Branch Thirteen
Brian sighed in annoyance. He had been on the phone all morning with the lawyers. After Xavier had given him a call at an ungodly hour that had pissed off his sleepy wife, he still had to leave home early to ensure he cleared off the horrible news of his boss and wife off the internet.
“What is the first traceable source of this information?” Brian says throwing the question to the group of lawyers and advertising agents.
The group was created for damage control but Xavier being the dream entrepreneur and creating no drama the team had been practically useless. Give it up to the mystery wife to use the group for what it was meant for.
“It is traced to one mini blog owner who goes by the name Max,” one of the advertisers said.
“What can we do to those who carried on the news without verification,” Brian asked.
His boss would soon be coming in and he knew him well, all he would be interested in would be the solution. No briefing, no stammering, no long processes. Just the solution straight away.
“It would be difficult to get any of them to pay any amount substantial seeing that most are first-time offenders and they all claim that the tip came from someone close to the victim.”
“The best that can be done is that they get fined for spreading false information and slander”
“That can’t be enough for the boss,” Brian said.
His boss was a man of few words but most times those words were dangerous and often he wanted justice for the latter.
Brian’s phone rang and he looked down at it. It was the big boss. Dawson Delgado is also no-nonsense but sweeter than Xavier.
Brian picked up the phone and put it out on loudspeaker. Everyone in the conference room kept quiet to listen in on the conversation.
“Hello, sir,” Brian said.
“Hello, Brian how are you?” Dawson answered back.
“Very well Chairman. How are you feeling today?” He asked back.
“I’m good good,” Dawson said back. He cleared his throat thinking of how nicely he should bring up the topic and tell them that they taking too much time to settle the issue of the news.
“What is wrong?” he asked following up with clearing his throat.
“Some small blogs, we’re already having a strategic meeting to clear up all misunderstandings”
“Brian, how many times a day must I echo that the news was made for the rich? I don’t like that my family’s personal matters are all over the internet.”
“We are on it chairman” Brian responded.
“Leak celebrity news or anything you want to do to fix this before lunchtime,” Dawson said before cutting off the call.
“You heard him, what do we have on any celebrity influencer?”
“I will get right on it”
“Ensure it is something big enough to cover up the Delgado family scandal,” Brian said.
“Okay sir”
“Meeting dismissed. I expect something very favorable soon”
Xavier finally stood up from the bed by the time it was past noon. He was feeling refreshed and better after all he slept when it was late. He freshened up and got ready for work.
He got down the stairs and heard some noise. It was like someone was rattling the pots in the kitchen. He popped his head in through the kitchen door and saw Jessica running around the kitchen.
“What is going on here?” Xavier asked when he entered the kitchen.
“Young master” the house helpers who were fussing over Jessica’s every move bowed to greet him as soon as they set their eyes on him.
Jessica was fixated on what she was doing. She was busy tossing and turning something in the pot on the gas cooker.
“What’s going on?” Xavier asked again. This time his voice was louder and now fully in the kitchen.
“The young lady is cooking,” one of the helpers said.
“Why?” Xavier asked.
Was this a situation where she should be cooking up a storm? Xavier looked at the kitchen island and saw a ton of food that Jessica had cooked.
Xavier walked closer to her as she moved to the chopping board and began chopping some tomatoes.
“What are you doing?” he asked standing close to her.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.
“What does it look like I’m doing?” she asked and looked up at him briefly.
“I can see you are cooking but why so much,” Xavier asked pointing at the kitchen island.
“I’m stress cooking” she responded in a voice that said he was sounding stupid for asking.
“What’s the reason for stress cooking?” Xavier asked his voice now getting angry.
In his eyes, it looked like she was wasting the food. Who was going to eat all this now?
“Stop,” Xavier said holding her hands and stooping her from continuing her chopping.
“You know quite alright why I am stressed. I just can’t understand why you are cool about it” Jessica said with a sad voice.
“Follow me,” he said pulling out the knife from her hand and pulling her to the sitting room.
“Where are we going?” Jessica said whining.
The only thing that can get her mind off the false news about her was to stress cook. I had always been her way of dealing with difficult situations.
“Keep quiet” he answered with gritted teeth.
Xavier pushed Jessica into one of the chairs.
“Who is going to eat all that food?” Xavier asked. His blood was boiling and he was trying to cool down. He knew that if he left himself he would blow up and make a mistake which would take him back to apologizing to her.
“Those foods can be refrigerated and the staff can eat them too,” Jessica said calmly.
“Hmm,” he said now calmly down.
“Yes Genius” Jessica added and stood up.
“Do you know who could drag you online?”
“Not one person I can think of” Jessica answered.
She had thought it over and over again and it was making her stressed which led to the excessive cooking.
“No more cooking, go put on some nice clothes and come with me,” Xavier said an idea popping into his mind.