Chemical Poison . Howard Stark

Chapter 4

It was only 2pm, and the they could have easily attend the 4pm financial meeting, but Howard had swiftly called his secretary to inform all the department managers that the meeting would be rescheduled for next week. Anything of important significance be written up in a report and sent to Alexander's desk by the end of the day. Without any sense of direction, Anneliese followed Howard's next orders, to join him in his office, where he called the same woman as earlier to bring up coffee and blueberry muffins for them to eat.

There was a numbing tingle in her mind. One that screamed and shouted for her to run away and after the german scientist, to demand answers and to warn her father. Yet, she couldn't seem to escape the sinking sand that was Howard's words, commanding her feet to take a step in the direction to his office. Anneliese was on autopoliot, no longer able to form anything but small sections in her mind. She needed to collect herself together, but she was so utterly unable when she knew nothing.

She didn't like the unknown, nor did she enjoy surprises. Rationality and knowledge was all she wanted to see, and yet, Anneliese could comprehend what Abraham had said. His knowledge of her mother's death, one that was both publicised to the german people but also heavily covered up.  The way his eyes grew gentler at the mention of her father, and the poisonous tone when she mentioned her uncle.

It was confusing, and so was the combination Howard utilised in the elevator to allow him entry to his office. Unsurprisingly, Howard had decided the very top floor was the only place the very top of the company should stay; the arrogance of powerful men. Anneliese's focus remained within her own psychic, unable to escape the looming voices for her to question exactly how she had managed to do a full circle. She ran from Johann, only to be in his clutched again. 

Her mother sacrificed her life to make sure she was as far away from him as possible, and Abraham had forcefully made her closer than ever.

Standing at the entry to Howard's office, Anneliese only became aware of her surroundings when a blurred voice managed to enter her ears. A muffle sort of sound.

"Anneliese?"

It was gentle.

"Anneliese?"

It was Howard.

Her eyes snapped into focus as she met Howard's gaze, who was already comfortably seated behind his desk with Alexander already helping himself to one of the mints on his desk. Muttering a small apology, she quickly made her way to the armchair to the side of the desk as Alexander had taken the guest seat in front of Howard.

Nothing was said between the three as they waited for the woman from earlier, who Anneliese had decided was one of Howard's assistants. He didn't have secretaries, believing Anneliese and Alexander can easily do that job from him - instead he had assistants that collects his warm coffee's for him like clockwork. It was insulting considering her rank, of course. But if this was the cost to remain at the very top, she wasn't going to argue.

Minutes passed and so did Howard's assistant with  Anneliese's own secretary, Miss Cotton, just behind. Warm blueberry muffins and the cups of coffee were placed delicately onto Howard's desk, and just before both left... Miss Cotton informed Anneliese that she will attend the press meeting in her place.

It was Miss Cotton's intuition that made Anneliese promote her, and it was exactly for this fact that she had never been so thankful to have Miss Cotton by her side.

Grabbing her own coffee cup from Howard's desk, Anneliese begun stirring her coffee. Allowing her eyes to wonder around Howard's office, a forever changing room - much like this future invention plans. It was always surprised her by the interesting choices he made to style his office. With it appearing more similarly to a leisure room of mismatching couches, stools and chairs, with massive tables and the dark oak desk in the middle. Photo frames plagued his walls, nearly all included himself: his youth, girls between himself and Alexander, and even all the copies have his front page photoshoots and articles (even current papers). It was a narcissist home, and it was eerily familiar to Anneliese.