1: The Problem

KHEENE'S POV

3 years later…

In the office. Read. Sign. Read. Sign. I just do it over and over again. My head and eyes hurt a little because of the amount of paper piled up on my desk.

'Argh! When will this end? '

I was just doing what I was doing when there was a sudden knock on the door.

"Come in." I said seriously and lowered the folder I was holding. My secretary came in and handed me a blue folder.

"What is this?" I asked then took the folder and opened it

Secretary Anj cleared his throat first before speaking, "that was the report from last month's sales. If you can see, our products dropped a lot last month than last year." He explained

I looked at the bar graph that was placed there. My eyes immediately widened when I saw that it was lowered a lot, from 88% to only 65%. How did this happen?

I looked at him. "What happened?" I asked

"According to Mr. Theodor, Mr. Do withdraw his investment here in the company." He said

I angrily dropped the folder I was holding on the table. I also loosened my necktie because I felt like I was suffocating.

'Why did he withdraw his investment? For what reason?'

I turned to Secretary Anj again. "Do you know the reason why he withdrew?" I asked

"As of now, sir we still don't know the main reason. He suddenly withdrew it and disappeared… like a bubble."

Because of Secretary Anj's answer, I was just shaken by the extreme annoyance. ‘It's so impossimble that he just left without any reason. Argh! '

"And, Sir Kheene. Ma'am Cuenco is outside. Shall I let her in?" Secretary Anj suddenly said. I frowned before nodding.

After Secretary Anj came out, I fixed myself first before I sit down, after a while the door opened again and my mom entered. She approached me with a smile and then tapped me on the shoulder.

"How's my son?" she asked me with a smile

I sighed before answering, "not fine."

"I heard the issue about Mr. Do." She said and sat down on the couch near my desk

"Yeah. He even kept up with my problems ..."

Mama smiled, "so, our company is facing a problem?"

I nodded. "Absolutely." I answered and then I stood up

"Are you stressed maybe?" she approached me and patted me again, but on my arm. "Why don't you leave for at least three days? Kheene, take a break. You immerse yourself too much in work." He says. I frowned at her.

'Take a break? I have a lot to fix here in the office, do I still have to take a day-off?'

"Ma! Are you kidding?" I smiled, "There's a big problem here in the company, can I still go on vacation?" I have a sarcastic question

Mom laughed. "I just noticed, Kheene. Since Sophie left you, you have immersed yourself in work. Before, you always take a day-off twice a month, but now, you didn't even come to our house to take a rest for just one day because you're always busy." She said. I was suddenly saddened and annoyed to hear the name of someone I wanted to forget. Sophie.

Sophie was my ex-girlfriend. We have been in a relationship for 3 years, she broke up with me because she chose her career more than me. Three years have passed but the pain she left is still here.

I just sighed and shook. 'Tss. I don't want to remember that. I easily feel annoyed whenever I remembered that —her…'

"Sophie has nothing to do with this, ma. I also don't want to talk about her or even hear her name." I said seriously. I stood up and faced the glass wall of this office to hide from my mother the growing irritation on my face

"Kheene, I'm just worried about you. It's been 2 years but I feel like you still can't move on with her." Mama said worriedly

'Tss. Who can immediately move on? You loved her for 3 years and then she just left you and traded you for ... Tss.'

"That's just your feeling, ma. I've been moving on with her for a long time." I lied

"Really? If you've already moved on, why don't you still introduce me to your new girl?" she asked jokingly

"Mom, are you kidding me? You know that I'm busy, you said earlier that I can't rest anymore. After all, you want me to date someone? Tss." I said

"Prove to me that you have already moved on with Sophie. Bring a girl in our house." She said, reason for me to look back at her. My eyes widened as I looked at her as my mouth slightly opened.

'What did mama eat today and that's how it came out of her mouth?'

"Mama, if I bring a woman in our house, I should choose the one who can help us here in the company and the one ... who should not leave me alone." I said seriously

I sat in the swivel chair, mama came up to me and hugged me from behind.

"Your separation from Sophie has really a big effect on you, isn't it?" she said and separated from me

I smiled, "I don't know, ma. I don't want to talk about her anymore." I said

She laughed because of what I said, "you're so bitter. All right, it's already late. I'm going home, come home too so you can rest for a long time." She said goodbye, she went to the couch and took her handbag, "I'll go first."

I approached her and opened the door for her. "Be careful, mama. I'll just fix something here, then I'll go home too."

She smiled, "All right. Drive safely. Bye." She said and left

I closed the door first and went back to the table, I arranged the papers that lay there. Then I took my things and car key, then left the office and went home.

When I got home I immediately fell on the sofa. I took off my coat and necktie and laid it on the table in front of me. I looked at the emptiness and thought of what my mother had said.

Maybe my mom is right, I am neglecting myself. But I have to work hard to get the company up, especially now that there is a problem. I will not let the company that my parents worked for collapse just because of Mr. Do.

Exhausted, I soon realized that I had fallen asleep. I could no longer eat and change my clothes.

***