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The CEO'S syndrome CHAPTER FORTY SIX: A big stuffed bear.
Joseph felt blessed. He swiftly prepared for work and got to his office in time to start his day. He was friendlier, more jovial and laughed a lot throughout the morning."Sir, Mr Asghar and Mr Babanin are here to see you ". His assistant announced. She was happy that her boss was in a good mood, it made working with him easy."Let the big men in", he replied in a not so formal tone. Very unusual.She was surprised but bowed slightly and left. Her boss only spoke to her formally. Like he hated to speak to her.His friends filled the room with so much happiness as they walked in one after the other.Joseph's cheerful mood knew no bounds. Even Omar, who had been having issues with some 'thief', had so many colors on his face. It must mean that his visit to Greece was not in vain."Guys!" He hugged the both of them like a father would. "I'm so happy that we are happy, hmmm!" He still didn't release them but rested on their shoulders. He was smiling like an idiot, his conversation with
The CEO'S syndrome CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN: When normal things become abnormal.
"Ashan! My favorite boy, hmmmm. How are you doing? How are you feeling, hmmm? Is your mother and sister well?" Mrs Asghar gushed over Ashan as soon as she set her gaze on him and held his hand in greetings."They are both fine ma". Ashan responded politely.Mrs Asghar waved her hand at him playfully, "I trust you. You take great care of them", and laughed loudly but it felt like a noise perhaps from a milling factory to Omar.Omar wrinkled his noise as he watched their exchange. His stepmother must have done her findings or how else was she to know that he was the breadwinner of his family. But she was overdoing it. What was with all the noise?"Good evening sir". Ashan greeted Omar respectfully."Please call me brother or Omar simply. Good evening brother". Omar smiled at him.His sister, Nora stood near Ashan with their hands interlocked. Omar noticed that they didn't even let go of eachother's hand when her mother hugged him. How they must love eachother. So much love in the air!
The CEO'S syndrome CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT: Friday night.
Friday night.Friday night was all Angela thought of. She couldn't even count the total number of times she had typed 'Friday night' on her laptop before erasing the phrase and typing the right thing.As she worked, she thought of what her friday night would look like. Would Joseph surprise her beyond her expectations? Or would they just have a soggy boring spaghetti as they listened to some outdated song?In all honesty, she wished Joseph would swoon her off her feet. She wished that he would prepare something special for them both. It was a date afterall! Or isn't it?Friday afternoon, Angela left work with a silly excuse about a running nose, she was even surprised that her boss let her go. The man had sent her away with a; "Alright dear. Come back on Monday with a appealing, absorbing, eloquent, engaging, amusing report". He understood Angela better than anyone else. The girl wrote more than she spoke. She knew the best words to keep her readers in one spot. And that was enough
The CEO'S syndrome CHAPTER FORTY NINE: Taking your chances now.
Fyodor swallowed the lump in his throat and clenched his fist. His heart rate was no doubt too fast and he felt like his heart might leap out of his ribcage. His palms, sweaty. He wondered how he was still able to clench his fist when the surfaces should be sliding over one another due to the lack of friction.In all honesty, he was nervous. He had never been this nervous all his life. He just hoped another rejection wouldn't be coming in contact with his wounded pride anytime soon. He definitely has feelings for Sophia and he showed it but Sophia's constant rejection was no easy feat. Her usual attitude towards him made him feel unwanted, he was surprised and elated to see her message. She had asked that they meet. Fyodor thanked his observant self the umpteenth time. Thank God he always checked the information of any unknown number that reached out to him and was giddy like a teenager to see details that matched Sophia's. Or details that he had taken time to learn of her.Sophia
The CEO'S syndrome CHAPTER FIFTY: Third wheels.
"We went to a game house! God!! Fyodor is so flexible. He won so many games, especially sports related ones. I had so much fun"Sophia gushed as she cut the vegetables. "He was so much fun to be with. And girl! He's got the guts too. I just have to stick to his good sides and Mr Huggins will stay away from me forever! Mr Huggins respects him so much!""Awwwn", Angela cooed as she listened "Looks like someone's in love", she added as she worked the blender."No, no. Not in love. I just enjoy hanging out with him". Sophia tried to contain her smile and wore a serious look which only faded when another sweet memory crept into her head. Her time with Fyodor was fantastic, she only hoped that he would just breeze into her work place another time and take her to some fun place again. Again and again. Angela only shrugged and began to pack the bag. They had both planned to prepare lunch for her Tea and would soon be heading over. The two girls had no plans for their Saturday, so spending t
The CEO'S syndrome CHAPTER FIFTY ONE: First time.
WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS MATURE CONTENT."Hmmm. Tell me what it's like?", Angela asked moonily as she leaned on Joseph's shoulder.After the first time he asked her to be his girlfriend-to which she politely refuted-they never talked about it but they had so many dates that Angela had lost count. They met almost every day, from sharing just a bottle of coke to seeing a movie together or just talking.Just like now, they were dangerously sitting next to each other on a bench and reveling in eachother's warmth as she listened to him talk about his past. Just small talk. But Angela felt herself falling more and more in love with Joseph.She's in love. She's in love with Joseph. Joseph had captured her heart and it was totally unfair that she could try to kiss him and he would respond absentmindedly. Because he's a man and men are very good at… not falling in love.Her lips lost her smile at once that even Joseph noticed."Did I say something wrong?" he asked, also losing his goo
The CEO'S syndrome CHAPTER FIFTY TWO: Reporters have their own way.
