Natalie was up to something I just knew it. After I spotted her eavesdropping on Alejandro's meeting with one of his top business partners last week, I started following her and it always ended up at a conference room with the door slightly ajar and a recorder in her hands. I couldn't think straight knowing that she was most certainly doing something that could put Alejandro's hard work in jeopardy. I was distracted I didn't even notice Alejandro standing in front of me till he snapped his fingers. I blinked and looked up at him.

"Yes, um...what can I help you with?", I asked

"What's wrong with you?, I've been calling your name for the past 5 minutes", he asked in return

"Sorry, I just um...I just have a lot on my mind right now"

"I don't pay you to daydream Ms. Prichard", he said

"You don't pay me at all", I replied with sass

"Eight years later and it's still all about the money"

I told myself to calm down, "What do you want?"

"I need you to take this down to Mr Hammond. It's a logistics report concerning Mr Yamazaki's holdings. I want the results before the day ends", he said before throwing it at me. I blinked back the tears and started my journey to Mr Hammond's office.

As soon as I got there I saw all 5"3 of the chubby man with a head full of salt and pepper hair. He noticed me immediately, "Second time in a week boss lady, if I didn't know any better I would say I've stolen your heart", he chuckled

"Only you Pat", I smiled

"So what can I do for ya?", he asked

"Well Alejandro got this report from Mr Yamazaki and wanted you to-", I didn't get to finish as I was roughly pushed. I turned to look for the culprit and was met with the flaming red locks of, yup, you guessed it Natalie. She didn't even stop to apologise, she hurried like the building was on fire. If I followed, maybe I could find out what she was up to.

"Boss lady?, Boss-", I cut him off

"I'll be right back with you Pat", I left after that and followed Natalie as stealthily as I could. She turned several corners and so did I. But when she turned the last corner and I repeated the action, she had vanished.

Okay, I tolerate a lot of things but I am not down with sorcery. I looked around some more and was about to give up when I heard her squeaky voice. That's when I noticed the door to one of the unused offices was open.

Didn't this bitch know how to close doors?. I walked towards the door as silently as I could and listened in.

"We're about to hit the jackpot Dicky", she squealed. Dicky?, Who the hell is Dicky?.

I couldn't even try to get a glimpse. I could get caught. My ears would have to do the work for now.

"Really baby?", Dicky- I presumed- asked, the voice was kind of muffled. She was probably on the phone.

"Yeah, I've transferred the assets and the asshole doesn't suspect a thing", she laughed

"You are a queen baby. God I can't wait to see the look on his face. He thought he won when he broke up with you and cut me off. The little fucktard. He isn't gonna know what hit him", Dicky replied with even more enthusiasm

"We're gonna be on top babe", she purred

"All I gotta do now is buy out his business partners and investors and convince them a little ride on the wild side won't do much harm. And then when they realize how hot the drop really is, they're gonna vote him out and I come in. It's gonna be the hostile takeover of the century"

Oh no. They were planning a hostile takeover. I had to leave. As much as I wanted to stay I had to tell Alejandro what he would lose if he didn't take action. I sprinted away and rushed to get to our floor. On the way there, Dicky's words flashed in my head, 'when he broke up with you and cut me off'. Alejandro had mentioned something about Natalie messing around with a business partner and him cutting the latter off. Was Dicky the infamous business partner?, I had to find out. As soon as the elevator doors opened I ran to Alejandro's office and barged in. I expected him to lash out but he just welcomed me with a bored gaze.

Not time to dwell on it Diana

"Whatever it is, I don't have time. I'm busy", he said

"Yeah um, quick question. That guy Natalie cheated on you with, you know, the business partner, what was he like?", I asked

He leaned back in his chair and looked at me, "Why are you asking me that?"

