Miss Secretary takes charge

Chapter 19

In the event

     The podium was EMPTY. The dead silent audience had started murmuring. Paul did not know how to handle this crisis. His face had soaked with sweat, he decided to play the presentation and read out as he wasn't prepared for it. He know it was not a professional way, but something is better than nothing. He did not want the Kingston Corp to become a subject of mockery for not presenting in such an important event.

     Henry was restless and screamed, "what is happening? Why weren't you coordinating Mr Smith? What are you doing here? Smith put his head down and said nothing. Henry tried to get up from his wheelchair, but fell back stumbling. Ben and Steve ran to help him, but Henry motioned them to stop.

     Lisa brought water and said, "Henry relax, have some water" Henry just slammed the water that hit the wall and splashed everywhere.

     Everyone gasped at his anger outburst. Ben and Smith exchanged glances and had similar thought of how to control Henry.

     Just then they were surprised by a familiar voice from the television, "Good Morning Everyone".They all focused on the screen, Julie was entering through the exit door. She walked up to the podium. The audience were wondering who she must be. "Sorry for the delay, kindly excuse me" Julie said in a soft voice.
"Who are you girl? Lost your way?"
People from the crowd ridiculed her.
"I am Juliet Rozana, Secretary to Mr Henry Kingston.
"Mr Kingston has sent his secretary to present this proposal, what a shame!"
While the crowd belittled her, she closed her eyes, kept her palms on the podium, took a deep breath, emptied her mind, lifted her chin up, opened her eyes, "And Head of this prestigious Convention Centre project" said with a proud smile looking at the camera. Henry smiled in response.

     Ben and Smith relaxed in the places."What is this women trying to do? Dishonouring the reputation of the Kingstons?" Senior Kingston said in a disbelief. Henry replied sharply, "No, she's not" Sr Kingston grunted, but Henry ignored it.

     As it was Julie's first time, she did have her mild glitches, but the clarity and confidence in her speech spoke volumes. Besides that, her pleasant smile and demeanour managed to gain impressive response from the audience.

     Some crooked critics from the crowd, did ask her tricky questions. The resources she had gathered and read from The Record
Room helped her and became handy like Henry had stated that she had spent more time in research and analysis for this project. Paul had also chipped in to respond few queries. She looked straight into the camera and said "Thank You."
She hurried off from the stage and left the venue at once.

     Henry felt something was off with Julie. He asked "Mr Smith, what's up with her, is something wrong? The Julie I saw this morning was so different from the one we saw in the television, her eyes are..."
Senior Kingston interrupted, "Henry, I would like to have a word with you" Henry looked at him with a grim expression. "Now!" Senior Kingston commanded. Henry turned his wheelchair swiftly and gone to the office without a word. "Get us something hot to drink" Sr Kingston ordered Steve before leaving behind Henry.

     Julie walked out of the venue and found Chelsea waiting for her. Julie launched herself on to her as if she had found the light after a long dark tunnel. She did not know what she was missing until Chels appeared in front of her. Chelsea too hugged her tightly.

     She caught a taxi and said "let's get home". She knew Julie was holding so much in her. Julie just held her arm and laid on her shoulder. Chelsea opened her apartment, made Julie sit on the couch, gave her some water and asked "Julie, Do you want to talk?" It just broke the flood gates open for Julie, she cried her heart out.

     "I have never thought of being labelled so shamefully" once she told her everything, Chels asked "Why did Lisa come with Sr Kingston? do you feel Lisa was behind this accusation?
"Most likely! she did smile sarcastically when I left and said 'please leave' in the same tone as I did the other day."
"Oh, she must have made up stories and provoked Sr Kingston?"
"But he doesn't believe baseless stories"
"Maybe she was smart enough to find something to prove her point?"
"That bitch" both said at once.
"If I had said something, it would end up in revealing the drug issue to Sr Kingston" she cried again.
"I did not mean any harm to Mr. Kingston"Chelsea hugged her and said  "Julie, shhh!you are so worked up, why don't you take a relaxing shower and sleep for sometime?" Julie nodded and walked towards the washroom.

     "Your behaviour was derogatory" Sr Kingston yelled at Henry in an intense voice. Henry gripped the arm of his wheelchair, but chose to be quiet. "You skipped work for despicable reasons, Kingston men have never prioritised women by neglecting work, none of us stooped so low"

     Lisa gone to the kitchen and saw Steve brewing coffee, she said, "I will make tea for Henry"
After making it, placed Henry's tea and coffee for Sr Kingston in a tray and entered the office where loud voice was heard.
Ben and Smith stood there helplessly.

     Smith's mind was so cluttered."Liam where did this groundless allegation on Julie started? The poor girl don't deserve this humiliation. We need to get deep into this issue, did Danny came up with anything?"
"He sent me a report, when Sr Kingston came, I could not check"
"Also get the report from the food safety for the samples collected from the kitchen pantry".

     Once all the reports were received, both of them were shocked to see the results.
Ben rushed to the kitchen and checked the trash. He guessed it right, Lisa made tea from the tea bag she had sent as gift. The labels looked familiar to him and after giving a moment of thought, he realised they were same as the toiletries that were sent for clinical analysis(the bath salt Contamination issue)
He remembered the gift hamper once he had delivered to Henry in his office sent by Lisa Hudson.

     The investigation report sent by Danny confirmed that there was no threat for Henry's life, but there was suspicious activity by Lisa Hudson, visiting the hotel, suite room night after the employees party and paid some price to the housekeeping staff and she took back a wine bottle. She had also been seen visiting Henry's penthouse and followed by meeting Sr Kingston that evening.

     "We need to stop Henry from drinking..." "Ricardo Steveee" Henry's booming voice made Mr Steve jump out of the skin. He ran to his office in fear.
"When did you appoint an assistant for you?" Steve looked at Lisa and got the tray from her. Henry took the teacup and smelled it, the same weird smell of that herbal drink, he once tasted.
"Hmm.." he turned his face aside.
"Did you make this?" Henry asked.
"No, Mr. Kingston" Steve replied timidly. "You know I don't drink shit!"
Ben and Smith breathed a sigh of relief when Henry declined the drink.
" Henry, it is a medicinal drink" Lisa complained.
Henry shattered the teacup as he lost all his cool, which he was holding for a long time. He rummaged his table cabinet and took out the revolver. He pointed it to her head, shouting

"ENOUGH!!!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~