"Good morning".Angela opened her eyes to look into Joseph's happy ones. She felt sore but a good kind of sore. She slept like a baby. Joseph sat very close with his chest naked as he watched her sleep and was happy that he was the first thing her gaze was settled on when she woke up. She's beautiful."Good morning", Angela whispered. Her cheeks tainted red with the memory of all her boldness last night. His broad chest on display, a contributing factor."You slept well", he stated.Angela smiled only shyly. "I made breakfast for you. Breakfast in bed", He beamed proudly. As he gave some space to show the tray on the table.Angela gasped. "Thank you so much". "I'll give you time to clean up", he gave her a peck on the cheek and took the exit.Angela walked into her bathroom to see her toothbrush already layered with toothpaste, waiting patiently for her to use. Joseph had prepared bathing water for her too. He was only trying to be polite. Angela knew this but she would try to bel
The CEO'S syndrome CHAPTER FIFTY THREE: My little princess.
"Hey, wasn't expecting you", Angela smiled more to herself as she opened the door for Joseph. Guess she had hit a jackpot unknowingly today. Joseph would make sweet love to her today. She would make sure of it.Joseph fit into her outstretched arms and inhaled deeply. He gave her a kiss on the nose instead and closed the door."You coming from work?", she tried to start a conversation as she took the abandoned remote to change the TV station. Joseph still said nothing. He took off his jacket and hung it, his shoe followed suit."Joseph?" Angela sat on a love seat as she waited expectantly for Joseph to respond. Joseph joined her and gave her another peck on the cheek.He held her hand in his, looking into her eyes like he was looking into his whole world."Let's have sushi together. What do you think?"He just wanted to have her next to him and he didn't want to give her the impression that he only came around for sex."Okay", Angela nodded. She didn't know what thoughts were swim
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- The CEO'S syndrome
CHAPTER SEVENTY SEVEN: The breakup
Her feet felt heavy with every step she took afar, her heart was drumming wildly within her ribcage and it felt like she was nauseous. As she ran, all she thought of was Joseph, he'd definitely misunderstood. Fate was cruel. Too cruel. Things were only just beginning to look bright only for this to happen. Angela didn't even care when her legs stopped moving or when her butt cheeks found comfort on the floor. She cried as the turnout of events replayed in her head, mocking her. When Joshua had noticed her unenthusiasm in whatever he had to say, he had proceeded to physical contact and just before she could have acted on his inappropriate manner of touching her, he had forced their lips to merge and enforced a rhythm. Angela regretted her decisions, she shouldn't have acknowledged his message when he'd sent it and even if she had, she ought to have picked a cafe that was packed with customers, not to reserve the most remote seats just so they do not get distracted easily with the da
- The CEO'S syndrome
CHAPTER SEVENTY SIX: A change
The next morning, they took a bath together again. Even though Joseph's eyes twinkled with interest he didn't do anything out of question. He still respected the distance between them but he was insanely aware of her naked body throughout. After the bath, he made breakfast while Angela watched.Angela was happy. She was so happy that she couldn't control it when a tear slid down her face because she thought she wouldn't see a day when Joseph would be capable of taking care of his daily needs, talkless of another. Even though she had promised Joshua brunch, she ate a lot. After breakfast, they cleaned the dishes together and that was when she saw it again. That undeniable gaze that said it all. She had noticed it when they were taking a bath and how it didn't disappear when they broke their fast. Joseph would secretly watch her and shyly take his eyes somewhere else when she caught him.She held his hand in hers and smiled before she whispered with all alacrity, “I'm all yours. Foreve
- The CEO'S syndrome
CHAPTER SEVENTY FIVE: The devoted caretaker
Like a cycle, days turned into weeks and weeks to months but Joseph still didn't get better. He still said close to nothing to Angela. He'd rather spend his time in his study. He had turned lean with time, as he barely ate. He barely associates with anything or anyone apart from his study. Angela has had enough. She didn't care what Joseph thought anymore or what her next actions would incite. Because he was slowly losing it. He needed help. And so, that fateful morning, after preparing a hot soup with easily digestible contents, she marched straight to his study and tried to force her way in but the door was locked. With no other plan but to scream, shout, cry or even use force if she had to, Angela marched towards the familiar corridor. Her next destination was his room, still no Joseph. She forcefully pushed the slide-in door that led to his bathroom and there he sat. Joseph sat like a fetus in its mother's womb as he wept. Like a child.Her eyes lost all the fire and she somewha
- The CEO'S syndrome
CHAPTER SEVENTY FOUR: Grief
