55. Lessons learnt

"Miss Mokeira," Shirleen' personal assistant's voice drifted to her through the intercom, "A Mr. Henry Rao Serro is here to see you. He didn't make an appointment but he is quite adamant that what he wishes to speak to you about is important." Shirleen paused in surprise at the mention of the name. She pressed the intercom button on her end and said simply, "Send him in." The door opened and Rao stepped inside. He was dressed immaculately in a black suit accompanied by polished Italian leather shoes. He looked like he enjoyed enough time in the gym judging by his lean frame. According to most of the women population in Kenya they considered him handsome for his thirty-eight years of age. "Miss Mokeira," he said enthusiastically stretching his hand out for her to shake. She looked at the hand for a few seconds before she leaned back in her seat, folded her hands beneath her breasts and looked at him straight in the eye letting the awkwardness stretch. She wanted to see how he would react at that insult she had just given him. She saw the glint of fury glitter in his eyes and his lip curled just a bit. "I initially wanted to speak to Angela Asenwa but I am told she will be away for a month and that you are taking over her position. I didn't expect you to be so young."

Shirleen smiled amused, "Do you have a point to make? Or are you going to continue speaking nonsense," she said. She could see this man was cold and would do anything to achieve his goals. He indeed was not a man to mess with but compared to her Adrian he looked like a small kitten with claws out. He sat down on one of the seats, "Did I ask you to seat?" Shirleen asked softly her smile disappearing. "Get the fuck up and talk while standing. If you can't do that get out of my office," she said leaning forward her hands on the desk. She knew what he wanted to speak to Angela about. His company's stock had plummeted down and he was literally bleeding dry. The anti-corruption department was breathing down his neck and the Kenya Revenue Authority had found out about his aversion to paying taxes and hiding his assets. The Revenue Authority alone was claiming from him a total of one billion of unpaid taxes. He was slowly losing everything and soon he will be nothing. Adrian was waiting for that time he hit rock bottom when he will be nothing and no one before he kills him. Shirleen looked at him amused, "If you are here to beg, you should beg properly, on your feet or on your knees, your choice." What the man in front of him didn't know was she and the rest of the heirs are the ones who have brought him to such desperate straits.

"Do you know who I am?" he asked furiously still seated which irked her even more.

"You are the fool who joined hands with an international criminal to start human trafficking on the Eastern coast," she said as if surprised he didn't know. At his shocked expression she laughed, "Come now Rao, you think I didn't know? Your friend must have told you the criminal underworld has a queen. I am that queen but I am also Angela's daughter." She stood slowly and walked round the desk until she stood close to his chair. She abruptly reached for him and slammed his head hard on the table breaking his nose. She continued pressing his head on the table twisting his arm behind his back. If he struggled even a bit his arm will snap. He was groaning in pain under her and trying to catch his breath. She leaned close to his ear, "You hurt someone I love and now we are coming for you, and no Angela won't be able to help you. Soon you will have nothing, you will be nothing. The next time you want to break into my building don't use my family members to help you. They might have immunity from me but not you." She released him holding only his arm and started pushing him to the door, "Oh and by the way your human trafficking partner died a horrible death last night and now you are on your own. Have fun." She opened the door and literally threw him outside. He landed on the floor with a thump. "Kindly throw the trash outside," she told two of her assassins sitting at the reception area and they knew she was talking about the man she had just thrown out of her office. Adrian who had just walked into the reception looked at the man on the floor and his eyes cooled with fury. He walked past him stepping on the man's hand making Rao scream in pain. He didn't stop instead he made his way to Shirleen hugging her tightly before disappearing into her office.

***

"How is Angela?" Adrian asked pulling Shirleen on his lap as she handed him a glass of whiskey.

"Getting better but she is a terrible patient. She whines a lot when she is confined in bed but Stacey has given her permission to leave the bed but not the house," Shirleen replied.

"I am glad you two are getting along," he said leaning back on the sofa.

"It is hard not to get along with her knowing how much she sacrificed to protect me. She is trying to teach me to cook but that is not going as well as she had hoped. I don't think I inherited her cooking skills at all," Shirleen sighed. "She has started cooking again and smiling more."

"I saw that the last time I was at her house," Adrian replied.

"It is weird how close we have become. We share stories easily and we talk about our favourite shows and these days she laughs so frequently. It is amazing to see her transformation from cold to warm," Shirleen said fondly. "She hugs me way too much. I slowly remember the times she tried to interact with me when she saw me."

"She is making up for lost time," Adrian said signing in contentment as Shirleen was slowly tracing the tattoo visible on his neck. "What about your father?"

"Angela has decided she wants a divorce. She no longer wants to be attached to him because now I am protected and nothing can hurt me with you by my side. He has also decided he no longer wants to be president. Apparently, he wanted the position just to be stronger than Angela and to finally be able to protect me. I will have lunch with him after my trip to the Queen's capital I have some business to take care of and I don't know how long I will be gone." She looked into his eyes that looked at her as if she was his world, "Will you come visit?"

"Immediately I finish dealing with Rao I will be on the first plane to you," he replied leaning to kiss her. "Did you have a meeting with your family?"

"Yes I warned them that mischief will not be tolerated and from now on they will be required to start working at the various businesses the family owns and they are getting money from. At first they protested until I explained to them that one person handling the business is not convenient. What if something happened to the said person and another heir is needed from the family. Will they sit back and watch their inheritance crumble? I told them they should decide what they wish to do and I will assign them managerial positions. If they make mistakes then they will be demoted. I think the reason why they have become so venomous is because they have nothing better to do but sit at home and wait for millions to be deposited in their bank accounts monthly. Angela supported my decision."