In the luxurious CEO office of Moon Corporation, Michael sat in his leather chair, absentmindedly spinning a fountain pen between his fingers while his gaze was fixed on the open file in front of him. It was clear he hadn't read a word. His mind was preoccupied with thoughts of Chioma Chima, a name he had recently come to know and fallen in love with. The pen slipped from his fingers, clattering softly onto the desk. He picked it up and continued to twirl it, unaware that he had begun scrawling 'Chioma Chima!' repeatedly across the financial report that awaited his signature. A knock on the door from Robert finally brought him back to reality.
'What's wrong with me?' Michael mumbled to himself. He quickly grabbed the file and tore it into pieces, tossing them into the trash can. Looking up at Robert, who had just entered, he said, 'Tell the financial manager to prepare another report.'
'Yes, boss,' Robert responded, placing a thick pile of files on the desk. 'Sir, these are the proposals from the three companies I mentioned earlier. You need to carefully review them before signing.'
Michael nodded without saying a word.
'Sir, during today's board meeting, I noticed that your mind seemed to be elsewhere. From the moment you walked into the conference room until the meeting ended, you only said 'shall we begin' and remained silent for the rest of the meeting... It appeared as if you were present, but your mind was miles away. Is everything all right?' Robert expressed his concern, wanting to understand what might be troubling his boss.
'I never believed in monitoring spirits until now. Are you spreading rumours? Perhaps you're tired of living, huh?' Michael gave Robert a cold glare, shutting down any further discussion on the matter.
Robert, understanding the tense atmosphere, didn't dare pursue the topic and decided to drop it. 'Boss, your cousin Felix has arrived from the States.'
'Good,' Michael replied. 'Have you made any progress in investigating Chioma Chima?' Finding out more about Chioma Chima was of utmost importance to Michael.
'Not yet, sir.'
'Hurry up with it.'
Robert nodded and, having no other updates to provide, promptly left Michael's office, leaving it silent once again. Michael then reached for a bottle of Amarone wine, poured himself a glass, and walked over to the window. His office was furnished with a grey porcelain desk and a high-end white leather swivel chair positioned strategically against a floor-to-ceiling window. This expansive window offered him a breathtaking, uninterrupted view of the bustling city sprawled out below.
Watching the city's hustle and bustle from the window, he gently swirled the red wine around the glass, savoured its aroma, and elegantly brought the tilted glass to his lips, taking a slow sip.
His presence was striking, and he looked absolutely stunning in his navy blue Armani suit, paired with perfectly fitting black Pierre Cardin shoes. Michael's appearance was so captivating that birds would momentarily forget how to fly, people would lose track of their destination just to gaze at his mesmerising beauty, and even the most dedicated food lovers would be left hungry as they couldn't help but be entranced by him.
At that moment, his phone began to ring. Glancing at the device, he made his way to his desk. Setting down his wine glass, he picked up the phone.
'Hello?'
Felix's voice bubbled up from the phone like champagne, fizzy and carefree. 'Michael, I just arrived from the States. Maybe we can grab a drink together?'
Upon hearing Felix's cheerful voice, Michael smiled. 'Felix, how about coming to the office instead?'
'Oh, are you busy signing documents?' Felix chuckled from the other end of the line.
'You rarely called me when you were in the States...' Michael remarked.
Felix laughed. 'Is that why you didn't pick me up from the airport? Fortunately, Audrey was there.'
'I didn't come because...' Michael started to explain.
'Because Jessica would want to come along?' Felix interjected, laughing. 'She's become quite attached to you. You'll have to handle it.' He paused for a moment before adding, 'I missed you, cousin. I hope I'm not interrupting your work.'
'No, it's just a phone call. It's not a big deal,' Michael replied. He didn't disclose that his mind had been preoccupied with other matters. Perhaps he would discuss it when they met in person.
'I'll be at the office tomorrow.'
'That's good.'
After hanging up, Michael picked up his wine glass and took a satisfying sip. Settling back into his chair, he focused on the files that Robert had brought to his office. His conversation with Felix had put him at ease, and he now appeared more relaxed as he delved into his work.