“Oh, I've always had a thing for grotesques but for work, it'll always be romance”, the writer chuckled to the camera as he adjusted his sitting position a few more times to look good for his audience.“What inspires your books then?”. Angela read out loud, totally uninterested. Joshua, the writer looked at nothing as he tried to form the right words or what he believes is right. “Love inspires my book”, he smiled to himself like he had just found something no one would ever find. “Love is real. Now, not the kind between siblings or relatives. The simple attraction you feel towards someone you don't even know too well”. He frowned as he continued, Angela almost thought he was already possessed by what made some writers write so well. “That wanton feeling is power. It's so powerful and beautiful and there's a lot to unravel, so yeah. That's why I always find myself writing about it”. He smiled finally, awarding himself marks for a test no one gave him. Angela nodded when she was su
- The CEO'S syndrome
CHAPTER SEVENTY THREE: The Funeral
Mr James Wilson was buried on Friday. A very sunny Friday. It was so sunny that Joseph wished that it was raining. They had set up a small gathering, rather too small for a man established as Mr James. But still, many came to pay their respects, some even flew in that morning just to pay their last respect to such a kindhearted man like Mr James. As the priest said the prayers and Mr James' coffin was leveled into the ground, Joseph only prayed to wake up from this dream. He still hadn't accepted the news. He still remembered the conversations he'd shared with his father prior to his surgery. The words he had shared with Angela up to the time he had patiently waited to be reunited with his father once again. Alive. Not dead. But Dr. Murphy's downcast look had ruined it all. Joseph had waited patiently all for nothing. Had believed Angela's words before the surgery, all for his father's death to drive him to the end of time. He had killed his father.No. Not the doctor, at least J
- The CEO'S syndrome
CHAPTER SEVENTY TWO: Horrid mistakes
Accuracy. That was definitely Dr Murphy's best word. He was always accurate. He knew the human anatomy like the palm of his hand. As a career man, he was never wrong, and has never lost a single patient during his thirty six years of treating patients. Dr Murphy was literally known as an aldonis in the surgery room.As he scrubbed in and entered the operation room, he said a little prayer to God that he’s kept his nickname this long. Inside the OR, he shook his head vehemently like a boxer ready for battle and whispered “Let's do this” to himself after washing his hands and went in where a nurse came forward to help him wear his sterile gown.A nurse eyed his scrub cap knowingly and turned to share smiles between her colleagues. They all knew Professor Murphy to be present for only very important surgeries and whenever he wore the specific cap on his head, it meant real business. That means the patient on the table would survive no matter the cost. The patient's lucky, she concluded
- The CEO'S syndrome
CHAPTER SEVENTY ONE: An hopeful day
Morning came, even though Joseph was sore, his whole muscles ached and he had barely even slept, he was glad that an hopeful day had come. A day, he was allowed to dream. That morning Joseph prayed. He hadn't prayed for a long time but he found himself kneeling on the floor as he prayed for a successful procedure.Omar and Fyodor, Angela and Sophia had spent the night at the hospital but Omar had to leave because he had a meeting that couldn't be postponed, he had to be there. But he promised to return as soon as he could.Joseph watched Angela quietly from his side view, he hadn't said anything to her after crying at the garage, now, they were no different from two strangers. Or that was what he thought. She was saying something to Sophia before Sophia left to take a phone call.He watched her as she rubbed her eyes sleepily and sank deeper to the seat, she raised her legs from the ground and folded them to cross one another. These past few days, he had been rough. Very rough with he
- The CEO'S syndrome
CHAPTER SEVENTY: LAST MOMENTS
Joy. Ultimum joy. Not the kind you feel after bagging a million dollar deal or getting a scholarship but the kind you feel when a ray of sunshine graces your head and suffices your skin with vitamin D, the kind of happiness you feel when the calm breeze grazes the short hairs on your skin. That kind of joy that bubbles from within, that shows itself even when you have a straight face. And that was all the duo felt as they watched intently.Fits of laughter, though weak, rumbled from Mr James chest as he watched closely. Upon his request, his son had transformed his hospital room into a cinema room. The lights turned off, except the lights sourced from the machines attached to him, Mr James relaxed into his bed folded halfway to allow him see the screen comfortably. Joseph was surprised when his father told him where he'd kept all the video clips in his house. He had thought naturally, that clips as such would have been lost. His parents hadn't parted in good times and his mother clea
- The CEO'S syndrome
CHAPTER SIXTY NINE: Death, the inevitable
And there he sat. Like the dutiful son that he will always be. After the little episode at the garage, under the pretense of getting some air, Joseph returned to his only reason for both his unshed and shed tears of agony. Joseph adjusted the duvet that covered his father's body a few times. Afterwards, he'd stand and walk around a few times, he'd grit his teeth a few times, sometimes, torturing his poor nails as well. Only to look outside the window again, rake his hair frustratingly and then sit again. Joseph messed up the routine a few times, willing to do everything to while away time, he only wondered when his father would wake up again. He had to try again.He had to try to convince his father again. He just had to do something. His hands raked his hair again before a sob broke out. A second followed.“Son”, though hoarse, his father’s voice called out. Joseph jerked up immediately and covered the little distance between them.“Big man! Big man!!” His voice was hoarse too. May
