You in Me

by V.S.9150

Finding you in me.

4. Chapter 4

Chapter three

I stand tall. My hands are in my pant pockets and I am staring into the distance, seeing everything and at the same time seeing nothing. The wind whips my hair ruthlessly. It flops down on my forehead. The emotions roiling inside me are uncontrollable. It feels like a boat being rocked vigorously against the shore during a violent storm. Every time I think about my mother's death my gut churns. It is three years today since my mum's death.

The only remorse I feel right now for what I am going to be doing is breaking the promise that I made my mom about letting my thirst for revenge go. But I simply can't shake the blinding fury that I feel every time I think about him. I simply can't imagine letting him go unpunished.

I look at the tomb stone in front of me.

"In Loving Memory of"

Sharron Mary Orrick

Jan 12 1959 – August 20 2010

For touching people's hearts and for being a shining ray of hope in our lives!

Just looking at it sends me on a downward spiral. I let myself drown in the sea of raw emotions that are boiling to the surface.

The incessant ringing of my phone brings me out of my self-absorbed state. I look at the screen and I see my lawyer's name, Seth Bayer, flashing on it. I scowl. I answer the call immediately wanting to know what the pressing matter is. "Hello. What is it Seth?" I wince slightly on the inside as it sounds more like a growl than a greeting.

"Good morning Mr. Orrick. All the documents necessary to close the Roche deal are ready. Would you like me to bring them to you so that you could go through them?"

If there is something that makes me forget the pain and the sorrow of my childhood, it's my work. I love what I do. I am the CEO of a multi-billion dollar Enterprise, Orrick Global Corporation.

I know that to survive on this planet, the most essential commodity needed is not food, not water, not oxygen, but money. I learnt that at a very young age. Money talks! With money comes Power, Influence, Control, Opportunity and most important of all, for me, Freedom. The freedom, to live my life, the way I have always wanted.

"Yes. Call Ana and fix a meeting for 10.30 am today please. We leave for Singapore today afternoon and I would like to go through the closing documents before taking them with me" I say and end the call.

The last assistant who worked for me had to be fired because he simply had failed to deliver the news of mum being critical in the hospital to me on time. I hate inefficiency in people and especially when it's a matter of life and death concerning one of the people I cherish the most in this world, I won't tolerate it.

I turn to look at the tombstone one last time before I leave and I hear my mother's voice whispering to me "You are going to find a girl, who is going to love you to heaven and back. Promise me that when you find the woman whom you absolutely can't live without, you'll hold on to her and you'll never let her go, no matter what. Promise me Christopher…. Promise me!"

The air around me suddenly becomes chillier. I feel a fist close around my heart and I close my eyes. I have never even thought about it in all these years. Why now? The feeling is inexplicable. I shake my head as though to clear my head of these wayward thoughts.

Without a backward glance, I leave. My driver, Simon, is waiting by my car. He is the only person other than Alana who knows what this day means to me. Simon holds the door of the car open for me. He doesn't say a word, simply waits for me to get in.

I nod at him and I see understanding and compassion dawn in his eyes. I quickly look away because it makes me feel vulnerable. I silently get into the waiting car. Simon closes the door and gets into the driver's seat. He starts the car and looks at me in the rear view mirror, questioning me silently.

"Drive me to my office" I say.

He nods and the car zooms away. I am dressed for a video conference with one of my overseas clients. I yank the cufflinks off and roll up my sleeves. I loosen my tie in a hurried fashion. I absolutely detest them. They make me feel restrained. I feel like I am always struggling to break out of them. I run a hand through my messy hair and decide to get to work.

I pull my laptop out and go through all my emails and some of the documents that Seth has mailed me. This deal is of great significance to me. It denotes the entry of Orrick Global Corporation into the Asian geography and economy. I have really worked hard for it and I have personally seen to everything, including the dotting of the i's and the crossing of the t's. I can't wait to add the prestigious group of hotels to my conglomerate.

I look out the window at the scenery that looks like a surreal painting made of rich colors. London is my home base. But I own houses and have offices in almost every country. It's easier to do business that way for me.

My phone starts ringing again. This time a smile creeps up my face as I spot the caller. It says Alana Wolf.

"Good morning Alana. How are you?" The smile spills into my voice.

