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Chapter 2: Bitter Feeling

** Giselle’s PoV **

I was stupid to think like those naïve girls that I could change a man like Colton and make him fall in love with me. Though he was physically near me, it always felt like we were worlds apart.

I was lost in thought for a long time before I walked back into the kitchen and finished cleaning the dishes, freshened up, changed into my office wear, and drove out in my car to my office.

“Good morning Ms. Smith” the employees greeted me. I have been working in this company for close to about three years and grew to the position I am in today with my sheer will. As I didn’t have to think about pleasing my husband, I spent all my time and energy on my work.

“Morning” I nodded at them with a smile, went into my office, and took off my coat hanging it around the back of my chair as I asked my assistant “Is President Kane here?”

“Yes Ms. Smith, he is in his office” my assistant Yana placed the freshly brewed cup of coffee on my desk as I made myself comfortable but there was a pressing matter that needed to be pushed out of the way before I could go on with my day.

“You can have this cup of coffee, Yana. I have something to discuss with President Kane” with that I got up and swiftly walked towards President Kane’s office. Clearing my throat as I straightened my suit, I mustered up my will and knocked on his cabin door.

“Yes, come in” President Kane is a man in his early forties. He has a wife and two children. “Giselle, did we have a meeting this morning?” he immediately put down the papers in his hand and gestured for me to sit in the visitor’s chair.

“No, Mr. Kane” I was feeling a bit nervous ‘How do I even start? Should I be asking him this?’ “Mr. Kane, I have been in the company for almost three years now. I was hoping that you would help me”.

Mr. Kane was looking at me expecting me to elaborate further but I was a bit too embarrassed “Help you how, Giselle? Do you need more resources in your team or is the client being difficult?”

“No… no… no… it is not related to work, I mean… it sort of is…” I was rambling on, a nervous habit of mine.

“Giselle, calm down and explain to me and I will see how I can help you” Mr. Kane has always been nice to all his employees, one of the reasons that everyone enjoys working with him.

“Mr. Kane… I… I uh… I need… Is it possible for you to lend me two million, please? It is just that there is an emergency and I need it urgently. You know that I am good for it, Mr. Kane” I know I am asking for a lot, but I was hoping that considering his position he would be able to help me out.

President Kane was stunned and looked embarrassed as this was the first time Giselle had come to him for help “Giselle, you know that I am not in charge of the company, and that is quite a large sum of money that you are asking for, even if I agree to front you the salary other directors will not agree to it”.

“I know…” I chewed down on my lower lip as I contemplated in my head, on whether or not I should ask him ‘Well, fuck it! I have already asked him about it might as well finish it!’ “Can I borrow it from you personally?” I continued to hurriedly explain “Don’t worry, at most six to eight months, I will definitely pay you back the money, even if you charge interest on it!”

President Kane sighed rubbing his temples “Giselle, you are an amazing employee and yes, your work speaks for your talent, but I am sorry, I can’t do anything about your request. My wife keeps tight control on my accounts, and you know how my wife is. If she knows who I lend the money to a woman, I am afraid that I will not have a home to go to.”

Kane rubbed his chin seemingly lost in thought “Hey, Giselle, I remember you telling me that your husband was into some investment company or something? The amount that you are asking must be just a small amount of money to him, why don’t you ask him for it?”

To be honest, though we have been married for around three years, I still know nothing about him nor about his company “He owns a small investment firm, he does not earn much, President Kane. If my husband was in a position to lend me that amount, I would have definitely asked him to for it” though it is the truth, there was a bitter feeling enveloping my heart.

The contract he made me sign stipulated clearly that his money is his and that I have no rights on it and my mine is and that he has no rights on it. Aside from the fact that I didn’t know how much he made every month, I also had no clue about anything about the man.

“Giselle, I hope you can understand that it is not that I don’t want to help you, it is just that I am powerless.” He was kind enough to pour a cup of coffee for me “I can talk with our finance team and see if they can give you a raise in your salary from next month. After all, you have been working hard”.

Since I knew that there was no sense in continuing this conversation, I changed the topic to “That is very kind of you, President Kane. And I also wanted to talk to you about the Carter acquisition deal”.

I thought I was successful in diverting his attention and boy how wrong I was “Once again, I am sorry, Giselle”.

I gave him a small smile as I got up from my chair “Thank you, President Kane. You are already doing what you can. I wasn’t really thinking, sorry for troubling you”.

“You don’t have to thank me as I didn’t really do anything to help you” I finished the coffee and placed the cup on the coffee table.

“Thank you for everything. President Kane” and just like that I turned around and walked out of his office. I felt restless and irritated by the fact that every door seemed to shut down on my face just as I get closer to it to escape.

After leaving President Kane's office, I went or rather stormed into the bathroom, and locked myself in the small cubicle when no one was around. Took out a cigarette box and a lighter from my pocket ‘Should I be smoking this?’

I have never been addicted to smoking, smoking was just something to soothe my nerves but ever since I married Colton, I never touched them again after knowing that he hates the smell of cigarettes. I only started smoking recently and I can say that I am kind of becoming addicted to them.

I was sitting on the toilet and smoking my cigarette when I felt this sadness in my heart. Ever since I was a child, I have always been proud of having a District Court judge as my father. When I was in college, I even thought about applying for a Major in Law, but it didn’t quite catch my attention. In the end, I ended up choosing Management.

I have always been proud of my father and his achievements. It wasn’t until he didn’t come back home that fateful night, that I wasn’t aware that he had been arrested for embezzling state funds. News spread so far and wide that we were bombarded with calls within seconds after the news about my father broke.

My mother was hysterical until she passed out due to exhaustion, so I had to keep myself together in order to contact my father’s lawyers all the while comforting my mother. I was trying to gather the funds and to find a way to pay back the amount that the news reports said my father stole.

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