2026-04-18 20:45:32The next day, Gavin stopped by with the documents and new phone for Manuel.
Manuel read through the documents thoroughly and saw it was much to his satisfaction and then he signed it and took a photo of it. Gavin then checked him out of the hotel and drove him over to Skyview Estate, where his villa was situated. Gavin was told to clean up the place after Manuel’s cousin, Zachary Rodriguez, vacated the villa. But Gavin’s grudge for Zach and his uncle didn’t even allow him let Zach spend another hour in that villa. Gavin bought all the necessities the villa would need and Manuel patted his shoulder, extremely satisfied with Gavin’s work. He brought him a drink, from the cellars and placed it in front of Manuel knowing his throat might be parched. “Sir, in two months, there’d be a party hosted by the company to celebrate its 26th annual anniversary.” Manuel just hummed in affirmation. --- Harry was relieved of his duties very much to his dismay. He couldn’t think of anyone he could’ve offended that cost him this. He decided to go along with Penelope to the party the Rodriguez’s were hosting in two months to curry favor with the higher ups and earn his job back or even a better one. Penelope wasn’t even aware of Harry’s joblessness, at least not yet. --- At the Sullivan’s villa, there was another whole different problem entirely going on. The huge contract the Sullivan Group closed recently, they couldn’t meet up with the other company’s requirements and the deal fell through causing them to lose a lot of money. Penelope tried to keep her cool as Harry had promised her during their last dinner together that he was going to provide her with the necessary funds to put her company back on track. She also managed to get an invite after trying hard through different means. This was the Rodriguez Enterprises hosting a party, there’d be a lot of big shots and it wouldn’t be bad to build connections. --- Few days passed and Manuel was just lazing around, he’d been cooped indoors long enough and he didn’t feel the need to attend business meetings just yet so he held it online without revealing his face. There was another gathering being hosted by his former classmates to hold a reunion. He never loved attending such gatherings because he always saw it as a waste of time being hypocritical to each other and all that but he decided to attend this one that was taking place in the afternoon at Eastbay Diner. Manuel found a floral outfit he had once bought while still living with the Sullivans with his savings but he had never found the right chance or occasion to wear it. He put it on and looked at himself through the mirror. He smiled at his reflection in the mirror. Gavin had long left and there was no car to drive him over to the venue and he saw no need to call Gavin over. He ruffled his hair and mounted his motorbike. At the venue, others had already made their way there, Manuel was quite late. He conveniently parked his motorbike and attached the helmet comfortably to it. Walking through the doors of the private room that was rented, few people turned to observe who had just walked in. Whispers began to make its way around as he sat down. “What’s he doing here?” “He still hasn’t made nothing of his life…” Manuel had always loved a lowkey life and had always kept a low profile back in school. He always walked to school and walked back home. This made his peers look down on him extremely but he never bothered with them. Manuel wasn’t bothered with the stares and just brought out his phone and tried to check the internet for what was going on. He found it quite interesting as his previous phone had none of that qualities. Shirley noticed the way Manuel was being avoided and sighed, sorry for him. Shirley had always been the one who stood up for Manuel whenever he was being bullied in school. Having walked up to him, Shirley sat next to him and tried to start up a conversation. “It’s been a while, Manuel.” Manuel turned to his right and finally noticed Shirley beside him and made to respond, “I’ve been well and you?” Just then Damien who had been watching Manuel from the corner of his eye spoke up, “Been well?” “What a funny statement to use for someone that life is yet to favor.” At this, people turned to look at Manuel more brazenly. Damien had always been in charge of the relentless bullies that troubled Manuel while in school and had always resented him for taking all the attention from the girl he adored. “I don’t think your sentence applies to me, Damien or does it?” Manuel looked up at Damien who was standing near him now. Damien snorted and let out a quick chuckle, “Its written all over you. Take a look at those cheap clothes which doesn’t even belong to a brand, your phone seems to be the only slightly expensive stuff on you.” “Even heard you came here on a motorbike. You’ve been staring at your phone excitedly and its just the internet. Its pretty obvious you had to borrow it to leave a bit of reputation for yourself.” “And in just what position do you think you are to state those out?” Manuel asked with an unreadable expression. But Damien just thought he was hitting a nerve already and that excited him to say more. “As the sponsor of this glamorous gathering,” Damien signaled to the waiter assigned to the room and demanded for the most expensive wine. The others were shocked. This wasn’t just an ordinary diner, it was the most expensive one in Colburn and for someone to be able to afford a private suite, it spoke volumes and now the most expensive wine?!
