A Stolen Kiss From THE CEO!

129 Vilification

Leon chuckled grimly at Rodriguez’s statement. His inner being was fueled with rage that was screaming to be set free. His muscles stiffened and he clenched his jaw in fury as some stakeholders voiced out their displeasure.

A mature-looking man whose age range fell within sixty to seventy years said something that irked Leon the most. In his opinion, he called Leon a small boy who was still learning the values of life. He said that Rex was way out of his mind to put the entire future of the empire in the hands of a kid.

There and then, Leon chose the mature-looking man as his first target. He planned on mailing butchered parts of the man’s body to all those who had dared to disregard him.

On the other side, Rodriguez was fuming in rage. It never occurred to him that Rex would choose his young son to rule over mature, intellectual, and proficient men.

‘If Rex wanted a spot for his son, he could have given him a background position where he could watch the adults plan the future of the empire. Unfortunately, Rex has just dug his son’s early grave by naming him as his successor. There’s going to be a bloody war if this small boy is chosen over me.’ Rodriguez concluded in his thoughts.

“The voting process is going to be simple, free, and fair,” Maxwell said in a placid voice. I’ll be calling on Tiana, our secretary to handle the counting and collation of votes.”

“Tiana, please come forward,” Maxwell instructed.

“Yes, sir,” Tiana stood up and walked over to Maxwell.

“You will be the one coordinating the voting process. These are the names of the interested candidates. Simply call out the names and let everyone in this room vote for them. Then take note of the number each candidate scores at the end of the election process.”

.....

“Are the candidates allowed to vote for themselves, sir?” Tiana asked in a slightly frightened voice. She was trembling in fear as some deadly pairs of eyes were scowling at her as though she was Rex.

“Certainly, Tiana, each candidate is allowed to vote for himself.”

“Okay, thanks for the clarification, sir.” Tiana tried to smile amidst her terrified state. “Gentleman, please all those in favor of Mr. Rodriguez Sacramento, kindly signify by raising your hands.”

Seven stakeholders raised their hands at first but when Rodriguez gave an opposite member a piercing look, the mature-looking man quickly raised a trembling hand.

“1,2,3....8. Eight persons voted for Mr. Rodriguez Sacramento,” Tiana announced out loud.

The room was instantly filled with an ear-deafening commotion as everyone quickly did the mathematics and discovered that eleven individuals were yet to vote.

Rodriguez was about to stand and say something but Maxwell instinctively stood up and commanded him to sit down in a fierce voice.

“Until the election is over and the result is announced, no one is permitted to interrupt the process. “I dare anyone to go against my instruction.” Maxwell’s eyes were bloodshot as he earnestly prayed for someone to challenge his authority.

Unfortunately for Maxwell, everyone quickly complied and comported themselves. Some of them have been privileged to witness Maxwell’s monstrous outburst. Hence, no one wanted to lose their life recklessly.

“Tiana, please carry on,” Maxwell said in a slightly frustrated voice.

“Thank you, sir,” Tiana forced out a smile. Her heart was drumming nonstop as she foresaw the outcome of the election. She knew that Mr. Rodriguez would not humbly take his defeat. She could also feel the imminent bloodbath. “This is the best time to resign. I think my service to the empire is long overdue,” she mused incoherently.

“All those in favor of Mr. Leon Treshvire, please raise your hand,” Tiana’s hands quivered as she counted; 1,2,3.....11. Eleven persons voted for Mr. Leon Treshvire.

Tiana hurriedly handed over the results of the election to Maxwell and briskly walked back to her seat for fear of being impaled by so many glaring eyes.

Maxwell stood up, smiling devilishly at some heads that were bowed in humiliation. However, Rodriguez was spewing invisible thunder and lightning with his ferocious glares.

Maxwell was unperturbed by his glares as he made the announcement. “Without further ado, it gives me great pleasure to announce that the chairman of this honorable empire is no other one than my brilliant nephew, Leon.”

A hand of applause erupted from all those who voted for Leon, while others started whispering their displeasure.

“Since the election is over and the announcement is made, I think it’s time I air my mind about the derision of this prestigious empire. It might sound amusing to some of us, however putting the little boy in charge of....”

“Enough of your vilification, old man,” Leon thundered in the most frightening voice as he stood up. “If you have nothing intelligible to say in this auspicious gathering, sit down and shut that hole in your face before I make you to. If you feel too depressed to listen to your new chairman, then get the hell out of here. You can put a bullet through your brains for all I care.”

For a moment, there was an eerie silence, which made some individuals hold their breath. It was as though a more terrifying personality of Rex was in their midst.

Even though Leons was a very young man when compared to older men in the conference room, his authority was fiercer than that of Rex and Maxwell put together. There was something sinister in the way he commanded everyone’s attention with just a few words.

Rodriguez stood, frozen for a while before he recollected his senses. “Did this little animal just shun me,” he questioned his rampaging mind as rage blinded his eyes. He clenched and unclenched his fist as the word, kill, kill, kill, engulfed his brain. He chuckled bitterly before replying to Leon.

“We shall see, new chairman!” Rodriguez spared one last threatening glance at all those that voted for Leon before storming out of the conference room.

“Mr chairman I think this is not the right way to start or address you members.” One of Rodriguez’s ardent supporters spoke up. This was also the person who had earlier called Leon a kid. “If your father were here...”

BANG!

BANG!!

BANG!!!

“Who else has something smart to say to me?” The hibernating demon in Leon was finally unleashed.