A/N: Merry Christmas, everyone! I couldn't really think of a better way to thank all of you other than by updating my story. I am really grateful for all the love and support from all the readers, thanks a lot! I would also like to specially mention KenLalaLaura, Shirahane Aikawa, Clueless1229 and Xaori for leaving their comments in the previous chapter.
Chapter 8: Contrast
(Leon's POV)
I woke up with a start when I felt something warm and really soft touch my face. I heard Kate laugh a little, as my eyes gained focus, and I spotted her sitting by my side. She had that ever so annoying smile on her face, and it seemed she was fresh out of bath, since her hair was almost dripping wet and she had a towel on her shoulder. I pulled myself up into a sitting position and couldn't help but frown at her a bit, but she just smiled brightly at me.
"Good Morning!", Kate wished me cheerfully, with a smile.
"Morning", I wished her back in dry tone.
"Slept well?", she asked me still smiling and I gave her a nod, "Hmm… so you're not a morning person, I suppose", she added getting up and moving towards the dressing table whilst drying her hair with the help of the towel, "Do you want coffee in bed?"
"No, I'll have it with breakfast", I answered, getting off the bed.
"Okay then", she said blow drying her hair, "Get ready quickly; we have a lot of work to do."
"Alright", I said moving towards the bathroom.
"Oh, your shaving stuff and toothbrush is in the cabinet", she told me, as I stepped in the closet.
I grabbed a pair of my clean clothes and walked straight to the bathroom, taking note that even her bathroom was a royal one. I just moved towards the sink and got my toothbrush from the cabinet and when I was applying toothpaste on it, I noticed something in the bathroom mirror. I looked in the mirror properly and wiped the mist off it with my hand. I looked at my image in the mirror and couldn't fail to notice, something red on my cheek. On a closer look I realized it was shaped like a pair of lips and that only meant one thing. The soft thing I felt on my cheek was Kate's lips, when she had kissed me.
I couldn't help but shake my head and smile, wiping the lipstick off my face. I brushed my teeth and shaved, before heading for the shower. I pulled my clothes on and exited the bathroom, drying my head with a towel. Kate was busy talking to someone on phone and I noticed that she was fully dressed, and looked extremely professional in her business dress. I moved to pull on my shoes while she talked on the phone, telling them that she would be meeting up with them sometime later. As I got completely ready, she ended the call and turned to address me.
"All ready?", Kate asked me with a smile.
"Yeah", I replied putting on my holster, as I stood up.
"Okay let me get a few stuff", she said grabbing her handbag and starting to put things in it.
I just hummed in response, grabbing my jacket off the bed, when I noticed her putting her make-up in her handbag and it reminded me of something, "By the way, you kissed me earlier this morning?", I asked her just to confirm.
"Yeah, I did. So?", she replied very casually, zipping up her handbag, "Want another kiss?", she asked giving me her full attention, and smiling flirtatiously.
"No", I answered with a weight on my tone, "What I am saying is that we should respect each other's personal space. I mean, just imagine if I did that to you."
"I don't mind you waking me up with a kiss", she said casually shaking her head, pretending not to get my point.
"I want to keep this as professional as possible", I told her being straightforward about it.
"Oh you want me to do a more professional job in kissing you?", She asked in an innocent tone, smiling wickedly. Only this woman was capable of showing such conflicting expression at the same time.
"That's not what I meant", I really felt at the edge of my patience when I was talking to her.
"Then?", Kate asked me with a mischievous smile; she was clearly having fun watching me struggle to communicate with her and she wasn't making it easy.
"Can you not do that in future", I more or less requested it of her.
"Hmm…", she pulled up a thoughtful expression, "Well I don't think I can promise that", she replied with a shrug, "I mean, you look so cute when you sleep, I just might not be able to resist."
I let out a sigh of defeat and barely kept myself from slapping my face, "What do I have to do to make sense to you?", I couldn't help but ask her and she laughed out loud amused at that.
"Just be yourself", she said grabbing her coat off the loveseat and looking back at me.
