Not Your Regular

Chapter Twenty-Two

Four Years After

Steve's POV

"Director Jordan, I do not agree with you," yelled a black haired man sitting on my left hand side.

"Who are you to speak?" Director Jordan replied harshly from the man's opposite side of the table.

Monday morning, I bowed my head in self pity as I watched the board meeting wallow in another uncontrollable argument for the umpteenth time. The meeting was taking place in the board room. There was a long rectangle table surrounded by thirteen chairs. All chairs were filled. All except one, Vanessa's seat. She had travelled a day before for a meeting with investors. As the chief director, I was supposed to go, but I left it to her since she had always been doing it.

I looked up at the older people arguing and for the fifth time, I regretted agreeing to have the meeting without Vanessa.

It was just thirty minutes into the meeting. I could swear I would have given anything to be out of that meeting. But unfortunately I had to remain there until the end. Or until we reached a final conclusion on the subject matter. Sitting and watching the company's directors shouting all over themselves, reaching a conclusion felt like many more years to come.

Summoning some courage, I raised my head gently and with every ounce of strength in me, I shouted, "This..is..not..the..place..to..argue."

The sound of my own voice was shocking to me. But it was just what the meeting needed. I watched as the room began to quieten and they returned to their seats with sealed lips and frowned faces. I smiled to myself at my success and put the rest of the meeting in order.

One hour later, the meeting was over and we had been able to arrive at a few reasonable conclusions. I sat in my office going through the schedule for the week. I sighed in anticipated exhaustion. The thoughts of the week ahead without Vanessa troubled my spirit.

There I was, barely able to handle  the board of directors' meeting. Yet I still had more and more to do before the week ran out. I put out a silent prayer that Vanessa came back as soon as possible.

Standing up from the chair, I went over to the window and looked out. Reveling in how the past four years had unfolded. Since the time I had left school after my last paper. Disposing my phones and previous contacts, concluding to start a new life.

I did start the new life. My joy knew no bounds when I had gotten back to California and was received into the opens arms of a beautiful lady. The first thing that happened when I got back to California was the heart felt confession of Vanessa to me. I didn't think twice before accepting her. Our relationship was almost four years and I was at that point where I was thinking of proposing to her.

What more did I need? She was everything. As sweet as ever. I didn't have any trouble with her, instead she was so good at taking care of my troubles.

Not only that, she took her time putting in efforts into teaching me how to be a good chief director.

I had spent the first two years back in very heavy training sessions. The good thing being my teacher was my girlfriend. Although, that didn't give me a reason to slack.

After those two years, there was a one year long competition between the both of us. It was a really tough time competing with the one who taught me. But in the long run, I won and became the chief director fair and square.

Almost at the same time, my cousins, Eva, Liam and Andrew won the case fight with Anastasia on their father's properties. We were all glad to see the back of her. She was too much pain in the ass. Also that made me have more hold on the company.

The only annoying thing was, my cousins didn't like the idea I was in a relationship with Vanessa. They were even more angry I let her stay after winning the company completely. Eva and I were still in a kind of fight because of her. In her own opinion, I was sturbbon and blinded by my own decisions. Her words had a way of reminding me of Bryan. They had too many of the same opinions.

I shifted my thoughts away from that and instead channeled it to planning the best proposal ever for Vanessa. I was thinking of doing it on my one year anniversary as the chief director. It was in exactly one week and there was supposed to be a big party. I was looking forward to it. A great opportunity for the whole world to know I was going to get married. I grinned to myself in joy but was quickly swept away from those thoughts when I heard a knock on the door.

"Yes," I turned and answered. Frowning my face, hoping I had on the serious director look.

My personal assistant, Miranda, came in holding a lot of files and I dreaded the next line of work I had to do.

"Good morning sir," she started in a very subtle tone. "Some documents that need to be signed and stamped have been sent," she explained dropping the files on my table.

"Alright, I'll take a look at them," I sighed and went back to my seat. She went out as she saw me pulling the files close and bringing my stamp to view.

Taking my time to look at each file carefully, I signed and stamped the necessary ones then arranged them in order. I got up and went out of my office. It was time to do what I loved doing. Go out into the fields and monitor the real estate. Even Vanessa couldn't beat me at that. It's why I signed up for Geography anyway.

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The day wasn't as tiring as I had envisioned. I thought as I entered into the house by 8pm. The house felt so empty without my girlfriend in it. Based on the fact that it was even her house, it felt strange to be alone.

I took a shower, ate some cereals and crashed off into bed. It had been a long time since I had the liberty of sleeping early. But my thoughts of proposing jolted me from sleep and I turned instead to planning a proposal.

I grabbed a pen and notepad from the side of my bed and wrote all I could think of about the best proposal ever. I wanted to make it special for mi'lady. After scribbling a few things and still not finding sense, I concluded I would do the planning with Miranda instead.

At least she's a lady. She'll know what and what not to be done. I quietly jotted down the name of the jewelry shop I had in mind. First thing I would do the next morning would be to get the ring. I thought and slowly drifted off to dreamland.

I couldn't wait till weekend so I'll see Vanessa and finally, propose.

Hey guys. Yeah, I'm sorry, I know my update came late. But maybe I'll blame it on my location. It's not exactly easy to write. I'll be leaving their soon, so don't worry. I'll update sooner.

Share your thoughts on Steve's side of the story.
I hope I make sense.