Chapter 10 The meeting

Having no guts to counter her boss Aliza went outside the room with frightful steps. After he confirms the door is locked, Charles tightens his lips, staring down at Stella. "How could you bring down your heart to slap such an unsullied girl? Charles spat the words in disgust. Before Stella could appropriate the meaning of the words, her head was pulled to a side followed by a sharp sting on her cheek. Stella went into shock, still with her eyes wide staring up at Charles's unexpected action.

"Did you just beat me? How dare you raise your hand against a woman?" Stella yelled with tears welling in her eyes.

Charles ignored the chitter-chatter of Stella. "Didn't you warn your sister about my words at the office?" Charles asked Fredrick in a perilously low tone with his eyes fuming to flames. Fredrick gulped heavily and tried to work out but he was already a retired dumb senior citizen. "I'm speaking here." Stella shrieked with her hand banging against the bed of her brother to catch the attention of Charles.

Charles looked back at her, irritated. "Yes, I hit you because you shouldn't have raised your hand on that girl. You misbehaved with her and so did I." Charles dared Stella with his words. "You know who got your brother permanently attached to the wheelchair? It is me." He declared authority with his hands tucked inside his pants pockets. "Do not dare to mess with the girl." He pointed to the closed door from which Aliza had just left. "Otherwise you will receive the same treatment your brother sustained yesterday. I do not manhandle women. That is why I am leaving you with a warning. Else...."

"Please do not complete that sentence." Stella requested falling at the feet of Charles with her head bowed in the position of a prisoner before the patrolling inspector in a prison. "Good, you're a smart woman." Charles gave a cunning smirk and left the room without sparing a second glance at Fredrick who was lying on the bed with shock-ridden eyes.

"Come let's go." Charles pulled Aliza to the exit holding her upper arm. "Fredrick?" She pointed to the room behind meekly but one look from Charles glowing down fossil fuels was enough to keep her mouth shut throughout the drive to the airport. Aliza was staring outside the window with millions of questions knocking down her mind but had no guts to speak to her boss and Charles was always busy typing emails on his phone.

They reached the private area of the airport where there was a single plane painted in bold black letters - The Richmond's. As soon as they came out of the car Charles got to the flight of stairs reaching the plane and Aliza followed behind apprehensive. As soon as they settled in their seats, the pilot accompanied the flight staff and greeted them. The flight took off in the next couple of minutes and Aliza closed her eyes, gripping the handle of her chair so tight that her knuckles turned white.

Charles raised his eyes to Aliza who was like a scared kitten. His lips extended involuntarily. To distract Aliza from becoming more conscious about the trip, he called - "Ms Stelwart?" Aliza immediately opened her eyes which were filled with tears. Something snapped inside Charles and he wanted to wipe away those waters immediately. He put aside his work and initiated a conversation with Aliza to distract her.

"So Ms Stelwart, it has been more than six months since you joined Richmond Industries and I'm a busy man. Tell me about yourself?" He put one of his legs on the knee of the other leaning back and giving Aliza his undivided attention. Aliza was too involved in a conversation with her boss. An hour flew away like a leap of an eye for her explaining herself to her boss until the air hostess interrupted her for their order. Aliza did not know she was feeling hungry till she stared at the menu card.

She could not eat anything in the morning because she was running late to the office and in the afternoon she did not have time for lunch because she was very busy packing her luggage. While Charles ordered whiskey Aliza took time staring at the menu. She did not know Charles was observing her.

Aliza ordered a chicken sandwich, veg nuggets, two cheese hot dogs, and a glass of orange juice. Charles was curiously guarding his innocent PA while sipping his whiskey but Aliza was too busy filling her empty stomach. With time she became comfortable on the flight and finally dozed off with her stomach full.

Charles let out a huge sigh gazing down at the sleeping form of Aliza. He could finally start working, now that she is peacefully resting. Covering Aliza with a blanket Charles continued with his work attending to the innumerable emails that reached him in zero time.

****

The meeting with Mr Rutherford went excellently well at one of his club's private areas. Charles had let Aliza enjoy her time walking around the place. After all, this was the first time she had stepped foot on a foreign land. The poor girl needed some enjoyment for herself and she wasn't bestowed with even such simple things in her life. Charles thought pitiful for Aliza but he did not allow her outside his reach for her safety. As Charles finished his meeting he went inside the club to have a drink and to his surprise, he found Aliza sitting beside the bar, the place in which he never wanted to see her.