"Says the one, who has trouble showing her true self", I commented not keeping the sarcasm off my tone.
I didn't say it with an ill intention, I was just thinking out loud but the change in Kate caught my eye quickly. She was still smiling but it wasn't the smile ridden with amusement and pride. Her facial expressions and body language toned down, giving me a much more familiar, friendly and approachable aura. I smiled feeling glad that somehow my comment made me reach out to her real personality, which I preferred more than her current royal heiress personality. I stepped closer to her, but instinctively she stepped back, and I read fear on her face. Before I could say anything she turned her back at me and I felt that amiable aura retreating.
Kate muttered something to herself and I wondered, if she was having an emotional breakdown like the last time. I made my way to stand next to her and she looked sideways at me with a displeased expression. I could sense that she had switched back to the spoilt princess mode. I gave her a confused look, totally oblivious why was she unsatisfied with me usually this side of her gives me an amused smile, whenever I comment like this, but I guess her true self gets affected whenever I talk about it.
"You're not good for me", Kate said looking at me unsatisfactorily.
"What?!", I said confused, since her words really didn't make any sense.
Kate didn't reply and it didn't look like she would, since she just smiled and shook her head, in a gesture of it was nothing. And before I could say anything there was a knock at her bedroom door and we both instinctively turned our heads looked in that direction. Kate moved and opened the door and again it was the head maid with another maid by her side. They both looked slightly anxious, but the younger maid seemed more tensed than the older maid.
"Sorry to disturb you, milady", the head maid spoke politely.
"Is something wrong?", Kate asked them in a neutral tone looking from one to another.
"It's my mother, milady", the younger maid, Linda if I remember her name right, said almost crying, "She got really sick and had to be admitted in the hospital. They are going to operate on her tomorrow."
"So, what are you doing here?", Kate said in a strict tone, cutting her in between and the maid silenced herself. She clasped her hands tightly together, "You should be in the hospital by her side."
"Milady!", the Linda said looking up at her admirably and almost relieved, but Kate's expressions were the same, "Thank you!", she turned to leave.
"Wait!", Kate called out to her and she turned to look at her, seemingly a little nervous. Kate walked up to her unzipping her handbag, "This is just emergency leave, I'll be expecting you back once your mother is well", she said searching for something in her bag, and then taking out her purse, "And here take this", she handed half of what she had in her purse and it wasn't a small amount, a couple of hundred dollars at least, "Give our well wishes to your mother, and I hope she gets well."
"Thank you!", the younger maid said overwhelmed that she cried taking the money.
"Off you go then", Kate said with a weak but genuine smile and younger maid hurried away.
We both made our way to the breakfast table with Kate instructing the head maid, Maria, to get a new maid on temporary basis and also keep her informed about Linda's mother. It was really odd to see different and almost conflicting sides of this woman. Just a few months ago she fired almost half of the employees of her enterprise, and today she showed how responsible and concerned she was towards the people that worked for her.
We both sat on the table to have our breakfast and this time we were joined by Kate's relatives. But they mostly just talked among themselves and very rarely to Kate. Daniel only talked to her about business, her Aunt Pamela only complained about the maids and menservants and some stuff or the other, and Vivian just passed snide comments at her whenever she got the opportunity. I was the only one on the breakfast table, whom Kate talked to normally or should I say casually. I must admit that even though it was just on the paper but she made sure I was being taken care of properly, just like a wife. She asked the cook to make coffee for me once again, because I told her that there's too much sugar in my coffee when she asked me if everything was according to my tastes.
After we had our breakfast, Kate told her driver and bodyguard that I'll be driving her to work, once we are done with meeting up one of my friends, and that they should head directly for the office building. I kept my silence thinking that it might be something secretive; after all she did say that I have to start working on her father's case starting today. One of the menservants fetched my car from the garage, and we got in and headed on our way.
Kate gave me the address once we exited the mansion and I drove her to the place. During the drive she told me that we are going to meet someone who would provide me with some of the circumstantial evidences, of her father's murder case. It needed proper written permission to get or even look at such evidences to prevent from tampering, misplacement or misuse of evidences. And since she promised the President that she won't do anything illegal, I hoped that she had permission to see those evidences or at least she didn't steal them.