"Chris dear, it's been ages since I last saw you. What's been keeping you so occupied that you can't even come, visit your close friend?" She chides, but I sense the smile in her voice.

"I have been working day and night on the acquisition of the Roche chain of hotels in Singapore. I don't even know what day of the week it is Alana. Trust me. That's my condition right now"

"Chris love, you have never lied to me. Don't start now. I know what today means to you. I am just calling to check up on you and see whether you are doing alright. Are you fine Chris?" I hear the concern in her voice and I feel bad for lying to her.

"I sometimes wish I could somehow resurrect her and bring her back to life. But even I know I am not God. I visited her grave today, took her a beautiful bunch of white lilies that she always loved. I can't say I am fine Alana. But I am getting there." This is the truth. Though Alana knows I was devastated when I lost my mother, she knows nothing about my tragic childhood.

"You need a woman to take care of you. Maybe it's time you got married, had kids and started a family of your own. You are one of the most eligible, richest bachelors in the world. You can have anybody you want. Is there someone you love Chris?" I frown as I notice the naked curiosity in her question. Alana of all the people should know that I am not marriage material. Why this sudden rush then, to get me married?

"Alana, I enjoy and love my freedom too much to restrict it by getting into a relationship of any kind. I don't want that for myself. Now stop being such a mother hen and tell me how things are at your end."

"Life is hectic as a surgeon. But I love every single minute of it. The bone deep satisfaction that I get saving lives surpasses the exhausting, bad and shitty days, any day. I won't change my profession even if you gave me a billion dollars."

I laugh. "I can't tell you how happy I am to hear that. Always make a living out of what you are most passionate about. Clearly you seem to be following it. Anyways, I am off to Singapore today afternoon. If things go by smoothly, I should be back next week for your birthday party." I grin, because I have clearly surprised her by remembering her birthday.

I would never forget her birthday for two reasons: A) Alana throws one hell of a party for her birthday. That's the only day she lets herself loose. B) She has always been a good friend to me. A person, I know I can always count on and I really value her friendship. There is no way I would miss her birthday and be the cause of her disappointment.

I notice that she has fallen silent on the other end. "Hello? Alana, are you there?" I enquire.

"You remember, huh?" She smiles. "Good that you haven't forgotten my birthday, saves me the trouble of having to remind you." She giggles.

"Wish I could come to Singapore with you. I have never been there." She sighs.

"You know what? If I manage to close the deal, I'll gift you an all expenses paid trip to Singapore. How does that sound? Or do you want me to get you something from there?" I ask, knowing she'll not be able to resist the offer made.

"You pig! You are making me daydream. It's a dangerous thing to do as a surgeon. Quit messing with my head and go play the hot shot billionaire!" she laughs.

"Bye Alana. Take care." I say and disconnect the call. I see Simon's smiling face in the mirror. I feel much more calm and relaxed now, knowing that I am surrounded by people who genuinely care about me.

When I reach the office, I see my lawyer waiting for me. When he spots me, he immediately stands up to greet me. "Good morning sir. I have all the documents that you asked for in here." He says and pats the file he is holding in his hand.

I nod at him and turn to my assistant "Ana, I'll be flying out to Singapore today afternoon. Please call Jake and ask him to get the jet ready immediately. I want to leave at 2pm. Also reschedule all the meetings for when I come back from there. See to it that these things get done pronto."

I walk into my office followed by my lawyer. We sit down at my table and he hands me the file. I take my time going through every single detail. I am a perfectionist. When I am satisfied with the contract that has been put together, I look up at my lawyer who is waiting patiently for me to finish reading the documents.

"Good job Seth. I am happy with our team's work. As you heard me tell Ana, we leave at 2 pm. I'll see you at the airport" with that I dismiss him.

I see him scurry out of my office. I turn in my chair to the huge, ceiling-to-floor glass windows behind me. It has a magnificent view. I get up from my chair to go stand near the windows. The sun streaming through it glints off the surface of my desk. I put my hands in my pant pockets and stare out the window. I see my reflection on the glass, the many emotions running through my eyes. I don't want to deal with them now so I push them into a trap door and secure the bolt.

I turn away from the view and get through the rest of the meetings scheduled for the day. When I notice that its half past noon, I stuff all the important documents into my briefcase, straighten my shirt sleeves, put the cufflinks and the tie back on. I walk into the closet connected to my office and choose a blazer to go with my shirt. I ease myself into it.

