C2 002.

Carlo Morris.

My father stepped into my office with two of his escorts emerging suite, he had phoned me two days ago that I go check out the new school we just got.

He's been my only mentor over the years and I regard everything he does, he sat down and told his escorts to excuse us while we talked over some crucial things.

"Dad." I called and he gaped at me with those familiar eyes, sometimes people mistook us for brothers, even in his late fifties he still looked very young and handsome, tall that any young girl wouldn't mind to make him theirs, peeks of white tendrils fell across his face. "I've seen pictures of the school and they're very nice but what's our main aim of acquiring the place?" I asked, that was the first time we got a school and I'm still not sure why he made that compulsory.

"I've always dreamt of having a school but didn't get to build one in all my years of working, and now that I finally get the opportunity to have one. I must use it well." He said to me, but I didn't trust him totally. I believed there was something more to it, I know about the Morgan having shares in the school and he always want to be a part of whatever they did. After he bought the school, everyone who had a share in the project work of the school got back their shares to reinvest it somewhere else. Why do I feel it's a competition? I wasn't interested in schools, my main concern ever since I mounted the office as the new CEO, I've been on and up doing what I love doing best —that was running the textile industry my father started the best way I could, I have built more warehouses over the years and my recent project was starting the fashion business I've always wanted to do, my show has been launched and lots of models have applied to be on the runway — even though some of them were interested in me.

My father own one of the biggest textile industries in London, his real estate agencies progressed more than anyone else who was involved in the business —he's trained me to be just like him and even better and following his footsteps is something I won't ever regret doing.

"Why Princeguide high of all schools?" I asked and he glared at me — I got the signal, he took his time to teach me the eye language when I was younger, he had told me people were not meant to be trusted and that sometimes, when they lie to us. We should be able to infer by staring at them or taking notes of their gestures.

Though, I was little but I agreed to what he said.

And I've been doing just that ever since.

"Have you met with Bitsy recently?" He looked at me.

Bitsy was the only daughter of the Morgans — my father's competitors in business. He had made sure he talked me into getting married to her, I've opposed him a lot of times but he always made me know that his decision mattered more than mine when it came to his business.

"No." I replied nonchalantly, he should know by now that I'm not interested in getting married to Bitsy, what I admired about her was her professional skills —she handled whatever was brought to her table with professionalism and I learnt from her.

"Why no?" He seemed angry from how raspy his voice sounded. "You should get close to her, there are other men out there who wants her. Do you want them to take her away from you?" He glared at me again with those hawk like but cute eyes, my father had gone through so much pains in the past before he worked off his ass to become a successful man.

"I'll make up with something." I scratched my head searching for a perfect lie to tell him.

"You should and make sure she doesn't slip out of your hands, we need her." He said in an authoritative voice, sometimes I get tired of how he scolds me like I'm still a kid, he should understand I'm twenty six and grown up, old enough to make my own decisions which won't even be detrimental to anyone but he wouldn't let me.

"I'll do that, dad." I submitted to his will, like I've always done. "Did you see the latest news that was published yesterday? I grabbed some newspaper on my way to the office and I was really…"

"Is it about Eleanor?" He interrupted me, the hurts were still in his eyes whenever he mentioned her name.

"Did I do a wrong thing by mentioning her?" I asked, his bored expression made me bothered. My father was not the one to get sad over something but even after these years, it still hurt that my mother left him to be with a richer man and that was he beginning of his struggle. After she left without me, he strove to be greater and better and he did attain that height of success.

They've met in several business dinners when she attended with her husband — Mark Hardy, he owned the biggest fashion industry in London, the name of his company was Hardy's fashion and it was known far and wide. I ventured into that aspect of business not because I wanted to be a competitor but that had always been my passion since I was a kid.

I drew a lot, and it was my dream to bring all my designs into reality.

My father had talked me into studying Economics in school even after knowing I had the great thirst to be a fashion king.