The address was of a residential apartment complex. I put the car in the guest parking and we both got out of the car. We walked inside the building and Kate told me that the person we were here to meet lived on the 9th floor. Unfortunately for us the elevator was out of order, and we had no choice but to take the stairs. After climbing stairs for a first few floors, Kate started to complain that it was too much work. I couldn't really say I didn't see that coming and somehow the things that I found annoying yesterday were amusing and funny now.
"C'mon, it's just four more floors and just eight more flight of stairs", I tried to encourage her, as we reached the 5th floor, "We are more than halfway there."
"No, I am tired!", Kate argued with me, huffing a little.
"Okay let's rest for a bit", I said to her, leaning against the wall.
"No, I have a very important Japanese delegates coming in two hours. I can't afford to waste too much time here", she told me in a very urgent tone.
"Well if it's so important, this could wait right?", I asked her in calm tone.
"No, of course it could not", Kate said almost revolted of the idea and I let out a laugh, "You were kidding?", she added in tone of realization.
"Of course I take my work seriously", I told her and she smiled, "C'mon let's get going?"
"But my feet hurt seriously", Kate complained once again, "Carry me, please", she requested throwing her arms like a kid.
"I only carry women to my bed", I said giving her a taste of her own medicine.
"If you won't carry your wife to your bed then who else", she said to me in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Hmm… Point!", I responded with a smile and we both laughed at it a little, "C'mon", I gave her my hand, once we were done laughing.
Kate smiled, taking my hand and I pulled her along to climb the stairs with me. Although, I am pretty sure she was still discomforted but she didn't complain anymore. She let out a sigh of relief, when we finally reached the ninth floor. After catching her breath, she led me to an apartment. She checked the apartment number on the door with the card she had, before ringing the doorbell. We heard a very cheerful girly voice from the other side of the door and we waited patiently for the resident to open the door.
The door was opened but we didn't see the one opening it. We had to shift our gazes down to spot a little girl, aged somewhere around 8, looking up at us. She was still her pink PJs and fluffy house slippers. She looked at us a little shocked, possibly wondering who we really were.
Kate smiled and bent down to her, "Hello!", she greeted the little girl very amiably.
The girls lips curved up in cheerful, yet nervous smile, "Hello!", she greeted us as well.
"Is this Mr. Vincent Addison's residence?", Kate asked her still smiling beautifully.
"Yes, he's my daddy", the girl answered looking at Kate intently.
"Laura, who is it?", a guy, who was probably in his late 30s, came to see who was at door. When he saw Kate, he literally froze at his spot, "Kathleen Richardson!", he muttered to himself.
"Can we come in?", Kate asked him with a slight smile.
"Yeah please do", the guy said letting us inside the house and closing the door, "Please take a seat!", he said pointing to the couch and we sat down, "Laura, go get ready for school or you'll be late."
"Okay", the little girl said cheerfully and cast a glance at us, before running away to her room probably.
The guy turned his attention to us, "I can't believe it that you're here. I am Vincent Addison, I work at…", he was saying to Kate when she cut him in between.
"I know all about you Mr. Addison, I did my homework", she said with a smile, "This is Leon Scott Kennedy", she introduced me and continued, "And I believe I don't need introduction."
"Of course not", Addison replied taking a seat, "What brings you here?"
"I need your help Mr. Addison, with a few things", she replied and her tone became very business-like, "I believe you were the crime reporter that was working on my father's case."
"Yeah, I was… and I believe he was murdered, contrary to what police believes", he was quite frank with his opinion on the matter.
"Yeah I remember you saying something like that", Kate said to him with a smile but her tone was pretty much serious.
"If you're here to stop me from printing that news article on your father's case then I am sorry but I have to decline", Vincent said holding up his end in front of her, "I know it might not bring you good publicity but…"
"I don't give a damn about publicity", Kate said cutting him in between, "The article you'd publish would probably give my company utmost a week worth of bad publicity. What I am here for is more important", she looked from him to me.
