It has been five days now and the pictures are still circulating. The whole of Beaumont is talking about it, but Michael doesn't care. He believes it will blow over and no one will talk about once a news gossip comes to town. All he is worried about is his position at the company and Isabella.
Michael has been trying to talk to Isabella but she was not talking to him or picking his call. Whenever he goes to her office to talk to her, she says she is busy and walks out on him or ignores him. She calls at her house and she would not see him. He gets upset. His mind is not at rest as he tries to find a way to get her to talk to him. Even if she wants to quarrel with him, it was better than giving him the silent treatment.
There was a management meeting that was called. Cynthia had come to terms with the bad pictures of her boss, and Michael loved that about him. She stepped into the office and presented him with the agenda for the meeting together with the necessary report.
'I have drawn up the list of potential contractors from the list of companies we have interviewed. Here is an agenda of the meeting.'
She was professional, spoke matter-of-factly. Michael loved her for it, and that was why he had trusted her with doing the interviews and compiling the names of those who made the checklist.
At the meeting, the Isabella saw to the matters arising. The contractor was picked. It was Hill contractors. Hill contractors are a new construction and their building of the city library had been commended by even international organizations. She asked for reports and Michael heaved a sigh of relief that she didn't bring up the matter of the blackmail. After the meeting, Michael walked out and waited for her at a hallway, where he knew she will pass. It hallway was on the way to her office. Michael followed her into her office and closed the door. He was determined to say what I had in my mind and get it over with. When he had sat down, looking for the right words to start the conversation, she turned to him and shouted.
'How could you stoop so low?'
Isabella flung the files she was holding on her table after she had shouted at him. Michael was taken aback, but he was glad that she started the conversation. He stood up to answer her.
'Please believe me, I wasn't the one in those photographs.'
Isabella raised her eyebrows. She couldn't believe that he had just said that.
'How do you say you are the one in the picture? Look at the picture very well.'
Michal hit his palm on his forehead. This was not what he had wanted to say. This was like shooting himself in the leg.
'I meant to say, I don't remember taking this picture.'
'You were setup Michael and you allowed yourself to be setup. It is because you have always associated with this kind that was why you relaxed. I am sure this is not the first time you are having this kind of sexual escapade.'
'Isabella, please believe me. I am not the kind of man.'
'Why do I care?'
Isabella walked to the door. Michael tried to stop her but she eyed him up and down and he stepped out of the way. Michael had not felt the kind of pain in his chest like the one he was felling now. he was not dating Isabella but he felt as though they had just broken up. There was pain in her eye when they spoke and it made him very sad.
Michael walked back to his office feeling defeated. He had had succeeded in talking to Isabella but it was possible that he had lost her. Cynthia was waiting for him in his office.
'What happened? Why are you here?' he asked her.
'Mr. Donald is on his way. He has requested to see you.'
Michael could see the fear in Cynthia's eyes and he appreciated her for it. He appreciated the fact that someone genuinely felt that he had been framed up. Then he was afraid of what the meeting might be about. Mr. Donald had never called to his office before. What was he coming to do? Was he coming to sack him? He sat down and waited for his visit with courage.
'Good afternoon sir. It is a pleasure to see you.'
Mr. Donald walked in with a lot of men and women. They brought him in on a wheelchair. Some of them were his guards and security personnel.
'How are you Michael? How are you fitting into your new office?'
'I am doing my best sir. You shouldn't have come all the way. You could have asked me to come to your house.'
'It is not a bother. Moving around is a type of exercise, don't you think?'
Michael nodded and they laughed. Michael didn't laugh with all of his heart in this one. He was still scared about why Mr. Donald had come to his office today. And no one had told him before hand.
Mr. Donald asked the guards to go away. The nurses were still with him. There were two of them, a male and female. While the male was making sure that the pillow was still in place at his back, the other was looking out for his leg and preventing it from slipping out of the wheelchair.
'I know you are wondering why I am here today. I have seen the photos and heard the stories but I don't believe you had anything to do with that woman, I mean the prostitute.'
'Thank you for believing me sir.' Michael knelt down before Mr. Donald to thank him. Mr. Donald patted him on his shoulder and continued.
'Being a director comes with a lot of jealousy. I don't know who might have set you up or planned the whole thing but I have come to ask you to be careful. Make sure that this incidence does not occur again.'
'I will do that sir.' Michael responded.
'Good. I have to go and see my daughter before I leave. Do take care.'
The nurses wheeled Mr. Donald again out of the office. The guards were outside and followed him as he went. Michael too saw him and then came back to the office. His mind was calm now. He was not in danger of losing his job. Now he had to find out who had set him. And maybe one of the ways was to find that prostitute and talk to her. Then ask around. Anyway he would find the person and he would deal with the person.
Diana was still jubilantly waiting for news of the sacking of Michael from his job when her phone rang. She was sitting in the Liam's office and eating. Lima was not around. He had gone to get food for them. She picked up the phone.
'Hello.'
'Hello madam. This is the nurse that told you about the healer.'
'Oh yes. How are you?'
'I am fine madam. My friend has returned and has promised to help.'
'Good. That is good news. When can she get the healer? How much is she charging for it?'
'I don't have that information yet. When I meet her, I will ask her but she will meet me later today and whatever she says, I will let you know.'
'That is okay. I will wait for your call.'
'Okay madam. Have a great day.'
'You have a great day too madam.'
And the phone line ended. Diana was happy. Added to the fact that they had set Michael up, she had found the healer for her daughter's ailment. The day could not be better.
Michael had been contacted about Clara's inability to use her legs. She was sitting or lying most of the time. He was sad. The nurse told him that it was a car accident that had put her in that place. He asked about her location and she told him. Then he decided to visit her and heal with the same plant Mr. Donald had given him.
