Chapter 6 Chapter Five

• Shane opened his eyes at the sunlight on his face, damn, why didn't he close the drapes last night? Well, it was just that the night sky was so beautiful with the twinkling stars and he wanted to admire the view more and might had fallen asleep while doing that.
• He laid still in his bed, counting the ceiling, lost in thought. A knock on the door brought him back and he removed the duvet and climbed out of the bed. Fixing his feet into his slippers, he walked to the door and opened it. He looked at the maid who was standing there with a slightly raised eyebrow, he had forgotten her name but he is sure Paulina introduced her yesterday.
• Nora smiled and curtsied while clutching tightly onto the bedspreads she was holding, "good morning sir, breakfast will be ready in thirty minutes."
• Shane nodded but she didn't appear to be leaving, he stood, seeming to ask her 'anything else?' With his eyes.
• "I need to dress your bed sir, but that's if you are already up" she gulped, not daring to look him in the eyes. Even if she would love to see how he looked like a sexy model in his pyjamas and really messed up hair.
• "Oh" was the respond Shane gave before shifting aside to give room for her to enter. He went straight to the bathroom as she settles on arranging the bed.
• Nora forced herself to ignore the showering sound coming from the bathroom and the showering man as she made the bed. She delayed herself by working as slow as she can in other to see him when he walks out. To grant her desire, the door opened and Shane walked out only in a towel. There were beads of water on his godlike body, his sexy hard chest and flat tummy was a feast to her eyes. Realizing she has been staring too much and this man is actually her boss, she quickly bowed her head.
• Shane stared at her with a smug look on his face, he didn't intentionally come out to seduce her, he thought she would have been done by now and the room was all for him. It's a good thing he considered wrapping a towel, if not, the blush on her face would have been more pronounced. For a second, he wondered if Lilly would react like that when she sees him half naked. He shook his head at that, how could he be thinking like that about his little flower? She is still a little girl for Christ sake!
• "I-I-I'm done now sir" Nora spoke up with her head lowered, she fears if she look at him one more time in that state, she would completely lose it. How could a man be so beautiful and even in a towel? How good it must feel to caress that strong chest with her fingers. Dream on Nora, her conscience mocked her.
• "Mm" Shane replied and walked into his walk-in closet that was as big as three rooms. He tried to wave off the memory of the blushing maid in his room, no matter what, he is not going to have anything to do with his mother's maids, never.
• He selected some casual wears for himself, a T shirt and jeans. He needs to work on his dad's studio, having decided on that last night, he really needs to do it. Walking out of his closet, his eyes first landed on the bed, nice, he thought, the blushing maid really knows what she is doing.
• He walked to his dressing mirror and combed his hair, then he put on his cologne. Switching to the drawer, he got his wristwatch, picked up his phone from the vanity, he left the room and straight to his mother's.
• He knocked once and pushed open the door, "mom?" He called as he entered but only to stop shut when he saw the girl dressing the bed, why didn't she come and dress his?
• Lilly was lost in her morning routines when a deep voice startled her, she forced herself to concentrate when she heard his footsteps approaching but he suddenly stopped and she begged herself in all manner not to look up but at the end she did. Looking at the face that kept her awake all through the night, she didn't know what to do but to curtsy and greet him, "good morning sir."
• "Good morning flow-Lillian" he smiled, happy within himself that he stopped on time because his mom's walk-in closet door just opened and she appeared in her office attire, she was slightly shocked when she saw him, "good morning mom."
• "Shane, why are you here and why are you not dressed for work?"
• "Oh, about that, I won't be going to the office today."
• "Why not? I told you yesterday we will be leaving together. The boards wants to meet you."
• "They can do that tomorrow mom."
• "What about the meeting I told you about? If we don't handle that fallen bridge issue, it will be a big stain on us when the families affected sues us. You don't want to take over a tainted company do you?" Margaret said as she walked to her dressing table, she pulled out the chair and sat down then loosened the towel on her head to free up her beautiful short blonde hair.
• "They can handle it with or without me. I wasn't even here when the bridge fell, why should solving it be my priority?"
• Margaret picked up her hairbrush and looked at him through the mirror, "because it's a way to test you to know if you can handle being the CEO of such a big company. It's a test you must pass before controlling your position."
