BXBX NOVEL Chapter 134 - That Spot Is Taken
"I will find out, and let you know at once," His assistant said to him before walking away quickly to get the answer.
Mr. Wyatt who was seated on the chair positioned at the head of the table, stood up when Tom approached him, "We have been waiting for you," he said with a polite smile as he stretched out his hand to shake Tom.
"I hope we didn't keep you waiting for too long?" Tom asked politely as he shook the man's hand.
"You didn't."
"I'm glad. So, can we start now? We have other appointments to attend to after we leave here," Tom said as he took out the seat next to Mr. Wyatt and lowered himself on it.
Although he was the owner of the airline now and had every right to sit at the head of the table, he also understood that this was the old man's last day in the company, and as such, it wouldn't hurt to let him remain at the head of the table. Besides, they were doing the official handover, so it would be weird for the person who was handing over to him to sit anywhere other than the head of the table.
The other directors and staff in the meeting hall took Tom's gesture as a go-ahead for them to sit down too, so they all sat down after Mr. Wyatt was seated.
Harry went around the table to sit down directly opposite Tom so that they could maintain eye contact through the meeting period, while Lucy stood behind Tom not knowing where to sit since this wasn't the company where she worked, and she didn't know what was expected from her here.
As if reading her mind, Tom turned to her, "You should sit down next to me," he instructed as he reached out with his hand, and pulled out the last unoccupied seat on the table.
"That spot is taken," Mr. Wyatt hurried to point out since the plan was for Anita to sit beside Tom, and that was the reason no one else had dared to take that seat.
"Yes, it is. By my assistant," Tom said bluntly, as he jerked his head to Lucy who was still standing to sit down.
Lucy reluctantly sat down, wondering why the CEO was being this way with her. Was it because his brother had asked him to look out for her? Didn't he realize that he was making her uncomfortable and putting her in a difficult position by paying extra attention to her and making it seem like he favored her? Knowing the way people gossiped, she was certain that if care was not taken, rumors were soon going to start flying around that she was having an affair with him, and she didn't want something like that to happen.
Mr. Wyatt's lips were set in a thin line as he looked at Lucy with disapproval while wondering who she was, and why Tom was going against him so openly just because of her. Before he could comment on it his assistant returned to his side and bent down to whisper into his ear, "Mr. Hank sent her to get them drinks."
"Drinks?" Mr. Wyatt asked, trying not to sound upset. Why would Tom choose to humiliate his niece in that manner? Of everyone he had met at the entrance why did he choose to send her on that sort of an errand?
"Yes, sir." His personal assistant said, and Mr. Wyatt waved him away dismissively as he turned to look at Tom with a forced smile.
"You didn't introduce the young lady with you. I know Mr. Harry, but I don't know her," Mr. Wyatt said, and Tom nodded.
"My apologies. This is my personal assistant Miss Lucinda Perry," Tom said, and looked at the man, as though daring him to speak further.
As far as Tom was concerned his business with the man was done and dusted, and the man had no right to question him. The only reason he was here doing this with him was that he wanted to honor the man's request. He understood that it wouldn't be easy for one to easily let go of one's Company as a result of financial reasons, so he was trying to make it all as easy as possible for the old man.
"I see, but shouldn't she be seated at..."
Seeing that the old man was bent on being difficult, Tom looked away from him and looked around the table. "Since everyone is here, we should start the meeting," Tom suggested even though he knew that Anita was yet to return from the errand he had sent her.
"We can't start yet since one of the directors is not here yet. I was informed you sent her to get you something to quench your thirst, so we can't proceed without her," Mr. Wyatt said with a stiff smile since he was offended that Tim had cut him off so rudely.
The door opened before Tom could say anything and Anita who was sweating profusely walked into the meeting room as graciously as she could while carrying three cold cans of coca-cola on a tray. She clenched her teeth together when she saw Lucy was seated on her spot beside the CEO. She pasted a smile on her face as she walked directly to where Tom was seated and placed the tray in front of him, before standing by his side.
"You sure took your sweet time to get here. Are you always so slow or today is just special?" Tom asked as he took one of the cans and passed it to Lucy, before throwing one to Harry, surprising the others on the table who didn't expect such a carefree action from the CEO.
Most of the people on the table, including Lucy couldn't help wondering what Anita must have done wrong to deserve such treatment from the CEO. Why was he picking on her?
Anita spared a glance at her Uncle whose lips were set in a thin line. It was obvious to her that he was very angry with Tom's ill-treatment of her, and she knew that her mother would have a fit if she heard that her daughter had been subjected to the duty of a messenger, and treated this way in the presence of others.
"I'm not a fan of Coca-Cola, do you mind getting me something else? Water, perhaps?" Tom asked Anita who was still standing there, and Harry's lips twitched in amusement at Tom's pettiness. Harry looked around the hall to see what the others thought about Tom's callousness, but from the glint in their eyes, it seemed like they were all enjoying themselves, and the only people who seemed remotely upset by Tom's behavior was Lucy who was looking at her leg, and Mr. Wyatt whose countenance had changed, and his face was ruddy.
"My assistant will get you whatever you need. We should proceed with the meeting now that she is here as you already mentioned that you have somewhere to be after now," Mr. Wyatt said, making Tom raise a brow.
"Is there a particular reason you don't want her to get me what I want? Isn't she under my payroll now?" Tom asked, reminding Mr. Wyatt that this was no longer his company even though he was seated at the head of the table, and as such he should know his place.
Seeing how her Uncle was about to be humiliated because of her, Anita quickly spoke up, "I will get the water," she said with a smile as she picked up the tray to leave with the last can of drink, but Tom was quick to snatch the drink.
"Don't worry about it. I guess I will just have to manage this since I have to be somewhere after now, and I can't wait all day for you to get what I need," Tom said dismissively making Anita grit her teeth in annoyance. If he had known he could manage the drink, why then had he asked her to get him water? Was he trying to humiliate her? Why? She couldn't recall meeting him anywhere or doing anything wrong to him, so what was this about?
Anita gave him a polite nod before she signaled to her secretary who was seated with the other assistants at one end of the hall to take the tray from her.
She returned to where Lucy was seated and tapped her arm gently, "You are on my seat," Anita said with a stiff smile, as she expected Lucy to go sit with the other secretaries and assistants instead of being on the same table with her.
Lucy picked up her handbag, ready to stand up, but Tom placed his hand on her arm to stop her, "You sit where I ask you to. She doesn't have a seat on this table unless I say so. This is no longer a family-run company, are we clear on that?" Tom asked, looking at Lucy even though the message was meant for Anita and her uncle.
Having said that he turned to Anita, "Seeing as there is no empty seat on the table, you can sit with the assistants as no one will be leaving their seats for you."
Both Anita and Mr. Wyatt were surprised to know that he was aware of the relationship between them.
This made Mr. Wyatt even more upset. If he knew Anita was his niece, why was he going out of his way to embarrass her?
Lucy on the other hand fidgeted in her seat and she cursed herself for asking Sonia to tell Bryan about their friendship.. If only she hadn't done that, the CEO wouldn't have been doing all of this to her, or would he? Here she was trying to avoid stepping on Anita's wrong foot at all cost, yet it seemed like the CEO was bent on feeding her to the shark.