I looked behind Victor and found Richard and Sam standing behind him, a smug smile on my husband’s face. "Richard?..."
Victor spun round to face Richard.
"What have we here? Is someone taking advantage of the media frenzy to convince my wife they are better off with them? This isn’t what the board placed you here for is it?"
"I was mainly concerned and worried about the outlook of it on the company," Victor said effortlessly. Why did I never notice how sly he was?
"Mr Franklin, I want you to get something straight. It doesn’t matter what your report turns out to be to the board, I am a Numero, legally and biologically. I will one hundred percent be the CEO of this company, the only thing that can change are members of the board. Do not use your little job to drive a wedge in my marriage or I will rain down such hell never before heard on you. Don’t test me,"
"I didn’t realize your marriage could crack by a wedge, interesting to know. Gives more credit to the article, don’t you think?" Victor commented an eyebrow raised.
"Get the hell away from my wife and stay the hell away from her,"
"I’m afraid I cannot do that without proper clearance from the board," Victor said, smirked, and walked back in the direction of his office.
"Sam, move my wife’s office upstairs," he growled.
"Richard, I don’t think that is a great idea..." Sam started,
"I don’t care what you think? I want her away from that lunatic,"
"I think Nita can handle herself..."
"Richard, it’s alright. Don’t let small issues ruin everything we are working for," I reached for his hand which he gripped possessively.
"I will leave the both of you to it then," Sam said and walked away. I watched him leave knowing we would have a confrontation before the end of the day.
Richard pulled me by the hand into my office, slammed the door, and reached for me once more, taking my lips in his, possessively, like a man afraid to lose a battle. I matched his energy, remembering our encounter in the bathroom this morning.
I didn’t know my body was capable of the things I had been feeling in the hands of Richard. I may not have anything to measure it to but I could tell he was skilled.
He reached for my shirt buttons, starting to undo them but I stopped him midway.
"Richard, we are at work,"
"come on Richard someone might walk in,"
"I strongly hope it’s that asshole," he murmured and buried his face in my neck, calming himself down.
"Richard, he has got nothing on you. Why do you feel so threatened?" I asked, my back still on the wall and my shirt still half unbuttoned. I heard him sigh heavily,
"Because I cannot... I can’t..."
He stood up straight, adjusting his jacket, "Nothing. I came down to tell you I got a call from the transportation headquarters in Atlanta, about some legal battle with an accident victim. I need to leave in a few minutes. I’ll be staying a couple of days,"
"Oh, look at that. Time away from you? I’ll take it," I joked.
"Don’t even play, Sugar, or I’ll lean you over this desk and spank your naked ass before I own it," I saw his eyes darken as he looked down at my boobs and cupped my ass.
"How about a change of clothes?"
"I have a suitcase to go in the jet?"
"you own a private jet?" I asked in surprise. Just how much are the Numeros worth?
He laughed at the look on my face, "I don’t own it, my father owns it. I just use it every once in a while... Martin will stay with you and take you around,"
"No!" I disagreed a bit too strongly to arouse his suspicion. "I mean, Richard, I need him to be with you, that way; I will be rest assured that someone capable is beside you,"
"I was thinking the exact same thing,"
"Well, I am not the Numero heir. You need protection more than I do," and trust me, you really do. Especially from someone close to you.
"I’ll miss you," he said kissing me again.
"I’ll miss you too. I’ll video call you every night,"
He nodded, kissed me again, and left the office.
I had work to do but I just couldn’t concentrate as I sat down. I stared at the newspaper on my desk once more. Only one person could have done this which made me wonder; was I really the one he had issues with or was it actually Richard? It didn’t make any sense. If Richard mattered to him, why would he do things that jeopardized Richard’s transition to CEO? Even if I was his target.
A few minutes later, Richard called to tell me, he was about to take off, I wished him a safe journey and left my office to go confront the devil in sheep’s clothing. I took the elevator to the top floor, passed by Richard’s office, and walked further down.
I saw a familiar face coming out of his office, what in the world was she doing here? She was dressed in a glittering gold body con gown that barely covered her ass, her hair in a ponytail, a few curls hugging her facial frame. She was always beautiful. She put a lot of effort into her looks, yes but whenever I saw her, I felt small.
I don’t blame Richard for wanting to run to her at every opportunity which brings me back to; Richard wasn’t here so what was she doing in Sam’s office. We finally got to each other and I said hi.
"Hello. Do I know you?" Gwen asked rolling her sunglasses around her finger.
"I am Mrs. Numero," I introduced myself.
"Oh, I see," she gave me a condescending look, taking me in with her eyes from my feet to my face.
"Is there something I can help you with? I mean, Mr. Numero isn’t around at the moment,"
"You? Help me? What a joke?" she scoffed and walked away. Okay, what was that? She was polite the last time we spoke in Richard’s office. I didn’t think too much about it and made my way into Sam’s office.
I didn’t bother knocking, I stepped in and plopped myself on the couch while he was seated at his desk watching my every move.
"Who is there?... come in... Make yourself at home... Mi casa... su casa,"
"I know it was you," I said casually, looking up at him.
He got up from his desk and walked around to face me. "This has got to be good. You know what exactly?"
"I know you leaked that information to the press."
"Ah--- Where is your proof?"
"I don’t need proof, Sam. I just need my gut." I got up from the sofa and approached him. "But you made one mistake, you chose the wrong enemy. Richard doesn’t see that you are a snake... yet but you just gave me a reason to make it my mission for him to see the evil that you are,"
He smiled and looked down at his shoes before looking back up at me. "Do you know why Richard’s mum chose you to be his wife?... because she carries the guilt of Rachel’s death around. She didn’t allow her to be with a nobody and so she thought to atone for her mistakes, she would hand Richard a nobody... you,"
I knew he was trying to hurt me, yes his words cut me but I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of knowing he got to me.
"I looked into you Sam... And I found out that your mother is a druggie married to a loser. Yes, your mother is Mr. Numero’s step-sister but he cut her off and he adopted you. Remind me once again Sam, who is the nobody?" I left him with a murderous look on his face and headed to the door, I held on to the door handle and looked back at him,
"I also suspect this drama you whipped up is a distraction from something bigger. I will send you the documents containing the discrepancies I found in the account and I would like an explanation by the end of next week or I am going to call a board meeting and publicly ask for your accountability,"
That being said, I left the room feeling very victorious.