Episode 5

Police sirens were heard everywhere and they took Daniel to safety. Daniel looked traumatized as they kept asking him questions about what happened and how it happened.

He narrated the story to them, while they took down notes. “I told you it wasn’t going to be easy,” his uncle said, the minute the police left him. He had arrived immediately at the crime scene.

Apparently, it was his uncle who sent his men after Daniel’s car and they got into a shootout with Daniel’s kidnapper, who of course escaped and was nowhere to be found.

“But how did you know I was in trouble?” Daniel asked, confused. “You were going the wrong way, son,” he said, and Daniel forced a grin.

……

There were murmurs in the conference room as Daniel walked in with so much grace and poise, looking dashing in his tuxedo.

“Good morning, everyone,” he said, clearing his throat, as he walked to the high seat, in which he sat down, and everyone followed. There was utter silence in the hall, as everyone was in total confusion.

Lisa was confused as to what her ex-husband was doing in her conference hall. She wanted to have a word with him, but couldn’t do it, because everyone seemed to be so vested in what he had to say.

“As you already know, I’m now the biggest stakeholder of this company and I am here to make an important announcement,” Daniel spoke, studying everyone’s faces.

“Impossible,” Lisa mouthed, glaring at Daniel in disbelief.

The people who held important positions in the company were all seated there, from the CEO to the COO to the managing directors and the manager and the PRs.

He finally caught a glimpse of Lisa and smiled satisfactorily. It was time for his revenge to begin.

“First of all, having discussed with the directors, I am now the new chairman of the C & Js company,” he said, with a grin, as the entire hall erupted into applause. All except Lisa.

“And being that, I have an important announcement to make,” he said, purposely leaving all of them in suspense.

“First of all, the director, Mr. Felix, you are officially fired from the company,” he said, and the entire hall became noisy.

Mr Felix was the current CEO of the company and his son was John whom Lisa was at the time dating. John used his influence as the CEO’s son to secure her a higher position in the company.

Daniel was infuriated that it was the reason why Lisa left him so he wanted to crush their plans.

“What do you think you are doing?” Mr. Felix asked, angrily, while Daniel sat where he was, with a smug grin.

“I’ve looked at the things in the company and I have drafted out a list of people that will no longer work here, because working here has resulted in the downfall of the company. Or do you want me to start stating your crimes, Mr. Felix, and expose you in front of your now-ex colleagues and even the police? Because I can,” Daniel threatened, because he got a hold of information that could implicate Mr. Felix, and without a word, he left the conference room, angry.

“Now, to the next person on my list,” Daniel said, looking at all the faces in the room, while Lisa prayed silently.

“Lisa! Lisa Peaches,” Daniel said, and everyone was murmuring, while Lisa raised her hand in shame.

“You were recently promoted to the prestigious position of manager, is that right?” Daniel asked, while Lisa glared at him, angrily.

She hesitated for a while before speaking. “Yes,” she said, with a sigh, rolling her eyes.

“Good. You will go and take your things from that office and move to the general ground floor, where you will be working as a clerk,” Daniel said, casually, while Lisa fumed.

“What?! You can’t do that! You guys! He can’t do that, right?! Where is it done?!” Lisa argued, looking around at her colleagues to get a reaction, but she got none.

“Miss Lisa, you may as well quit the job, if you don’t appreciate your new position,” Daniel said, and Lisa stomped her feet on the ground and left the hall, angrily.

“That will be all for today, ladies and gentlemen, have a blessed week,” Daniel said, after they had rounded up with the meeting.

Daniel was about to make his way to the exit of the company, when Lisa approached him, with contempt in her gaze.

“What do you think you are doing?!” Lisa shouted, grabbing the attention of everyone.

“Exactly what I should have done a long time ago, make this company better,” Daniel said, with a proud grin, which annoyed Lisa.

“No, Daniel. You are just doing this to get back at me for divorcing you!” She said, with a shaky voice, and Daniel could see a tear forming in her eyes.

“Why would I give a shit about you and your stupid divorce, when I have a girlfriend?” Daniel said, the moment he saw his new girlfriend walk through the door.

He had met with an old friend a few weeks back and they rekindled the old flame. She was a very beautiful blonde and looked like a supermodel.

She walked into the company with confidence and smiled, the moment she saw Daniel standing at one corner with Lisa.

“Hey, baby,” Daniel said, as he opened his arms wide for Jane to hug him. Lisa stood there, watching, with her jaw dropped.

“Hey, sugar. Are you done now?” Jane asked, touching Daniel’s chest, without even acknowledging Lisa, who was standing right in front of them.

“Yes, baby, meet Lisa, my ex-wife. Ex-wife, meet Jane, the love of my life,” Daniel said, grinning ear to ear. He was enjoying the look on Lisa’s face.

“Oh, please! I know you can’t move on that fast,” Lisa sneered, while Jane laughed.

“Oh, she has an attitude,” Jane remarked, and Daniel chuckled.

“Maybe we should show her how much we love each other, right?” Daniel said, and grabbed Jane by the waist, dashing his lips right into hers. They kissed so passionately, which made Lisa boil in anger.

At that moment, the entire office, who had been watching, started to clap for Daniel and Jane. They were all aware of Daniel’s marriage to Lisa and knew that Lisa was never fair to him, so they were happy for Daniel’s success.

“Fuck you,” Lisa said, coldly, and walked away.

“Ignore her,” Daniel said to Jane, with a shrug, as they made their way out of the building.

Ring ring.

Daniel’s phone was ringing and he reached for it in his pockets to see an unknown number as the caller ID.

“Who’s this?” Daniel asked, once the call connected.

“Hey, Daniel. Listen carefully. They’ve got me!” Daniel’s heart raced as he heard his uncle’s distressed voice over the phone.

“What?! Who?!” Daniel asked, in panic, while Jane was confused about what was going on.

“You know who. They’re demanding a billion dollars and that substance your father left you,” Uncle Mark said, over the phone.

“What should I do, uncle?” Daniel asked, sounding so confused.

“Listen to me carefully, Daniel Sampson,” another voice said, on the phone, and Daniel froze.

“You have less than three weeks to provide what we have asked, or else, your uncle dies!” The voice said, and Daniel could hear his uncle shout from the background. “Don’t do it, boy!” Followed by the sound of a blow and a stumble and thud, which meant they just punched him and he fell.

The line went off and Daniel stared at his phone, in shock.

“One billion dollars?” Daniel muttered to himself, wondering where and how he was supposed to lay his hands on such an amount.

“What? What’s wrong?” Jane, who was standing there, in confusion, asked, but Daniel ignored her and rushed out of the building, while she followed behind him.