"What are you saying then?", Vincent asked her crossing his arms.
"You were one of the reporters that were sent to cover my wedding and you've followed the case details very closely and objectively, since the very beginning. You've clicked the pictures of the murder scene, you've been to all interrogation sessions and know all about the witness statements", Kate said to him and he was a little surprised at hearing that from her, and I understood why we were here.
"What are you getting at?", Vincent asked her confused.
"I am asking you to share, all the photographic evidences, witnesses and interrogative statements from my dad's case with Leon", she looked at me and smiled briefly.
"Why with this guy of all the people", He looked at me judgmentally.
"Because he's my husband and I trust him", Kate replied in a very sincere tone, "And I am putting a lot of trust on you too", Vincent kept his silence, it didn't show on his face but I could say that he was surprised by what she was telling him, "Like you I believe my father was murdered and my husband is ready to investigate the matter, but it's of utter importance that this investigation stays a secret. And because of that it would be quite troublesome for us to get our hands on the circumstantial evidences and police reports, despite my husband's position as a government agent. So, what you have is our closest substitute."
I agreed with whatever Kate said. Although, the evidences collected by a crime reporter is not as much as the police but still it was better than to have nothing. It had been a little more than three months since Kate's father's murder, and if I go at the scene of crime, I wouldn't be able to find too much. I could always ask the witnesses and suspects about the things that happened that day, but as times passes the memory of the small details, which might be crucial to such cases, fades. And it was a common knowledge among investigators that it was easier for the culprit to come to terms with the crime, as the time elapses, and it's sometimes harder to make them admit it or just spot them out from the general crowd of people.
Vincent didn't say anything and looked at me thoughtfully. My gaze briefly shifted to Kate; her expressions had again become neutral and her body language more rigid. Vincent took his sweet time and Kate didn't try to influence him anyway, and gave him his time to think on the matter. At last Vincent let out a decisive sigh and looked at me piercingly.
"And why should I help you?", Vincent asked her back, looking at us unconvinced.
"Because I believe your wife didn't just die in an accident", Kate said and Vincent's expressions tightened, clearly he remembered something from the past, "And you know how it feels when justice is denied", she took a pause, "I can't bring your wife back or bring justice to her but maybe helping me, might help you in turn?!", she became silent after that.
Vincent looked slightly shaken and his eyes became slightly moist, and with a couple of nods he said, "You got me there", he sat straight and looked at me, "Are you good with this stuff?", he asked me and Kate turned to look at me confidently.
"I guess, I am decent", I replied looking from her to Vincent, as she gave me a smile.
"Okay I'll help you", Vincent said assertively, "But I have one condition."
"Shoot", Kate said with a smile.
"I want to cover this story, and even the minutest detail", Vincent said speaking very clearly.
"Alright", Kate replied with a thoughtful nod, "But I would like to lay down a few conditions, as well."
"Like?", Vincent queried.
"First and foremost important condition, you'll keep this meet and this matter about investigation, a secret", Kate started to state her terms, "Second, I'll only share the details of the case after the culprit is caught, since I can't risk to jeopardize this investigation. Third, you will publish your current article as you were thinking before we just met, because I want to eliminate the smallest possibility if somehow people knew about this meet and I came here for the evidences. Just tell them I didn't want you to publish a report on my dad's death because it would just put my company in a bad light. And last but not the least, you have to sign these papers", she added putting an agreement paper in front of him, "It's a non disclosure agreement and says if you leak any of the information, I just shared then you'll compensate me with a billion dollars."
"A… A Billion Dollars?!", Vincent said shocked as hell, one could even make sweat beads on his head from hearing such a big amount, "I haven't even seen a million dollars, where do you think I'll get a billion?"
Kate's smile turned to a devilish one, "Maybe by selling your soul perhaps?", she did speak like a demon and Vincent gave her an are-you-serious look, "I just want to make sure."
Vincent took the paper and put his signature on it, "I already feel like I'm selling my soul but I guess I understand", he said, handing back the papers to Kate.
