Chapter 23: Sugar is his Weakness

I peek out slightly through the desk and found him standing opposite looking into the pile of papers sprawled onto the side table, Immediately I grab the file and stretch my hand over the desk and put it there and squeeze back to my small place. Something pins on my shoulder and I look at the source and found a key dangling over a small hook.

A smile appeared on my face. And here I was thinking how stupid I was. Not so smart being the owner of the food chain. Huh.

"What? I thought I looked there... How did it get here?" I stifle a laugh.

"Sugar does something to me, eating doughnuts wasn't good idea after all."

So sugar is his weakness?

"What the... how did my lovely daisies fell down?" My head jerks in front of me and I see a flower pot fallen down with a flower squashed on the carpet.

Ouch... I'm so sorry.

Oh no!

He is nearing!

Nononoo!

Stop right there! Please!

I squeeze more tightly in the small place which doesn't even seem possible if I say

Almighty save me! please!

"Boss shall I bring our new caramelized coffee for the guests? With honey tarts?" I hear Sabrina call through the door and slowly hear his steps retreating. I release a small sigh.

Thanks Almighty.

"I'll tell you lets go" the footsteps fades and the door shuts behind. I do a small dance in my head for the victory I just achieved by not getting caught

Click.

What was that?

I slowly move from the small space. I peek slightly and when I found the coast clear I come outside. I look at the key with a smug smile on my face and knelt towards the drawer and struggle with opening and searching them.

After I opened the last, third drawer in the row, I finally found something. It consisted of stashes of files in a box each having a small note hanging out which describes the genre of the files.

Financial records.

Bank statement.

Insurance.

Receipts.

Employee data.

.

.

.

.

I skipped most of the files when my eyes landed on the file which was worth looking into.

Private Data.

I take the file out and glance at it for a while. I stood up immediately and went for the door. I turn the knob and it got stuck half way. I tried opening it again but nothing happened.

Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!

He locked me inside!

What am I going to do now?!

Before panic could grip me, I started taking deep breaths.

Okay I need to think and fast.

I looked around the room and saw the window in the wall which connected from outside. I went to it and made an attempt to open it but it was sealed from outside. I grunt internally.

I guess, I'm stuck here with the file now.

I went to the desk again with the file in my hand, plopped down and went inside the small space again and started reading it.

Minutes later, I'm half way through the file and yawning. I didn't find anything out of the ordinary although my knowledge about the cafe increased.

Well, turns out that the cafe is just but a small part of the company. The company named SILLA's running a vast number of businesses and The Summer Delight is not just a cafe but a whole wide spread chain across the country. It's major revenues are earned from major cities such as Sanzua it self and similarly SILLA is running yet another big chain of the country that is the garment company under the name of 'Malcov'.

While shuffling through the file a small piece of cut news paper falls out. And the news published was in 1969, just a year before. A blur picture of two people shaking hands together while looking into the camera.

I focus on the picture and notice one of the guy is Samuel.

Half an hour later I'm busy searching more files frantically and found a bunch of cut pieces of news papers which are sprawled across the little space.

"What am I getting into..." I mumble looking at the stash of files as I slowly put back everything back to it's place and sit back in the corner, folding my legs to my chest.

I repeat everything I've studied through the files and I can't stop thinking about it.

It's a very big mess and it's going to get bigger.

I have to be more tact from now if I'm going to do this.

I'll take any step to get to you brat. I promise.

I close my eyes and release a breath and lean my head behind. Suddenly I hear the door flutter open and my head jolts up.

I don't hear manly footsteps instead I hear sandal heels clanking against the wooden floor. I squeeze as tight as I could in that small place, not wanting to be found out but still curious about the strange existence in the room.

I badly wanted to peek at the person, strolling through the room but I held the feeling and just prayed of getting out safe.

Still... Who was the person? And how come they had the key to the room when boss was so rough on locking it.

It didn't take long to hear the answer to my thoughts.

"You got the signature from him?" I hear Samuel say in a stern voice. The most business like I have heard him ever.

"Certainly did boss." Replied the woman. "But I've things to discuss that are forth coming."

"Delay it till tomorrow."

"It's Urgent boss." The lady sounded adamant.

"I've had urgent enough for today Melisa."

"Boss.... It's from him." No one said anything for awhile. Although I couldn't connect anything but still their conversation made me curious. I wanted to know who were they talking about, what were they talking about, what was the meeting about, and what it really means to be urgent.

"Damn it!" He sounds exhausted "We have to get hold of the girl soon" I hear his steps moving out of the room which were followed by the clanking of heels.

I release a breath when I hear the door shut behind their steps. I wait in my place to make sure no one comes back.

What girl were they talking about? What were they planning? What was the meeting about? I was curious to death and it grew stronger after every passing second.

I stand up and quickly check if the door is unlocked and luckily it was half way open. I peek outside the door and found the corridor completely empty.

I slowly made way towards my locker from where I picked my bag and went for the door outside.

I carefully watched my way to outside, as soon the cold wind struck my face, I release a sharp breath which I didn't knew I was holding for so long.

I ran past the cafe not looking back even the slightest bit. When I reached home without even looking for my aunt, I hurriedly went inside my room.

I threw my bag on the edge of the bed and slumped down on it.

I stare blankly on the roof ceiling as the fan moved in circular motion. I could hear my own heavy breaths coming out of my agape mouth. Then I remember of what I found in the files, even though pieces of information they were but still quite revoking.

Long before Samuel, the lead chain of the cafe Summer Delight was under general manager Cameron Wizawoski voted out by the head directors of SILLA. Under his control the chain made quite profit throughout the country but later he decided to globalize the chain.

Not long the decision was foreseen to be unproductive when the first few international franchises faced damages due to health issues arising within the specified areas of the franchises.

The public accused the food of the cafe to be inedible and soon the public started protest against it, the protest against the cafe lead local public to accuse several other international brands. The profit generated from the cafe chain soon started to decline as the cost out balanced the revenue.

To save the international chain Cameron took quality control decision and balanced the budget through debts. The debts increased but none was the result to reduce the adverse impact. The company reputation was hurt which was effecting the local businesses as well.

Cameron Wizawoski found dead in his room.

Ink blotched across the carpeted floor as the good man slept on his chair for the rest of his life. The young man not anymore with us, may his soul rest in peace.

1962, Did Cameron actually suicide?

Mrs. Cameron: He was a wise man, he couldn't even hurt a fly. He knew he'll hurt me more than anything if he left me behind like this. He did not suicide, I tell you.

Was Cameron a coward or a fighter? The mystery remains unsolved

SILLA welcomes the new managing director Mr. Samuel Fernandez of the café Summer Delights

Mr. Samuel shares his condolence with the Cameron family

SILLA successfully fights through its debts. Samuel a new hero for SILLA!

1968, once again an emerging company.

I blink my eyes as I remember the news I found on cut pieces of newspaper.

According to the news Cameron suicide to save himself from the pressure he was under by the company. Before he poisoned himself he left a note for his family to apologize for what he was doing. He accepted his failure as a man in life and he was willing to die with it. He then wanted nothing more than a peaceful death. He accepted that he had lost the ability to think straight which wasn't very wise for him in a way.

After his suicide, Summer Delight appointed a new MD, Samuel Fernandez. The company in his under didn't take long to reach back to stability.

But the question still hangs in my mind. Did Cameron Actually suicide?

'You don't know how much I've done to reach this place' I remember Samuel's words which confuse me even more.

I wanted to learn more about the event, more about the company and more about the forthcoming things. But I won't ask anything from Samuel.

Because first, I have to investigate on my own.