Liam was disappointed when he discovered that Michael had not been sacked. He flew into a rage and flung the flower vase that was on his office table, smashing it to pieces.
'How is it possible that he is still there? Did donaldation not get the memo of his sexual escapades?'
There was no one with him in the office. So he stood in the middle of the office, with his hands akimbo and looked at the awards and diplomas that hung on the office wall. He had to find a way to get Michael out of the way.
He heard a knock on the door.
'Come in.' Liam said and the opened and closed. When he turned around, his mouth fell open. Clara was standing there smiling at him.
The afternoon was boring for Michael and so he decided to go to the site of the park project to inspect. Since he was in charge, after all his company was the one who owns the project but has only given it to a contractor as part of their corporate social responsibility.
When he got to the site, there were policemen everywhere. He was confused. This was a construction site and not a crime scene.
'What is going on here?' he asked the man who the chief on the ground. He was from the company that had won the contract.
'The police arrived about an hour ago. They said they have a warrant to stop the project because it went against the Beaumont city construction rules.
Michael was shocked. Who is this person who has told them to stop the work and what kind of rules has been broken. He brought out his phone and dialed the commissioner of police.
'I got a complaint from a citizen, name I cannot say. He said the construction would cause air and noise pollution throughout the city, and the court granted the warrant to stop.'
'You don't mean it. That is interesting. Thank you so much. And who is this concerned citizen who had laid this complaint?'
'I am not at liberty to say but it was one Liam George.'
'Oh, nice. Thank you telling me. You won't be in any trouble. I guarantee it.'
Michael didn't plan to confront Liam about anything but to go the subtle, underground route. After setting him up, Liam George now wants to tamper with his project. That would not happen. He would make sure to give Liam a taste of his own medicine.
Michael nodded and they laughed. Michael didn't laugh with all of his heart in this one. He was still scared about why Mr. Donald had come to his office today. And no one had told him before hand.
Mr. Donald asked the guards to go away. The nurses were still with him. There were two of them, a male and female. While the male was making sure that the pillow was still in place at his back, the other was looking out for his leg and preventing it from slipping out of the wheelchair.
'I know you are wondering why I am here today. I have seen the photos and heard the stories but I don't believe you had anything to do with that woman, I mean the prostitute.'
'Thank you for believing me sir.' Michael knelt down before Mr. Donald to thank him. Mr. Donald patted him on his shoulder and continued.
'Being a director comes with a lot of jealousy. I don't know who might have set you up or planned the whole thing but I have come to ask you to be careful. Make sure that this incidence does not occur again.'
'I will do that sir.' Michael responded.
'Good. I have to go and see my daughter before I leave. Do take care.'
The nurses wheeled Mr. Donald again out of the office. The guards were outside and followed him as he went. Michael too saw him and then came back to the office. His mind was calm now. He was not in danger of losing his job. Now he had to find out who had set him. And maybe one of the ways was to find that prostitute and talk to her. Then ask around. Anyway he would find the person and he would deal with the person.
Diana was still jubilantly waiting for news of the sacking of Michael from his job when her phone rang. She was sitting in the Liam's office and eating. Lima was not around. He had gone to get food for them. She picked up the phone.
'Hello.'
'Hello madam. This is the nurse that told you about the healer.'
'Oh yes. How are you?'
'I am fine madam. My friend has returned and has promised to help.'
'Good. That is good news. When can she get the healer? How much is she charging for it?'
'I don't have that information yet. When I meet her, I will ask her but she will meet me later today and whatever she says, I will let you know.'
'That is okay. I will wait for your call.'
'Okay madam. Have a great day.'
'You have a great day too madam.'
And the phone line ended. Diana was happy. Added to the fact that they had set Michael up, she had found the healer for her daughter's ailment. The day could not be better.
Michael had been contacted about Clara's inability to use her legs. She was sitting or lying most of the time. He was sad. The nurse told him that it was a car accident that had put her in that place. He asked about her location and she told him. Then he decided to visit her and heal with the same plant Mr. Donald had given him.
Liam was disappointed when he discovered that Michael had not been sacked. He flew into a rage and flung the flower vase that was on his office table, smashing it to pieces.
'How is it possible that he is still there? Did donaldation not get the memo of his sexual escapades?'
There was no one with him in the office. So he stood in the middle of the office, with his hands akimbo and looked at the awards and diplomas that hung on the office wall. He had to find a way to get Michael out of the way.
He heard a knock on the door.
'Come in.' Liam said and the opened and closed. When he turned around, his mouth fell open. Clara was standing there smiling at him.
The afternoon was boring for Michael and so he decided to go to the site of the park project to inspect. Since he was in charge, after all his company was the one who owns the project but has only given it to a contractor as part of their corporate social responsibility.
When he got to the site, there were policemen everywhere. He was confused. This was a construction site and not a crime scene.
'What is going on here?' he asked the man who the chief on the ground. He was from the company that had won the contract.
'The police arrived about an hour ago. They said they have a warrant to stop the project because it went against the Beaumont city construction rules.
Michael was shocked. Who is this person who has told them to stop the work and what kind of rules has been broken. He brought out his phone and dialed the commissioner of police.
'I got a complaint from a citizen, name I cannot say. He said the construction would cause air and noise pollution throughout the city, and the court granted the warrant to stop.'
'You don't mean it. That is interesting. Thank you so much. And who is this concerned citizen who had laid this complaint?'
'I am not at liberty to say but it was one Liam George.'
'Oh, nice. Thank you telling me. You won't be in any trouble. I guarantee it.'
Michael didn't plan to confront Liam about anything but to go the subtle, underground route. After setting him up, Liam George now wants to tamper with his project. That would not happen. He would make sure to give Liam a taste of his own medicine.