My office has a private elevator that can be accessed only by me with my biometric print and a pass code. I gather my briefcase and walk towards the elevator and press the down button. A panel folds out of the wall and appears in front of me and I press my thumb into it. It reads my finger print and asks me for the pass code which I enter. The doors open immediately and I step into it.

It whisks me down to the private parking space that I have on the basement. I see my driver waiting for me with my car. "Simon, drive me to the airport." I say and get into the car.

When I reach the airport, I see Seth and his team of lawyers waiting for me outside the airport. I greet them and we head towards my private plane. I spot Jake waiting by my jet, dressed in his pristine pilot uniform. I nod and he smiles back at me.

"Good afternoon Mr. Orrick"

"Good afternoon Jake. How did you trip go? You had flown to Chicago to visit your family, isn't that right?" I ask. I notice his smile falter and his eyes go a bit sad.

"It went well sir. The jet is all ready and waiting. Shall we go sir?" he asks. I nod.

Jake is a very shy person. He looks all burly but he is a softie at heart. I gather that something must have happened in Chicago that he doesn't want to talk about. I let the matter rest. I am not the kind of person to pry into other people's lives. Since I value my privacy a lot, I give others theirs.

I get into the flight and the air hostess standing by the door looks up at me through half-lidded eyes and says "Welcome aboard Mr. Orrick." I nod at her and proceed towards my seat.

Though I have my own private cabin on this plane, I choose to sit with my employees. My lawyers make themselves comfortable in the front as I seat myself in the back. I notice some of them openly admiring the fully customized insides of my jet.

I turn my attention away from the group in the front and prepare myself for the long flight ahead. I press the play button on the built in remote in my seat and the soft notes of "Yiruma" start floating around me. I close my eyes and drown myself in the soothing music. A light tap on my arm makes me open my eyes. I notice the air hostess leaning down, into me with her lips parted.

"Mr. Orrick, is there anything you need?" she asks me in a husky voice. I know the effect I have on women. I am used to it by now. I don't know what it is that draws them to me. Is it my personality, my wealth or my physique? I don't know and frankly, I don't care if all they want from me is a good roll in the hay. It's not as though I am looking for my soul mate.

I always make it clear to the women I am sleeping with that I am looking for nothing more than great sex. I don't want them building castles in the air. I don't do relationships and I make sure they know full well what they are getting themselves into before they agree to be my sexual partner.

I look at the stewardess who is still looking at me expectantly. I am sure she expects me to fuck her. I look down at my arm where her immaculately manicured hand is still lightly placed. I pin her with my intense stare and tell her "I don't need anything. Thanks."

I see her breathing quicken under my gaze. She licks her lips nervously. I know the signs that women send me coyly, silently pleading me to screw the living daylights out of them. I agree that sometimes I like the chase. But I am really not in the mood for it today. I just want to be alone. I guess women can't take a hint.

"Let me know if there is anything you need sir. I am happy to be of service to you." She says her eyes darkening with lust. I nod at her and she walks away. I go back to listening to my music.

At some point in the night I wake up from my dreamless sleep. I notice that I have slept for a few hours now. I look around and notice all my employees sleeping in their reclined seats. I get up to use the restroom in my private cabin to shower and freshen up a little but end up deciding against it. Instead I use the common lavatory. I open the door and walk to the sink to splash some water onto my face when I hear the sound of heels clicking on the hardwood floor behind me.

She snakes her arms around my waist and bites my earlobe. "Mr. Orrick, are you sure there is nothing I can do for you?" she asks me in a more provocative tone. I untangle myself from her and turn to face her. Looking her straight in the eye I say "What's your name?"

"My name is Natasha Cunningham. Please, please fuck me. I desperately need you inside me right now." She says almost begging me.

"Are you married Miss Cunningham?" I ask. I just don't sleep with married women. That's a no-go area for me.

"I am just 24, Mr. Orrick. No, I am not married and I don't have a boyfriend. I am single." She tells me.

"Miss Cunningham, if you badly want me that much I need you to sign on a blank sheet of paper for me". She looks up at me with a confused expression. She doesn't comprehend what I am saying.

