Bitter Sensation

Chapter Nine

It was a busy Monday and the beginning of the month of April, it happened to be raining heavily that morning. Angela walked into the lobby as early as 8 am, as she often did, considering, she left Yaba really early to beat traffic.

The sight of the busy lobby, which suddenly was filled with staff surprised her, giving how empty, it often appeared at that time.

Almost like everyone was trying to get to their office by all means. Many appeared to be waiting to use the elevator, others impatiently using the stairs. And it wasn't just junior staff.

There were workmen by the side of the lobby, clearing. Practically like they were removing an entire office space from the reception area to widen the space. Well, that would be a lot of space.

Angela stopped short watching all those departmental heads bully people out of the elevator, so they could get to their offices and settle in. Meanwhile, most of them usually arrived at work past 10am or whenever they wanted.

Board Meeting was the only thing that brought them to work early, then again, not this early.

Most junior staff were using the staircase but not her, she wouldn't dare make it to the 6th floor on that 4inches pump heel.

What was the emergency?

Last week, rumor had it that the CEO will be back this week.

Yet, what was all that fuzz about?

She dared the CEO wouldn't come out this early, not that old man anyway. She took a seat trying to look at the huge CEO's portrait which always hung on the lobby wall, but she caught sight of a worker putting down the photo instead.

She walked up to him and greeted him casually, asking why he was working on that, like it was her business in the first place. The man simply stared back at her and continued his work like he never understood her.

There was a portrait on the floor below the ladder, the man was on, almost the size of the CEO's portrait but she couldn't see the face properly.

All of a sudden, she didn't get the curiosity, which had taken a better part of her, she tried to touch the photo but the work reached for it first. She didn't get it, but her heart began to race.

The face! She tried to take a closer look but most parts of the portrait were covered by the worker who happened to be climbing back the ladder with the huge portrait in his hands.

Her phone rang, on the screen was the CFO. She started for the elevator, hoping she could smuggle her way in. Meanwhile, she kept her eyes fixed on the worker, who seemed to have a company, yet covering the better part of the portrait, which didn't seem to be going on the wall in any minute.

"Hello," she spoke breathlessly into the phone, immediately she picked, waiting on the elevator with the little crowd formed in front it, already.

It still was raining outside, when the automatic door of the lobby swung open.

Two uniformed security walked in, a man behind in a black suit and a chauffeur's hat, carrying a briefcase, then everywhere suddenly went mute. SHE walked in.

The elevator opened and she entered with the rest, half attentive to the CFO, who wouldn't stop talking on the phone.

She kept mesmerizing about HER, as the elevator close. Her slender, sophisticated, vigorous guises. She was a rare sight. Those eyes!

From the elevator to the hallways of her office floor, everyone seemed to be whispering, how the CEO made it to the office on time.

She still didn't get the gist. Was that lady, the new CEO? Was there a succession? Why was everyone so panicked?