The Best Friend's Contract novel Chapter 17

Aidan

As soon as I stop my car in front of my building, I immediately step out of the car to find Flynn anxiously making his way towards me—gripping hard onto his phone in his right hand and a file in the other. His eyes are drifting up to my face and down to my suit, making sure I'll be looking presentable for the meeting.

''Flynn,'' I stop walking to see his eyes widening as he turns to look at me, ''Did you have lunch?'' I ask, leaving him glancing down at his wrist watch before shaking his head, slowly. Both of his eyes are looking back at me yet it's as if he's too afraid of making an eye contact.

''I had to finish your work and I had to prepare the meeting,'' He replies before glancing down at his wrist watch, again. ''Mr. Ashton, is there something wrong? You're ten minutes late and people are already waiting for you to start the meeting,'' He continues to speak.

Within seconds, I've already reached out for a fifty dollar bill in my wallet before putting it in his hand which causes him to furrow his eyebrows in confusion. ''Do me a favour and spend that money on food,'' I say as he stands still, utterly speechless. ''Fully spend it. I don't accept changes.'' Then, I make my way towards the elevator after patting onto his shoulder, leaving him standing there, all by himself.

''But . . . Mr. Ashton!'' He turns to run after me.

I raise my right hand to wave at him as the elevator doors close, taking me to the floor I needed to be. Just as I walk down the hall, my employees are already making their way to do their work instead of chatting and talking to the other workers. Both of their eyes stare at me with respect as they let out a deep sigh, as soon as I've passed.

''Mr. Ashton, you're late.'' One of my employees say, pushing the door open for me as I am greeted by twelve gentlemen who had waited for my arrival.

''No. They were early,'' I reply before making my way towards my seat, gesturing for Oliver; the one who is presenting the company's stocks to begin. The lights are being turned off as he starts to talk, pointing at the screen up front—showing the amount of stocks have risen from last month which is an improvement.

Everyone are paying attention to the screen, not bothered to interrupt Oliver's explanation on making our stocks to rise even higher starting from next month. His explanation seems to have pulled me in for further interest, ''In my opinion, this can lessen the risk and then, we can have a better income. When the stocks rise, the percentage will, too.'' He says, nodding.

''What about our finance company in Australia?'' I ask, causing him to stop talking, immediately. People are turning to look at me before turning to look at Oliver again, who seemed to be caught in between—he clears his throat, trying to figure out an explanation.

''Their money currency, uh,'' He stops talking, ''We haven't figured out further details about the company in Australia as it is being handled by your brother, Alain Ashton. He has kept the financial details to himself and it has not yet been shared,'' He adds, making me nod.

Just like that, I begin to stand up before pointing at the screen—starting to see the flaws in his presentation. ''You do know that we have to worry about Dubai and Italy, right? If we raise the percentage here in New York . . . don't you think it'll affect the interest there?'' My question seems to have silence everyone from pointing out any further details.

''As of my brother, it is also your job to keep up with him. If he refuses to share any further detail as he might think of it as a threat to his . . . commitment, then you can try harder. There's nothing wrong with how you present on raising the stocks by next month but I don't like how you neglect the other finance companies we have in different countries,'' I continue to speak, ''You can come back and set another meeting as soon as you've earned the details I need,''

''But, Mr. Ashton . . . your brother is impossible to talk to,'' Oliver says, looking at me with slight hesitation yet I appreciate the bravery he holds—something an employee should have.

That's why I enjoy his company.

''Do whatever you can to make sure that they're all out of my sight,'' I say before turning on the laptop, pressing my palms onto my desk as I see him quickly opening the door to take one food at a time, placing them all on his desk in his cubicle.

''I'm really sorry, Mr. Ashton. If you would only just give me a second to clear these out,'' He replies as he grabs onto the boxes of donuts before placing them on his desk—leaving me stand and play with the pen in my hand, waiting for him to take them, one by one.

Minutes have passed and finally, he has already cleared out the whole amount of food in my office before closing the door behind him—leaving me, all by myself with an uncountable amount of work to be finished which I have left hanging for the past couple of days. Just as I'm about to go through the files, the sound of my phone ringing, interrupts me.

''Aidan Gabriel Ashton!'' I immediately pull the phone away from my ear at the sound of my mother shouting through the other line, ''I thought I raised you better than leave your mother, your future mother-in-law and your sister hanging. We waited for you and we even called but you didn't even consider to pick up the phone! I called Flynn and he told me you were in a meeting . . . which you could've told us,'' She continues to speak as I let out a deep sigh.

''Mother, I'm working.'' I reply.

''Yeah, how about I ask your brother to take over the company in New York, too? How does that sound?'' Her voice sounded serious as I begin to pinch the bridge of my nose, closing my eyes in order to control the annoyance I'm currently feeling, spreading all over my body.