“Quick! Call nine one one! He needs to be rushed to the hospital!” Ethan cried, holding his father in place.
April couldn’t pretend to care. Ethan’s father had shown how little he cared for her when she was declared Ethan’s prospective wife after June. Left to her, she hoped he died so she could finally be rid of him.
“What are you waiting for, take the elder to the hospital!” April ordered when no one moved. They were all waiting for her orders.
Soon enough, the ambulance came and Gary Lontoc was rushed to the hospital with a crying Olivia with him. The mood was sour and Ethan looked like his life had been snatched from him.
“Put yourself together.” April snapped when they arrived at the company. “I don’t want my first meeting as CEO to be marred by your gloominess!”
Ethan swallowed, trying to put up a smile that looked like a cringe.
“And make sure that this news is contained. The only thing that needs to be on the news is my inauguration as the CEO and the merger. Do you understand?”
“Yes, ma.”
“Good. Now put on a smile. We just got married. Act like it.”
Ethan stepped out of the car, turned around and opened April’s door, acting like the perfect gentleman. She stepped out of the car all smiles and walked hand in hand with Ethan into the company.
Greetings flowed from the employees who sighted them. April answered gleefully while Ethan managed a hum, unable to shake off the heaviness of his heart.
They arrived at the meeting, and to Ethan’s surprise, his mother-in-law was seated on the board. His expression showed his surprise, forcing April to speak.
“Don’t be so surprised, love. Mother only came to support me.” April said. “Good morning everyone, please have your seats.”
The board, previously briefed on the situation came with shocked hearts, wondering the next step with the sudden merger and CEO. Worse, they could not speak about things until the meeting ended.
“I understand a lot of us would be surprised by the recent development of things. I apologise for the sudden meeting but it was important to address your questions and provide directives for the company moving forward.”
“As you know, I am the new CEO of Lontoc Constructions and Rivera Stores. Two independent and prosperous companies merged following my marriage to Ethan, the former CEO and my husband.”
“Please note that this is not a hostile takeover as my husband and I had discussed this and taken the best point of action to move both families and businesses forward.”
One of the board directors disagreed. “How can you speak such lies? How did you become the biggest shareholder of the company? Do you think we are fools?!”
A smirk made its way to her lips. Ethan bowed his head, not disputing nor supporting the notion. All he thought about was how much of an epic failure his life had become and his father who was currently in the hospital.
“How dare you speak to the CEO in such a manner? Have you lost your mind?” Evelyn said from her seat, angry on behalf of her daughter.
“Who are you to speak in a meeting like this?” The director fired with eyes ablaze.
“The Vice president of this company.” April supplied with a cold smile. “And you just got fired.”
“You have no right to do that.”
“I just did. Your shares will be transferred to my name.” She turned to her mother who wore an evil smile. “Please serve him the documents.”
The entire board watched with shock as a paper was placed in front of the offender who read it and grew even angrier.
“How dare you? Do you think I am a pushover?! I will not sign this nonsense!”
A coy smile. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
Evelyn stood up from her seat with a flash drive in her hand. The next minute, a video of the director getting intimate with a woman in graphic ways played on the screen.
“Stop! Please! Turn it off.”
The screen went blank in a matter of seconds, in one moment, the board’s perception of the man went down to the depths of hell.
“Are you still wondering who I am?” April scoffed. “The woman that would ruin your life if you don’t sign those papers.” She walked towards the man, placing a suppressive arm on him which forced him to his seat.
“I wonder what your wife would think if she watched this video. Or the people of South City. I heard you are into politics. What better way to increase your popularity than this video and a couple of others I have?”
The man’s eyes widened and he shook his head. “No, please! You can’t do this, please!”
“Another thing I can’t do.” April tutted, “By now I’d think you should have gotten the memo. There is nothing I can’t do.” She smiled as she walked away from his seat, touching the seats of the board members as she passed.
“It may interest you to know that I have some interesting materials for every board member. So please, feel free to oppose me. I’d be happy to share those materials with not only the members of this room but the entire South City.”
She took a seat at the head of the board. “I did my homework. So you are either with me or against me. Trust me, you don’t want to be my enemy.” April turned to her mother who stood while the man signed the papers with shaky hands.
“Signed?” She asked and her mother nodded, “Good. You can release the news.”
Everyone was taken aback, but Evelyn smiled, feeling proud of her daughter.
“I already signed the papers! Please!” The man fell on his knees, “Don’t do this!”
“I already did.” Her tone was cold as she turned to her husband who sat with his head bowed. “Take him out of here.”
Ethan didn’t realise she was talking to him until he felt her gaze on him. “M-Me?” He stuttered, pointing at himself.
“Do you have a problem with that, honey?” She said with an insertive tone.
Suddenly, Ethan was the centre of attention, everyone watched to see his reaction. Including April, who was intentional with her demands. She needed to set everyone in place, and that included her husband.
What better way to cement her position and power if she didn’t make him submit to her leadership in the presence of his former subordinates? She was the Alpha female and two Alpha’s cannot lead a pack, so her husband needed to be shown his position.
“O-Of c-course not!” Ethan got up from his seat and headed towards the offender. “Please follow me.”
“Ethan! Son! Help me beg her! My wife! My ambitions! She can’t do this to me!”
“I am not a patient woman, Ethan. Use force if need be.”
Ethan didn’t need to look around to know everyone’s eyes were on him. His eyes connected to the security men in the room and suddenly, he wanted the earth to swallow him whole.
He didn’t deserve such a level of disgrace and shame. No one did.
Angered by his predicament, Ethan jacked the now-fired board member by his pants and dragged him out of the room with a force that stunned the entire room.
A satisfied smile rested on April’s lips.
“Now that’s settled. Does anyone have anything to say?” She asked but it was crickets in the room.
No one wanted to get on the bad side of a woman who had no mercy or regard for anyone, including her husband. The case of their former colleague had been a shock to them as well as an eye-opener.
One thing was certain. The new CEO had come prepared.
“In the absence of nothing, Let me make a few things clear.” April’s tone meant business. “First, Ethan Lontoc, my husband would be working with me moving forward.”
“That is to say, no one in this room, other than myself and the vice president is above him. Anyone, anyone at all caught disrespecting my husband is finished.” A cruel smile, “Is that clear?”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
April loved the sound of them. “Good, In my absence, you take orders from My mother. Her words should be regarded as my words. She would be in charge of taking care of our sister company while I oversee operations.”
She turned to her mother. “Everyone reports to me. In the absence of-”
The door to the board room suddenly burst open and uniformed armed men entered the room with searching eyes. The atmosphere was tense when the leading police officer spotted April.
“April Lontoc. You are under arrest for the death of Mr. Garfield. You have the right to a lawyer and every word you speak could be used against you in the court of law.”
Everyone, “!!!!”
April blinked in disbelief as she was cuffed by some officers, “W-What?”
“Take her away.”