17.Punishment and reward

Angela looked up when her office door swung open and Adrian walked in. He was the only guard in her employee who did not quake in fear at the sight of her, something she found amusing. "Make yourself comfortable," she said her eyes lowering to take a final look at the document on her desk before closing the file with an annoyed flick. "You are intelligent," she said without preamble not really a question but an observation. "Tell me Adrian what am I?"

Adrian was silent for a few seconds trying to think if an honest answer would be more beneficial than a dishonest one. "You are Angela Anjala, one of the richest women in Africa and the most influential woman within the East Africa region. You are also the head of one of the five families in Kenya."

She chuckled, "I thought you would pretend not to know who I am. After all I am sure you came to find me after you found out what I am and what I can do," she replied.

"I might be many things but not suicidal," he replied nonchalantly.

"That I am aware of," she said leaning back on her seat. "I despise lies and tried to avoid them as much as possible when I was young. But my black and white view of lies changed drastically one day and I realised some lies are necessary."

"I lie when I must," Adrian said his face stoic as usual with no sign of emotion in sight.

"What did you feel for Elizabeth?"

Adrian was silent caught off guard by the question, "I thought it was love maybe foolish love that people confuse with familial love for people who are not family."

Angela leaned forward folding her hands on her desk and looked curiously at him, "Is that right?" she asked amused, "So is it the same kind you feel for Shirleen?" she asked, "Foolish love?" Adrian looked into her eyes and refused to answer making her smile wider, "Love is the only thing that can destroy any strong human being. It is a curse and a blessing." The door flew open savagely and Adrian quickly looked at the door. Angela took her time before finally raising her eyes to meet the guest's furious gaze. "You selfish, self-centred excuse of a bitch," Lucy, her second cousin stood at the open door looking ready to choke the life out of her. Angela's smile disappeared, "Now, now cousin no need for name calling. Let's talk like civilized people. I am sure you can manage to be civilized for an hour maybe two."

"Civilized?" Lucy shrieked advancing into the room.

"My family must have received my punishment for the stunt they pulled at the Regency," Angela observed looking past Lucy to Stacey who had followed the furious woman into her mistress' office. Stacey nodded once in confirmation.

"You have no respect for this family," Lucy shouted. Angela watched her as if she was a performing monkey for her entertainment at the circus.

"You were all aware that for what you did there would be punishments from me as the head of this family. Sometimes I think this family forgets I was raised by the most ruthless man in the continent."

"I see you are following in his footsteps very well. How immensely proud he will be of you," Lucy said sarcastically leaning over the desk her eyes full of malice. "I guess that is why your child died at birth. Which child would want a woman like you for a mother?" The whole room went so silent you could hear a pin drop. Angela's hand whipped forward as she stood and wrapped around Lucy's neck like a vice tightening until she could barely breathe. "Say that again," Angela said pure malice in her eyes, "I dare you." Lucy tried to claw at the hand wrapped around her neck slowly cutting off her air supply. She squeaked something unintelligible and when Angela just carefully raised her brow, Lucy managed to say one word, "Sorry." Angela held on for a few seconds more before she released her pushing her to the floor. Lucy fell clutching at her throat coughing and wheezing. Angela looked at Adrian and said, "Get her out of my sight before I have her killed." Stacey closed the door behind them and approached Angela who had opened the drawer at the bottom of her desk and pressed releasing a false compartment and lifted out an old photo. "Make the punishment worse," Angela said placing the photo back, "Much worse."

Adrian watched the young woman seated across from him at the café, coffee mugs in front of them. She had not spoken a word since he had helped her out of Angela's office. Lucy sat watching the mug of coffee her eyes moist. "I hate my family," she said coarsely due to her sore throat. "We have always been prone to violence. I don't think we can even be called a family. Being born into money is the worst fate a person can experience."

"I remember we were in high school together," Adrian said softly feeling sorry for the defeated looking woman. "You were not only the popular girl but guys used to say you had a princess complex."

She chuckled, "I have always had a princess complex my father made sure of it. You liked my princess complex well enough to want to date me back then." She raised her head a smile on her face, "You are working at the Security Company?" she asked. He nodded in confirmation. "You look really good. You have definitely changed since high school."

"We all have changed since then," he replied with a smile.

"You are taller and broader," she observed looking him over. "Are you dating anyone these days?"

He was silent for a while as his thoughts drifted to Shirleen and his lips tilted in a smile, "I know that look on your face very well. She must be special," she said softly, and he nodded, "I have to go I am late for an appointment with my father. When you have time again let us have coffee." He watched her leave wondering if she will survive a war with Angela Asenwa. For Angela neither played or fought to lose nor did she play or fight fair. Whatever secret she was trying to hide from the whole world is making her quite an opponent. He was coming to respect her ruthlessness.