"You can keep the copy", Kate said keeping the original agreement with her and giving him a copy.
"I'll bring you the evidences", Vincent said standing up.
"Daddy, do my hair!", the little girl returned, dressed up nicely.
Before Vincent could make an excuse to her daughter Kate spoke, "It's alright Mr. Addison, we can wait."
"Thank you", He said and sat down on a chair.
(Kate's POV)
The little girl, Laura, handed her father her cute hair brush and some hair ties, and he began to work on her hair like an amateur. She complained a little, as her hair got pulled, comparing him to her mother, when the latter did her hair. Vincent smiled sadly and apologized for it, and worked on her hair a little gently. I couldn't help but remember such times with my own father. Laura only has her father, but even though I had a bunch of maids at my disposal, I would always run to my dad to get my hair done, when I was at Laura's age, no matter how funny he made me look in the end. And even though he was always busy with his work, he never failed to make time for me.
It was a bittersweet feeling remembering dad like this, and I felt tears welling up in my eyes. Looking at Vincent and Laura interact reminded me of the gaping hole in my life. I had never thought that Dad would leave me like this, when I needed him the most. I smiled inwardly both cursing and thanking him for spoiling me like this. I wish I could have thanked him personally, expressing my gratitude but it was already too little too late, he was gone never to return, leaving me alone.
"It was really rich of you to emotionally blackmail a single dad, huh?", Leon spoke from beside me, in a very low tone.
I smiled and turned in my seat to face him properly, telling myself that maybe I wasn't that alone, "Whatever rows the boat, right?", I asked him with a shrug.
Leon just shook his head in disbelief and then something over my shoulder caught his attention, and I turned to look what he was looking at, Laura had run to us after getting her hair done. She looked at me curiously once again and I smiled at her innocence, "You're very pretty", she complimented me very sweetly.
"Thank you!", I couldn't help but say with a smile, awed by her sheer cuteness, "You're pretty as well."
"Thank You!", she said cheerfully and the lines of happiness was very clear on her face. She turned to look at Leon, "Are you a policeman?", she asked him, eyeing his handguns curiously.
"Not exactly, but something like that", Leon replied with a handsome smile, and I was awed by a Leon's cuteness this time.
(Leon's POV)
Laura was about to ask something more when Vincent interrupted her, "Here's your schoolbag, sweetie", he helped her put her bag on her shoulders, "I have packed you lunch, please eat it and don't bring it back, alright?"
"Only if you take me to the school", the little girl insisted of her father with a smile.
Vincent looked briefly at us, "Sweetie… ", he began.
"It's alright, Mr. Addison", Kate said standing up and I followed her as well, "You take your daughter to school. I have an important meeting, so we'll leave for now. Leon, will get back in an hour or so, to get those evidences", she looked at me and I gave her nod agreeing with her decision.
"Thanks for the consideration, Ms. Richardson", Vincent said and then quickly corrected himself, "Oh I am sorry, you must be Mrs. Kennedy now."
Kate didn't say anything in response, which was quite odd, and it made me turn my head to look at her. She seemed shocked and the color on her face was changing rapidly, as she blushed. Of all the things she was embarrassed when someone referred to her with my last name. I held on to my laugh and cleared my throat, turning back to reporter Addison. I told him that we'd leave first and after shaking hands with him, we left his apartment.
Kate had regained her original color sooner than later, but I couldn't shake the look on her face, when she was referred as Mrs. Kennedy. It was something priceless, that particular face of surprise and realization. I finally let out a laugh thinking about it, as we made our way down the stairs, and Kate spared me a confused look. I just shook my head, telling her it was nothing and walked ahead.
"Hey what's so funny?", Kate asked catching up to me and tugging on my jacket.
"Nothing", I replied looking at her but it reminded me of her face, and a laugh subconsciously escaped my lips.
"You are laughing at me, aren't you?", she asked giving me a displeased look and pouting a little.
"The look on your face was quite amusing, Mrs. Kennedy", I replied again referring her with my last name, just to tease her.
