Chapter 42: Beggers II

Chapter 42: Beggers II Alfonso tried and failed to quell the irritation in his heart as he stepped out of Ewan’s ward. Before Ewan had succumbed to sleep, Alfonso had tried convincing him to speak to Athena on his behalf, but Ewan had been so adamant; that he wouldn’t do such a thing, that Alfonso should plead with Athena by himself. Fiona had been right. Alfonso thought, at ease in the well lit hallway. Leaving Athena around Ewan was a ticking time bomb. The male was bound to be besotted with his ex wife again! Alfonso shook his head. He couldn’t let that happen, even though he wasn’t on good terms with his daughter. He still hasn’t forgiven her for disobeying his orders. As a result of her impatience, he would be begging Athena for mercy too. Alfonso exhaled harshly in annoyance. How had things gotten this bad? He glared at Fiona. Fiona took a step back, in fright. "I’m sorry, Dad. It won’t happen again. Next time I will follow your orders to the fullest..." Alfonso didn’t bother giving her a listening ear. "Lead me to Athena’s office. It seems we have some groveling to do too." Five minutes later, Alfonso was standing in Athena’s general office space. He tried walking straight to the private office, but Ciara stopped him. "I’m sorry sir, but you have to wait till I get a confirmation from the chief doctor..." Alfonso frowned in distaste. "Do you know who I am?" Ciara nodded. She knew of Alfonso Adams, the owner of a company who ranked amongst the top thirty companies in their city, and who ranked well enough in the list of people you shouldn’t annoy intentionally... Never mind that his success was much attributed to the contribution of Ewan Giacometti. It was rumored that a marriage alliance between the two companies was the best there is, because it would lead to the further growth of the companies, and consequently, increase the growth of the economy. Yet, her boss came first to her. If Ewan Giacometti respected her boss, then Alfonso should do the same. "I’m aware of your status, Mr. Alfonso, but I have to go through the protocols. I’m still under the chief doctor. You can take up your grievances with her." Although I wouldn’t dare do that if I were you. She pointed at the chairs to the other side of the office space. "You can have your seat there while I confirm..." Alfonso opened his mouth to argue again, but Fiona tapped his arm softly. "Let it go, Dad. The assistant knows what she is saying. Athena is that strong headed. You will see when you meet her, and perhaps you will understand the reason I was impatient with you and your plans." The whispered advice stopped Alfonso on his tracks. He glanced at his daughter. She looked homely and respectful. Could she be right? He huffed and walked to the seats, his ear attentive though, to the call Ciara was making. "Hello Doc, some people are here to see you..." "Yes, they are Mr Alfonso Adams, and his daughter Fiona..." When the assistant looked at them then, with an unexplainable look, Alfonso felt uncomfortable. His daughter might be saying the truth, this time around. He thought, while he waited for the assistant to speak. The call was over. "She’s busy at the moment. She’ll let you know when you should come in." Ciara said to them, after dropping the telephone "When you say busy, what do you mean exactly?" Fiona smiled humorlessly. Athena was at it again. Ciara shrugged. "I’m not sure, ma’am. Perhaps doctoral duties?" Alfonso scoffed, and reclined deeper in his chair. If Athena wasn’t out in the next five minutes, he was going to stride into that room, and damn the consequences! Ten minutes later, Alfonso was literally emitting smokes of fury from his nostrils. His feet made impatient tap dances on the floor, and he kept darting glances at Athena’s door. "Can you call her? It’s been ten minutes!" Ciara shook her head slowly, a movement that annoyed Alfonso greatly. He felt like holding her and shaking her ruthlessly till she pleaded for mercy. "She mentioned that she would call when she was done." Fiona couldn’t help the snide chuckle that escaped her lips this time around. This attracted both the attention of her father, and Ciara. "Didn’t I tell you, father? Athena is a witch." Ciara pretended not to hear them. She returned to her tasks dutifully, hoping that her boss won’t be calling anytime soon. Meanwhile, Alfonso couldn’t sit pretty and wait. He stood up from his seat and sauntered over to Ciara’s desk. "Call your boss, and tell her to welcome me appropriately! What form of disrespect is this!" Ciara pretended she couldn’t hear him again. She busied herself with the tasks Athena assigned to her, sighing at intervals when the computer in front of her displayed network congestion signs. When Alfonso couldn’t take the ignorance again, he stamped his palm on the files in front of Ciara. "Call your boss now!" "If you don’t take your hand away from my documents and return to your seat now, I’ll call security to take you away from here, sir." Alfonso’s hands shook with anger. He has never been disrespected in such a manner since his rise to stardom! How dare Athena? Behind him, Fiona held back a laugh. "Dad, come sit down. It’s as I told you before. You can’t change Athena’s mind this way. You are actually making the situation worse." Fortunately, Alfonso obeyed. Twenty five minutes later, and a million curses later from both Adams, Athena called Ciara. At this point, Alfonso was brimming with hatred and anger. When Ciara gestured however, that he could enter the office, he instantly donned a facade of humility. Ciara, seeing this change, said a word of prayer for the safety of her boss. She believed the latter was in danger from the two people who could easily murder someone and pretend to be innocent. Meanwhile, Fiona was tired. Watching her father wear his mask of pity and sorrow, she hated Athena the most, especially since she didn’t have the strength to keep up with the latter’s antics. As they approached the door though, she kept working on her mask, knowing that if she failed her father this time around, he might not forgive her.