Chapter 3 THREE

Maximillian strolled out to the front yard, where Kevin and Steve, his chauffeur- were waiting for him beside his Range Rover. He was clad in a grey colored three-piece suit. His feet were hidden in deep black and shiny custom made shoes and on his wrist was a gold wrist watch, which fitted perfectly to his wrist. His silky black hair was combed perfectly away from his face and not a strand out of place.

It was a Monday morning, so it was only natural to be particular about his appearance. This actually applies to other days, but Mondays were special days for him. To him you can get so much done on Mondays and how and what you wear, determines the quality of job or service you can deliver. Looking tacky and all equals bad work performance and to him you can't negotiate that. It had become a tradition in his company that no one that works for the Millian Group of Companies looks tardy, especially not on Mondays. He was a sucker for details, good working ethics and decorum. There's a place and time for everything, and in his company everyone comes correct. This applies to every staff, including his least paid staff.

On sighting him, they greeted almost in unison. As Steve scurried to open the door to the passenger seat, Kevin approached to take the briefcase from him.

"How was your weekend, Kevin? Still in the birthday mood?" Maximillian chided and stopped briefly by the car, letting Kevin take the briefcase.

Kevin's face beamed at that. Almost out of shyness. "My weekend was really great." He shrugged and shifted his weight to one foot. "It's Monday sir, birthday's over."

That made Maximillian smile and he proceeded to climbing into the car. Steve shut the door gently after him and hurried over to the driver's seat, while Kevin took the seat beside him.

"Had a great weekend, Steve?" he asked when the car started pulling out of the driveway.

"Yes sir." The chauffeur answered promptly.

"Your wife? How's the baby coming along? When's she due?" he asked, already guessing she might be due in like five months since the last time they had that conversation. Maximillian was that man that loved to know everything about everyone that worked for him. He liked knowing things, even the smallest details. This simple act, had always kept him on top and ahead of people and other companies. Whatever information he can have access to, he must get it.

"We're expecting the baby in October, sir." He simply supplied.

There was something Maximillian liked about Steve. It was his ability to never go overboard, over share or even act outside his assigned duties. He was that guy that always kept his answers simple, straightforward and short. Steve was always professional about his duties. Maximillian applauded that a lot and was one of the reasons he had retained him.

Steve had worked for him for six years and in those six years, he had never asked for a day off. Maximillian gives him days off, in addition to the bonus he pays with his salary cause the man would never ask. Though he hated driving, he knew the man needed to take some days off, so he gives it.

When he was about getting married over a year ago, he'd paid for the wedding hall, the cake and had given him a house. It was the least he could do for the man, and now they're expecting a baby, he started thinking of a befitting gift for the occasion.

"Sir..." Kevin interrupted his wandering mind. His eyes locked with Kevin's in the rearview mirror. "You have a meeting scheduled with the Oscar Group by 9, but...," he drawled, his eyes dropped to the tab in his left hand.

"But?" his voice was low but clear. He could guess what news Kevin was going to share.

Turning to face him, "they just sent an email that they're pulling out of the deal. The email says they want to see what other options they have." He confirmed.

He reached out a hand, "let me see that."

Kevin handed over the tab and turned back in his seat. Maximillian read the email, word for meeting had dragged on for too long that he had gone tired.

Handing back the tab to Kevin, he looked out through the tinted glass window. They have gotten to the busy road and was stopped in traffic light. He threw his back and let himself to think.

The Oscar Group was a small- not so small- real estate company, but they went bankrupt about 3 years ago. They took a loan from the bank and had tried to stay afloat. They did, but not for long as they couldn't keep up with payments. The bank had started threatening to close down their offices when they had reached out to his company. At the time Maximillian wasn't ready to invest in any company as they had a lot on their table, but they had persisted, till he decided to have a meeting with them.

He knew investing so much in a company that was bankrupt and owing the bank was not a right call, but he had thought of a way everyone would benefit and get them out of their financial crisis.

Maximillian had offered them a deal, to let the Oscar Group become a subsidiary of the Millian Group of Companies. They would get to keep their name but would come under the umbrella of his company. The Millian Group would fund them and help pay off their debts, but whatever profit they make moving forward would be determined by them.

They had gone through the first and second meeting and that was supposed to be the third. He knew he had proffered the best solution, but he knew how greedy people can get. They were going to come back. Maximillian can bet on it. This time when they do, he knew the solution he would provide wouldn't be nice.

It's just business after all.

Shutting his eyes, he enjoyed the rest of the quiet ride to the office.

