Chapter 2 (✨CUP OF COFFEE ✨)

"He did... nothing...wrong" Lina replied, and Jemima turned swiftly to her... "What!" ____ "I never said anything" Lina quickly said with a blink. "I told you to call the cops idiot!" Jemima fired. "But he's already gone" Lina replied, and Jemima turned to the road. He's really gone, no sign of him. "A wimp like him talked down on me? I'm gonna search the whole of Paris if I have to, I must find him and give him a dose of his own medicine!" She threatened and made to get in the car, but when she saw the ice cream on it...

"Damn!!! Who the f**k is he!" She shouted frustratedly and faced Lina again. "Throw it out" she ordered. "This will be the second car you threw out tonight" Lina blinked "I didn't buy them with your money" Jemima glared. "I'm sorry, ma'am" she quickly bowed. "I'll call for another car" she said and made the call. Within five minutes, it came together with a designated driver. Jemima got in immediately, and she was driven away. Lina released an heavy breath, holding her chest. "She'd be my death" she muttered and walked back into the hall. No one is allowed to bring secretaries or PA in, but being the leader's secretary, she enjoys the luxury. All the club members were already in when she got back. Celebrities are standing in groups with cups of cocktails, either talking about the prices of their expensive dresses or badmouthing the dresses of others, it's the weekly routine here Lina gathered bravery and walked to the middle. "Attention everyone!" She shouted, but no one answered. "Arggggghhh!!!!!!!!" She screamed, trying to get their attention, and it worked. Everyone turned to her at once, and she smiled. "I'm the leader's secretary like y'all know, and....I'm sorry but tonight's party has been cancelled" she announced. 🗣️ What! 🗣️ I bought this dress for millions, specially for tonight 🗣️ What the hell! Everyone began murmuring, and CleoSpeedy stepped forward with a smirk. "I don't know what's directing the head of your boss, but just because she's the leader doesn't mean she gets to ride us anyhow! It's insane!" She shouted. "Is she mad? How dare she waste my time when she knew it was gonna get cancelled" Lincoln said behind her. "Don't talk to my boss that way, she's not your mate" Lina said boldly, and CleoSpeedy scoffed before landing a hot slap on her face. Lina staggered and fell on the ground, but she stood immediately. "So...what if they talk badly about your crazy boss?" Tatiana appeared, and Lina's eyes widened. She's also a member of the club. "Now you have the guts to defend your boss? No one is allowed to bring secretaries in here, but you're in cos you're her f**king secretary!, you think you've made it? B**ch!" Tatiana spat and gave her another slap on that same cheek. Lina fell again, and the redness on that cheek increased as everyone laughed. CleoSpeedy did worse when she came forward with a glass of wine which she poured on Lina's hair. "Oh! Sorry!" She laughed, throwing the glass on the ground. Everyone laughed again before starting to leave the hall. Tatiana was the last person to leave. She squatted in front of Lina and smiled. "You should have known your place" she muttered before standing, then she walked out too. Lina kept sitting there, and before she knew it, she was already crying. •••

Jemima was still fuming with anger as she entered, meeting Francesca in the living room with Dolores. "Mum!" She jumped down from the couch and rushed to hug her, but Jemima broke it with a push. "Get away" she smirked and started going upstairs. "Mum! I got ten on ten in my essay in school today! My teacher said I can be a linguist in college" Francesca said again. "I'm already mad here, can you just stop adding to my problem? Go to bed and stop bothering me!" Jemima snapped angrily and finally left without looking back. Francesca squatted below the stairs and started crying again. "Francesca!" Dolores rushed to her. ••• Jemima threw her bag on the bed when she arrived at her room, and it was followed by the flinging of her shoes. She dipped her fingers in her hair and began walking around the room, thinking about the guy from earlier. "Is he an alien? Even the cockroaches in Paris knows the great Jemima Andrade-Kings, how dare he.... urrgg!!" She groaned, and her phone rang. She wanted to ignore,but when she saw it's her dad, she picked. "Tatiana reported me to you again, right? That mad b**ch" "Jemima, why not just settle with one of the men you f**k with, is it that hard to do? F**king them will only spread rumours about you, think about what It'd do to Skyline" chairman replied. "Are you serious right now? I took over the company when I was 23 remember? And now I'm 28, meaning I've been running it smoothly for five good years! Nothing bad happened to the company since then, so why are you worrying now? Not like I just started f**king men" she retorted. "And about Francesca... "I don't wanna talk about it" she hung up immediately, throwing her phone on the bed "Why did I pick his call? He's good at adding to my headache" she muttered, stripping herself before entering the bathroom. •••

