The reminder alarm rattled in Lucas’s phone and he willed himself awake for the prospect of today’s meeting with Hera and the angel investors.
No matter how small, Lucas can’t be more thankful, at least it shows his company will take a new turn. Hopefully, a good turn once these investors make a series of investments in his company.
Lucas has run short of capital. In fact, the company is just on the brink of shutting down. But with Hera’s help, that’s if they’re able to convince the investors enough, things will start working out well. Hope blossomed in Lucas’s chest.
He took a peek at the time and seeing seven flickering on his phone’s screen, he propelled himself to his feet and scrambled into the bathroom for his morning routine.
A rueful gasp leaves his lips when he figured he doesn’t have a brush or toothpaste to brush his teeth. With a sigh, Lucas exited the guest room to ask Ethan for some toiletries.
Down the hallway, shrill cries of desperation and pleas for more reverberated, coupled with spanks and praising words filled his ears.
Lucas figured Ethan and Estrella are hell-bent on their morning sex routine and that made him a beat nostalgic.
Morning sex is one of the things he misses about Sia and their relationship. Lucas can’t deny the effects of morning sex routine with Sia. It helps to ease his workday and improves his efficiency at work.
Now that Estrella’s lustful pleas and moan echo in the hallway, it makes Lucas desperately hunger for Sia to accept him back in her life.
As worst as it is, he could feel his cock erecting in his sweatpants and his precum damping the fabric of his pants. Taking a shuddering breath, Lucas barreled to their door and clapped lightly on it. He wouldn’t want to obstruct their heated session but he desperately needs the toiletries.
The first two light taps on the door were muffled by Estrella’s groans of pleasure and the sounds of skin slapping skin.
“Babe…yes there. Oh, you’re gonna kill me.” He heard Estrella shower praises and pleas on Ethan and it spurred his cock to rise more. The bulge is visible but thankfully he’s the only one in the hallway.
Lucas hit the door the third time and Ethan and Estrella’s whimpers quietened.
“Ethan…sorry dude. I just need some toiletries.” Lucas smattered loudly and within two heartbeats, Ethan answered the door.
Lucas took in Ethan’s scruffy hair and sweat-brimmed chest down to his torso. Brazenly, Ethan only covered his cock with Estrella’s silky negligee. His heavy pants are just enough proof of his room labor.
“Fuck, man! Wrong timing.” Ethan growled, panting in a shallow breath.
Lucas threw his hands up in mock surrender. His cheeks creased in a smirk. “Sorry for the intrusion, man.” He sputtered, earning a scowl from Ethan.
“Babe, here. Give it to him.” He heard Estrella’s voice and then spotted the transparent bag she’s handing Ethan.
Gripping the bag stacked with a toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, soap, and loofah, Ethan slapped it into Lucas’s hand and warmed him not to disturb again.
Lucas leaped to the guest room and quickly did his morning routine, not before his masturbation session.
It already ticked 7:30 a. m. when he finished prepping for work.
By the time Lucas came downstairs to take his leave, he spotted Ethan seated in the living room watching the weather forecast on the TV.
“Ready?” Ethan asked through his side glance.
“Yup. I hope things pan out well.” Lucas said as he crossed the distance between them. Ethan took in Lucas’s look and cringed at how Lucas’s dress code changed.
As much as Ethan would love to pipe up about that, he decided against it. What Lucas wants to hear is the success of the meeting and not to be chided about his looks.
“Made a sandwich for you. I hope it serves better as your breakfast.” Estrella emerged from the kitchen with a wrapped sandwich. She handed it to Lucas, who took it with unreserved gratitude.
“You see later, man.” He bumped fists with Ethan and dashed off.
Lucas tried to call his Uber driver but the connection was poor or the driver is off the grid at the moment. He strolled to the bus shelter down Ethan’s street and lay in wait for a bus.
Lucas’s stomach grumbled as he registers the aroma of the sandwich. He peeled the wrapper in half and begins to wolf down the sandwich. However, a bus pulled up minutes after he unwrapped his sandwich, so Lucas shoved into the car while gobbling up the content, in large bites.
“Want some?” He asked the little boy in the seat before his who watched him eat with ardent concentration.
“No, thank you.” The boy’s mother chimed in.
In a matter of minutes, the car drew to a screeching halt a few meters away from the Evangelista’s group. Lucas got down and finished up the remaining meters on foot.
“Good morning, Mr. CEO.” Grey chirped when he spotted Lucas edging to the elevator. They both shoved inside and hit the panel to the conference room floor.
“I got reports from the HR department that five employees sent their resignation letters. And also, reports have it that most of these employees are being hired at the Monson group.” Grey stated, taking peeks at Lucas for obvious reactions.
When Lucas stares stoically ahead, Grey took it as a cue to drone on. “It makes me think the widow has been coming to the company but just doesn’t want to see or grant our proposal yet.” He reasoned.
