Chapter 5 Berlin project

*Zechariah *

He got to his office very late, he did it on purpose. After dropping Aisling off, he drove round to random places. "Good morning sir, the board are waiting and the very pissed" Claire said as she handed him some files. "I know they are. I'm glad they're pissed because that's exactly how I feel" he said as he walked towards the meeting room. He walked in and sat on his seat without making eye contact with any one of them. "You're very late, that's unusual" Mr Smith, one of directors said. "You're becoming more irresponsible than before, if this continues we'll have no choice but to vote you out" he continued and everyone else agreed. They had already discussed this before he entered. This wasn't the first time they threatened his position but he wasn't scared. "I had to drop my fiancee off at work" he replied. They were all shocked. The surprise on their face was evident and Zechariah enjoyed it. "You're engaged?" Mr Mendez asked "Yes, I've been engaged for a while now" he replied adding to their shock "We had no idea" Mr Smith said "Congratulations on your engagement " Mr Mendez added "Thank you, can we focus on work now?" He asked getting bored of the conversation. "Sure, sure" Mr Smith replied. Celine, the head of research team started her presentation on the new Berlin contract. "What do think of this?" Mr Mendez asked the room "It seems like a fair deal to me" Mr Smith replied "It's not a fair deal, it's a horrible deal. We're going to lose a huge amount of money if we start this. It's only a 50% chance it's going to work. How can you present such ? " Mr Roshan slammed his fist on the table. Zechariah was ignoring his tantrums and he focused on the documents with him. "It's not such a bad deal" he finally said "What do you mean? If you carry this out, we'll literally be throwing money in the sea" Mr Roshan countered "The figures are not looking good that's why you think it's such a bad deal. If we manipulate the market into thinking this is what they want. We should have more than a 50% chance of success" Zechariah explained "And how do you intend on doing that?" Mr Smith asked, they were all curious now. They know Zechariah has his ways of doing things like this but this was more different than things they were used to. "Like Celine said, if we introduce the new smartwatch as a feature of the new phone and increase the price of the phone by adding the cost of the smartwatch but reducing it a little, we would have a higher chance of acceptance". He explained "We promised them an affordable prices, adding the cost of the smartwatch would not make that possible" Mr Mendez countered "Then we would lower the quality by 20%. Use cheaper products but make them to a certain standard. That way the quality reduction wouldn't be noticable". Zechariah told them. "Well, if that's possible then we should go for it" Mr Smith finally said. Everyone in the room agreed "Celine, make more research and work on what I just said. I want it on my desk by Thursday. If that's all, I'll will be leaving first" he said as he left the room. When he got to his office he met Laura sitting on his chair. "What are you doing here?" He questioned "Just remembering old memories " she replied "Get out" he ordered "That's no way to talk to a business partner talk less of your sister in-law" she said as she walked towards him. Purposely swaying her hips slowly. "I won't repeat myself" "I know you miss me" she said seductively "You're delusional, get out before I call security to throw you out" he said as he walked to his seat. "I know you miss what we had, what we shared" she told him "I'm engaged and you're married. Have some self respect" he told her "Oh please, you can't deceive me. I know you don't love her" "You don't know anything, what we had is dead and long gone. Move on" he said he dialed security "Look me in the eye and tell me you love her. We have so many memories in this office, on that chair, on the table. On that floor, you were so obsessed with me" "Come up to my office right now " he said into the phone. "They don't have to come up here, I'll be leaving now. If you ever want to relive old times, you know where to find me" she said as she walked out his office swaying her hips with every step. "Don't bother" he said ended the call. He checked his email and He called Claire into his office "You called me" she said as she closed the door behind her "Where were you?" He questioned "I was working on the materials you asked for last night" she replied "Laura was here" he replied coldly "She was? I had no idea" "Of course you were busy slacking off" he yelled "What do you mean? What did she say ? She asked "That's not of your business, I want those emails in the next five minutes. Get out " he yelled "And the next time she enters this office, you will lose your job. I'm not bluffing this time around" he added as she was walking out. He threw the glass on his table on the wall. He was pissed at everyone. Pissed at his father and the board of directors for making him engage a total stranger, he was pissed at Aisling for being so rude and disrespectful. He was pissed at Claire for being so incompetent. He was pissed at Laura for being disgusting and ruining his