"Even if I agree to fuck you right now, I want you to understand that it's going to be a onetime thing. I don't want you having any expectations or reading anything into it. Now run along and get me a pen and a sheet of paper from my letter pad that is kept inside the drawer of the desk in front my seat."

I see the excitement soar up in her eyes as she hurries out of the loo to get a sheet of paper and a pen. She is back in seconds with it.

"Now, sign there at the bottom of the page Miss Cunningham." I order. She immediately signs on the dotted line and hands me the signed piece of paper. I take it from her and pocket it.

"This letter is for future purposes if and when you start getting vile thoughts about a non-existent relationship between us and you decide to pursue me or try to trap me into marriage or even worse decide to sue me for sexual harassment! Just avoiding unnecessary trouble this way." I say smiling coldly at her.

I see fear crawl into her eyes. She definitely doesn't know what I am capable of doing if I am crossed.

"I want this too much Mr. Orrick to try and twist it into something it's not." She says earnestly.

"I have heard that a lot before. Trust me." I say walking towards her.

"It's just that I have become immune to such declarations. Now do you want me to fuck you or not?" I ask. The lust is back in her eyes and she nods.

"Strip now. Take all your clothes off. Leave your panties and those heels on. I want everything else gone." I say with authority as I stand with my legs held slightly apart and my arms crossed over my chest. She gets rid of all her clothing and stands before me submissively in nothing but her pink thong and black heels.

"Take your neck scarf and tie it up as a gag around your mouth so that you don't wake the others up with your moans and screams" She does as she is told. Her breathing is erratic. I can see her heart beat wildly in her chest.

"Now place your breasts on the marble counter behind you and lean over it. I want your whole upper body completely flattened against the counter and put your hands above your head." I hear her gasp of pleasure as her nipples hit the cool marble counter. I reach down, free myself from my pants and open the counter beneath the sink. I take out a packet of condom, rip it open and roll it down my length. I then walk towards her and come to stand behind her. I reach down and pull the thong to one side as I guide my length and push into her in one hard thrust.

She moans her feeling of pleasure. It always elicits the same response from all women. I give her a few seconds to get accustomed to my sheer size. When I hear her groan of frustration, asking me to give it to her hard and fast, I simply set myself to fulfilling her wish. I grab her hips and start pumping hard into her at a fast paced rhythm.

After a few minutes she reaches her climax and comes gushing all over my length and I pull out of her before I reach my own release. I remove the condom and dispose it.

"Thank you Mr. Orrick for that. That was out of this world." She says and turns to look at me. I see her extremely satisfied smile quickly turn into a frown when she sees that I am still fully clothed.

"Get dressed Miss Cunningham. Feel free to use the rest room for as long as you want. I would also like it, if you didn't speak about what happened here with anyone. I would hate suing you in court for breaking the Non Disclosure Agreement you just signed a few minutes ago." I say in a cool distant tone, cleaning myself up with a paper towel. I see the confusion in her eyes become more evident with every passing minute.

"Have I made myself clear Miss Cunningham? Or do I have to spell it out for you?" I ask in a hard voice.

"Crystal clear Mr. Orrick!" she says looking slightly hurt and disappointed.

I straighten my pants and walk out of the loo without looking back at her.

We land in Singapore at dawn. I bid goodbye to Jake. "We leave tomorrow afternoon if everything goes according to plan. I'll let you know. Good night Jake." I say.

"Good night Mr. Orrick" He says and nods his agreement.

I then turn to my team of lawyers "Gentlemen, we are booked into the Roche for our stay here. Please make yourselves comfortable. I'll see you all tomorrow morning."

A car and a limousine are waiting outside the airport to pick us up. I get into the waiting car and drive off towards the hotel.

I have been given the penthouse sky suite at the Roche. This is the ultimate celebration of victory to me, to see the hotel chain exchange hands and to be able to finally walk into that suite and feel the power of ownership and possession flow through my blood.

I check into my hotel suite. I am going to own this baby in a few hours and can't help the grin that sneaks up on my face. I walk into the living room of the suite and notice the earth below me being lit like a Christmas tree. The inky black night sky extends infinitely before me. I soak up the view. A moment of acute loneliness and sadness hits me as I stand there looking down at the world beneath me. Those damn feelings again! I wish I was cold and unfeeling.

