Chapter 3: Let's Not Panic and Act Like Professional Adults
Wall street (NYC) block no 817 (Piper's and Larry's apartment)
Larry and piper are in a sitting room watching their favourite Tv show, mad men!... Piper stood up suddenly kissing Larry,
"Honey am taking off to bed, I have a meeting tomorrow at 7am sharp can't afford to stay late"
"Sure Larry murmured his eyes focused on television, oh!.. Piper my parents are coming to visit next week" added Larry,
"Oh?! okay responded Piper while pacing towards their bedroom, she then changed into night pajamas brushing her teeth, taking sleeping pills and slumbering into the bed, it is then after 55 minutes later when Larry came in…
After brushing his teeth changing into comfortable clothes ,turning his left side to grab a blanket to cover himself, something caught his eyes,
it's the position in which piper fall asleep in, she was sleeping in starfish position, he then remembered it had been more than 3 months since they'd made love to each other,
The need and urge of fucking Piper grew suddenly and taking over his body making him feel so turned on and horny, without thinking he started kissing, squeezing and sucking Piper's boobs, the sucking, frictions and penetrations awoken Piper,
"What the fuck Larry?".. she muttered,
"Oh sorry honey didn't mean to wake you up",
"Oh Larry no one can sleep when their vaginas are being penetrated or when their boobs are being sucked"
"Hey am sorry okay it's just that it's been a long time since you know… we fucked?" Larry said arching his left brow, so what do you say since you are awake can we finish the ride honey ?"
"Am sorry Larry it's just that am tired plus am not in the mood",
"Oh Piper enough with am not in the mood bullshit!" you have been saying that for long time now, what are you pregnant or something?"
"God, nooh!.. Larry am not pregnant'
"Then what is it Piper? Are you not attracted to me anymore?"
"Nooh! Larry why would you say that?"
"I don't know Piper you tell me"
"What is it so hard for you to understand there Larry?', told you am fucking tired and I don't feel like engaging in sex activity",
"Do you want us to find a sex therapist or something?"
"Nooh!, Jeez Larry am fine!"
"Then what the fuck Piper! How can you not be in the mood for 4 fucking months? , what do you want me to do Pipe huh?, you want me to find some random woman to fuck because you are not in the mood huh?", Larry tensed and his jaw clenched….
"Larry!?" Piper warned,
"Are you fucking someone else?"
"You know what, Larry fuck you!", am going to sleep on the couch, she mumbled while grabbing one of the bedsheet heading towards the sitting room, fuck !...
NYC apartment no 5 West wing...(Alex's home)
Alex wake up I want you to meet someone, ma.. am tired and just want to rest, don't you dare think about that kiddo, now wake up, wait ma how come you are here? I thought you were... gone? yeah mum you have been gone… ooh honey have been always here it's just you haven't been paying attention lately and you seems very tired and unfocused now wake up and let's take a walk, there's someone I wanna show you. Wake up
Alex !, Alex! . her dream is interrupted by Sylvie, she falls asleep cuddling her son,
"What? ooh Sylvie am so sorry just fall asleep"
"I figured I couldn't take Bernabe and leave while you're asleep",
"Oh yeah. about that you know you don't have to leave Sylvie!,
"Alex we been over this and am not going to argue with you again"
"Am not arguing Sylvie",
"Then if I don't leave how the fuck are we gonna live in this house?",
"I'm moving out, I should be the one moving out not the kids, so please give me one week to find an apartment, just one week Sylvie and I will be out of you air",
"Okay where are you gonna sleep now, because we can't you know?... share the room!,
"Oh yeah will sleep on the coach or guest room and if you are not comfortable i can go crash over Nicky's?'