I don't regret the choice he made me make.

"No, son. I'm over her." It was obvious he lied about that. "She can choose to be with whomever she wants to be with." He said. "I have you and that's just enough for me."

"Dad, there are some designs I'd like to bring into our textile…" One of his escorts barged into the office with his phone in his hand.

"I'm sorry but it's an important call." Ted, the strongest of the escorts stood in front of my father and flexed his muscles, he was giant and muscular. Sometimes, I wondered where and how he got that body, I trained so hard but my biceps weren't up to half of his and I just feel I can't be like him no matter how hard I try. Truth is, I didn't need those big muscles, the small bicep I was able to build over the years still drove the girls crazy whenever they saw my bare body, they yearned for more and can't always control themselves.

"I have to go now." My father said once he dropped the call. "Our new goods just arrived, I need to see them before Morgan send his men over to clear it."

"You still haven't told me what those goods are about." I queried him.

"Let the elders deal with what concerns them and the young ones deal with what concerns them." He said in parables and rose from the chair. I know he was keeping something from me and I won't force him to let it out. "I'll see you some other time." he left with his escort and waned my request of seeing off him to the garage.

After my father left, I got back to what I was checking out on the laptop in front of me.

-

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Alyssa Hall.

Getting up from bed every morning was a difficult task for me, sometimes all I just want to do everyday is to lie in my bed and laze around the house all day long. But I have to work, Callie had already woken up and made breakfast —she did things like that sometimes and it melted my heart whenever she did.

"Good morning Aly." She smiled at me, Callie was the only one who called me Aly, and it was special whenever she did that, she rarely talked but whenever she did, I always wished she won't stop.

"Hey baby girl." I moved closer to where she stood and kissed her forehead. "Did you sleep well?" I asked and she nodded her head.

"I cooked for you, hope you'll eat it?" She asked and I smiled, she was too sweet and anyone who met her wouldn't help but take to her.

"Sure." Without bothering to brush my teeth, I walked into the kitchen and scooped some spoonful of rice into a small plate, I ate hurriedly and thanked her afterwards. "I have to shower, I don't have class today but I have to go and see if I can get another part-time job that can let me work at least two times in day, I don't mind if they pay me weekly." I've thought of it overnight before coming out to talk to Callie about it, our rent will be due in three months and we have no money to pay when that times comes except if I'm paid at Princeguide, my first salary would cover our rent for two months and we have to eat too before then.

"You're working too hard Aly." Callie sounded worried about me.

"I have to work for us, we need money. Lots of money to do different things around the house. You'll soon finish the dosage of the antidepressants, we need to get new ones." I told her.

"I don't want to take those pills anymore." She shook her head. "I'm fine and not depressed anymore." I knew she was saying all that for me not to worry about her state.

"I'll stop when the doctor says it's time to but for now, you have to live according to how he's stated that you should." I told her in a stern voice and she kept calm. "I have to go get ready now." She kept on staring at me with those puppy eyes.

I left her in the living room and went to my room to get ready for the day.

I hated hurting Callie but she doesn't seem to understand me sometimes and that bothered me a lot. I try to be cool with her but it always seemed to her like I'm hurting her because the next thing she does after disagreeing to something she wants is to cry. I walked back to the living room to peep through the curtains and I saw Callie already folded her arms and her legs together, her face buried on her knees. I knew she was crying, that was what she always did.

I left her to cry, I had to attend to other things.

I planned to console her before leaving the house.

Bitsy Morgan.

I was working on the files my secretary dropped on my table before leaving for lunch when Carlo's call came in, it's been a while we talked and I wondered why he just called me out of the blue moon. He never did unless it had to do with business.

"Hello?" I picked the call and twirled the pen that was in between my fingers. "Anything good?" I asked.

"Bitsy." He called in a bored tone. "Are you free tonight?" He asked, I looked into my schedule for the day and I have a night out with my twins, I promised to take them to watch a movie if they came out first in class and they did surprise me.

