(The Virtuous Husband) In the name of Love

Chapter 3

Noel

Breathe. Breathe. Breathe

I continued on running on my treadmill. I knew I was overexerting myself. I should stop. My muscles were screaming out in pain. My calves were burning down and sweat pouring down my body. I was pretty sure that my lungs were getting ready to a stage a coup and walk out on me. I kept on pushing, pounding my feet down harder against the running deck. I needed to stop but why would I? I was loving the pain, this overexertion over my body, it made me feel alive. I didn't felt like the dead man I am without her. I craved the pain. Sometimes I wondered who I punished the most- me or the treadmill. I knew the treadmill wasn't a person yet sometimes I thought of it that way. Each slap of my foot was a mark, each pounding mile was the pushing of my designated person's limits. As CFO, senior vice president, and heir apparent of Dalianis Enterprise I couldn't give up on life. My timer blared reminding it was time to get ready. A company didn't progress in this cut-throat world of business with their CFO being late and not working well. I had spent last three years learning the ins and outs of every company in Dalianis Enterprises portfolio. I knew everything, the extent of our investments, the margin on returns, CEOs, their assistants. I had pushed myself into work more and more.

I slowed to a stop, reducing my pace slowly. As much as I would have loved for me to kill myself in such a way. I needed to live to find my way back to Cheryl and hers to me. Life wasn't easy without her but every day I breathed for her, for the love I had for her and in the hopes of us. Showering and getting ready for office was an easy and a monotonous task. I dressed in best but didn't felt to be the best. My eyes caught off my blazer from the previous day. It was a horrific beginning of the day. I hated to be in the close proximity of woman unknown to me. I was set bound to not wait for the manic woman yelling for me to stop the lift. I didn't have any desire to share my personal space with anyone but Cheryl. I had every intention of finding that girl just so I could make teach her a thing or two about being professional. She had a lesson to learn.

I'd texted, my driver, to be outside the building to be outside of the building at seven o'clock. Traffic was beginning and leaving early could surely save me time on the ten-mile drive. I had asked the head of my security, Alex, to find that girl and to take her to my office as soon as she shows up. Mistakes and being late was not in my books. Being early was a necessity if she wanted to keep her job in my firm.

I looked at my schedule for the day as I rode the elevator, nothing new other than work. My usual Audi was parked outside with Kale waiting for me. He was a man on time, never a second late. Kale met me at the backseat door opening the door for me.

"Mr. Alex said to inform you that half of the work is done, the rest will be done as she arrives. He has already reached the office." I nodded in acknowledgment as I sat. Alex never disappointed me. He met me at the entrance as we reached the office letting me know that she will be in my office. I got started on my meetings as the day proceeded. I had told my secretary to inform me when Alex arrives and she informed while I was half way done with the meeting. I told her to make the girl wait in the lobby as I finish with the meeting. Half an hour later as I walked out biding the people goodbye. I saw her sitting on a couch going through a magazine, not a gleam of nervousness on her face. She was confident and I was going to break it. I just wanted to see her fall and I didn't know why?

"Send her in and bring the bill too," I quietly told my secretary. I got settled in my seat and waited for her to come. Seconds later there was a knock on my door. My secretary came being followed by that girl. She handed me two files, one was the bill for my suit and second was that girls details.

Alison Collins that was her.

"So you are the boss?" She asked not a hint of hesitance in her voice.

"No, I am an impostor. I was allowed to sit here just for fun." This girl ticked me off and I hated her guts. She didn't cower from the power I had.