Lucas gripped the words. Processing it in the recesses of his mind, he turned to Grey and asked, “What makes you say so?”
Grey cleared his throat, though he’s not sure of what he’s saying but he relies on the information he got.
“I heard the widow has met with some other companies that have unfinished business with late Mr. Monson. Companies like the Woods enterprises.” He shrugged.
Lucas made to talk but the elevator dinged to a stop and they wiggled out and beeline to the conference room.
“Set the power point representation? Did you ensure the power supply is stable?” He asked Grey as they marched into the hall. Grey assured the readiness of the PowerPoint and the stable power supply.
Time drag by fast and Hera arrived at the conference room alongside the angel investors.
Dropping her bag on the table, she took a quick once-over of the room before regarding Lucas with her superior stare.
“I expected you to grovel. Lucas. After the scene, you caused at my place but you seemed adamant and stubborn to plead for your silly mistakes.” She snapped, breaking into a slow stride toward Lucas.
Lucas wanted to pounce into defense mode but swallowed his words back. No matter how much he wants to prove himself right, Danika and Hera are his only means of standing with two feet again.
“I’m sorry, ma’am Hera. It won’t happen again.” He quickly groveled.
Hera turned to the three men she came in with and said, “Please meet, Lucas Evangelista. The owner of the Evangelista group.”
Lucas rose to his feet and shook hands with the men with smiles painted on his face.
“Lucas, meet Mr. Phillip, Mr. George, and Mr. Igor.” She said. The brightness of Lucas’s face proves he knows those men. Tabloid reporters herald they are influential individuals with a high net worth in England except that Igor is a Russian who established his venture in England.
Lucas is happy coming in contact with these men. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He voiced with a soft glint in his eyes and the men nod their heads.
Lucas gestured for Grey to give them the PowerPoint presentation of their deals in the Evangelista group which Grey gracefully did. Sliding through the graphics representation of their products and giving nuance explanations on the uses and benefits of each product against the other.
While the pitch was ongoing, the men kept nodding their heads which ignited every pore in Lucas’s body with the hope they’ll accept to work with him.
Grey’s speech was cut off oftentimes by the potential investors asking questions about the products they seemed hard to understand its essence and prospect of being a heat in the market.
“Well, Mr. Evangelista. I do see great potential in this business and I’m going to invest in it.” Mr. Igor said and his colleagues agreed with him.
Hera dripped gracious smiles at them when they finalized on investing in the business.
“Thank you for this opportunity. I promise you’ll get a good ROI once the products sell which I’m hopeful will sell.” Lucas said as he shook hands with the men.
“I’m looking forward to it.” Said, Philip.
Spinning on their heels, they exited the conference but without Hera sending a contemptuous glare at Lucas.
“You should thank Danika for spurring me to action.” She mouthed before slamming the door shut.
Flunking on his seat, Lucas released a laden breath. Finally, he has benefited from this contract he signed with Danika’s mother.
“This went super well, Mr. CEO.” Grey snapped when he pulled himself out of his dazed state. They may have lost their stakeholders but these three influential individuals will stitch the gaps of the stakeholders.
“We need to start advertisements for the products and hope for them to sell immensely. ” Lucas said to Grey and he nodded effortlessly. Grey left the room, leaving Lucas to his thoughts.
‘The anonymous wants to finish me off but I’m not going to relent. This company is my father’s legacy and so is the villa. I’ll retrieve it.’ He murmured inwardly.
Lucas left the company at half past six to the bus station as his Uber driver was unreachable. It later occurred to him that the weather forecasters said it’ll rain around six p. m.
So Lucas scampered to the bus shelter to ditch the rain.
Minutes after he got there Liam shoved inside to shield himself too. Although rain has beaten him a tad but his clothes haven’t drenched much.
However, he wasn’t cognizant of Lucas’s presence until Lucas spoke.
“Gotten your fair share of the rain?”
Hearing the question, Liam hoisted his head and met Lucas’s gaze. He wasn’t really expecting to see him. Knowing he has a hand in Lucas’s poor state, stirs an unsettling feeling in the pit of Liam’s stomach. He clenched his teeth as Lucas mindlessly rattled on.
“I forget they said something about the rain this morning. Should have come out with an umbrella.” He said, staring at Liam. “You don’t have one too?” He asked.
Shaking his head, Liam uttered, “No. Not at all.”
Lucas scooted his face closer to Liam as he takes in Liam’s face. When realization flickered in his eyes, he snapped. “Have we met before?”
“Maybe.” Liam spewed his fuzzy response.
“Wait a sec…do you work in the Monson group?” Lucas asked when he saw the employee’s ID clipped on Liam’s chest.
Shit! Liam forgot to take it off when he was seeking refuge against the rain.
Relenting, he nodded. “Yes, I am.” He gave Lucas a cheesy smile.
“Have you seen the widow?” Lucas asked in eagerness.