CHAPTER ONE:THE BOARDROOM

Andre Rosoce sat at the head of the table, with an air of confidence, the boardroom was a battle ground and yes! He was the general, he wasn't going to let bunch of non entities push him around,definitely not in his field.

He was a young man who despite being from the the lower class had climbed high on the social ladder and made a name for himself through hardwork and perseverance.

His eyes scanned around the room taking in every detail; the glowing fluorescent bulbs, muffled conversations, the subtle scents of different designer perfumes that wafted softly across the room; he could tell the name of almost all the perfumes in the room and whom it belonged to. He just needed to have smelt it before.

Hundreds of memories flooded his mind, memories of himself in this room and in different boardrooms, memories of calm looking faces which he had learnt not to trust over the years.

Andre's brain was a steel trap he couldn't forget a single thing. Every conversation, every encounter every meeting and even the whispers were etched on to his mind like a permanent tattoo.

He had Hyperthemesia, a condition that made it possible to remember every tiny detail of his 35 years of existence. His brain was able to store every single memory making it almost impossible to forget anything.It was a trait that had served him well in his rise to the top of the business world, but also one that came with a very steep price.

"Gentlemen, we are all businessmen who have no time to waste,shall we get to the main purpose of this meeting." He said with his deep husky voice that commanded attention. "This partnership will not happen unless miss Lee here agrees to our set conditions."

His blue eyes were unyielding and unapologetic. His tailored suit and crisp white shirt and confident gestures made him look every inch the billionaire CEO but it was the glint in his eye that hinted at the extraordinary mind within.

The tensed atmosphere in the room was easily noticeable, judging from the awkward silence that suddenly enveloped the room. The board room to these men was a battle ground and there was no need to pretend to be friendly with one another since their interest actually conflicted.

The meeting had been going on for hours the tension in the atmosphere was palpable as Andre faced of Tacha Lee the ruthless CEO of Zinman Technology, his biggest rival. Tacha unlike Andre was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. She had the best of everything right from birth being the only child of her billionaire father.

It came as a surprise and shock to everyone when Tacha whom everyone thought will inherit and take over father's Estate decided to venture into Tech. It was what she had passion for and she didnt to be tied to her parent's wrapper for life. She wanted independence—Her own name must resonate greatness. Her parent particularly her father tried every means possible to change her mind but her mind was already made up. Unable to watch their only daughter struggle alone, her parent accepted their fate and decided to support her.

The stakes were high and the control of the AI market hung in balance. He was very aware that whatever choices he made now will make or mar his entire organization. He would not let it be told that he was beaten hands down by a woman.

Andre locked his eyes into Tachas' he had never met a woman so fierce and persistent. She knew exactly what she wanted and delivered eloquently. He could no longer bear the heat, he wasn't one to run from a battle ground but the situation at hand was way out of his control.

As the meeting reached its climax, he knew he had to make a choice either sacrifice his ego and risk everything to protect The company's future or maintain his stand and see if the other party will cave in.

Memories once again swirled in his mind, each one a reminder of the high stakes and the devastating consequences of failure. He had to make a choice and he had to do it fast, as if the heavens were on his side his phone buzzed, signaling an urgent message from his assistant. He glanced at the screen, his expression turning grave.

"Gentlemen, I'd like to adjourn this meeting as I have a pressing issue regarding our quarterly earnings report. It appears we have a discrepancy in our financial projections, and I need to attend to this matter immediately."

He stood up, his tailored suit and crisp white shirt exuding an air of authority. "I apologize for the abrupt adjournment, but I'm confident that at our next meeting, we'll have a clearer understanding of the acquisition and partnership terms he said looking pointedly at Tacha. Thank you for your time, and I appreciate your understanding."

As he exited the conference room Andre heard Tacha lee made a snide comment, "You don't get to call meetings and leave abruptly before it ends, no one here is a jobless bum, we all left our different issues unattended to be here."

He made a mental note to investigate Tacha lee. Who was this lady who made him break into a sweat on the conference table with her ferocious energy and still had the guts to make rude comments in his presence. If he had the power he would end whatever partnership or merger was being proposed. He couldn't imagine if the patnership went through and he had to work with her. Well! That was a thought for later.

For now he needed to focus on the issues at hand his assistant had sent him a very discreet message that one of their most important client was threatening to leave. Of course he couldn't reveal that at a meeting where his competitors present, hence he lied. His Hyperthemesia kicked in and his mind had started replaying his last conversation and the details of his last meeting with the client.