." She said softly.
He wasn't having it. As though he expected the response, he hit the desk with both hands and raged, turning towards the glass window.
"Lucian… " She voiced,
"Don't!" He warned. It shook her and her eyes shut briefly.
He exhaled, refusing to turn to her.
"Leave. Forward your details and you will have it sent before dark." He said.
———
Mira had settled into her office and was busy with her computer when the telephone rang. In no time she was back in his office. Shutting the door behind her, she could see his seat was empty.
She walked forward and only then saw him in the left corner looking through the bookshelf.
He returned to his seat with a book in his hand.
"You called, sir," she said, standing with her hands crossed behind her back.
"You left the file behind." He told her.
"I didn't need to take it along. I am currently working on the task, Sir." She said.
"I do not find your insolence impressive. Take the file." He ordered her.
Skimming at him, she could tell he was bent on making her agitated till she quits.
She could see his yearning for her to accept defeat. For her to unconsciously acknowledge she wasn't as fit for the job as she believed.
She understood it was a match for him. A game of power and win or nothing.
She took two steps closer to the book and picked up the file.
"Good." He enunciated, taking his seat.
"Will that be all, sir?" she inquired.
"I will tell you when it is." He said, "My sources have informed me about the Wongs." He added,
"The Wongs. It's been three years since their name was kicked off the chart after the TSUNAMI PROJECT failed during the tryouts." She said.
"Well, it seems for those years they haven't complained about their loss," he said.
"They have come up with another project. Some scientific technology qualifies car wheels for a longer lifespan. We can't let that happen." He said.
Mira became worried. Her face said it all.
"It won't make us drop, it will take us off the market. They plan to take us off the market." She said.
"You sound assertive," he said.
"Before your uncle passed, he had a fallout with Mr Wong. Mr Wong presented the idea to your uncle in a closed-door meeting but refused. Because your uncle believed greed was completely idiotic when compared to the disadvantages and risks involved." She said.
"Our product is valid for six years, he wants for ten. Science has never been a hundred percent trustworthy. Things could backfire and many lives could be lost. How are people eager for such?" He said,
"People crave comfort and convenience. Risks come after them."
"Foolish." He voiced.
"I suspect no one is speaking against this for some reason," she said.
"You think those reasons may have something to do with politics?" he asked.
"Everything is possible, sir." She responded.
"When was the last time you got on a plane?" He asked.
"I don't know," she replied.
"In two days we will fly to China." He said.
"Oh," she said.
"Undercover. We wouldn't want them to know the very ones they are trying to destroy came to find out how." He told her.
"That sounds dangerous. It's like walking into a lion's den. As your P.A., I strongly advise against it. You are the future of this company and your safety is paramount. I can arrange for two other staff members to go undercover." She said.
"And then what? Risk this upcoming development spreading? Making our customers panic or eager for our competitor to launch their product while we decline in purchases?"
As she said, "I was just trying to help.", she held back the words she wanted to say.
" I lead, you follow. If it doesn't occur to you, this is confidential. So we treat it that way. You and I will embark on that trip. It's a three-day trip which is enough for us to get what we want." He said.
"And then what? Are we seeking to find the product or scientific technology?" she inquired.
"What do you think?" He asked
I would like to know if I will be going on this trip, sir. I would need the necessary details to weigh our chances and outcomes, so please confirm if we are to work together, if this is to succeed. We need to plan together or the trip will be fruitless." She told him.
"If we can get our hands on Sci-tech then lucky us, if we can get a sample of the product, we could use it to develop something better or find out its weakness so we can have a case." He said.
"And what if things are deeper than we expected?" she asked.
"I can take care of myself, can you?" He asked her.
She looked like a ticking bomb. She disliked his tone and wasn't buying the trip idea but what could she do to change things? She wondered.