A Step Backwards

A Step Backwards
The lines of actions I decided to follow weren't what my dad had expected, that I knew for sure. Whatever made him replace me as CEO of his already fading firm must have been a huge mistake, one he would live to regret but I wasn't ready to declare myself an enemy.
After that meeting, every guest left, with Maryann being the last to leave. She had stayed a little longer, long enough to verify our facts about her and my dad. Since her husband, Dr. Lawson, was the one in close business ties with my dad, we'd expected her to be friends with my mom, not my dad, but even if it was on business basis, Maryann Lawson was too clingy with my dad, that was enough to nail her. With the way Evelyn smiled after the meeting, I knew she was pleased with my decision and my step sister, Florence, had her eyes on me, hoping I would do something to jeopardize her new position. How wrong she was. My dad had made huge a amount of cash transferred to her account, to make her meet up the CEO standards and this was already making my step sister super excited, maybe she forgot her credit card details were safely stored on my device.
It would mean a war, a war no one would win without causing others immerse pain, this was the only solution out, the one that would ruin our family as predicted.
"You made a bold decision back there today Son" my mom commended.
"I refuse to be a tool in dad's hands mom. I will get back up, but this time, I'm doing things my way" I told her.
"I know son. But you should also know the implications. Every benefit that comes with your position will be taken away. You will have to work under Florence if you decide to join the family business again." She said.
"I know that quite alright. I'm not backing down. Mom, don't worry about me. I will be fine" I assured her. A mother is always a mother. She was overly concerned for me, she wanted to make sure I had made the right choices, she was ready to give me her own shares of the company too, but I told her I wasn't going to accept anything that related to that firm. It was over.
"Do you have better plans?" She finally asked.
"You bet I do. It may take a tough process but soon Mom, it will be a reality. " I gave her the assurance, she was pleased too.
That night met me alone in my room, creating my action plans and making calls out to my ladies. We had a review of situations and while Lucia sounded strange, Olivia, Sophia and Evelyn still had the faith. After the conference call, I had to speak with Lucia privately.
"Are you okay babe?" I asked.
"I'm not. I can't pretend" she had said.
"What's eating you ?"
"I can't stay on a losing side. You already dragged me into this politics and I don't want to be mocked" she stated.
"We ain't losing. It is just temporary honey. Everything will be fine soon" I told her.
"I don't think so. I'm sorry Steve. You know I need the dollar bills. I can't do this anymore." With that, she ended the call. I wasn't entirely surprised but I felt bad a little, I thought she won't leave. And then the reality was, Lucia was a whore, she does whatever she does for the bills. She was right and it was only a wise choice to let her go, she had to be laid off immediately.
I texted Sophia to deactivate Lucia's account from our team systems and in few minutes, she responded "done" without asking why. I wondered why she had no second thought doing that so I called.
"Hey babe... That was fast. "
"Yes Boss. I suspected false loyalty on her part since" Sophia told me.
"Whoa... How did you know?"
"Lucia was all about what she stood to gain Boss. You made right choice of letting her off the close circle. We can make use of her later" she suggested.
"You're truly a smart one" I said.
"You can say that again Boss".
"I owe you some hard core treatments" I promised. Sophia couldn't hold her joy as she screamed into the phone. She had missed me doing naughty things to her on a private level, the promise I made to her was like a fuel to fire up her loyalty and I got the desired effect on my sweet secretary, Sophia.
With Lucia off, I had only three ladies to work with but my fears were kicking in from the angle of betrayal from her. What if she switched her loyalty and poured words out to the wrong people? Well, I prayed things didn't go that way, hoping Lucia would just disappear the same way she had appeared. She didn't disappear. You know what people say about sugar and ants? Lucia had seen sugar in my family and was ready to sap out her shares.
The next morning I was surprised to see Lucia seated with Florence in the living room, enjoying a treat from the new CEO.
"Hey Steve!" Lucia greeted with smiles on her face.
"Hey Lucia. Hope you're good?" I responded, waving at them, winking at my sister.
"I'm always good. " she said.
"Welcome once again to the house. Big sis, I'm sure you will have some major fun now" I said, making for the exit. My step sister had that bossy look on Facebook that morning that made me want to laugh, but I had to respect my sweet self for the jobs ahead.
I didn't care what happened between my step sister and Lucia, I was concerned about a loose tongue play. If things went sour, I had to involve violence on Lucia, but I didn't want to do that. I was still contemplating on what to do with her when someone walked behind me, making me turn quickly. It was Lucia
"Boss, how did you manage to stay sane after yesterday?" She asked.
"What happened yesterday again?" I asked, forming ignorance.
"You lost your position and obviously me." She pointed.
"I lost nothing honey" I told her.
"Are you being serious right now?" She asked, coming closer.
"Yes. I know your loyalty lies with money. I have nothing against you sweetheart." I stepped backwards.
"I'm very sorry boss.....you know I have bills to pay and now that you're out of power, everything will change around you. I need money to stay active. Notwithstanding, you still have my number. I can always warm your bed at night." She added.
"I don't think I can pay for that"
"Since you won't be the only one fucking me, you won't have to pay" she promise.
"Thanks but I will pass" I told her and walked away as Florence appeared from behind her.
"Hey, you are mine now and I don't want you snitching around with that loser." I heard Florence say from behind me. I was going to my car, a ride through the city could do me some good.
Power corrupts truly, position reveals the beast in humans and my step sister was on that path of total doom, blinded by her position now as CEO. Florence would soon face that heat that comes with titles, the war one had to fight to stay in charge and the freaky temptations that came with it. Without threats, I knew she won't last long, although I had no hands in that but I sensed something was still wrong in the house. My mom on her own side had an untold story she had kept inside, a tale I was dying to listen to. If she had opened to me earlier about me being replaced, why couldn't she speak up on the problem she felt could come again?
Before I took that ride out that morning, I made sure no one had followed me from the house, for the sake of keeping things private until maturity. I avoided making any calls or send texts in the car, I could sense eyes on me as I drove. I felt like a camera was monitoring my every move while I drove. Fortunately I had texted some information to Sophia who has come out in a rented car to pick me. She was waiting at the appointed venue when I pulled over, parked the car and immediately joined her in a tilted glass limousine.
"We are ready boss" she announced immediately I settled in. I got served a glass of champagne and we had our calm discussion as briefed me on the steps she and other ladies have taken on our new plans. My ladies were doing well.
"You are truly a friend." I told her and my secretary couldn't hide her smiles now.
"Thank you boss. I'm everything I am today because of you. I'm never leaving you alone." She said. Her words carried more emotions than the expression she had on her face. I had a friend now, a true one that had my back despite the circumstances and that friend was Sophia. She was worthy of any reward I had in plans.
"Are they waiting for us?" I asked her now as the Limo slowed down in front of a sky scrapper.
"Yes boss... The paper works are all intact too. We are few floors away from your dreams boss." She said. It was true. In a few minutes, we would be closing the deal that would shake the city, a deal that would make my father tremble . This was my dream, my secret hope.