Justice For The Billionaire's Daughter

TAKING OVER

AMOS

I leave the building at about midnight. Somehow I have managed to concentrate on my work and forgotten about Olivia for a while, though I still find myself thinking about her in between my work.

I have gone through the list of top management and perused through their profiles in the six hours I have been busy working. Some of them have difficult questions to answer and I will deal with them in the morning. I have also found several cases of embezzlement and the culprits are still working here as if nothing happened. Those will have to resign the first thing in the morning or face the law. Some people it seems had started taking advantage of my father's laxity.

I have to review the files of the junior staff in the morning and see what I can do. Maybe I should interview them afresh Those who fail the interview I will have to dismiss them. I am here to start afresh, the old is gone, I'm coming with the new.

There's some good news for Olivia and this makes me happy as as I walk down the stairs. Her job as father's personal assistant is over, but there's something better. She is now going to become the new marketing manager. I will believe what father said about her though I also must admit that I want to see more of her. Something about her bothers me very much and it's not the craze she has instilled in me.

For some strange reason that father didn't state, her file in our employees profiles is completely empty except for a copy of her passport which shows that she traveled just a few days before commencing her employment here. Was she traveling to this city with the sole purpose of starting working for father? Did he invite her for the interview? Where was she working before coming here? Who is Olivia Forrester?

The more I keep asking these questions the more others pop up and I just wish that I get the answers. Our company doesn't employ just anybody off the streets, but we engage our employees on a strict vetting process whereby we go through the applicants résumé, which must be backed up by testimonials and academic certificates. Olivia has none in her file.

After an interview the applicant has to wait for about a week before knowing whether they have gotten the job or not. Olivia got the job on her first day. Then father places a request that I shouldn't fire her and the puzzle gets more complicated. I shake my head and let the matter rest until tomorrow morning.

At the car park I find the taxi I have called waiting for me. I give the driver the address and relax at the back seat. From tomorrow I will be driving my own car, which I'll pick from several in our garage. Maybe I'll try my father's Range Rover. I brush away those thoughts because I am already tired and the only thing I need is some sleep after a warm bath.

Our home is situated about ten miles from the city away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The surroundings around us are quiet because the area is sparsely populated. Every home owner has at least ten acres of land to himself and most homeowners have helicopters and some are famed to have yachts in the nearby marina. It's a billionaire's village and father is one of them. No one comes home in taxis like I am doing. They travel in big cars like Cadillacs or expensive ones like Maseratis and Bugattis. Most of these billionaires have spoilt children who floss their parents wealth to everyone who cares to see, but I want to be different. I want to be my own man, a self made billionaire.

The taxi driver drops me at our gate and I give him a huge tip then I place my palm on a slot at the gate. The usual scanner does it's thing and I hear the locking mechanisms opening to reveal yet another security level. A floodlight comes on, illuminating my face and I shut my eyes at first.I know that a camera has already taken my photo. This is usually done so that nobody can open the gate using a severed hand.

My photo passes the review and the gates slide open, revealing our vast compound of green grass, illuminated by bright halogen lamps. I walk through as the gates close automatically. Fierce dogs bark at the background.

Our mansion stands at the center of the compound. It's a three storey building built with no expense to spare. At night like now, it shines in the expensive lights situated strategically to give it a welcoming theme.

Security guards roam the compound, and most of them have guns. They easily recognize me and let me access the house. The door is secured with a fingerprint, no locks. I place my fingerprint at the designated slot and hear a buzzing mechanism moving to open the door. There's a click and the door opens a slight c***k. I push it and get inside, walking straight to my suite which is on the ground floor. I hear the door banging as it shuts.

My suite comprises of a bedroom, fully equipped gym, a large sitting room and a huge bathroom. I go straight to the bathroom, and fill the tub with warm water, then take out my clothes and slip inside. The soothing water is so relaxing and I find myself starting to doze after being there for only ten minutes. I get out and dry myself. Then I walk to my bedroom and put on my pyjamas and get between the soft sheets. Using a code on my phone, I switch off the lights and sleep right away. Tomorrow is going to be a long day.

I thought I was going to be the first person to arrive at the office but to my surprise I can see Olivia's office open. She is inside going through some files. But it's only seven o'clock in the morning. I decide to go there myself and say something.

When I walk in she stands up and puts away the file she's been reading, then she gives me a stern look.

“Good morning Mr Marshall. You shouldn't have come, I'm at your beck and call." She says.

“First of all, it's Amos for you." I say. I search for something else to say but she speaks before I find it.