day. He was pissed at so many people. "Cancel all my appointments for today" he told Claire as he walked out of the building. He entered his car and drove off. He switched on the radio and changed the channel till he finally got a good station. He increased the volume when he heard the song. He drove around the city till he finally stopped at Aisling's shop. He entered and asked for Aisling "Where's Aisling?" He asked the red haired girl he saw at the counter. "She's not here, she took the rest of the day off to spend time with her father at the hospital" she replied "Which hospital?" "Grace hospital" "Okay" just when he was about to leave he turned back. "Should you be telling a total stranger details about her?" He asked "You're her fiance, you're not a stranger". "And how do you know that?" He questioned "I'm her best friend, Sarah " she stretched her hand forward for a handshake "I don't care" he said as he left. He drove to the hospital and asked for Aisling Parker. The nurses didn't know who she was so he walked further. He found a nurse that told him what ward she was in and he went there. He found her sleeping on a chair beside a man. They looked familiar so he assumed him to her father. He stood there starring at her, she looked so peaceful sleeping there. The sunlight gave her skin a different glow. She was so beautiful. "What was I thinking? That's disgusting " he said to himself and that woke her. She sat up shocked. She pulled him out of the ward "What are you doing here?" She asked when they were outside "You're welcome" he replied "What do you mean?" "I came to see your dad." He replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world "Why would you do that? How did you find out? How did you know he was at this hospital?" She interrogated "You have a weird way of showing gratitude" "That's because I'm not grateful. You shouldn't be here. How did you find me?" "I have my ways" he replied coldly "Are you stalking me?" She asked wide eyed "You wish, you're not only rude. You're also ungrateful. I know so many people that would give the world away to get this kind of opportunity" "Which opportunity? Stop playing" she laughed "If you know so many people like that then give the opportunity to them because I don't need it" she said emphasizing on the word 'opportunity'. "What are you?" "I'm a dog, can't you see my tail? Woof woof" "You're crazy, is that supposed to be funny?" He asked "You should leave" she finally said "And if I refuse?" He stood his ground. He didn't want to be here but he didn't want to give her the satisfaction of telling him what to do. "I'm not in the mood to argue with you. Leave please" she said. "Then don't argue" he said as he walked back into the ward. He sat on the chair she was sleeping on and scrolled through his phone. She stood there staring at him. He knew she was staring at him but he acted like he didn't know. He was going to frustrate her till he was tired. "When are we going home?" He asked "We?" She asked "We're engaged now, we have to live together" he told her "No, we don't" "It was on the contract, didn't you read it?" "It wasn't on the contract. I read it, it was only three rules". She countered "How many pages did you read?" "The front page....." She replied in a Low voice "Who's the dumb one now?" He asked as he stood up "Can we scrap that part out? I can't live with you" "That is considered as a contract breach. I can't, I'm a man of my words." "Please understand, I can't live with you. When my dad has his surgery and he recovers fully he won't take it well" she begged "Then return the exact money I sent to you. Every single penny of it" "I don't have everything, I already paid for my dad's surgery. I'll pay you back though, I'll work till I pay everything back" she said "That's nonsense, the full amount right now or continue this arrangement" he told her. "I can not live with you" she tried to stand her ground. "My driver will pick you up by 6" he said as he walked out of the ward. He walked to his car feeling satisfied with himself. He was grinning ear to ear. He drove home and waited. He decided to call his driver to tell him to pick Aisling up from the hospital by 6. After waiting for twenty minutes he was bored. He decided to watch a movie. He chose spiderman far from home. Thirty minutes into the movie, he fell asleep and had the same nightmare. When he woke up his shirt was soaked. He decided to take a shower and change his clothes. When he was done he checked the time. It was few minutes to 6. So he stood by the window waiting for his driver to bring Aisling. "I am not waiting because I miss her or anything" he said to himself "I just want to frustrate her, make her pay for what she said to me" he added. Ten minutes later he started pacing, he went to get water from the fridge and he ran window when he heard the sound of a car. He checked and saw that it was Aisling. She brought a small box with her. He went back into the living room and continued the movie, pretending tht he had been watching it. Aisling entered the living room. "Where do I stay?" She asked, he cleared his throat and stood up "Follow me" he replied as he led her to his room "Whose room is this?" "My room, we will be sleeping here together" he said.