Yuppie," Cassandra and Angelina had decided to surprise their darling friend by showing up at her work place. Angelina's warm smile lit the room while Cassandra's confident stride carried the energy of a woman king. This was the best medication anyone could ever offer her. Not after she was embarrassed by Martino and Clifford, her co-worker had also gotten on her nerves.
"You both are so naughty, why didn't any of you place a call across to me?"
She had asked them surprisingly.
"Well,cutie,we felt like we should rather leave it to be a surprise." Angelina had said while giving her a hug. Cassandra also followed suit.
Jus then, Helena had walked into her office.
"Hi, Nikki darling," she had said while in an attempt to shut the door just after she had come in.
"My bad! I can see someone has guests. I will be coming to see you later for some vital informations you need to know."
She had said while smiling at her.
"Girls, this is Helena,Helena,these are my sweet buddies, Angelina and Cassandra." She had introduced while pointing to each and everyone of them in indication of their respective names.
"It's my pleasure to meet you, Helena,"
Cassandra had said while extending her hands for handshake with her.
"You really got a cute smile, you know, it's a good timing with you, Miss Helena."
Angelina had said softly to her.
Helena had blushed. She seemed to have never heard of that word before. Even if she did, they were never used in reference to her.
Helena had excused herself.
Quietly, they had sat and had begun with their chit chat.
"This place isn't bad though," Cassandra had said to Nichole.
"What a nice place you have all to yourself Nichole baby," Angelina had also added.
"Thank you so much guys," Nichole had replied to the girls.
"You are always welcome," they had replied.
They had sat quietly. They had begun with their chit chat talks. The laughter in Nichole's office rang like a melody;light,carefree,and foreign to a place that usually suffocated her with endless stress. Cassandra is the comedian in the picture. She had just finished imitating one of her lecturers from college and Angelina was wiping tears from her eyes, laughing so hard that her shoulders shook. Nichole leaned back in her chair, clutching her stomach, feeling alive in a way she hadn't for weeks.
She had placed her phone in her jacket which she hung just on the rail inside her office. It was silenced.
She was really enjoying the atmosphere that she didn't get to remember that she was at work.
Martino,who had called her severally with no reply from her, had decided to take himself there.
Just then, the door to her office swung open without warning, the polished wood crashing against the wall with a sharp thud. All three women froze, laughter evaporating into stunned silence.
Nichole knew she was in for another trouble. She had stood on her feet without hesitation. His presence never ceases to be noticed.
Martino stood in the doorway, tall and commanding, his broad shoulders filling the frame. His tailored grey suit hugged him perfectly, the gleam of his wristwatch catching the overhead light.His eyes; icy and stormy had swept the room with lethal precision before landing on Nichole. He took a slow step inside, his presence so heavy; it felt like the air itself shifted.
"Interesting," he drawled, his deep voice laced with irritation and something darker.
"And this is why someone is definitely not taking my calls?"
Nichole's heart stuttered. Her throat went dry.
"Sir, I…urmmm, didn't hear the telephone ring,"
Nichole had stammered.
"Well, you ass hole, I placed the call on your cell phone not on the telephone."
He had replied sarcastically.
In an attempt to tell him that she had left the phone in the pocket of her jacket while at the same time pointing to the direction where she had hung the jacket before Martino roughly replied,
"Miss Lockwood, do you really know why you are here?"
"To render my tender services, Sir," Nichole had managed to reply.
"Tender… services, he had smirked at the sound of that while at the same time saying coldly to her,
"Then do justice to that and stop with the chit chats,ok? But if Incase the seat seems to be itchy for you, then you may vacate from it. Unseriousness and this your act of insolence, that I will never take from you."
"Well understood, Sir." She had said.
Turning towards the direction where Angelina and Cassandra sat, he said,
"and who are these riff-raffs you brought into my humble company, Miss Lockwood? Mind you that this company is strictly for work and work only."
"They are my friends,s…," just as she was about to complete the word, he had cut in impatiently.
"Well, you see Miss Lockwood, I do not give a freakin' damn,neither do I give a fuck to who these motherfuckers are to you, just make yourself useful while you are here."
And with the sound of that, Cassandra who have been waiting patiently for him to be done with his gibberish talks had fired,
"And who the hell do you think you are,huh?
Coming here to witness this your nonchalant attitude was the least expected from you. A man of your caliber should at least be sensible enough to learn a good manner of approach.
Oh! My bad, I forgot your mother didn't get to teach you any of that."
She had concluded.
Martino,now furious had thunderously said to her,
"Now watch your stinking mouth young lady. Don't you dare mention my mother ever again."
Letting out a cold smile, Cassandra had replied,
"Wow, and here is the man I never knew could be this furious at least not after all you just spitted those words. But come to think of it, this was actually a tit for that, baby boy. You feel so comfortable calling us names and now, you flared up just when I am yet to strike,huh?"
"Cassie, please st…,Nichole had attempted to stop her, but Cassandra had fired at her.
"Don't you dare, Nichole.I thought as much. You are definitely the cause of this whole thing.You just let him handle you like you are some puppet or something. I clearly understand that you need this job but if in the process of working for this thing (she had said while using her right hand to make reference to Martino sizing him from head to toe) you get yourself hurt, then do know that you have yourself to be blamed. If you would excuse me," she had concluded.
Just as she was about to leave, Martino had raised his hand in an attempt to hit her, Angelina held his hand hurriedly while glaring murderously at him, she had said,
"Don't you dare raise those crooked hands on my friend, not even in your miserable dreams nor in your sorrowful imaginations."
Angelina had said to him while bringing down his hands forcefully.
Martino was stunned with silence. He never expected that. Not even from a mere lady. But all the same, he had smirked gently while saying to them,
"It's such a a great day you see. The atmosphere is filled with peace and calmness. I'm really feeling refreshed."
He had said while taking a step closer to them while placing his hands behind him and lowering a bit, he had said to them,
"I'm really in a joyful mood today if not, I would leave no stone unturned to ensure that you nitwits rot in jail."
"You wish,asshole," Cassandra had said to him.
Just then, he had sent a message to the security guards to come over. They had done that without hesitation. Nichole,now terrified at seeing the security guards had fallen to her knees while pleading with Martino Brown to have mercy on her friends. He had bent towards her while smiling coldly and said,
"Mercy, I show not to any soul who messes with me and neither you nor your miserable friends is an exception to that. I sent you a mail. I will be needing your response towards that in a jiffy."
He concluded while turning to the security guards.
"You see this two bunch of miserable fools, take them both and lock them up.
"You wouldn't dare," Cassandra fired. Martino had turned to face her,
"It's the audacity you have for me.Your life is clearly in my palms but instead of you to plead for it, you still have the guts to run that mouth of yours,huh?" He had asked her.
"I rather die than beg you for mercy because I do not in any way owe you my life. Not even in any slightest way." She had replied fearlessly.
Just then, the security guards had them dragged out while they struggled to break free from their grip. Nichole could only watch and run after them but really felt bad that she couldn't help in any way. She had glared furiously at Martino who had walked away back to his office.
"If only I could stand up to him so easily. If only it was that easy to get a job, then I would have the hope of being comfortable somewhere else after I must have quit this miserable job."
Nichole wailed silently.
On a second thought, she had her mom and younger brother, Jack to take care of. She had no choice. She definitely had to succumb to his rules. The pay was definitely huge and that was what brought her to the place at first.
"A beast in form of a human, he's nothing but a saddist." Nichole had made reference to her boss,Martino Brown.