Chapter 5: "Yes, you, the fat guy with the even fatter finger..."

"Yes yes, you, that guy! You'll go to jail now. Don't you know how serious it is to make fake rape accusations against an upstanding member of the society? Faking evidence, coercing a minor, abusing set minor into falsely accusing someone of rape…I'm sure the law can deal with you just fine. In case it can't however…" pictures started appearing over the video screen. It was the fat man being roughed up by a bunch of angry looking big guys. They looked like loansharks or close to it.

"Meet my new friends. I heard you gave them the slip last time and they're really not happy about it."

He blanched. His life was over and he knew it. It was either jail or sleeping at the bottom of the river; and he liked being alive.

DuVagne finally regained some of his senses and tried to speak.

"I don't know who you are, but you have no business in here. You should be arrested for hacking into the company. Someone call the police!" the room was silent. Clearly no one was listening to what he was saying.

Desperate he started shouting : " Did you hear me?! This is all fake, call the police"

The creepy voice was heard again: "Why should I be arrested for joining a meeting in my own company? " silence again. Some of the participants now looked like they were about to faint.

"I do agree however someone should call the police, these people are wasting my time. Is there a law against that?!"

The CEO finally recovered his senses and took over.

"No madam, I'm afraid there isn't but we can certainly try to pass one." She laughed again in the comfort of her living room and the creepy voice echoed it through the speakers.

"I'll leave it to you Cedric, I'm late for my mani-pedi appointment" the call cut off. Everyone was left astonished at the scene. Robert DuVagne was fuming 'that bitch! Late for her manicure appointment?! How dare she?! He was a DuVagne, his word carried a lot of weight in the business world!' just as he was thinking that, 5 armed police officers walked into the room. "Robert DuVagne you are under arrest on suspicion of fraud, embezzling and illegal money laundering." Gasps could be heard around the room. These were very serious charges.

She closed her laptop with a sigh. 'silly people not knowing their place in the world'. Whatever, she had more important things to deal within her day, and no, that did not include a mani-pedi. She remembered fondly that was Victor's favourite shut up line before things got too catty with their so-called friends.

' Can't talk right now, I'm late for a mani-pedi appointment' he loved to say. Always got him the best looks of disbelief. If only he could see her now. Alas, Vic was probably on some random shopping spree or brunch or whatever he did at 10 in the morning.

On the other side of the city, Vic started sneezing. The nail technician smiled at him as she was working on his manicure. He was actually getting a mani-pedi and a spa facial treatment. How fitting…

It was now 11AM in the morning and she still didn't make it in the lab. Today was less than ideal. Just as she was about to finally put on her lab coat and head in for her work, the phone ringed again.

'What was it this time?!' she thought, with an exasperated sigh. ' I cannot catch a break today…'.

"Madam, Sir Victor is on the line, should I connect the call?" her faithful assistant said while holding her 3rd cup of coffee of the day. She felt like she needed it. Coffee was life.

"It's fine, I'll take the call".

Before she could even finish the sentence, a hyperactive high pitched voice could be heard through the living room speakers.

"Daaaaarling, you won't believe what I heard!!!" Victor sounded very enthusiastic, like he could jump a mile in the air.

'Who lit a fire under his bum?!' she wondered. She didn't respond waiting for him to finish. There was no point, he would soon start talking over her and even if she added anything in, he probably wouldn't listen.

"Remember my faaaavourit author?! The one who wrote those romance novels I'm obsessed with?!! OMG she's in town!!! OMG she's doing a book signing. Daaaaaarling we have to go!!! Please please!!!! We have to goooooo!!!"

She could hear her own eye roll at this point.

"Victor I'm busy, you know Fridays are for research, I don't have time…" she was interrupted by a loud squeak ' Was he crying?!'

"Pleaaase daaarling, you have to come with me!!! It's the IT event of the week! We must go!!"

She sighed, inwardly cursing the day she decided to be friends with him. If he wasn't such a great friend, her only normal friend, she really would toss him out on his butt.

He won, the wailing sounds and the pleading were non stop. If only he would shut up,

"Fine, what time?"

"Omg omg you won't believe this!! It's happening right now!! I'll meet you there in 30 minutes!!! We have to go daaaarling, it's my dream!!"

He had too many dreams for her to keep up with. Everything he wanted was a dream, and she would be the villain for not allowing him to fulfil his dreams.

"Ok, fine text me address".

He squeaked again and hung up. This was too much, but she didn't have the heart to tell him.

"Madam, I'm sorry to interrupt" Dominic said in his usual story-telling voice. Victor picked it. He said there is nothing sexier than a man with a story-teller's voice, whatever that meant.

"Go ahead"

"Mr Victor sent a text message with the address. He also added three 'XOs' at the end of the text and a reminder to 'wear something nice'".

She sighed again, ' really what was wrong with jeans and converse?!'.

"Thank you Dominic, that is all for the today, you can retire to your tasks now".