When I can't take it anymore I walk backwards keeping the view in sight, my hands still in my pant pockets. I turn away and walk into the bedroom of the suite and get ready for bed. I unclothe leaving just my boxers on and get into the huge king sized bed. The bed room of the suite also boasts of a spectacular view. No matter where I go, I always prefer to stay in these sky suites because of the view they offer. It's my way of having the world outside, within my sight all the time. I can always reach out and touch it when I want to, unlike my childhood days.

Tomorrow is a really important day and I don't want to mess it up by succumbing to jet lag. I am a constant traveler, always on the go, continuously traveling between countries, visiting my international offices. I have always managed to successfully battle jet lag. As I lay there with my hands resting under my head, staring at the ceiling, I feel a wave of forlornness wash over me. It somehow feels cold and I turn on my bed to the view that is now mocking me silently. I stare back at it with a challenging glare and draw the comforter up in defense. After a long time I finally manage to drift off to sleep.

The shrill cry of my alarm wakes me up. I jolt up in bed and switch on the bed side lamp. The clock shows six a.m. Old habits die hard, I guess. Walking into the connecting bathroom I flip the lights on to take a good look at my face. A zombie stares back at me. Great! I have had another night of restless sleep with a lot of twisting and turning. I know what the trigger is and what is causing it. I'll deal with it later.

I splash some cold water onto my face, instantly feeling better. The suite hosts a built in state of the art gym. I decide to work all the fatigue off from yesterday. I plug my wireless headphones in and get ready to break some serious sweat.

After gymming without a break for about an hour and a half, I quickly shower and get ready for the meeting. The meeting is being held in one of the boardrooms located on the 40th floor of this hotel. I dial Seth's number. He picks up on the third ring. "Good morning Seth. Please meet me with the team in the Whittle boardroom on the 40th floor in a few minutes. That's where the meeting is scheduled to happen."

"Yes Mr. Orrick. I'll be there with our team right away." He says and I end the call. I decide to take the stairs and as I walk into the boardroom, I am greeted by the CEO of the Roche chain of hotels, Mr. Jonathan Wong.

"Welcome Mr. Orrick. How was your flight? I hope your stay here at our hotel was comfortable." He enquires as he shakes my hand.

"Thanks Mr. Wong. Call me Christopher, please. My flight was good. The stay here was intensely satisfying as usual" I reply.

Roche offers word class accommodation to its guests. This is going to be another feather in my cap, I think to myself.

My lawyers walk in and after a round of handshakes and greetings we get down to business.

It's nearly 3pm when we finally settle all the details and manage to cinch the deal. I can't stop the rush of happiness that floods me. I feel delirious.

Mr. Wong walks up to me after the meeting. "Congratulations Christopher! The esteemed Roche Group, Singapore, now belongs to you. As a sort of complimentary gift we have arranged a trip to Bali for you and your team. You must accept it, please."

It's not like I am in need of complimentary gifts, but I am in the mood to celebrate and it's been a long time since I took a holiday. So I accept the offer. I tell my team that we are going to Bali and they hi-fi each other like some super excited teenagers. My team has worked really hard for this and I feel convinced that this trip to Bali is just what they need to unwind. I call Jake and ask him to join us too. He refuses to come to Bali with us, making some excuse about feeling ill and wanting to lie in bed.

"Ok Jake, Take care and rest a little. We should be back in three or four days. We'll leave for London as soon as I get back. Till then, feel free to make yourself feel at home here in Roche. After all, it's mine now." I say with a touch of pride in my voice.

"Congratulations Sir. You go, have a nice holiday." He tells me.

Mr. Jonathan Wong meets me in the hotel lobby after an hour. My team is already there, dressed in shorts and polo t-shirts and sporting sunglasses.

"We have arranged a private jet to fly you to Bali and back. A chauffer driven car will be waiting for you at the Bali airport to pick you up. I have booked the finest resort in Bali for the duration of your stay. Three days of sightseeing and some special activities have also been planned for you and your team. Of course, if you want to be driven to someplace else all you have to do is let the driver know. He will be at your service 24x7 as the other staff at the resort. Have a nice holiday Christopher." He holds my hand with both of his and shakes it, smiling at me. I thank him and we leave for the airport.

As I board the plane and watch the flight take off, there is a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach. I can't seem to shake it off.