Tasha had managed to be on time, after meeting up with the stranger.
She arrived at the company and quickly settled at her desk, preparing for the meeting.
As usual, Karlos had sent his assistant, Jake to retrieve the documents from her, and had arrived some minutes after she got to the company.
As soon as Karlos s arrived, the meeting kicked-started in a few minutes with all the executives already seated and waiting for what the meeting would be about.
He was seated at the first lone chair at the far end of the room. Jake to his right and Tasha, was seated in front of where her tag was.
Before he began addressing them, Tasha took a quick glance at him and appreciated his look that morning. Dressed in a black three-piece suit, paired with a white shirt and a sleek navy-blue tie, his perfectly styled dark hair and the silver watch on his wrist
Ever since the marriage and the incident that occurred two weeks prior to his wedding, none of them had spoken to each other for not more than ten minutes and she was dying to know what he still thought about them being together secretly. Did he still want her? Did he still care? She regretted hurting him and wished she could take back the pain she had caused.
Apparently, he allowed the news of his wedding to skyrocket all over the internet and it had spread like wildfire. It cause a great stare in the city before his people asked his assistant to take down the picture and the news or was it his nosy mother who let out the news?
But the deed had already been done. Virtually everyone had seen him and Berlin. His social circle, all the ladies who had a crush on him, were now fully aware that he was taken off the marriage market.
And that was exactly what Tasha hadn't wanted.
Ahem!
He cleared his throat before speaking.
"Good morning everyone."
"Good morning, Sir" they responded in unison and relaxed in their seats.
"This meeting is to update everyone on recent changes in the company—and to finalize today's deal."
Karlos first started on a calm note, making everyone relaxed and not suspect the other main reason behind the main
real matter.
After some minutes of asking each and every head to give a brief talk about the growth in their department. Then came the deal negotiations. After long discussions, the contract was signed,
he asked his assistant, to escort the investors out. Then he drew the straw that broke the camel's back.
He first introduced the new project plan that has been ongoing. And went on to brief them on his findings.
By the time Karlos was done, those found wanting broke out in cold sweat as all their deeds were exposed.
By the end of the meeting, three executive heads were dismissed from the company. Alongside four other employees.
In as much as Karlos knew that the head of all their crimes was one of the head executives, Mr. Clinton, he still did not find any lead tying him to the theft issue as compared to the others. But sooner enough he will.
As soon as the meeting ended, Mr. Clinton let out a sigh of relief and relaxed in his seat.
All though, he had been hoping, that Karlos did not mention his name and that the other three executives would not rat him out.
Fortunately for him, they all kept shut about him being involved.
"Since you all do not want to tell me who is behind this, I want all the amount taken from this company, to be returned in full, by the close of this week. Or I will lock you up for embezzlement, money laundering, Forging of Documents, the list goes on and on."
"Please, Mr. Wayne we.."
"Get the hell out before I change my mind! Oh, also know that you all have been relieved from your positions. Turn in your resignation letter by the close of today."
"Sir, please we are sorry..."
"You should have thought about that before you stole what was mine. The rest of you," Karlos half yelled at his workers. " I want to see a very significant proportional growth in each unit within this month. Get to work! I am not paying you to sit around."
"Yes Sir"
"You're Dismissed"
Immediately, everyone, except Tasha stood up from their seats, chairs scraped against the floor as everyone rushed out. and packed their files away. Jake had still not returned.
From the corner of her eyes, Tasha watched as Karlos stood up, ready to leave.
"Karlos." She called out softly.
"What?" He responded with haste, paused but didn't turn around.
"Why? Why are you doing this? You ignored my apologies a-and married my best friend. Are you trying to hurt me? w-well, if you are, it's working. and I wouldn't mind being your mistress or anything you want me to be.
Karlos, I...l...I..." her eyes darted around avoiding his. "I love you." Tasha finally gathered enough courage to confess to him.
For a moment, the room was silent.
Karlos stopped dead in his tracks. Slowly turned to face her, his eyes widening. That came as a surprise. He knew she liked him but love him? He never thought she would use that word.
"I fell in love with you from the first time you held me in your arms. And I loved you even more when you took care of me when I had caught a cold and after that I just kept falling deeper and deeper." She said taking a few steps closer to him.
Karlos eyes swept over the woman. She was beautiful, exotic, sexy, but he wasn't interested and enticed at the slightest. He had grown tired of all this.
Tasha stood there, wanting to be near him. He was always cold and detached. But she couldn't help herself but be drowned in his abyss of dark gaze, the only place where she could feel alive and breathing.
The only emotion she ever saw in his eyes was when they used to have sex, and now it stopped since the wedding happened.
"Is that so? So you want to replace Berlin and be my wife instead?" He asked in a tone that made Tasha shudder with fear.
"...Y-Yes!" But she stood her ground. This is what she wanted for herself.
He laughed under his breath.
"Sorry to disappoint you. It's not happening. I want you to get this into your thick head and let me go. Let's just forget that we ever met" he spoke honestly.
"No! ... K-Karlos...Please. I want you so bad."
But her words managed to anger him even more. In two long strides, he erased the distance between them and stood in front of her. Invading her personal space, which she craved for.
"Too bad Tasha, you should have thought about the consequences when you decided to bed another man." He spoke darkly, making her spine shudder.
"Please Karlos. Forgive me." She begged him, tears pooling in her gaze.
He looked at her with his penetrating gaze. "Be the good best friend that you are, Tasha. Compose yourself and let's not bring this up again."
Before he could step away, she hugged him. Tight.
The scent of his cologne filled her senses.
The very same moment as she embraced him, enjoying the moment, the door opened and closed with a soft bang, startling both of them a bit.
At first, he had thought his boss would be alone and did not think much.
Jake looked towards Karlos and the sight he found left him speechless. Tasha and his boss were in each other's arms.
Karlos pulled away from the hug.
She definitely wasn't expecting Jake to be back soon. Her heart hammering in her chest.
"Sir... there is an emergency." Jake quickly Schooled his expression.
Karlos sighed he had already had enough problems on his plate and he had to deal with yet another problem.
Karlos eyes darkened. "Speak"
"It's about your wife."