• "So now I need a test before taking over my father's hard nurtured company?"
• "Son, the Lockwood's Inc and Enterprises wasn't started by one man" she turned to look at him, "Eric didn't just wake up one day and started the company, my father played a roll, I played a roll and these boards slash shareholders all played a roll. Just because it bears our name doesn't mean it belongs solely to us. Our shares are only bigger because we brought the proposal and we tackled it head on. Without these board members, Lockwood's would be nothing. So you should understand that you owe as much respect to them as you owe your father. If you don't satisfy them, they can vote you out from being their president. You have been raised in the business world, so I'm pretty sure you knew all these already" she turned to the mirror and started brushing her hair.
• Shane sighed, "I understand. But one day aren't going to land us in court."
• "It can" Margaret nodded as she dropped the hairbrush and picked up her compact powder, "the affected families are bent on suing us if we don't provide an explanation. It's going to take us back to square one if we don't handle this professionally."
• Shane remained silent, he seemed to be contemplating, "if I attend the meeting today, can I stay home tomorrow to do what I want to do today?"
• "If you start work today, you have started, there is no staying home or not. Besides, what is it that you so badly wants to do today?"
• At the question, Shane couldn't stop himself from looking at the busy Lilly, or one should say, that's how she wanted to appear, "I want to take care of a few things" he looked away from her, realizing his mom is still in the room.
• Margaret stopped from applying lip gloss on her lips, "something you can't tell me?" She frowned.
• "Not yet."
• "Oh, whatever it is, you have to postpone it. Today is Thursday, so you can do whatever it is you want to do on the weekend. Isn't that better?"
• "Not really."
• "Then what do you want us to do?"
• "I can avoid going to work today or the rest of the week to start freshly on Monday, that would be better, don't you think?"
• "Not happening Shane. Is it that you didn't hear a thing I say or you are just playing dumb?"
• "Come on mom, that issue is not even as difficult as you all make it to be."
• "What do you mean?"
• "I think the bridge was sabotaged. Have any of you thought of inspecting it?"
• "Inspect it for what?"
• "For explosives? Goodness mom, the Lockwood's have many enemies. Just like you said, this issue can land us back in square one, making all our clients and the people losing faiths in us. Who do you think would do that but those that will benefit from it? How can a perfectly not even up to six months bridge just collapse?"
• "That's the thing. People are believing that we cut corners by using fake materials, don't you understand?"
• "Then did we use fake materials?"
• "Of course not! I was in charge of inspecting the materials myself."
• "Then it's certain, the bridge was sabotaged. I suggest we forget about the meeting today and inspects the areas, it hasn't been long the bride collapsed so it's a must some residues of the explosives will be seen, no matter how small."
• Margaret was silent, "you are right. I think that should be done. Lillian pass me my phone."
• "Yes ma'am."
• "If this happened just the way you assumed it, consider it you passing your test son" Margaret praised as she snappily punched a number into her phone, "hire some inspectors, I want the bridge's areas inspected for explosives. I will be there in forty five minutes." She hung up then look at Lillian, "go check if breakfast is ready."
• "Yes ma'am" Lilly curtsied before leaving the room.
• Margaret stood up immediately, "go get ready son, we have to hurry."
• "I won't be going mom, I already provided the solution you wanted."
• "You don't know for sure."
• "Then you can come back and tell me, there are plenty of solutions to solve a fallen bridge."
• "Just what do you want to do at home?"
• "I want to work on dad's studio."
• "What! You want to stay at home and work on that old thing for that man?"
• "I went there last night mom, it was dusty and in dire need of clean up."
• "Then get Paulina to assign people to clean it for you. I'm not paying those servants for nothing."
• "I want to do it myself."
• "If you have already decided, then why come to me?"
• "It was locked last night. I couldn't think of anyone else to hold the key but you" he said in a matter of fact tone.
• Margaret wanted to deny but he is right, no one else can holds the key but her, at the end, she gave up the fight and went to her drawer, she brought out a small box and opened it, taking the key from it, she handed it to him, "I just hope you know what you are doing son."
• "Thank you mom and good luck with the findings" he smiled and left the room.