I smiled at Kate, as she turned red once again and looked away, "I… I am keeping my last name", she declared to me stuttering a little and walked ahead.
"I don't mind, how it goes on paper", I said following her, "But I'd like to refer to you as Mrs. Kennedy sometimes", I teased her more.
"You're not going to do that", she said to me in a warning tone and I let out a laugh.
"Stop me, Mrs. Kennedy", I challenged her, winking at her playfully.
Kate glared at me for a bit before saying, "Fine! Do whatever you want I don't mind", clearly she wasn't fine and it bugged her a little, but she was trying to administer reverse psychology here, "C'mon we have to hurry."
I hummed and nodded in response, and we hurried down the stairs, not exchanging too many words. We walked back to the car and once we both got in the car, Kate's cell phone rang. She took the phone out of her handbag, as I pulled the car on the road. From the way she talked it seemed like, it was her PA. She checked and instructed him about some stuff, through most of the drive and finally hung up by telling him that she'd be there in few and handle the rest of the things.
I couldn't help but notice that for the brief moment she talked to her PA, her tone became extremely professional and authoritative. But after spending some time with her I knew that it was just a mask and it still bothered me very much. I really wanted to get acquainted with the person I first met and I just couldn't see why Kate, the humble and sweet woman, had to hide behind the mask of Kathleen Richardson, the royal heiress.
"Can I ask you one thing?", I questioned sparing her a look briefly.
"Yeah sure", Kate replied with a smile, turning in her seat to look at me and giving me all her attention.
"Why do you act this way?", I asked her in a very serious tone.
"I don't act", she negated it, shaking her head, "I am like this."
"So, you're saying that the first time we met was an act?", I asked turning to look at her, as we stopped at a traffic signal.
I again noticed change in her eyes and the way she looked at me, but again it was short-lived, as she smiled coldly and looked ahead, "Business world is full of animals. There are rats, that run first to save themselves; there are snakes that will bite you the first opportunity they have; hyenas that lie in wait to take advantage of someone's weakness and there are wolves that are ready to tear you apart anytime", she started talking in metaphors, "My father ruled the business world like a lion, and now I have that responsibility", she let out a discreet sigh, as the lights turned green.
I didn't reply immediately and took in her words few at a time, trying to decode the real sense behind it. Her comparison both had a very simple and a vast meaning hidden in it and for now I could only make out the simple one. As for the other message I have to poke around a little more, if puzzles could be solved easily there's no point it having them. Well at least I'll have a great mental exercise while solving this case.
"So…", I grabbed her attention once more, having a clear understanding of her animals in the wild theory, "I am your dog then?", I asked her, keeping my eyes on the road, as we neared the Richardson Enterprise's head administrative building.
Kate let out an amused laugh and turned to look at me once again, "More like my cute puppy", she pulled on my cheek, as I took my car to the parking.
"And you are…?", I asked wondering, what she thought of herself.
"That's for me to know and you to find out", she responded with a playful smile, "I'll treat you to something amazing, if you guess right", she added suggestively.
I couldn't help but shake my head, letting out a laugh. We both got out of the car and I locked it. We walked to the elevator as Kate searched something in her hand bag. I was about to push the call button on the elevator when Kate tugged on my arm making me stop and I gave her a confused look. Just an hour ago she was complaining about climbing five floors and now if she isn't planning to use the elevator how is she supposed to get to her office. My thoughts came to an end when she swiped a card at the adjacent elevator.
We didn't have to wait for the elevator to come down, as the doors parted immediately. We both stepped in the elevator and even the elevator's interior looked pricey. Is there something in her life that's normal, un-royal and ordinary.
"Wow such discrimination", I couldn't help but comment.
Kate let out a laugh once again, "Privilege", she replied pressing on the floor button.
"Yeah that's what I said discrimination", I repeated myself.
"Time is money and we can't wait for elevator to come down right?", she gave me an unnecessary explanation.
"Right!", I said in a mocking tone of realization.
Kate elbowed me playfully, "Don't be so childish", she said to me.
