Chapter 64

—————Los Angeles, California.

——————————Olyster textiles, 6:50am.

" Good morning Mr Olyster, I got you coffee and a croissant, you probably didn't have a decent breakfast this morning" Zarah was being nice. Scary. I literally didn't sleep last night, I was busy estimating funds and going through the names of people who were lost from the explosion. It was too much. Mother moved in with Sophia after we went over to the mansion. He still sent us all away. I was honestly scared of Brandon going crazy. The man didn't deserve that. He was a victim of all this. Mother packed her clothes and important documents and left with Sophia to their home. I was all alone in my condo again. " you brought me breakfast?, how nice"

" well cause I knew you ate nothing since you stay alone now, Mama Zainab told me. You should eat before heading to the conference room, and you also have to address the entire Olyster group LA staff in front of the press, you need your strength" She added as she took an apple out from her bag and handed it to me. " Well thank you Zarah"

" you're welcome" She answered.

" I'll go set up the conference room now, eat up" she said and smiled at me as she left. She really was a beautiful lady.

The coffee wasn't bad, it just couldn't match up to how Faryah made hers. I sipped my coffee as I ate from the croissant and looked through the files in my desk drawer. I told Faryah I was going to sign the divorce papers and maybe I was just kidding myself but she honestly sounded hurt. Like she didn't want the divorce.

I took out the divorce papers from my drawer and looked closely at it. It said I was going to be able to see Najmah anytime I wanted. No restrictions.

At least I was going to be able to see them happy.

I took my pen from my desk as I took a deep breath. I was ready to sign. It was going to be for a good cause after all. " Mr Olyster, we're ready for you" Zarah called immediately she walked into my office again. It was 7:00am already. " Okay Zarah" I answered as I got up from where I sat. I could just sign it later. " Are you ready?" She asked with a stunning smile and I smiled back at her. " I am, thanks for the coffee" I answered as we walked out of my office. " Anything for Mr Olyster" She replied as we walked side by side to the conference room.

" Good Morning everyone" I greeted immediately I walked into the conference. The seats were full, everyone was here. " Good morning Mr Olyster" They answered as they all got up to greet me. " I'm sorry but we had to have this meeting this early, I know you all miss your comfy beds"

" We so do Mr Olyster"

" Some of us don't sleep on beds" That was Amanda. Head of Sales. We all laughed at her answer. She was a very funny lady. " Well to those that sleep on floors, I'm not sure you really work here, take your seats please" I said as I sat down and Zarah handed me a file for today. She passed on the same file to the others as they all chit-chatted. I haven't had this chitchat with them since when I lost Faryah and Grandpa Julius. " Some people find hard floors more comfortable than beds sir" She added again. " Well I pity that persons backbone when she's 60" I answered and I heard others snicker.

" well let's get to business, I'm sure you all know why we're here. We need to discuss a budget that is going to help the casualties and the families of the deceased, I need you all to present to me what the hospitals recorded now" I spoke up as Zarah stood by my side. They all nodded and I continued.

" I'll like to start sir, as the head of IT" That was Rosie. The cute lady with harry potter glasses. " Alright Rosita, let's hear what you have to say" I said as I heard the door to the conference room open and a well dressed Brandon walked in with two bodyguards by his side and his secretary.

Wow, he looked better. We didn't get the opportunity to see him or hear from him yesterday when we went to the mansion. He finally got back to his senses.

Thank Goodness.

" Good morning you all" Brandon greeted with a sharp smile as we all stood up to welcome him. " Good Morning Sir Brandon" They all answered as I walked closer to him to greet him but he hit my shoulder and passed by me. The look he was sending my way gave me goose bumps. Something was wrong. " It's been a long time since I've been here. How're all of you?"

" We're all fine sir"

" Good" He answered as he stood beside my seat at the table and he looked at me. " Well I am glad you're all here because I have an important information for you all" He said with a smile. " You may all take your seats please" He said while standing and Zarah walked to my side. " I have to apologize for my absence throughout this whole time, I was going through something horrible but I'm fine now, no need to worry" he started and looked at me again. My instincts were telling me he was about to take a decision without consulting me first. Definitely. Of course.

He wasn't back to normal.

" But I'm fully back now, the president of Olyster textiles is back now. Sadly due to my return we're going to have to let go of someone that is very dear to you all because he doesn't have a right to be here, he's hardworking and what have you but it's not his position to be here" He was talking about me. He was sending me away?.

Why?.

Okay I thought of it but I never thought it was actually going to ever become real. " I'm talking about Mr Khalid Miles, as you all know he isn't truly my son, but my soon to be ex-wife's bastard son, he doesn't have the right to be here because he's not an Olyster, with this short notice we're going to be letting him go and Mr Ethan Valentine will take his place" what!.