"There is no need of doing that Alex is not like you can suddenly change your mind and start having sex with me, plus this is your house and am not that rude Alex!"... murmured Sylvie,
"Thanks Sylvie!... she mumbled while standing up and grabbing something to cover herself with , feeling so emotionally spent walking lazily towards the guest room, letting herself fall into the bed, glancing her mobile phone screen scrolling down and checking all missed call and unread text messages, 2 missed calls from unknown number, 5 unread text messages,
Nicky : "Vause how is it going with you and your baby mama, please give me a call once you get this, I couldn't get the ticket for the today's flight , will be there tomorrow by 11:00am,
She then remembered how she met Sylvie
Flash back
Alex is laying on Miami beach after short holiday, enjoying the weather, after being dragged down by Nichols,
"So is this a plan of escaping from your mother Nicky?, because if it is we could go to my place?! My mom wouldn't mind you know?, we could stay there until the holiday is over, besides am running low credit",
"Chill the fuck up Vause and enjoy the moment, don't you wanna take the break from all the fucking stressful shit we have been through for the past months?",
"Hey easy there junky philosopher, was just trying to make a conversation",
"Yeah come on man! just relax"
"Speaking of enjoyment I want to get wasted, what do you say philosopher wanna buy me drinks?", Alex grinned while looking Nichols direct in the eyes,
"Okay tiger lets go get some drinks", after five to seven shorts of tequila Nicky mumbled,
"Vause you wanna grab some pussy, I have been feeling intense lately I want a release",
"Come on Nicky is not even a week since you fucked, what are you a sex robot or something ? alex arch a brow and smirked,
"Fuck off Vause", have only fucked two chicks for the past weeks,
"Seriously Nicky, how long can you go without fucking?, you need to Control your hormones man! and please don't tell me you are still keeping the records of the chicks you fuck, last time I checked that list didn't do you any good,
"Fuck Vause I'ant doing that shit no more",
"Hmmhnn! that's what I thought", Alex muttered ,Nicky leaves Alex pacing towards the dance floor, while Alex continued getting wasted 15 minutes later a red-haired woman came and sat beside Alex,
"Hey you , you wanna dance ? sure Alex smirked dragging her to the dance floor am Alex!... by the way, am Sylvie!….. end of flash back
H&C Insurance, Forwarding and Clearing Company
Piper is sitting in her office focused on her computer checking the lists of shipments that the company has failed to establish their whereabouts and the owners of the shipments are now on her neck threatening to sue the company,
If all the complaints are lodged in a lawsuit it could sink the company, given that it has been only 15 months since she was appointed as the group C.E.O at a company in which her father owns 29% of the total shares, H&C is a multinational company which offering insurance services,
custom forwarding and clearing services in exportation and importation of goods and services, and has 8 subsidiaries across the world ,
It has never occurred to her that ,managing big multinational company like this will be so hard and stressful until 6 months ago, it was so easy when she was working in Popi with her partner Polly,
It's been a handy stressful for her in the past two months, she was convinced and offered this position after her father was diagnosed with Infantile amnesia,
If she was being honest a part of her wanted to resign and go back to Popi the other part couldn't , she couldn't let her family and her father down,
Besides Popi was still growing it wasn't paying that much compared to what she was being paid at H&C company,
This was her dream when she was growing up, getting a good paying job and a perfect husband, now that she had all of that she wasn't happy,
Her marriage was so messed up and her job was so stressful to say the least , she didn't even have a social life outside her work,
she is interrupted by the sound of a knock on the door, before she could answer, the person who was knocking is already in,
"Good afternoon Ma'am?' Lifting her eyes to see the person entered in her office, she stood up
"What the fuck do you want, and who gave you permission to enter my office? Piper fueled with anger,
"I'm sorry ma'am, I came to ask if your husband will be attending the meeting?",
"and how does that concern you?" Piper challenged,
"Nah just curious" murmured the girl with an Australian accent while taking steps closing the gap between them,
feeling threatened with this close proximity Piper is now moving backward until her back hit the office walls,
"I said get the fuck out of my office",
"Yes ma'am" the girl mumbled without taking an inch of step, mocking Piper
"What the fuck do you want from me carlin?"
"Hey there's no free lunch in this world Ma'am i help you convince those investors from withdrawing their funds, shouldn't you be grateful enough to return the favor?"
"Besides we'd a deal remember if I'd stopped them from pulling their funds away, you'd offer me anything i want right? she said while caressing her cheekbone and touching her bottom lips and leaning over to kiss her,
Shoving Carlin away she murmured frustratedly,
"This was not a part of the deal, what I meant was any position you'd want to be placed in, I don't remember anything involve fucking',
"If you are still interested the position is yours",
"C'mon Piper grow the fuck up!, if it was the position I'd been interested in , it could only take me one call and seconds to be in any position I'd want in this company ,
"Then what the fuck do you want from me Carlin?", i mean for fucks sake am married",
"Oh is that a question? you are a smart girl, surprised you haven't figured that out yet, you know what I want!"