"Lily! Kathryn! Wake up already! Do you both plan to sleep throughout the day?!" Lily's mother, Helen, barged into her room screaming their names.

Lily was beginning to wake up when she felt the duvet being pulled away from her body, then she felt the light on her face. Drowsily, she lifted a hand to shield her face from the light and turned on her side.

"Wake up this instant, both of you! It's ten o'clock already..." Helen continued, dashing to the other side of the room to open the curtains. "What time did you even get back last night? You shouldn't have gone to that party anyway!" She returned to her side of the bed and stood, knowing they would get up now that there's sunlight in the room. She had seen the empty bottle of wine and glasses on the floor and knew they must have stayed up last night drinking.

Kathryn yawned, turned and twisted before opening an eye. She threw her hands on her face and yawned again, then in the next second she was jolting up on the bed. Her eyes wide and red from sleep.

"Good morning Mrs. Roberts." Her voice was groggy and inaudible. Kathryn just sat there and stared wide eyed at Helen. Her eyes still felt heavy, but she knew she have had enough sleep. Not when Lily's mother was staring down at her like that.

Glancing down sharply beside her, she started shaking Lily awake. Lily threw out an arm and warded Kathryn off. She could feel and hear all that exchange, but she just needed more sleep. She couldn't even get her eyes to open.

Then she heard a swat on her butts, and another, and another. She pushed away from it but it kept coming, this time harder than the last one. Finally, she grudgingly dragged herself up, "I'm awake! I'm awake!" she cried while sitting up.

"Good! Get your asses out of bed and come out for breakfast!" she said pointedly, "even though it's late for that." She muttered as she made her exit, shutting the door with a bang which made Lily wince.

"I need to move out and soon." She murmured.

Kathryn nodded beside her, "me too." She agreed and threw herself back on the pillow.

Lily yawned into her palms. "How much did we drink last night?" she ran her fingers over her hair and stretched. Planting her feet on the floor she, she wore her flip flops and went into the bathroom.

"I'm going to my room. Will join you in the sitting room later." Lily heard Kathryn call out, then heard the door open and get shut seconds later.

Lily took her time brushing, bathing and washing her hair. She still felt groggy and worn out, probably from all staying up late and the wine. Her head also banged as she pulled on a loose fitting gown that stopped below her knees. Standing in front of the mirror, she toweled her hair dry and her mind flipped back to the previous night's events. Last night had been crazy and she didn't want to think about it, especially about Maximillian Johnson.

Picking up the empty bottle and the wine glasses, she left the room. Getting to the sitting room, she saw Kathryn had freshened up and was now sitting with her mother. They were munching on something and talking in hushed tones. If Lily didn't know better, she would say Kathryn was definitely her mother's second daughter.

Her mother raised her head to her as soon as she walked in. "I was thinking you needed another spanking."

Kathryn giggled at that and Lily halted just in front of them to see what they were chewing. Coconut flakes. She can't have those because she is allergic to coconuts.

"Good morning mum. Did you sleep well?" She cajoled and continued on her way to the kitchen, without expecting an answer from her mother.

She had started rinsing out the glasses when Kathryn came and stood by the door. "Hey Lily!" she waved, her phone in hand. Lily cast her a knowing look. There was that smile on Kathryn's face.

"What is it, Kathryn? I'm sure I didn't leave out any detail last night." She stopped herself from rolling her eyes.

Kathryn shook her head, eyes glinting and a bit of color on her cheeks. "Nuh-uh! I just did some digging..." her voice trailed off and she walked across the floor to stand beside Lily at the sink.

Lily took a towel to wipe the glasses dry, "what is it? What did you find?" her voice was flat.

Kathryn raised the phone's screen to Lily's face, grinning as she did. "So, the St. Millian wine is a product of the Millian Group of Companies. Apparently, they have a hand in almost everything from real estate, down to food-," she deeply sighed. "Even in the tech industry. They're like... everywhere -,"

"Kathryn, you're yet to tell me what that has got to do with me." Lily queried and looked away from the phone. Setting down the dry glasses on the counter, she wiped her hands on another tower and hung them on a rail, just on the wall above the sink.

Kathryn sighed and turned her phone's screen to her face and swiped, returning the screen to Lily's face. "This is Maximillian Johnson and if he was the man you met, he's the founder and owner of the Millian Group of Companies!" she announced in a tone of finality.

Lily's face froze.

Her heart might have stopped pumping some seconds ago. She stared long and hard at the image on Kathryn's screen. No way!