The last customers in the bar were already on their last bottles when Maxwell came in. Liquor Alchemy is not the most popular bar in the neighborhood, but at least, granny Suzy has substantial customers. "Mell!" Warren shouted from a table. He was already sitting with Cypress. They all come here to drink almost every night. Maxwell ignored Warren first and went to granny Suzy who was already tidying up. "Baby Suzy" he hugged her from behind and kissed her grey hair. "Told you to stop doing these things to me, save them for your future girlfriend" she laughed. "It doesn't seem like he's getting a girlfriend till death, he might be planning to be a Reverend" Warren replied from their table. "While at it, I know a popular Catholic Church down the street, I can take you there to start your evangelism" Cypress laughed. "You're not worthy to be my sis, seriously" Maxwell muttered, leaving granny Suzy to join them. Cypress gave him a knock on the head immediately. "Ouch! Cypress!" He winced, rubbing the spot. "That's my reply to what you said to me in the morning" she smiled. "You refused to give us a ride, isn't that enough punishment? I hate you" he said, opening a bottle of beer for himself. He began drinking directly from the bottle without stopping. "Mell!" "Mell!" "Mell!" Warren and Cypress began chanting till he drank it all and dropped the bottle. "Did something happen? Ok Warren told me about what you did to Lincoln, are you scared about that?" Cypress asked. "I met the richest lady in this country tonight" he replied. "You kidding?" Warren blinked. "Does it look like it? I said I met Jemima or whatever!" Maxwell replied. "What!" They gasped. "She called for a designated driver, and I went there, she sent me to buy pads" he said. "What!" They gasped again. "Pads?" Granny Suzy appeared. "Trust me" he nodded. "So what happened afterwards?" She asked. "I took the debit card" he replied. "Yes?" Warren and Cypress chorused. "I left, and I got potatoes, it's good for the brain yunno?" He said. "Yes!" Warren and Cypress stuck hands. "You're really my grandson! I was already scared" granny Suzy laughed as she left the table. "Wait...you have an interview tomorrow, right?" Warren asked. "Sure" Maxwell replied. "It's in her company! Skyline!" Warren gasped. " What!" Cypress laughed, gulping down her cup of beer. "You're done for, now I see you selling potatoes in the future" Warren laughed hard. "You're mad, I'm getting the job" Maxwell replied confidently. "Say what? Tell me how that arrogant peacock is gonna give you a job after you bought her potatoes" Cypress laughed. "I threw ice cream on her car too" Maxwell replied. "What!!!" They screamed again. By now, the bar is dry, all the customers are gone, and granny Suzy carried her bag. "I'll go home to prepare dinner" she said, coming closer to stroke Cypress and Maxwell's hairs. "I'll give you a ride" Cypress said. "You know I'll never ride in that car ever again, you forgot what it did to me last month when it broke down on my way to work? I'd rather ride the bus" she replied, walking out of the bar. "See ya at home baby!" Maxwell shouted after her. "If you get the job, I'm gonna give you all my next salary" Cypress said. "Me too, my next pay from the coffee shop is yours" Warren said. He's actually an upcoming actor who works part time jobs. "I'm in, deal" Maxwell smiled. "Deal" Warren and Cypress chorused and clinked their cups on his own. They drank at once, but Cypress finished hers first. She made to pour another cup, but Warren held her back. "That'll be the tenth cup, it won't be nice if you get drunk tonight again" he said. "Get your hands off" she smirked, and he slowly let go of the bottle. She drank it all at once, and by the time she dropped the bottle, her face was already so red. She smiled, and Maxwell faced Warren. "Have you eaten" he asked. "No, I think I'm gonna faint tonight" Warren replied. The slamming of Cypress's palms on the table made them look up as she stood. "Let's go home!" She shouted drunkenly. Maxwell quickly held her before she'd fall. He was able to guide her out of the bar, and Warren locked the door before joining them, holding her from the other side. "Let's get her to the car" Maxwell said, and he nodded, but before they could move, Cypress snapped out of their grip, leaving their eyes wide as she squatted in front of them. She looked up slowly, and their eyes widened even more as she asked the expected question. "Do you know Usain Bolt?" "Cypress, no don't!" Maxwell replied fast. "Please... I've not eaten" Warren muttered, but it wasn't even working as Cypress stood and took off like flash, running down the street drunkenly. "Cypress!!!!" They screamed, running after her immediately. Running is her drunk language, and anytime it happens, they suffer the pains of chasing her all night. "Cypress wait!" "Cypress!!" She wouldn't stop. She kept going through corners, alleys, crossing roads and jumping. "Cypress!!" Warren held his waist as he ran. "What the hell is she? A monkey? Cypress!!!" Maxwell screamed, crossing another road to go after her. Luckily, he was able to grab her, and they went down together. She smiled sillily immediately. "I love you brother!" She pecked his forehead, and he gritted his teeth, breathing heavily. "I'm not sure you're my blood sister" he muttered as she slept off on the ground. •••