"What do I have to do to get you to leave me alone? Piper groaned exasperatedly. Stella grinned before shrugging
"Sorry I don't see that happening any soon while taking steps towards Piper,
"If you take another step towards me I swear am calling the security"
"Oh you wouldn't dare"
"And what made you so sure i wouldn't ?'
"Because I know you want me to fuck you Piper!'...,
"What?... What the fuck Stella are you out of your fucking mind huh?"
"Oh piper try not deny it have seen you checking me out several times",
Flash back
H&C Insurance Forwarding and clearing Company 29th Annual General Meeting (Shareholders Board Meeting)
Occasion: Annual general meeting (AGM)
Place: Ohio
Attendees: 23 Board Members and 3 Top Management Staff
Agender: Evaluation of the company's general performance
Chairman: Joe Caputo
Okay dear fellow Board members , hope everyone is okay and healthy and that everyone attended, except two people,
Have been informed that our former assistant Vice chairman Mr Bill Chapman won't be attending today due to his health condition lets continue praying for him and if you get any chance to visit him please do so
As of Mr Healey our current Vice Chairman had a personal emergency, won't be attending as well, otherwise welcome again on our 29th annual general meeting,
As usual we are here to evaluate, review and discuss about our company performance in general,
The discussion topics will includes Strengths, Weaknesses Opportunities, threats and challenges that our company is facing or exposed to due to changing dynamic of Politics ,economics, environments as well as society in general and strategies that are in place to tackle or to exploit those challenges or opportunities that may arise respectively,
But first I will have to welcome the group director of finance to read and interpret financial reports and the balance sheet figures of this year, without further ado Miss Carlin, the floor is yours,
"Thanks Mr Caputo stated stella while standing up walking towards the podium,
"Dear board members greetings, she mumbled while displaying the numbers on the screen for everybody to view, before she could start explaining it in further detail,
"Okay, first I will start with statement of profit/loss as you can see the premium underwritten was $90bn compared to last year's of $ 70bn,
General expenses were $21bn compared to $37bn as of last year's, and lastly she continued, the claims paid were $71bn compared to $27bn paid last year,
And hence make a loss of $2bn compared to last year's profit of $6bn, Which led to a fall of price from $120 per share to $90 per share,
"Whaat? No something is wrong this is impossible how can we move from a profit of 6bn to a loss of 2bn, some members argued,
And in a blink of an eye the room was filled with chaos,
"If may ask Mrs bloom and I don't mean to be rude from what I overheard is that you don't possess any qualification or experience in a top management especially in a big company like this/
"Is it true that you were offered this position by Vice chairman as a favor to your father after he was diagnosed with amnesia? Following their long-term friendship ?!Stated Mendez,
"Before Piper could get a ward out of her mouth,
"Okay! okay !people I know we are all shocked and confused here, am also upset and confused too but let's have some self-respect and control over what we say",
"Don't you dare tell me what to and what not to speak Mrs. Galina !..murmured Mendez, his jaw clenched,
"Noo!..Red Mendez is right and you have no right or power to direct or control what comes out of our mouths",
"To some of us these funds invested in this company is our lives!.., all our future is here, my kids future is here huh!?,
"And please correct me if am wrong, we had Mr Bennet our former group C.E.O, for more than 10 years, we had never incurred such a big loss for years at least not under his management,
"Like Mendez am not gonna judge what she did or how she got her job, but am gonna say this!.. it is either she is unfit to run the company or inexperienced in that matter or maybe she's playing a dirty game it wouldn't be the first time would it?,
"Besides I heard she owns business soaps in a burney stores it wouldn't be a surprise if she embezzled the fund to finance her business,
I myself would love to understand how the claimed paid ratio rose from 38% to 78% of the total income,
I would also want to know the makeup of 71bn, and the list of clients we paid as well as supporting docs that shows that these were genuine claims, otherwise I will be forced to withdraw my shares! am so sorry to say this Piscatellar stated while sitting back on his chair,
"Yes I agree with you Desmond we need to be assured that our money is being spent in an appropriate way, some of us depends on these funds to pay the college tuition fees for our kids, we ate, drink, drove,wore,and rent because of these funds ,
I also would want to see the breakdown of that 71bn whether they are genuine or if Mrs. bloom is just spending (the company's money) our money on her father's medical bills.. Muttered Vee parker while glancing where Piper was seated, otherwise I will have no other choice rather than withdrawing my shares,
"Okay attention People!.. commanded Joe , let's not panic and act like professional adults here okay?!..