"Speak for yourself", I couldn't stop myself from saying, since it was pretty much ironic coming from her.
"I thought you liked me that way", she said acting childish, just to annoy me.
I smiled shaking my head at her and Kate laughed genuinely, as the elevator doors parted. The first thing we noticed as we looked outside the elevator was all the people looking in our direction. Kate and I stepped out of the elevator, as people looked at us in shock and curiosity. As I stood next to her, she seemed a little embarrassed by such an attention, since her face flushed pink. She cleared her throat and everyone got back to their work or at least pretended to.
Kate looked around for a bit, before starting to walk and I followed. Her walk was confident and authoritative. Many people wished her morning, as she made her way past them, and she wished each and every one with a polite smile. Her PA hurried to her and began telling her about some preparations and that everything was on time. They walked to a very spacious conference room, which definitely seemed sophisticated and classy. Kate visually scanned the room and praised the PA for his work and he seemed a lot more relaxed.
"What about the Agenda?", Kate asked him and he handed her a file. She read through with a serious expression on her face, "Okay it's fine. You can relax for now", she handed the file back to him, "Call me when the delegates arrive."
"Yes ma'am", he said and we all walked out of the conference room.
Kate's secretary went on his way and Kate led me to her office. And needless to mention it was huge and luxurious to no ends. It clearly defined her power and status in the company. She put her coat on the chair and bag on the desk, before checking the files on the table. She sighed putting them aside and she looked to the side briefly. A weak and sad smile graced her face, and I shifted my eyes to see what made her react that way. It was a picture of her with her dad.
It didn't take her long to look away and look at me. She gave me a smile, "Your office is impressive", I complimented her.
"My dad's office", she almost snapped correcting me, "It's not my office", she shook her head. Once again her expressions changed quickly and a line of regret ran across her face, "I am sorry, I didn't mean to snap", she apologized, moving close to me and seemed slightly distressed.
"It's alright!", I responded trying to ease her tension.
"As a compensation, I'll be giving you a tour of the building!", she said with a bright smile.
"Yay", I said unenthusiastically and she let out a laugh.
Before we could move somebody knocked on the office door and we both looked at it instinctively. The door opened and revealed an elderly male, "Kate, are you busy?", the guy asked looking at Kate.
"No, I am not", Kate replied shaking her head.
"I just wanted to ask if you need any help with the presentation?", he asked her in a concerned yet professional tone.
"No, I have got it done", she replied with a smile, "You just have to be the mediator."
"Consider it done my dear", he replied amiably, and his gaze shifted to me, "Is he your new bodyguard?", he asked looking back at Kate.
Kate again laughed at that, "No, he's not", she told him looking at me, "Uncle Dave, this is Leon Scott Kennedy, my husband. Leon, this is Dave Clark. He's my father's best friend and business partner."
The old man's reaction to the information wasn't any different from the other people, "Your husband, you say?!", he asked in confirmation.
"Yeah", she affirmed with a nod, "He's a government agent and that's his style."
"Oh, I see", he looked at me a little thoughtfully, "It's nice to meet you", he said holding out his hand.
"Same here", I replied shaking hands with him, "How do you plan to help us with the business?"
"It's not my expertise so I'll just trust Kate and let her handle it", I replied confidently looking at her, and the wrinkles on his face deepened a little.
"I see", he looked from me to Kate; "You might want to introduce him to other executives as well."
"Yeah I was just about to do that, before you came in", Kate replied with a nod.
"Okay, so I'll head back to my office. I have a lot of stuff to do about our food processing plant", he said to her with a slight smile.
"I understand", she said with a nod and the guy left, "So let's start the tour then."
"After you", I asked her to lead the way. There was a possibility that one of Keith Richardson's partner got him out of the way, for more power and money. Kate walked ahead and I followed her closely behind, "By the way, who are the major partners of this enterprise."