I shrugged, "Just curious"

He tried to go back to his work and pretend I wasn't there but when he saw I wasn't gonna leave anytime soon, he gave in and released a heavy sigh, "He was... sneaky, manipulative, loved being in control and all that. I noticed it early on but put it off thinking it was my bullshit meter going haywire. Then I noticed his lavish lifestyle, philandering ways and realized I couldn't have him here. So I started looking for a way to end the contract. He must've caught unto my vibe cause not long after, he cornered me in my office after a late meeting. Said he had a way for me to make some hard cash, the kind that sealed you up for life. Told me I would never have to work a day in my life ever again. That all he had to do was hit up his cocaine guy and the deal would be set"

"What did you tell him?", I asked

He gave me an 'are you serious' look, "I said no"

"Why?"

"Not to brag Ms Prichard, but I'm the richest man in all of North and South America combined, one can only have so much money. I mean, how much more could I need?. And then there's the fact that I just couldn't do it. I may look like a monster to you Ms. Prichard but I have values. After I said no, he snapped, called me names, admitted that he had been sleeping with Natalie, told me he was gonna come back for me and left. It was comical actually, watching a grown man throw a fit just because he didn't get his way. I desperately fought the urge not to laugh", he finished with a smile.

Wow, that was a lot, "What was his name?", I asked

"Richard Paxton. But people often called him-"

"Dicky", I finished

He gave me a confused look, "Wait, how did you know that?, and where's all this interest in my former partner from Ms. Prichard?"

I hesitated, "Well..."

"Spit it out Ms. Prichard"

"Look I know this may sound crazy and you're probably not going to believe me and you'll think I'm crazy but I just have to tell you", I exhaled, "Natalie and Dicky are planning a hostile takeover"

*********************

Well I wasn't expecting that.

"You're right Ms Prichard", she look relieved, "I do think you're crazy and I for sure, don't believe you"

"What?!"

"You heard me"

"I just told you they're trying to take you're company from you and you don't believe me?"

"Yes Ms Prichard, I don't"

"Why the hell not?", she yelled

"Because it isn't true. Look, I don't know what gave you such a flimsy idea but I know Natalie. She's the one of the most devoted employees I have, may be a bitch but devoted nonetheless. And frankly, I don't appreciate you ruining her good work reputation"

She scoffed, "Ruining her reputation?, I'm trying to stop her from ruining yours you asshole"

"I do not appreciate the name calling Ms Prichard. Now take your farce and get out of my office"

"What the hell does she have on you?", she screamed

"Ms Pri-", and I was cut off

"I heard her on the phone ok. She was talking to this Dicky guy and I heard them. She's transferred some of your assets. I don't know how we didn't notice but she did. And this Dicky guy he's planning to buy out your investors, probably with money from his cocaine drop, get them to join him in the drug smuggling and make them vote you out. Listen Alejandro you gotta beli-"

Then I did the cutting off, "Just stop", I bellowed, "I don't wanna hear it"

Her eyes began tearing up, "Are you in love with her?, is that why you're denying my claims?, even though a little part of you knows it may be true?"

I laughed, so that's what this was about, she was jealous. "My my, Ms Prichard, you reek of jealousy", I said with a sinister grin

"What?", she asked with tear stained cheeks

"Cut the crap Diana. I know you're jealous. That's why you're trying to get her fired. You can't handle the fact that there's someone else taking my attention. You can't handle the fact that you've been replaced"

"Fuck you Alejandro, fuck you. I could care less what you think I can't handle. I know you hate me, but I'm doing this because I care about and I wanna help you. Why can't you see that?", she was full on crying now

I stalked towards her, "Because I see you for what you really are. Nothing but a gold digging slut. Jumping from one man to the other all for money. We're you even faithful to Michael?, I highly doubt it. Poor man, didn't know what he was getting himself into when he tied himself down to a whore like-" SMACK!!. I could feel the sound vibrating off the walls. She hit me. God my jaw hurts like hell, but I wasn't gonna let her see that, so I chuckled, "Wow Ms Prichard, you sure do pack a mean one"

She looked me square in the eyes, "I hope your company burns to the ground", then she turned and left.

Well that was fun.

*********************