"Instead of panicking and shouting let's kindly find the root cause as to why our company made such a big loss over one year without pining all the blames on Mrs bloom ,
From what I observed is that you are worried whether your money were fairly spent or not, isn't that your worries?
"Yeesss!.. they chorused,
"Okay Miss Carlin please continue,
'Noted Mr Caputo stella replied her eyes focused on Piper,
"Okay dear Board member below displayed is the breakdown of the claims paid, $ 39 bn were paid to Ngazija Holiday inn hotel following the explosion caused by gas leak everyone is aware of the scenario,
$11bn were spent on repairing Momen &tower air precision a plane which was badly damaged after crashing down in Northampton which I also believe everyone is aware of,
And $12bn were used to pay petty claims and lastly $9bn were spent as compensations on the lost cargos under our custody during forwarding and clearing process,
"Otherwise thanks for your attention .Mr Caputo you may kindly proceed concluded stellar pacing towards her seat near Piper ,
"This brought another chao , people were murmuring and some were arguing over the last $9bn,
"Okay, okay people attention…
"Excuse me Mr Caputo, I mean no disrespect to you or to any board member but don't you think $9bn arose due to management negligence? Don't you think management is lacking in some ways?",
"What is the meaning of having these people if they cannot do their fucking jobs properly?, we cannot continue paying $9bn due to management misconduct or negligence,
"I agrees with Mr Mendez and Piscatellar, its either she resign or am withdrawing my shares" concluded Mrs Figuerola, picking her purse and leaving the boardroom,
"I think what we are doing is unfair to Mrs Bloom, we should give her a chance for her to prove us wrong,
"If she has manage to underwrite premium from $70bn to $90,which indicate a growth of 28% on insurance income, plus she has also manage to reduce general expenses from $37bn to $21bn which indicates 43% fall in expenses,
"Plus what is the meaning of insurance without paying claims?... I think we should vote whether she should resign or not" stated Mendoza….
"Okay people if you think we should vote please raise your hands" Caputo intervened
After saying hi and parting good byes to few board members, Piper went straight to a bar were she drunk until she was wasted,
Instead of going to her room, she went to Stella's room, opening the door and letting Piper in,
"Hey God I was worried about you, I mean you weren't picking up your phone, where have you been?... instead of answering piper shrugged,
"Just be honest with me do you think I am unfit to run the office?"
"Noo!.. why would you think that ?..come on don't let them get to you, you are too smart to let this get over your head Piper , Stella said while holding piper hands, and making her sit on her bed,
"I can't let mr Healy down am gonna resign Stella!",
"Oh Piper please!, she said while hugging and rubbing her back as if that will make her feel better,
"I can talk to them if you want, I mean my dad is the majority shareholder he owns like 51% of the total shares, you don't even need them …to be on you side.
'You just need one person , and I can convince him to talk to the other board members, beside nothing can pass without his vote!
" Can you make that happen?...
"Hmmhn!, stella hummed,
"Please Stella help me to convince them to change their mind from pulling their funds away", Piper pleaded desperately…...
"Okay count it done"…mumbled Stella
"Thank you, Piper said while hugging and without thinking she started kissing her. Stella hesitated for a while before reciprocating the kiss,
"Look piper you are drunk and you are not thinking clearly",
"Noo! …. Stella, I know what I want please make me feel good I wanna feel something… She pleaded.
"Am so sorry Piper I really like you but I can't do this at least not when you are drunk like this….
"Okay but at least can you hold me!"
"Okay that I can do... but first let's change into comfortable clothes okay?... okay!...
End of flash back
"That is so low coming from you Carlin, am happily married, am sorry if I led you on!... piper stated
"Except that you are not happily married anyone can read it from your face madam C.E.O, its all overwritten on your face, stellar stated ,
before Piper could form a word out her mouth, Stella captured her lips, suddenly someone stormed into her office …Piper froze while Stella was busy kissing her!…
A/N hey guys, thanks for those who took their time to read and reviewed, it really means a lot to me!.. thanks jamla , Ramone Reezy, and kmcefalu, as usual kindly let me know what you think and whether I should continue or not