Two guards in black opened the door for him, and he stepped in to meet his only daughter (Beverly) on her knees in the middle of the living room. She's with three of his men who captured her. She ran away from home three days ago with a man actually. "D..a..aad" she stuttered fearfully, shifting on her knees as he settled on the couch in front of her. "So...you ran away with your so-called boyfriend despite my warnings that I don't like him" he laughed, and she began rubbing her palms together fast. "Dad I was childish, I swear i didn't know what I was doing! Please forgive me and I promise never to see him again! I'll stay away from... "The guy?" He interrupted her, facing his men. "We buried him alive like you ordered" they replied, and her eyes widened. "No!!! No it's not true right? You didn't kill him! Dad please! Dad! Dad I promise to listen to you from now on!!! Please save him!!! Dad!!!" Beverly cried out, holding his legs. "Your stubbornness could implicate me one day, and that's why you have to be disciplined too" Williams smiled, stroking her hair. "D...a..d.. "Lock her up in the cell for three days, no food nor water" he ordered, and her eyes widened as she was grabbed by two men. "Dad please!! Dad!! Dad forgive me!!! Dad!!! Dadddddd!!!!!" Williams never bat a lid till she was gone completely. The textile business is just to cover up for his real business underneath... he's a dangerous drug dealer. Another man came in with an envelope which he handed to him. He took it and brought out the content. Jemima's pictures. He distributed them to all his men. "She crossed her limits at the party, i want her" he muttered. •••

Maxwell came down from a taxi and inhaled, staring at the skyscraper for a while before adjusting his suit. He stepped in, and the female staffs lost concentration immediately. 🗣️ What the f**k! Who's he? 🗣️ The charming aura! 🗣️ Oh my gawd he's handsome! 🗣️ Dream man! 🗣️ His face! Damn! He was focused on just the elevator till he got there and entered. Thanks to the pass that was sent to him yesterday, he was able to ride to the right floor, and when he stepped in again, it was total distraction for the females who began drooling on his face again. "How may I help you?" A male staff asked. "I'm here for the... "Interview? Oh you're welcome" •••

"You'll be attending a presentation by 12, and by 1, you'll be having lunch with Miss Sloane. You'll be attending another presentation by 2:30, and by 4, you have to meet with the contractors. By 5... "And why the f**k is my schedule so tight today?" Jemima cut Lina off with a scowl. "You have to do it all ma'am, else it'll be worse tommorow. I can knock out the lunch with Miss Sloane though" Lina smiled. "Sloane is my best and only friend, you don't expect me to cancel it when we haven't met at all this week" Jemima replied. "That leaves you with no choice than to do it all" Lina replied again. "And what's that redness on your cheek?" Jemima asked. "Oh! I hit my face on the wall last night" Lina lied. "Whatever, when is the interview?" Jemima asked, and a staff knocked before coming in. "Miss Lina, the three candidates are here" he announced and left. "I'll send in the one I pick in ten minutes" Lina bowed and left too. Jemima opened her laptop, and she saw Francesca's face as her wallpaper. "She messed with my laptop again? How come she's so good at making me hate her more? How did she even know my password?" She muttered, changing it to the picture of a tulip flower...her favorite. She began working on the system, sorting out things till the door opened after eleven minutes. "Took her long enough" she muttered, looking up as Maxwell came in. Her eyes widened immediately, and she stood skeptically from her swivel chair. "What the f**k! Potatoes?" She gasped shockingly. "Goodmorning, Pad" he smiled. "What!" "I got chosen as your manager, what should I do first?" He asked, and she walked out of her desk. "Lina!!!" She screamed. Lina rushed in. "How dare you send him in! Who allowed him into this place after what he did last night! He destroyed a car and indirectly told me I needed a brain!" She shouted. "I'm so sorry ma'am, but he's just too brilliant to ignore, the other two are dullards compared to him, and considering the reputation of this company, I chose him, his CV is so attractive" Lina replied. "Oh f**k! ...oh..oh... Jemima began walking around like a mad person, but she suddenly stopped, and a smirk appeared on her lips as she faced Maxwell who was still standing. "Give him a debit card" she told Lina, and Lina did. "Get me a cup of coffee" she ordered. Maxwell smirked. "What!" "Or...the cops will have to escort you out of here" Jemima smirked back. He made to throw the card at her face, but when he remembered the bet with Cypress and Warren... "Yes...boss" he smiled and left the office. Lina followed him, and Jemima sat, thinking of various ways to make him regret what he did last night. There are a whole lot of ideas, and that made her smile. She returned to her laptop, and three minutes later, Maxwell came in with the cup of coffee. He walked to her desk, but she never looked up from her system or bother to take it from him. "Where should I place it?" He asked, and she finally looked up with a deadly glare. "Are you dumb? Why don't you place it on my head ?"She said sarcastically ,and without waiting anymore ,Maxwell took a step closer to her and placed the cup of coffee on the middle of her head😂