Billionaire's Treasure

Chapter 1

BERYL

The long meeting has already been concluded and I'm done compiling the report and I've already sent it via mail to my boss.

With the hard copy in my hands, I knock at Mr. Wilson's office and his hard stare makes me to suddenly freak out.

He's already on his feet, shooting daggers at me. I really don't know what I've done this time round but nevertheless, he smacks me really hard across my cheek.

I hold my stinging cheek which is already numb and keep my gaze down to the floor. I'm not supposed to hod eye contact even after being unfairly punished.

My papers are all scattered across the crispy clean carpet but I'm still in dark for I honestly don't know what I've done to my boss to deserve such a dirty slap.

My report is perfect, and my scheduling has been done to perfection, or so I think.

I stand in Mr. Wilson's office racking my brains trying to figure out what warranted a slap.

Knowing him, he probably doesn't have a specific reason to smack me. He always does that for no reason or Maybe he's having a bad day.

My cheek hurts and the stinging sensation makes me wince silently. I can't wince audibly because if he hears or perceives any sound from my mouth, all hell will break loose!

Right now, I'm sure my cheek is bright red due to the uncalled for slap. His fat old palms can do a lot more damage.

How much longer can I put up with his ill treatment?

How much longer? I keep on asking myself but I can't get a definite answer.

“How many times do I have to tell you?” he roars in my face, bringing me back to my senses. “Give me those reports ten minutes after every meeting!”

It hasn't even been up to eight minutes since the meeting ended.

“I'm sorry sir!” I apologise as I take a deep breathe.

“I...I sent the reports to you via mail five minutes ago and these are the hard copies sir!”

“Collect your s**t and get out of my office right now! Your dirty face disgusts me!” He bellows, making me to cower in fear. I collect the papers which are strewn all over the place and gently place them on his large wooden table then rush back to my office.

What did I ever do to him to warrant this ill treatment which I always get from him?

Tyler Wilson is the CEO of the company I'm working for.

It might surprise you to know that he's my late father's brother and business associate.

He's my uncle as well as my adopted father since he adopted me when I was only ten years old.

Well yeah.... I'm his niece as well as an adopted daughter! It's that complicated!

Since I moved in with the family, I've never known love.

All I've known is hatred and despise, mistreatment upon mistreatment!

Damn! I'm really tired of this life!

They always treat me with love and compassion in the eyes of everybody else but like an outcast behind closed doors.

Well, the only good thing they've ever done to me is giving me a name....a surname.

Helen, his wife always tells me that she wishes I died in the accident with my wretched parents! I'm yet to know the origin of their strong hatred towards me or my late parents.

Brenda their daughter doesn't make things any better. She always sees me as a competition to her. She always pick up on me and reports me to her parents at any given chance, something that warrants a beating from them especially her father.

The only people who show me love are Camilla and Andrew who work in Mr. Wilson's house.

****

I sit on my chair and redo my makeup to hide the spot where his strong hand worked on. I don't want anybody to find out how bad they treat me, especially Blake their son who's outside town on a business engagement.

He's the only one who has ever made me feel loved in this house though he moved out recently. I've never told him what I always go through since he left.

I'm the personal assistant to the snake himself, Tyler Wilson.

To pretend that everything is okay, I put on tons of make up and focus on making my life better!

Having redone my make up, I hold my blonde hair in a bun and shift my focus on the upcoming meeting.

I check the conference room and place the required material for the meeting.

One of our competitors wants to collaborate with our company on a Multi Million dollar project and use our resources and vice versa.

The meeting time is near and the shrill sound of my phone which haunts me even in my wildest nightmares brings me back to my senses.

“Beryl Wilson!” I answer.

“Beryl, the team from Diamond group of companies is here.”

It's Annette from the reception.

“Kindly show them up as I get the boss ready.” I say and she hangs up. I suddenly spring onto my feet and knock on Mr. Wilson's door and I hear a grumpy 'come in' from inside. I push the door open and stand beside his table and regard him respectfully....I mean fearfully. I really dread this man!

“What do you want?”

He grunts, not looking up from his desktop.

“Sir, the team from Diamond group of companies is here and I've prepared the conference room already.”

Without uttering a word, he stands up and takes his suit coat from the back of the seat. After putting it on, he brushes the back of his hair with his hand to make it neat. That's how much he loathes me and I'm already used to it.

I pave way for him and he walks past me and opens his door, taking the corridor leading to the boardroom and I follow him closely from behind like the personal assistant that I am.

At the corner, he turns to me and grips my arm painfully. His dark eyes are burning with rage.

“Make sure you behave and don't open your stinking mouth unless I ask you to!”

He strictly warns me.

Well, he has done so severally in the past so this doesn't come out as a surprise. He doesn't like it when I give my opinion during such important meetings, or any meeting for that matter.

Right now, the only thing I'm scared of is the bruise I'm going to get after he releases my arm.

Damn!

“Understood sir!” I half scream.

He lets go of my arm as the elevator door opens. We're in the tenth floor so I'm sure he has done the right timing not to be caught off guard.

