West Pointe

Chapter Two

I sighed in nostalgia, reliving the memories of the past. Those were dark times, ones I'd rather lock up in a corner of my mind, dust-covered and undisturbed.

The young man, whose name I really ought to remember, who had been spending the past couple hours or so on a presentation stopped. “Am I boring you, Ms. Sam?”

I leaned into the comfortable leather chair, picking up a pen to swing deftly between my fingers. “What do you think?” I replied and watched him struggle to not blow his top. He seemed the type to give me a heated piece of his mind. However, I was no longer Samantha, the quiet teenager with a pitiful past. I was Samantha David-West May, founder and CEO of one of the biggest corporate bodies worldwide. He knew better.

To be honest, I should've been paying attention to this meeting. My presence there was a testament to its importance as I wouldn't have bothered otherwise. It was a good thing I'd brought April, then.

I glanced back to see my ever-diligent secretary taking notes with utmost concentration. She'd be sure to fill me in later.

April was my Aunt June's adopted daughter, yet I loved her to pieces. Aunt June had taken me in after the death of both my parents and honestly, I had no idea where I'd be without them both.

I had been quite the rebellious teenager, unable to come to terms with my parents’s tragic deaths. I still can't come to terms with it, but I learned to be productive with my rage, letting it fuel me to the top of the business world. Maybe, I'd overdone it though, as I was now infamous for being the ruthless tyrant of the business world, if you will. I didn't mind it much, all press is good press after all.

The resulting task from my musings once again drew the ire of our dear presenter, who pulled off his glasses. “You know, I'd expect every responsible person with proper thinking faculties to be paying attention to this presentation.”

I raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Excuse you?”

“But then you’ve got nothing to worry about, do you?” He continued his rant as though I'd just spoken into a vacuum. “We all know you slept your way to the top. Just keep doing your thing and your little playground will be just fine.”

He must have had the guts for breakfast to call one of the biggest companies globally a playground. Also, how much of a schmuck do you have to be to think it was possible to sleep your way to the top of the business world?

Snickers erupted all around from the surrounding businessmen, showing their clear disdain for someone they thought unworthy to be on the same level as they were.

Their tauntings echoed the dismissive tones of those who had doubted me years ago, fueling the fire that had driven me from a lost teenager to where I stood now.
I squinted to read the letterhead in front of Mr Presenter. “Gamma Works, is it?..... You’re fired.”

I watched his eyes widen in shock for a moment before trying to play it cool. “I don’t know if your mental issue is acting up again, Ms Sam but I don’t work for you.” And cue another round of laughter.

“Oh?” I smirked lazily and picked up my phone with a perfectly manicured hand. I could already hear April sighing in exasperation.

“Wonderful weather we’re having today right, Mr Blake?” I saw the guy pale visibly at the mention of his boss’s name. “Yeah, remember that multi-million dollar contract I granted you?....yeah, it's off…and you can ask your boy over here why.”

I dropped the phone and smiled at Mr. Presenter, who looked like his world just crashed in front of his eyes. “You were saying?”

“This is unacceptable. I wonder how you sleep at night.” One of the others bellowed.