“What can I do for you sir?" She asks.

“Nothing really. I saw you were in here early and decided to say hi. I thought I was the earliest bird" I say, trying not to look boyish. She looks at me in a serious gaze.

“Now that you are here then can I ask something?" She is still looking me straight in the eye. It's as if she's the CEO and I am just another junior employee. I'm getting uneasy.

“Yes please. Ask me anything."

“Now that I gather that Mr Marshall is gone, what becomes of this office?" She asks.

“Father has retired. The office shuts up and you move on to something else. Speaking of which, I have something for you. I was waiting to break the news sometimes later but I can give you the news right now. Are you ready?" I ask.

“Yes sir, I am ready." She says, seriousness written all over her face. Can't she just relax?

“Olivia you are now our marketing manager. But you will still work from this office as your outgoing predecessor clears his. Can you do it?"

“Yes sir. I can handle that position and as I promised Mr Marshall I'll never let him down. Thanks Mr.. sorry, thanks Amos."

“Do you usually come to the office this early?" I am glad I am able to sustain the conversation. It's almost fifteen minutes since we started talking.

“Yes. I usually wake up very early because I want to make Mr Marshall's diary up to speed. But now that he's gone maybe I'll have to change my schedule." She says.

“Yes, maybe you will need to do so. One more thing Olivia, I was going through your file last night and something didn't add up. Where are your certificates and testimonials?" I ask. Suddenly, she changes from the tough professional and all of a sudden she is a soft girl, looking vulnerable. I like this one even more. She can't face me, her gaze is on the table.

“It's a very long sad story." She says.

“Well, I have the time." I say. She sits down on her chair and holds her head between her two hands propped on the desk. I want to hear this mystery but then the door opens and in comes Beatrice.

“There you are. I was looking for you. There's something urgent you need to take care of in your office." She says. I

“Miss Forrester, see me in my office at ten o'clock." I say as I leave Olivia's office. This Beatrice has spoiled what was looking as an interesting take, but in essence she just postponed it for ten o'clock.

I spent the morning talking to several top management, and some of them resign from their positions after I show them their misdeeds. The sales manager is gone and it's only a matter of time before Olivia occupies the office.

“Amos, I was hoping you would give me one of these promotions. Look, I have worked here for donkey years and you reward Olivia, a greenhorn who has been working here for only six months?" Beatrice gets into my office and says, anger carefully hidden behind her clenched teeth.

“Slowly Beatrice. These promotions are given on merit. Do you have the qualifications? I didn't see them in your file?" I ask her rudely.

“But neither does Olivia. I have seen her file, it has nothing." She says. I wonder why we are such an open sieve, with everyone having access to the profiles of other employees which should be kept under lock and key at the CEOs office. These are some of the issues I am going to address.

“Miss Forrester's qualifications are classified. As for you, you know only too well that you are not qualified for the job you are asking for. actually you are struggling with your secretarial work. Now please excuse me." I say as I turn to the file in front of me. Maybe in my haste I made a mistake to retain her as my secretary. I may need to fire her as well, but for Beatrice I need to have a very good reason. From the corner of my eye I see her walking out and once the door shuts I relax on my seat. I send to her a list of vacant positions that I need to be advertised then I concentrate on other matters.

At ten o'clock I hear a little fracas outside my office and I rise to investigate. I find Beatrice standing on the way, blocking Olivia from entering my office. I had forgotten that I had invited Olivia.

“Beatrice! What do you think you are doing?" I ask, anger starting to get the better of me.

“But you said no one gets in. I'm just obeying your directive." She says. On hearing this Olivia looks at me for a fleeting second, a moment of silence, before she saunters back to her office.

“I'll kill you one day Beatrice." I say angrily. She just spoiled it for me.

“But that's what you told me Amos. I was only implementing your directive." She says as I bang the door. In the privacy of my office I curse loudly.

I get back to work and go through the shelves, looking at the huge books and opening them randomly to see their contents. then I remember that I need to have security cameras in the office but then I can't install them when Beatrice is still at work. I want the cameras to be discreet with only me knowing about their presence.

As I wait for her to leave I bury myself in the books especially novels. My favourite writers are all represented. Beatrice peeps in to say she's gone and immediately I call the communications company. They agree to send a technician right away. Right then in the shelves I find a rather big book. I open inside only to be confronted by my father's handwriting. I decide to check the contents.

The book even has a title and I decide to read it all and find out what it says.

The title reads HISTORY OF MARSHALL LIMITED.