I adjust my skirt and blouse and put on my professional smile as we approach the lifts.

Mr. Wilson welcomes them with a forced smile and I can't help but grunt inwardly.

He's so fake for my liking.

Everything he does is absolutely fake including his business!

He shows them the way to the conference room. There's a total of six people, four men and two ladies. They're all exceptionally well groomed and neat.

My professional smile is still intact and one would confuse me with the best paid employee in the company. Well, I at least wish that was the case!

I feel a heavy warm hand on my shoulders and a sudden urge to shove it off overcomes me but I decide against it. I can't bear the consequences, can I?

“This is my daughter Beryl and she's also my Personal Assistant. She'll be working closely with all of you!”

Mr. Wilson says and his grip on my shoulder begins to stiffen. I know it's a trigger warning not to misbehave!

“Nice to meet all of you. Just give me a call in case of anything and I'll be ready to willingly help.” I say, the professional smile not leaving my heavily powdered face.

“That's much appreciated young lady.” An elderly man says, extending his hand to shake mine. He's taller than Mr. Wilson and his hair is beginning to grey.

“I'm Wayne Smith and here's my son...” he says as he holds a young man's hand, who's a younger version of himself.

“And here's my son, Henry Smith.”

The younger guy shakes my hand gratefully and gives me a warm smile. “Pleasure meeting you miss Wilson!”

“The pleasure is mine!” I reply and I can't fail to notice how warm his hand is on mine!

His back hair is tousled and perfectly brushed back. His muscles are well outlined inside his high class suit! I gulp in almost audibly.

He also has a killer smile.

Mr. Wilson is busy getting acquainted with the rest therefore I follow suit and do the same.

****

The meeting starts and as usual, I sit beside my boss Mr. Wilson. My main job there is to take notes and I do so diligently most of the time while looking down because that's I'm in no way supposed to hold eye contact with anyone. I'm not supposed to look up lest I make a wrong move!

The meeting doesn't take long and upon conclusion, they've already outlined the resources needed and what each company is required to do.

The meeting is over and the people are on and about saying their goodbyes.

“Where's your son Blake? I thought he'd be here.”

Mr. Smith says. I've come to learn that the reason he's collaborating with our company is because he was a great friend of my late parents and he used to do business with them.

Well, the company I'm working my ass out for and getting mistreated while being paid peanuts once belonged to my parents! How things change.

“He's away on a business trip. He'll be back in two days time!” Mr. Wilson replies.

“Maybe we can have dinner tonight. I'm sure my wife Leah will be happy to meet you again.” Mr. Smith suggests.

“Oh no, I'll be busy tonight. Maybe we can meet some other time.” Mr. Wilson protests.

“But sir, you don't have any appointments from six in the evening.” I say, pursing my lips.

He throws me a dirty glare and I'm sure I've messed up already. Oh no, I shouldn't have opened my dirty mouth And I'm sure I'll pay for that!

“Oh, yeah! It's okay. I'll be there!”

“Great! Don't forget to come with Helen. Leah will be glad to see her!” Wayne Smith says.

“Beryl, make reservations at the Continental hotel.” he orders me.

I say my goodbyes and head to my desk to put through a reservation.

The Continental is a classy hotel and it's hard to get reservations that late but I manage to after telling the receptionist that the reservation is for the two wealthiest families in the State.

I replace the receiver and I'm about to get back to work when a chubby hairy hand reaches a cross my desk and grips my hair painfully, ripping off the black hair band.

“No one was talking to you and you dared open your mouth to chip in to our conversation! Thank God you made them happy otherwise I'd have shaved you with my bare hands!” I look up to see a furious Mr. Wilson who is glaring at me!

“Sir, you're hurting me!”

I whisper inaudibly and he lets go of my hair and glares at me.

“Bring those notes to my office, now!” he barks then slams the door to his office behind him.

I sigh heavily as I work on the report. I've just missed a thorough beating by a whisker!

Within no time, I'm done and I hand the report to him after sending them on soft copy too.

*****

Mr. Wilson leaves the office by six and I'm left working on the following week's schedule because it's on a Friday and we don't work during weekends.

I finish at around eight after spending over thirteen hours slaving away.

I stand up, stretch and yawn as I put on my high heeled pumps. I then lock my office and secure the floor which is only meant for the CEO and a few other workers and no one can access it unless they pass through the reception.

I walk to the elevator and feel my hair with my palm as it slides down the back of my neck.

I let it free from the hair band and and feel the free air blowing it away.

Wow! What a great feeling!

I wave goodbye to the security guy and catch my next bus to the house.

My family won't buy me a car with all the money at their disposal.

The only decent clothes I wear are given to me by Helen and her daughter Brenda. Some are way too revealing and I choose not to wear them.

I alight at my stop and head to the house.

I say hi to Camilla and head up upstairs to my room. I've had enough for today. I won't give the snitch Brenda the pleasure to ridicule me. No!

I'm too tired such that I take a quick shower and slump on the bed, snoring my way to slumber land, hungry for the third day in a row.