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Chapter 62
The elevator doors slid open onto the executive floor, Manuel stepped out without slowing. Gavin matched his pace, a brown file tucked beneath his arm, neither of them spoke.The corridor was quieter than usual. Most of the senior executives were either in meetings or had already left for lunch. The only sound came from the faint tapping of computer keys somewhere beyond the reception area.A polished brass nameplate caught Gavin's eye, ‘Chairman's Office,’ and beside it sat another, ‘Helen Lawson- Executive Assistant to the Chairman’. The office door stood half open, Helen looked up from her desk the moment their footsteps reached her. Her face immediately brightened, “Mr. Rodriguez,” she rose immediately. “It's good to see you.” Manuel simply offered a polite nod, “Good afternoon, Helen.” Her attention shifted to Gavin, “And Mr. Shaw.” A warm smile spread across her face, “I was beginning to think you'd forgotten where this office was.”Gavin chuckled, “I've been keeping busy.”“So
Chapter 61
The boardroom doors stood open and Manuel slowed his pace as he approached. Inside, only one chair was occupied. Chairman Theodore Blackwood sat near the window, a porcelain teacup resting on its saucer. Afternoon light settled over his silver hair, softening the deep lines around his eyes. He looked less like the chairman of a multibillion-naira corporation and more like someone's grandfather enjoying a quiet afternoon.He looked up as Manuel entered, “There you are.” His voice carried the same warmth it always had. “I was beginning to think you'd forgotten an old man.” Manuel managed a faint smile, “I've been occupied.”“So I've heard,” Theodore gestured to the chair opposite him. “Sit.” Manuel sat down and neither of them spoke immediately, Theodore poured another cup of tea and slid it across the polished table, “You look like you haven't been sleeping properly.” Manuel wrapped a hand around the warm cup, “I've had a few things on my mind especially concerning the company.”The ch
Chapter 60
The archive room which smelled of old paper, dust drifted through narrow beams of afternoon light that slipped between the blinds. Metal shelves stretched from one end of the room to the other, each lined with neatly labeled storage boxes that had not been touched in years. Gavin ran a finger along one of the labels before pulling the box free, ‘Board Meetings... Four Years Ago.’ He carried it to the long table in the center of the room and lifted the lid.There were folders, minutes, attendance sheets and voting records. Everything had been preserved with almost obsessive care. He slipped on a pair of cotton gloves before opening the first folder. On opening it, there was nothing, the second, still nothing. A quiet sigh escaped Gavin because he knew hours of work awaited him.---Upstairs, Manuel sat motionless, the recording remained paused. Alistair stood frozen beside the projector, the corner of a single sheet peeking from the blue proposal folder. Manuel zoomed in again, but sti
Chapter 59
The office had emptied by the time Manuel reopened the laptop. The steady hum of the air conditioner was the only sound in the room. Outside, evening painted long shadows across the courtyard. Most employees had gone home hours ago. A few lights still burned on the lower floors, but the executive wing had fallen silent. Gavin was at his desk arranging Manuel’s schedule for the next day as Manuel had quite a number of meetings the following day.Manuel rested his hand on the mouse, the archived recording waited on the screen, ‘Board Meeting – Project 608’ and he clicked on it. The loading circle spun once before dissolving into the familiar boardroom, the video was dated four years earlier. The camera overlooked the entire conference room from one corner of the ceiling and the younger version of himself sat at the head of the table. His suit was darker, his expression harder.Around him, the board members settled into their seats, exchanging quiet greetings before folders began opening
Chapter 58
Brandon walked into Manuel’s office just after Alistair left. The photograph Alistair had left behind still lay beside the folder, Manuel picked it up for a moment before sliding it back into the folder and then he looked at Brandon, “Was just about to call you.”“Does the program still work because it has been dormant for a while?” A small smile tugged at Brandon’s lips, “Trust me.” He pulled the laptop closer and the screen lit with a pale blue glow. A password and then another, then a black window replaced the desktop and lines of text appeared one after the other. Gavin walked around the desk, “I’ve never understood any of this.”“You don’t have to,” Brandon replied as his fingers moved quickly across the keyboard. The cursor blinked, he inputted another command, followed by one more command and then, the screen refreshed. Rows of timestamps filled the monitor as Manuel folded his arms across his chest, “When was the last attempt?”Brandon didn’t answer immediately, his eyes move
Chapter 57
“No worries sir, I’d just send for him.” Gavin said and went out, returning a few minutes later.The knock came exactly five minutes later and the door opened with Alistair stepping inside. He stopped when he saw the office, Manuel sitting behind his desk and Gavin by the window. When he was sent for, he had spent a lot of time masking his emotions properly before coming to face Manuel even though he had no idea why he was being sent for. His eyes swept over them once before returning to Manuel. “You wanted to see me.”“Sit,” Manuel said.Alistair remained standing for a second, then he pulled out the chair and sat. The office fell quiet and Manuel just slid a photograph across the desk. Alistair’s hand froze, not for long but just a second and then he looked up, “Where did you get that?”“My question first. Who’s she to you?” Manuel asked calmly.Silence filled the office as the photograph remained between them. A woman smiled up at the ceiling, one hand hooked through Alistair’s arm
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