Four

Beads of sweats broke out on his face as he squeezed his eyes shut, letting out soft groans.

“ Don't do it!.” He pleaded softly, his voice barely audible.

“ Please!.” He begged again, letting a tear run down his right cheek.

He could hear it from where he sat, the knocks landing on his door continuous but somehow he wasn’t able to respond to it, he was unable to snap out of it. He was stuck, stuck in this painful memory of his.

“ Don’t do it!.” He pleaded again and squeezed his palms tightly.

“ Sir! Sir!.” He heard a female voice call out and immediately he snapped out of it, the memory freeing him from its painful claws.

“ Sir!.” She called again and watched him lift his head up from the desk on which it had laid before.

He drifted his eyes apart slowly as he tried to make do with where he was or who he was with.

Was he there? Back where it had all happened. Back where the hurtful memory had all started.

He thought and blinked his eyes twice, hoping he wasn’t.

The room became clearer with the illumination of the bright Sun sitting unbothered in the sky, letting itself in to tamper a little with his sensitive eyes. Her full form came into view and her face became clearer to reveal that true identity.

“ Are you okay Sir?.” His secretary of six months asked worriedly as she stared at his face.

He paused as he tried to remember what her name was. After a while, it came to him.

Ally! Ally….something that he couldn’t remember since it didn’t really matter.

Mich was used to changing his secretary every five years because he hated attachment, either they were the one attached to him or it was the other way round. He was always ready to let people go, maybe that was why things hurt less to him.

He nodded in response as he tried to hide the effect the usual nightmare always had on him.

On seeing the look she sent his way and not wanting to look weak or be seen as a weakling, he put his shits back together and cleared his throat.

“ Why are you here?.” He questioned, a little bit pissed that she had to barge in and see him this way. Besides he hated her guts and doubted that she might last too long before he would decide to fire her. One thing he hated so much was people trying to get into his business by trying to act important to him or act like they mattered. Mostly, act like he cared.

Yes! Back to the rude jerk of a boss she knew.

Ally thought and twisted her lips briefly.

“ The meeting Sir, with the Frayl Company. It’s in an hour’s tint and I thought it would be better to inform you beforehand.” She explained, a little bit curious to know what laid beneath the tough mask her Boss always had on.

“ Okay, leave.” He responded and looked away to stare down at the files laying on the desk in front of him. He had works to attend to, ones that would have to wait till he got back.

“ Okay Sir.” She responded a little bit nonchalant.

He could still notice her presence and could feel his prying eyes on him. It caused his neck hair to stand.

Creepy!.

He thought and looked up to see that he was right, she really was staring down at him.

“ Anything else?.” He questioned angrily, his face squeezed hard to show how disgusted he felt. He wanted to be sure that was all she had to say or did he forget another important detail?.

Maybe another meeting.

One that he should have gone to instead of dozing off.

“ Ummm! I wanted to know if you would like me to get you anything. Coffee or maybe tea.” She offered nicely as she tried to read him.

“ No. you can leave.” He responded coldly, his voice void of emotions.

“ Okay Sir.” He heard her say before walking out of the room.

He let the door close behind her before he let out the breathe he had held on to so tightly for so long. Letting his wall break down. Letting his vulnerable shaken self come forward.

Not this nightmare again. Not the one he had thought he had walked past. Most especially, not now. Not in his place of work. Not during a quick harmless nap.

He had always had sleepless nights due to the same memory because every time he closed his eyes, all he saw was her. That woman.

At one point, it had stopped and he was starting to get relieved, relieved that he world finally get to put it behind him.

That he thought, until now.

He let out an heavy sigh then ran his right fingers through his hair, untangling them. This was one thing he did any time he felt disconnected from the world.

He had to be out in thirty minutes.

He thought and stared at his desk to be sure he had no other things to take care of before going.

Maybe a quick survey of the company’s file.

His eyes landed on the sheet of paper, the rough squeezed one he was sure he had done that to during his nightmare. He picked it up and straightened it to stare at the details in it.

Shit!.

Frayl Company!.

He must have been going through their files before dozing off. Luckily, he always had copies of his files with him so that made things easy for him.

He stretched his right hand and threw it in the bin then got up from where he sat, walking towards his restroom. He knew he needed to wash his face and maybe comb his hair too. Any adjustments that he would need to not show up there looking terrible or like a shadow of himself. To not let people see how terrible he was underneath or find out the person he hide behind this tough mask.

He flipped the tap head sideway, letting the water run out freely as he put his palm underneath, scooping up some to splash on his face. After the third attempt, he looked up to stare at his reflection in the mirror.

This animal is incapable of love. He murders everyone and anything he loves.

Chris’s words echoed inside his head.

How dare he! How dare he describe him so well! How dare he talk of that Woman!.

He thought angrily and felt his blood boil, the anger in him building up.

His eyes color changed, going through its beautiful Blue color to a Red one.

Grrrrmmm!.

He groaned. His veins standing.

He was pissed and angry but at what and why.

He poured another handful of water over his face and squeezed his eyes shut to release the venom in him. The venom that came with his anger.

He let out a shaky breathe and felt it all escape, the hate he felt minutes ago. He then picked up a clean dry towel to damp his face with gently before letting it down, to hang on the steel.

He picked up a comb out of the set he had kept in his restroom in case of situations like this. He let it run through his hair then dropped it to pick up a gel, flicking the lid off to pour some on his left palm. He dropped it and rubbed both palm together then moved it over his hair.

With time, he was set and ready to leave.

He walked out of his office to see Miss Ally standing at her desk.

“ The car is waiting outside Sir.” She informed and watched him nod gently.

“ Any last minute detail?.” He questioned. He hated not knowing enough or lacking an answer to any little detail, that was why he would always cross check things at the last minute.

“ Not at all Sir.” She responded calmly.

“ Good!.” He exclaimed. “ Any other meeting after this?.” He added.

“ Yes Sir. Two more from our regular top clients.” She informed.

“ Okay.” He responded and walked away without asking any more questions. Her duty was to send it to his email so he would check it after his present meeting.

He saw the Black SUV waiting not to far from the entrance and watched the driver step out to pull the back door open.

“ Good morning Sir.” He greeted and bowed slightly.

Mich hummed in response and stepped in then watched him shut the door before walking over to the front to settle in the driver’s seat.