Tornadoes begin to burst inside him. Aliza was chatting with a girl. Later a man walked in and the girl left the place. What the fuck! I told her to enjoy time in the library, and the lawn and relax in the swimming pool. Charles in anguish. The man was forcing himself on her and extending a glass which most probably was spiked. Charles saw red and rushed to the place. The pig was trying to exploit running his hands on her. Aliza was trying to forcefully resist him but the man was too strong for her.

Charles immediately gripped the collar of the man making him forcefully stand up. He immediately looked at Aliza and asked authoritatively. "Did I tell you to come to the club?" Aliza pointed to a girl who was grinding her hips with a man. "That girl made friends with me on the lawn and brought me here," Aliza spoke meekly to her boss. "Are you a two-year-old who will behave innocently and walk wherever you are taken?" He emphasized the word 'behave' like a slap. "Do you have any sense in what you do, Aliza?" Charles snapped, poking the side of her head with his finger.

Aliza was about to land in wails from the anger of her boss but Charles cared little, going on temper at the foolish acts of his PA. The man was trying to rid himself of the grip of Charles. But the CEO held him tighter. "Can't you wait? You see, I'm talking to her." Charles yelled at the man in his hands like he was a case to be solved next. "Go walk out of that door and reach straight to your room. I'm coming in ten minutes." Charles pointed to the exit door of the club to Aliza with his eyes while his hands were busy keeping the rogue in control. As Aliza turned, Charles voiced behind. "Do not stop anywhere or to anyone and reach your room directly."

As soon as Aliza walked out Charles gave a harsh throw to the man towards the floor and slapped on his face making his face go red. "What were you forcing inside the girl's throat? Do you wish somebody would do the same thing to your sister?" There was another blow on his face. "Bloody bastard."

"Do you know who I am?" The victim looked at Charles with trepidation in his eyes. Then something struck inside his head, his eyes went wide, and looked at him in an awakening. "You are...You are...Charles Rodriguez, the CEO of Richmond Industries, the wealthiest billionaire in the world." Charles nodded. "That's right and what is the blunder you did? You tried to meddle with someone of my concern." The man bowed his head falling to his knees and urged Charles with tearing eyes. "Sir please...please excuse me...I did not know the girl belongs....''Another pummel was received in his stomach.

"Do you know I can bring out every iota of your information within a leap of my eyes?"

"No sir...." The man held Charles' shoes inviting everyone's attention in the club.

"I can send you behind the bars within a snap of my fingers."

"Please sir, do not do this to me." He cried, laying his head on the ground before the feet of Charles.

"I can destroy your life with just a beat of your heart."

"No sir, please...." his pants went wet while he still laid his head bowed to Charles' feet.

Charles was disgusted at the pissing form of the Lothario. "Do not show me your face again. Next time if I come to know you mistreated a woman....."

"Please do not complete that sentence. I will hang myself before doing that. Please let me go now." The man urged with pleading eyes. It did not take a second for Charles to nod and he ran away from the club.

The manager and the CEO of the club Mr Rutherford conveyed their apologies for the inconvenience caused. Charles reached his executive suite ten minutes later as Mr Rutherford insisted on a friendly drink.

As he entered the suit Charles saw Aliza crying while writing something in a book. He felt it strange for someone crying while writing and his inscrutable eyes fell on the book curious about what she was penning even in her crumpled stature. It was a diary she was inking down while wiping away the tears that seemed to fall endlessly. A pit fell in his heart. Charles stood quietly beside the bed on which Aliza was sitting and gently moved his hand on her head in silent consolation.

Aliza hadn't noticed Charles approach her until his hand lay on her head. She looked up and stood from the bed facing her boss before wiping away her tears that continued uncensored. Aliza accepted her defeat in the battle and let her tears freely flow down. She yowled without hesitation holding the sleeves of Charles near the cufflinks.

Charles understood Aliza requires physical comfort. Slowly his hand went behind her head and pulled her to his chest. He exhaled a breath he didn't know he was holding until he held her in his arms. Aliza's hands were to her sides. Slowly she extended her hands behind his back, contemplated for a few moments, and then held him tight, emptying her tears on his chest.