"Yes, I have somewhere to be with the twins." I told him and there was silence for a while.

"When will you be free?" I wondered why he was hellbent on having me over.

"What do you want Carlo?"

"To spend some time with you, let's catch up on things we've missed over the weeks and you can even bring the twins along with you." I was surprised when he said that. The one Carlo Morris I was familiar with wasn't interested in making friends with kids. What was that all about? I suspected something unusual.

"No, Carlo. My kids and I needs some time together. I'll let you know when I'm free which won't even be anytime soon." I said and he sighed in dissatisfaction.

"I'll wait till you're ready." He said and ended the call, he was rude — and that was something I really detested about him.

My dad called and informed me about the arrival of the new goods he told me about the previous day, he asked for my presence and immediately, I left to meet him at the warehouse.

Carlo Morris.

After I ended the call with Bitsy, I dropped my phone on the table and clasped my hands together.

If not for my father, there was no reason I'd have placed a call across to Bitsy and ask for a date from a woman who already owns two children when I have many sexy and single ladies who are willing to go down with me even without asking.

I felt embarrassed because she always looked for ways to turn me down, I wasn't really interested in her.

I was still mad about the fact that Bitsy turned me down when Hadley —my secretary walked into my office.

She wore a short skirt that revealed her well toned thighs and legs, I would be lying if I said I wasn't attractive by that, it got me but I pretended to be focused.

"Good morning sir." She flashed that killer smile at me but it had no effects on me.

"Are you done?" I asked and she nodded, she dropped the file on the table and turned to leave. She dropped her pen and bent in front of me to pick it up, I couldn't resist things like that.

Hadley was pretty no doubts, she was tall and slim, she had the body shape of a A-list model, she's featured and modeled for my brand before I made her my secretary, I chose her because she was attractive and smart.

Her long thick dark hair fell over shoulders making her look like a goddess, she picked up her pen and swirled in front of me, she looked back at me and winked.

I knew what she wanted, she's given me signs before but I've pretended not to notice.

It was so embarrassing my groin was getting harder as I stared at her cleavage.

She halted and moved closer to me.

"Sir, do you?" I pulled her closer and crashed my lips on hers. I knew she wanted it, she wrapped her arms round my neck and kissed me in response, she let out a moan that turned me on.

It was wrong doing something like this in the office, what if someone walked into the office? I thought but all that didn't matter now.

I unbuttoned her shirt and her bra came into display, she was really fresh and her breast felt so soft as I dilated my eyes and stared lustfully at them. I unhooked her bra and cupped her left breast in my hand, she moaned and held unto me tightly.

As I sucked her pink nipples, I never thought there would be a day I'd have Hadley on my table. She moaned and I withdrew from sucking on her nipple to kissing her.

She responded and our lips moved in sync again.

I was really aroused but I wasn't sure I want to have her right in my office.

She held my hand and traced it down to her lower body, I could feel her panties getting wet already and she moaned again when I rubbed her clothed clit.

I suddenly pulled away from her grip and she stared at her in awe.

"We shouldn't be doing this Hadley." I buttoned up my already loosened shirt and told her to wear back her bra.

She was disappointed, she picked up the strapless material from the table and wore it back. She shot me a deadly glare and looked in between my legs to check if I was aroused.

She widened her eyes she she saw how hard I was, I wanted her but not that badly.

"You should go back to your office Hadley." I told her and she nodded in understanding, she wore back her blouse and adjusted her skirt. "And I'm sorry if I…"

She cut me off my placing two fingers on my lips to shut me up.

"Though it didn't last but I enjoyed it." She said and left my office.

I stared at Hadley as she walked out, I rubbed my temples in worry and shook my head.

I got back to work but my mind kept creeping back to what just happened between Hadley and I and somehow I was glad, I didn't sleep with her.