Chapter 7 ~ Divide and Conquer (93 Chapters Left)

LAREINA

…

« You have always been jealous of me, you f*cking rat! ».

« Jealous? OF YOU? Don’t make me laugh. The only reason we ever became friends was because I needed to get to you sister. And guessed what, I f***ed that b*tch! »

The two men had been shouting no stop at each other for fifteen minutes. They were so furious and heated up in their argument that they barely noted the small crowd that had been gathering at the entrance of the rooftop. After all, when a man that everyone knows to be the boss’ friend walks in the office unannounced and starts screaming insults, everyone is eager to hear more. And see more. And that’s why pretty much everyone in the office left their workstations to secretly follow the two men up to the roof. They had tried to stay hidden behind the rooftop door (which by the way they didn’t think could be open without keys). But as the insults got more personal, they just had to see the face of their boss. Moreover, the two men really didn’t seem to care about their presence at all. The only thing in their mind was to humiliate and offend the other as much as they could.

« You f***ed my sister, eh? Well, guess what pig, I f***ed your wife! » this last insult was particularly humiliating for Lareina’s boss, one of the two men. He had always prided himself of how beautiful his wife was, boosting to his friends and colleagues that only he could put a hand on her. He was furious. But the other man just kept going.

« And that’s not just me. Ask Richy and Marcus AHAHAHAHA» the other man was smirking, in sign of victory. He probably had understood, by the expression of his former friend’s face, that he was close to “winning” that exchange.

« You should have seen her. Oh boy, how much she enjoyed it! Or should I say, how she enjoyed us! ». What he did not understood, or foreseen, was how his friend would react.

« You are f***ing SWINE! » the boss exploded. He charged at his friend and pushed him with strength. One of those angry push that is supposed to throw someone on the ground, maybe make them hit something on the way down. Definitely not one of those pushes you should throw on the hedge of a rooftop.

There were horrified screams and shocked gasps by the small crowed, as the man fell down the 15 stores of the building. His scream of fear was quickly followed by a dead silence. Everyone knew what it meant. Their boss had just killed a man in front of their eyes.

« NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! » a spine-chilling scream rose from the last rank of the small gathering, as a woman sprinted towards the hedge of the building. She leaned her hand towards the asphalt down below, dramatically, as if she could somewhat reverse time and save that man. But of course, she couldn’t. Desperate tears started streaming down her face, as her screams grew louder and ever more painful. She kept crying while her co-workers took the boss inside, forcefully. She kept crying, as people around her tried to get them back in. Lareina kept crying, as the sirens of the Police quickly approached the crime scene.

How long was she supposed to cry? Certainly, a long time, right?

After all that man that tragically fell to his death, was no other than her beloved husband.

…

« As we mentioned at the start, beside discussing our most recent financial results, we would like to use this press conference to introduce to you the latest member of our top executive team. » the CEO of Minerva Inc, one of the biggest financial services companies in the country, announced.

« Given the most recent complaints regarding out staffing policies, someone may insinuate that the decision to hire a woman in this position may be a public relations move. Nothing could be further from the truth. Not only is this woman the smartest, most talented and charismatic individual I have met in my life, but she has shown a determination, resiliency and attachment to the values of our company that no-one can compete with. A few months ago…and it pains me to recall that tragic story…but a few months ago her boss…killed her husband, in front of her eyes. Yet despite that tragedy she decided to remain with the company. The following investigation revealed that her boss had been serially harassing her as well as the rest of her co-workers for months. Yet despite that she decided to remain with the company. And after that tragedy, many of her colleagues understandably felt that the workplace was not an environment where they would want to remain further. Yet she did not join the mass resignation but rather decided to, once again, remain with the company. She decided to remain with us ». The CEO, a sixty-five years old man with white groomed hair and a wealthy but friendly attitude, took a brief pause. He took a sip of water.

« She took the position of her former boss as head of Sales for her Division and in a once-in-a-lifetime management feat, managed to completely transform it. Her division quickly became significantly more profitable than all other division in the company. It was only thanks to her that we were able to weather the storm that came after that tragedy…and not only that. Her ideas for corporate restructuring, for raising new capital through innovative debt instruments and to offer new services to customers is what allowed us to maintain our competitive position. If, in just a few months, we have been able to get back from the spiral of failure we had been trapped into, it’s just thanks to her. Ladies and Gentlement of the press, I would like to introduce you to our new Head of New Ventures and my very dear friend: Lareina Anderson! ».

The room applauded, as the woman stepped up on the stage. Dressed in an elegant black suit and black heels, her beauty dazzled the reporters. It wasn’t so much her lineaments, that were certainly beautiful and well-cared for, but rather something else about her: her bearing, her posture, the aura that she gave off. Her strong gaze, her determinate and ambitious look, her confident smile. Everything about that woman screamed Success. Everything about that woman screamed Charisma.

Everything about that woman screamed Power.

« Thank you very much, Larry, you were too kind with your words. At one point I wasn’t sure if this was a public endorsement or a marriage proposal. » the reporters laughed.

« Dear friends of the press, let me say that I am honoured and humbled by this promotion. I know that many of you are wondering how a mere sale clerk was able to rise through the ranks at this speed. You are rightly wondering whether I have the skills for the job or whether my recent score of successes was just a lucky coincidence. ».

She smiled. Surely none of them could suspect that she had the power to control others. The power to order her husband and her boss to have an intense quarrel on the rooftop, for example. The power to order her boss to push his husband off the roof once there was a sufficient crowd witnessing the incident. The power to persuade those co-workers that had stood there for years, watching their boss harassing her, to leave their jobs voluntarily. And perhaps to dedicate their lives to something more entertaining. Drugs, Prostitution or Gambling for example.

The kind of powers that make it easy to rise through the rank of an organization, to effortlessly conclude profitable business deals, to gain the favour of her boss and the obedience of her underlings.

« I have asked those questions to myself times and times again. Whether my story is just a story of tragedy and luck switching places at dramatic pace ». She took a suspenseful pause.

« It isn’t » her voice sounded more powerful than ever.

« Mine is a story of determination, ambition, discipline. A story of someone that can withstand untold abuses for years, for the sake of her dreams. A story of someone that can overcome tragedy to help the company that she loves and respects. A story of talent that is finally recognized. A story that I hope can be an inspiration, for thousands of women, and men, to believe in themselves. A story of shattered glass ceilings and recognized merit. A story that I plan to keep on writing, as I lead my division and this company to unparalleled success! ».

The room stayed quite for a second. Not the type of awkward silence. That type of silence that follows an extraordinary view. The birth of something unprecedented. The birth of a Queen.

« If that is clear, we can go on with your questions. » Lareina proceeded.

After a few seconds, almost everyone was raising their hands, trying to get a comment on this or that. Yet, with a nod, she gave the word to an anonymous girl in the back. Thick glasses, poorly dressed, timid body language. A girl like her old self.

« Miss Anderson…H-hi…my name is Clara Smith…I-I am a freelancer! » someone laughed at her clumsiness. Lareina shut them off with a glance.

« Ehm…despite your incredible history of success in this brief period…you have many challenges ahead. I was wondering how you plan on facing them…I mean…what is your strategy for the future? ».

Lareina smiled gently, giving a nod of approval to the timid journalist.

« As the Romans said…»

« Divide and Conquer. »