The Billionaire's Secret Lover novel Chapter 88

I kept checking the phone time after time expecting Nina to return any of my calls but nothing yet and I have dialled her number like sixty times already. I'm so scared right now. What could have happened to her? She hadn't done this before? Or did Deborah get to her already?

“ Are you even listening to us, sir?” 

I came out of my thoughts to see my newly appointed managers looking at me with shock on their faces. 

I have forgotten that I was in a Zoom meeting with my managers. Actually, it was supposed to be a live meeting but that stupid secretary of mine has forgotten to send a message to them last night to be here in New York today.

“ I am, what were you saying?” I asked them as I dropped the phone in my hands. I was tempted to check her at home but my schedule was jam-packed. I can't leave...

“ Hotel Italia's account isn't balanced and I'm scared of taking over and being accused of embezzling the company's fund” Mr Alonzo replied, he was the newly appointed manager who would manage Thompson's Hotels in Italy.

“ Damn! Not again. Why is that hotel's account not always balanced? First was with Leonardo now it's Alexander” I cursed into the laptop which was in front of me. I don't want to deal with any of these right now. I just want to find my wife! I shouted in my mind.

“ I'll have the financial department look into it, any other problem?” I asked them already, signalling to my secretary who stood in front of my table taking note of the meeting to call the head of the financial department for me.

“ Nothing at the moment,” Mr Alonzo replied, shaking his head as he glanced through the paper in his hands.

“ Speak for yourself, Alonzo” Mr Damien retorted angrily at Alonzo. I nodded at him to ask his question, he was the new Director of Thompson's Hospitals.

“ Sir, most of the equipment in the hospitals are outdated, we need newer fashion to aid surgery and ______” 

“ What is the estimated budget or didn't you do that?” I asked him, cutting him off from his babbling. Any other day, I would have patiently waited for him but today, I just wanted to round everything up and go home to my wife.

“ It is a hundred million dollars” Mr Damien replied as he pulled his white coat nearer to his body in fear while others shouted at him in anger trying to tell him that the money was too much 

Any other time I would have questioned that money but right now, I was in a hurry which was why I just approved the budget without thinking “ That's okay. I will have the accounting department forward the money to the company's account by tomorrow. Have a nice day gentlemen”

They were about to protest but I didn't give them the chance to, I slammed the laptop shut just as my door opened, ushering in my secretary. Another thing I hated her for, she doesn't knock before coming in. She enters anywhere like she owned the fucking place and I don't like that. 

“ I have given them the file, sir,” She told me as she came to stand in front of me going through her notepad in her hands.

 I nodded at her as I picked up my phone and dial Nina's number again, it rang and rang before going to voicemail.

“ Sir, you have a meeting now with your father and the investors. They are waiting in the conference room” My secretary told me, I couldn't help glaring at her. Can't she see that I'm in no mood for the meeting? But I needed to go seeing that my father was around, I wouldn't want him to think that I'm slacking on my responsibility because of Nina.

“ Okay, let's go,” I told her reluctantly, already getting off my chair. I buttoned up my jacket and walked out of my office while she followed behind me with my briefcase in her hands.

                                         ***

I walked into the conference room to see my dad and two other men I assume as the investors already seated. I took my seat at the head of the table and turned to look at the large screen ahead of me where the projector was mounted and Chris, who was in charge of the new contract. He was already there preparing to start the meeting.

“ Let's have it, Chris,” I told him motioning to him to start after I was through greeting my fathers and the investors.

“ Casinos are the biggest and richest business in the country right now especially when it's in______”

“ Casinos? Really, dad” I turned to dad in shock, cutting Chris off as he was already showing the different casino games and their various places with the estimated income one would make.

“ Just listen to the presentation, Michael. I guarantee you that you'll love it” Dad told me, motioning to Chris to go on.

“ Las Vegas is one of the biggest cities with numerous players and________”

I tuned out of their presentation and secretly dial Nina's number again but just like always it rang before going into voicemail. What could have possibly happened to her? Is she alright?

“ That's all with the meeting. What do you think about the idea, Mr Thompson?” Chris asked me, about thirty minutes later when he was through with his presentation.

I turned my eyes away from the screen in front of me to the man who stood on the podium with a smile on his face awaiting my praise for a job well done.

My face went blank for a few minutes as I tried to recognize the man in front of me. A flicker of recognition passed through my eyes, I smiled as I stood up clapping my hands excitedly.

“ Wow!! Good job, Chris” I complimented him with a smile as I shook his hands. I can't believe I was so caught up in my thoughts about Nina that I forgot everything and everyone. Dad was right, the casino business is a must go into for us.

“Let's have the office in Las Vegas then,” I told dad who nodded before turning to communicate something to the investors. I checked the time to see that it was nearly two p.m.