DAMIEN CRAWFORD.
The chair made noises as I rotated on it. My assistant had asked me to have it changed but I've grown acquainted with this particular chair and I'm not ready to form a pact with another yet. In addition to that, I loved the sound it made, it intruded into my thoughts peacefully and just stayed there - thinking with me.
A short tap on the door called my attention back to reality and my television had been turned on for a while. I reached for the remote, ignoring the tap that had become sharper the following three times. Turning off the large-screened device, I ordered the person in.
“You'll love to see what's on the news right now.” Diego chirped the instant his long legs walked through the door. His legs alone is the length of my entire frame even though I am a 5ft, 9 inches guy. I wouldn't tell lies, being around him usually upsets me because my neck gets cramped from consistently looking up at him.
Why? I'm an eyeball-to-eyeball guy, the kind that usually looks like we're in a fight.
“Don't tell me that you brought your extra long legs to my office to watch TV.” I said in a gruff tone without making eye contact. My neck needed rest from the stress of yesterday and in addition to that, I was sitting sideways facing the view outside my office with my legs placed on my large table covered with flattened previous stones.
“What? I…”
“Shh. Don't tell me you left your secretary to grapple with the huge amount of paperwork I sent to your table yesterday while you plan to chill in front of a TV in the meantime?” I chided, sarcastically still refusing to face him.
“If you like my secretary, go ask her out.” He clicked his tongue against his teeth as he eased himself onto the sofa bed in my office, purposely positioned to face me. “C’mon Dam, you know I don't do paperwork, right? Don't try such childish tricks on me again.” His voice deepened at the mention of childish and I chuckled. He was a character, I wonder what off-set him whenever he felt someone was being childish.
“Call me, Damien. You're very bad at short forms and you know that.” I sneered at him, turning my chair to grab a bottle of half-drunk wine and glass on the rack, poured a generous amount into my glass then put it to my lips and did a loud slurp, making Diego fake a gag.
Savoring his expression, I swallowed the rest of the wine loudly and ended it with a nasty burp. Greatly displeased and irritated, he jumped to his feet.
Perfect! No one shares my precious sofa bed.
Taking his seat somewhere else, he started his face twisted with displeasure “You didn't have to be all nasty. I could have stood up if you had just asked.” He grumbled and a chuckle leaked from my lips. “No wonder you have no woman around you. No one can stand such nasty and childish behavior.”
I threw my head back and laughed hard at the way he kept his face. “You should see your face.” I started, trying to catch my breath “Who's acting childish right now?” I mocked but immediately shut my lips from the heat of his glare.
“Turn on the TV already. I can't waste this nice trip to your office.” He eyed me, making my fingers retreat from their intent of circling the wine glass.
“The news nowadays is filled with bombings, political mistakes and missing people reports. Nothing new. I can predict whatever you want to listen to. I might not be a news addict like you but I sure have a retentive memory.”
“You can as well shove your CEO position in my face too. We're brothers and it only takes a while before that chair becomes mine except it'll be changed. I wonder how you think through such noise.” He snapped.
“Cousins.” I corrected, bringing down my legs from the table to return blood circulation to them. “Get your facts right and try to control your emotions. If you need the news, help yourself then.” I returned with a serious tone and we searched an intense gaze which broke off when the newscaster mentioned a familiar name. Quickly, I peeled my eyes away and had them grace the pretty, open-breasted woman smiling on the TV.
“Sophia Woods openly disgraces her step-sister and fiance with an audio of their discussion after a sex escapade at the city's gala three days ago. The story gets even more interesting when she breaks up with her fiance, Mr David Nelsons and pours a glass of wine on him. Talk about dramatic” She made a funny facial reaction then continued.
“There's been no appearance before the press or address to the public by Audrey Woods ever since she left the gala guarded jealously by bodyguards. Do you think it was just an excessive means just to humiliate her sister or Sophia Woods’ claims are true? Or are there…”
I interrupted her by changing the channels to another news platform.
“It's been 3 days and no news has been gotten from the Woods after the overly dramatic breakup of David by Sophia. Few journalists have come up with different opinions about the reason for the newsworthy scene at the gala…”
I switched to yet another channel.
“Sophia Woods …”
Another. “3 days ago, an unforgettable incident happened at the gala and ever since, no one has seen Miss Audrey or Mr David in public. Isn't it questionable? It co–”
Another. “A few hours ago, Miss Sophia could be seen making her way through the crowd of journalists and media personnel, guarded by a five-man bodyguard. This is the first time she's been seen since the interesting incident at the gala. Do you think her arrival will spark up something? Or it's —”
Another. “The Woods Family …”
Clang. Was the sound the remote made when it kissed the top of my table harshly. I exhaled slowly as if this was the final time I'd be doing it.
Then turning to an impressed Diego, I began to rap. “I knew! I knew it! There was something about this — this Sophia lady but I couldn't pinpoint it. Now you see? She's gone public for breaking up with her fiance and accusing her stepsister of sleeping with him… Where do such lies still get people?” I hissed, feeling different emotions dart around my body like electric currents.
“Brother, she's not lying. Come see this video.” Diego requested calmly. He was always on top of every media news but he would never accept that he needed a house of his own. It was something he was exceptionally good at without even trying.
I leaned a little to get my face to meet with the screen. An interview with Audrey Woods was being compared with the audio clip played at the gala. The voice, manners of speaking, accent and characteristic pauses were picked out and matched perfectly.
“You believe this?” I scoffed. “Don't you know voices can be cloned? We're in a technological age, brother. It can be a setup.” I argued but Diego just shook his head in disapproval.
“What would she gain? Bad press? No one has seen Sophia Woods snap before and the first thing she does is bring her sister down? Well, nobody can tell. We'll have to wait and see–” A notification sound came into his phone disrupting his speech. He clicked on it and it was a news update about Sophia.
Someone had sneaked a camera into her or something and gotten a clip of her father threatening to disown her if she didn't come clean to the media but her defiance shocked me.
This was a timid woman who knew nothing about the world outside her father's company or closed-off family and here she was accepting to be disowned for the truth?
Questions jumbled over each other in my mind as I kept replaying the video in my head but what grew inside of me was a resolve to meet with them - Sophia Woods and Audrey Woods separately
There's something the media isn't seeing and if I could get any of them to work with me, I'll be on my way to becoming the biggest CEO in the agricultural sector and therefore bringing down David Nelsons - my known rival.
Sophia Woods, here I come. A savior in this time of distress.