"Aunt Pamela, well originally it was her husband but he died so now she has his shares and of course Daniel and Vivian as well. Uncle Dave, Mrs. Murray and Mr. Harrison, are the other partners. Mrs. Murray is not actively participating she just puts her money in the company and keeps her eyes on us to give her credit. Mr. Harrison is mostly responsible for technology and R & D departments. Uncle Dave takes cares of the new projects. Aunt Pamela sees over the personnel department to some extent. Daniel is responsible for taking care of the finance department, generating revenues with investments, cutting costs and as such. Vivian is creative head, she mostly take care of advertising and promotion", Kate explained.
"So they have a final say in their departments?", I asked her again, as we moved to the elevator.
"Well… not exactly. They can't really do as they please, but they along with other board of directors and CEO, that's me, make long term and short term corporate plans and the executives see through to its completion. If at some point the majority of board members disagree, then there's a long, long discussion, debate and negotiation on the matter, till a feasible solution is sought", she answered swiping her card again.
"But didn't you singled handedly passed the decision to fire the employees and as such", I asked once again, as the elevator arrived, "Can't you do that with all the ideas you like?"
"No, I can't", she shook her head, as the elevator doors parted, and we both stepped in, "There's a special condition when I can use my power. It's only when the board members are equally divided on the issue, I have decision making rights or can veto something."
"So you are saying half of the board members agreed your idea of firing the enterprise's employees on a whim", I asked her letting out a laugh, this fact was hard to believe.
"Well only four members attended…", She told me pressing on the floor button.
"Your Aunt, your dad's best friend, his lawyer and you", I recalled her announcement from that day.
"Oh you watched me on TV", she looked at me and smiled that annoying smile, and I gave her a serious look, "So yeah the lawyer favored me while Uncle Dave and Aunt Pamela did not, hence the votes were 50-50 and I get to exercise my special power."
"The lawyer, Mr. Lawrence?", I questioned and Kate gave me a nod, "He's a board member?"
"Yeah he was elected for this term", Kate replied with a nod, "He usually takes care of all the legal formalities of our firm and on personal basis as well."
"Why did he favor you?", I asked her, to be honest it was odd to favor such a rash and impulsive decision.
"Because he knew I was making the right decision", Kate said with a shrug.
"I see", I said in response, as the elevator door parted.
We both stepped out of the elevator and again Kate was greeted by her employees and she greeted them back as well, in the similar manner as she did previously. Whatever she had told me, on our way to here was slightly significant to the case. At least my list of suspects was growing and they had a name. If the motive was business then I might just as well be wasting my time, trying to solve it by seeing case as a domestic matter. There was no doubt Keith Richardson was a powerful man and a lot of people might have benefitted in a various ways if he died, even if they weren't benefitting directly from his death.
It was highly possible for his partners to get him out of the way, since being more experienced, they might be able to reel in Kate, and make her act as they like. So even though they don't have direct authority but they will have the power that they might not have if Keith Richardson would have been alive.
Kate walked me around different floors and departments of the building introducing me to many different executives and staff. Their reactions to me being her husband weren't that different from other people and it was understandable, but still I was observant of how they interacted with Kate. They were all more or less on diplomatic terms with her. They talked formally and politely, not getting too much on personal level but not completely professional either, it was somewhere in between.
Just as Kate was done with introducing me with the last executive, her phone rang and she was called to attend her meeting with those delegates. She invited me to join the meeting on the grounds that I was a major stock holder but since I still had to work on a lot of things, I decided to stay out of it, and besides meetings were a boring deal. Kate handed me her executive elevator keycard, saying she'll just use her dad's card since it's still functional. I took the card and kept it in my pocket, as she headed to attend her meeting. I took the elevator that was meant for normal people down, because it was just discriminatory to use that executive elevator all the time.
A/N: Thanks a bunch for reading, and I really hope you enjoyed the chapter, which was once again a long one but I couldn't seem to give it a proper divide. I really apologize for all the typos and grammatical mistakes, I was in a little hurry to update to meet the deadline, so I am just hoping I didn't mess it up. If you have some suggestions or comments then please let me know through reviews, I really enjoy interacting with the readers of my story. Now I'll see you all next year. Once again Merry Christmas and I hope you have a great holiday season!