Soon to be ex-wife.

He was going to annul his marriage with my Mother.

The asshole didn't even tell her about it and he was here blabbing rubbish. I was losing my temper. " I'm sorry sir you can't take that decision without the Board members presence" Ethan answered. Brandon laughed a little before he finally spoke up." Ethan, I am the owner, the president of Olyster Textiles. For years this great organization has been lead by Olysters only. For all I know, Mr Khalid Olyster isn't my son or nephew. We're not related in any way so he doesn't have the right to be here as the Vice President"

" Excuse me sir, but that's not a good reason to send Sir Khalid away, he has done magic to this great organization and he always has everything, every single thing under control. Sir Khalid is that one thing that keeps Olyster Textiles name in place in the whole world, you can't just take him out because of family issues" Rosita didn't honestly need to back me up like that. Brandon wasn't normal he was probably going to fire her this instant. " Well miss Rose, if you don't agree with my decision and if anyone else doesn't agree with my decision, they can walk out peacefully out of that door and they can have it at the back of their minds that they're never setting foot into any Olyster Textile branch in the whole world" Brandon threatened and the whole conference room became tense.

He blamed me for everything so taking me totally out of his life was his way to settle his guilt. This was the one thing that was keeping me standing, Olyster Textiles. I knew right from the start that I couldn't totally trust Brandon and look at it now. He had a psychotic side in him. Here it is. After everything we've all been through he was going to throw us out of his lives like trash.

We've probably always been like trash to him. He didn't deserve the ounce of love we had for him. Mother didn't deserve to be with him.

He was going to take all this away for me and I wasn't going to beg him. I was going to stand on my own feet as Khalid Miles, yes.

I didn't need their surname to be a person in this life. I was Khalid Miles and I could be anything I wanted to be. " I'm sorry but Papa Brandon I can't take this position" Ethan said as he got up from where he sat. " I won't stay here if Khalid isn't here as well"

" Ethan you don't have to, he has made his decision so just stay, the organization will be in safe hands with you" I spoke up and I watched Ethan shake his head in disagreement. " I'm declining the position, if Khalid leaves, I'm leaving as well" Ethan said as he walked to my side. " well adios then" Oh wow. So not the nice and calm Brandon everyone knew. " Me too, If it wasn't for Sir Khalid, I wouldn't be here, I can't stay here without him" no. I didn't want anyone to lose their jobs because of me. " Please, Rosie, you don't have to do this, none of you has to risk their position here because of me, I can handle myself, you all should stay and do your best like you always do"

" We can't give our best without you around Sir Khalid" Rosie said as she walked to my side.

I felt honoured but yet disappointed and angry. " Well, you've all made your decisions so please get out, pack all your things, submit your ID and leave" Brandon said as we looked at each other. If he was expecting me to beg him, he was totally. I'd rather live in the gutters than utter a please to him. He showed us who he truly was finally.

Ethan held Rosie and Zarah as we walked towards the door but I stopped in my heels. " I'm glad you finally showed us your true colours Brandon" I said as I stopped and looked him. " That guilt you're feeling inside is going to keep on eating you up bit by bit until you go insane. Not facing your fears is going to make you go crazy. Very crazy" I said and walked out of the conference room.

" Who does he think he is to treat you like that?" Ethan snapped immediately we walked out of the conference. " He has every right to, I was never an Olyster after all" I answered as I put my hands in my pocket. " But after everything Khalid, he's going through a lot but kicking you out is never a solution to a problem" Ethan was too furious. " Yes sir, I very much agree with sir Ethan, sir please don't worry about me, I can find a job elsewhere. I have many others options so please don't worry" Rose said with her tiny cute voice and I blushed at it. " I'm happy about that Rosita"

" Everything is going to be fine Sir Khalid" She added as she hugged me tight. " Sure" I answered and hugged her back. " Ethan, take Rosie home and go to Sophia, I'll meet up with you later"

" Be safe man, everything will be fine, I always got you" He answered and patted my shoulder. He was always going to be my best bud. I watched as they took the elevator downstairs and I turned to my side to look at Zarah.

" So I should get used to calling you Sir Khalid" She said with a small smile, trying to cheer you up. " I'm sorry Zarah, you just moved in and you're going have to leave now"

" It's okay Mr Oly... sir Khalid, I'll find something to do eventually" She replied." Sir Khalid, has he always been like that?"

" No, He used to be a nice, calm, understanding man, but guilt is eating him up and he has turned to that"

" Oh, it's all because of your wife right?"

