C3 Chapter 3

Chris stand at a distance as he listen to all that transpire between Laura and Avan just now then left the class in anger. He got to the school clinic and throw the drink he had initially bought for her in the trash can, went in to lay down as he force the tears threatening to fall back. He couldn't believe that after everything she still thought of him that way. Although she did not really care about him at least she respected their friendship and even when she reacted rudely to him yesterday he had thought that it was because of what happened. Although he knows that he doesn't have a chance but he's still happy with the fact that she didn't break up the engagement between them but hearing her today he felt hurt even knowing the fact that Avan doesn't like her but him telling her will result in her accusing him of trying to separate them because of jealousy. Just few days ago she offered for them to be friends but now she's changed. Chris stood up from the bed suddenly and lay down again if only he wasn't poor then maybe she would have given him a chance he thought and closed his eyes when he heard the bell and stood to leave.

Laura look around for any sight of Ella or Avan before leaving the school premises on her own. Her driver just called that he is stuck in traffic and will be a bit late so she wanted to go with either of them. She start walking just outside the school when she sight Chris standing at a distance resting his back on the wall

"is he waiting for her?" she thought and stopped walking. She recently find out from Ella that Chris has always been standing outside the school to watch her leave and come to school everyday so she felt touched and asked him to be friends. Seeing him now, she smiled as she get the feeling that there is still someone waiting for her but then the smile disappeared as she remembered what she had said about him to Avan earlier. She knows that among the normal people she has seen, Chris is totally different from others but still she doesn't want to make the same mistake her mother made and end up getting betrayed and even has to fight for her life in the process. Her father too just like him came from a very poor background but her mother insisted on getting married to him despite everyone's disapproval. Its also the main reason she arranged for an engagement between her and Chris but now all those believe and love turns out to be a lie.

Laura continue walking slowly to meet Chris where he is and he also looked towards her direction just before Laura could get to him, Kayla appeared out of no where and stand in front of him blocking them from each other. Laura stopped in her track wondering what is going on for them to be together. Kayla held his hand as she pull him away from there eager while Chris turn to face Laura for a second before turning his face away and left with her

Laura was pissed off and stomp her feet on the floor just then her driver pull up beside her and she got in then he drove off

****

Chris finished packing his bags and came out of his room to leave. His dad also stood up from his seat and pick up his truck keys to drive him down to the airport, when he gets to where he was standing he took the bag from him and carried them instead

"is your mother really not going to come out? She was crying so much yesterday when you decide to leave" he said loud enough for his wife to hear him from inside

"its okay if she doesn't want to see me off, it would just make her cry more" Chris said

"you sly child, you have always reject the offer to go work with your maternal uncle for a long time now because of your education and mother so why do you suddenly agree to leave just before your finish school?"

"i just think it wont make a difference if I leave later or now" he replied and leaves. The both of them got to the car and his father drove off to the airport. Chris rest his head as he tries not to think about his mother. His mother is an half-cast and mistakenly got pregnant with him and had to marry his father, he had vow not to have anything to do with her family because of the way they treated his mother when they find out but now to prove to Laura he decide to take their help. His mother protest when he told them and even threatened to disown him but he already made up his mind and when he comes to this country he wont be known as the Chris everyone takes for granted.

SEVEN YEARS LATER

Laura entered the meeting room with mixed feelings. She tried to hid her real emotion so they wont use that to her disadvantages but deep down she felt very uncomfortable about everything. Just yesterday she came back from her mother's burial and now faced with this for the past seven years, her mother has been in a coma and her father has proven to be irresponsible by abandoning them at the sunflower house and bringing in the other woman to the main house to live with her son luckily for her. Her mother has written a will that until she is twenty one before she takes over so she was able to get back the control over the company two years ago but now the business as been doing really bad and everyone is plotting to dispose her as the chairwoman.

Everyone rise up immediately she enters and sat down after her. Laura cleared her throat noisily before signaling to her secretary to come forward

"put a call through to my dad" she whispered and continued

"why do you all call for an emergency meeting? Am sure I told you all to give me sometimes to solve this" she said firmly

"what time do you still want us to give you miss president? Two weeks is already gone without any changes at all and TT is fast overshadowing our company while we keep falling back we even lost such an obvious deal to them" Mr Tony one of the directors voice out impatiently

"i asked for a month and I promise that after one month everything will be back to its original position"

"but two weeks is gone already and nothing is happening in our favour, the future of thousands of employees depends on you. Both I and the other boards of directors have discussed and we agreed that director Nicolas should take over" another one of the directors said. Laura keep quiet after hearing what he said, she knows that all their impatiences and complains is just to put her brother in her position and do away with her but she will never let that happen.her mother has used all her life to serve the company and bring it up to this point so she would never let a bastard take over it

"why do you all think Nicolas is going to do better than I? because he is a man?"

"i know you might not like the idea but he is your brother and him helping to stabilize the company is the best option right now"

"i know what all of you are thinking but it will never happen, I promised to take care of all this in the next two weeks and before that you should all keep your ideas to yourself if after two weeks and the problem still persist then you can challenge me or my authority" she declared and stoop up

"Clara, see me after attending to our clients from country A and come along with the document I asked you to get for me. Meeting dismissed" she instructed and leaves before anyone could say anything again and released a breath she doesn't know she was holding. She walked elegantly to her office and sat down with her head bow down confused, Clara entered and walk closer to her

"ma'am you look tired, should I get you something to eat am sure you haven't eaten breakfast"

"no need for that" she said and raise up her head

"has everyone left the meeting room?"

"yes, although they left with complains but they are still helpless because of the one month grace given to you. It seems they are determined to get rid of you as the president"

"i know, have you been able to get what I asked you?" Clara kept quiet for a minute before answering

"there is still no concrete information about him" she answered lowly. Laura bang the table loudly and angrily

"who the hell is he to do this to me? What kind of human is he to do this to me?" she yelled frustrated

"calm down ma, I will make sure to get his information before the end of today and know his motive" just as she was talking Nicolas entered and stood some feet away from her.

"why? You cant wait to get my office for yourself? Too bad am not leaving this seat" she said and turn to face Clara

"continue what I asked you to and give me a positive feedback as soon as possible" she said dismissing her then stood up to leave

"and you, keeping checking out my office its mine" she said and walk out on him.