" yeah, my innocent wife, I wish he could just face the truth and try to ask for her forgiveness like I did, I mean it's much easier than letting it eat him up and make him slowly go insane" She nodded as I let my heart out. " Yeah" She replied as we stopped at her desk. " Pack your things, I'll take you home and you should inform my secretary that she has permanently lost her job"

" She'll be so heartbroken"

" Oh and we're jumping in candy land right?" I replied and she laughed a bit. " Okay sir, thank you"

" You're welcome, I'll write you a pay check for the few weeks you've been with me, it should help out"

" you don't have to"

" Oh yes I do, don't even think about declining"

" Thank you sir" she whispered and I nodded at her and walked into my office to get my things.

I was more than heartbroken that I lost my job. I mean I was losing everything, I lost Faryah, now my job and my daughter was going to be happy with someone else as her father. What else was I going to lose?.

My life was probably next.

But I wasn't scared, I was tired. I was tired of trying so hard to lose everything at the end. I worked hard, studied hard, gave all my heart and loved and here I was shattered into tiny pieces with no idea on what to do next.

My suffering was never going to end, I suffered as a child and here I was suffering as an adult again.

Happiness wasn't meant for me, loneliness was.

I cleared all my stuff from the office, making sure the divorce papers were safe.

" Here's the pay cheque, you can cash it out at anytime" I said as I started my car engine and handed Zarah and handed Zarah a 2000$ cheque. " Thank you very much sir"

" Anytime, you want to grab a snack before I take you home?"

" Sure sir" she answered as I drove out of the parking area. I needed to keep her close to me as a friend. She was a good listener and a very understanding critic.

I had high hopes for my friendship with her. I really hope I don't lose it as well.

————————Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.

—————————————Georgia Motors, LTD, 6:00pm.

" It is of a very sad notice to the entire public that I declare the departure of Sir Khalid, the former Vice President of Olyster Textiles" My ears couldn't be deceiving me. Khalid was dead.

What!

How!. I took my eyes off my laptop and looked at the TV screen in my office. I got up from where I sat and walked closer to the television. " I'm not announcing his death or anything so please don't panic As the president of Olyster Textiles, I have decided to let go of Mr Khalid Miles, due to personal reasons I cannot disclose here today, I'll be getting a replacement for his position very soon so that Olyster Textiles will run as smoothly as it used to before the explosion. The casualties and the families of the deceased civilians are going to be compensated for their losses" I sighed out loud and placed my hand on my chest as I was cleared on the fact that Khalid wasn't dead. I was scared. No one could blame me. We were all in danger and we didn't know what that Korean woman had up her sleeves.

Why did Brandon fire Khalid?.

Khalid was more than hardworking, the smooth running of Olyster Textiles was probably one of Khalid's major priorities in this life. Why did Brandon have to take it away from him just like that.

I had too many questions that needed answers desperately.

They were having a live press conference to address the general public and their entire staff. Khalid said Brandon was ill, and why was he suddenly back on his feet like nothing happened. I was confused.

What was really going on in that family of theirs.

I picked up my phone on my desk and searched for Khalid's contact.

Calling him up meant I was concerned right?.

Well I was but he didn't need to know that.

To stop having doubts and clear my head from tiring confusion, all I needed to do was stay away from Khalid. It wasn't that hard to do.

Besides, it was going to be for the best at the end of the day. All what I'm going through is just a phase.

Less contact with him was obviously going to help my situation.

But I didn't want to.

I had to.

I really didn't want to.

A text to check up on him wasn't that much of a big deal. A simple how're you text.

"Faryah!!" I heard a voice in my head scream bringing me back to reality. I had work to finish up and head home. I packed some of my things and Najmah's to my parents place. We were going to stay there until Miss Hae Soo was caught.

Khalid was probably taking care of that in LA.

I couldn't believe we totally forgot about her existence due to how engrossed we were with our own lives. We totally forgot that danger was still lurking around.

" Ya Allah please help us all" I said as I buried my face in my palms.

I packed up my things and turned all the lights in my office, it was almost time for Maghrib. I needed to hurry home. " You should go home Ruqayyah, come on I'll take you" I called as I saw her reading a book immediately I walked out of my office. " Okay ma'am, thank you very much" She replied and jumped up from where she sat and dropped the book she was reading on her desk. It was a book by Danielle Steel.

Malice.

I read it when I was in high school. It was a really nice book. It was about a young girl and her parents. Her father used to sleep with her or something of that sort and her mother gave her consent. A day came and she got tired of all that so I think she killed him or caused his death. " You're a fan of Danielle Steel?" I asked as we walked into the elevator. " I am, well just recently. She and Sidney Sheldon, they're both actually very good writers"

" Oh that's nice, read Islamic books too, I'll get you one" I said and she laughed a bit. " I read Islamic romance novels miss Faryah"

" oh good, but I'm still going to get you one" she answered as we stopped at Najmah's floor. I picked her up and we headed to the parking area.

I needed to eat and clear my head.

My hands were still itching to text Khalid but I just had to control the itch.

It was so hard.