ONE
ADELAIDE
My life was apparentlythe kind of children’s book that had ripped pages, colourful demented scribbles, and was only available at the library closest to shutting down. Kids bit the edges and left their boogers as aspecialtoken for the next person.
No one ever replaced these books because who wanted to touch a booger book? Especially whensaidbooger book was being thrown right at the public to step all over.
The sun was glaring into the grey boardroom. Bouncing off Starlight’s narrow-squinted board members. Each micro expression focused on my flaws as CEO.
Truly, if a single day could slip into a lifetime, this would be the moment I got trapped.
By their vicious, misogynistic stares.
“Adelaide, care to explain what is going on here?” Todd’s nostril hair stuck out of his nose in ungroomed stiffs.Do you ever think his boogers get trapped up there?Poor things.
Albert, the one with multiple bald patches on his headsniffed loudly. “I knew we never should have voted for a woman again.”
I found that bald men should never talk. We should start a solidarity campaign against bald men and their mouths—protest for a permanent mouth-shutting concoction that’ll keep their lips closed just like their hair growth.
Finding humour in the situation didn’t help as my consciousness drifted back to this morning.
The CEO of Starlight, Adelaide Mikael is under intense criticism for her way of handling business. Just last night, one of her newest interns shared a story of sexual violence and how she was paid off by Ms. Mikael herself to keep it under wraps. The young intern shared an email thread between her and Ms. Mikael where the young CEO was cold towards the graphic behaviour described. Not only are Ms. Mikael’s morals being questioned, but everything she stands for as a woman is being put on the stand. Should female CEOs continue to reign in business empires, or should we put this newfound feminism to rest?
Out of all the people they could be, they chose to impersonateme?
Eda Mikael, the previous CEO of Starlightandmy aunt, told me that the world feared women in charge. There were people out there who wanted to see powerful women fall to their demise.
A huge part of mewantedto fall just so I could walk out of this building and never return.
Officially, it had been six months since Eda left for Bali and dropped Starlight into my hands like it was an uncooked chicken that slipped from her fingers while washing. Unofficially, I was still the girl who used to make jewelleryin her room at the crack of dawn only to sell it to a five-year-old giving a diamond necklace to her dog.
Nowthatwas flattering.
“This is sudden… I’m working on releasing a statement?—”
“Statement?That’snot going to work.” Harry Samuels was the youngest Caucasian man on this board—almost thirty-seven. He also happened to have all the ideas the men always approved of. Harry Samuels was intelligent, highly capable, and also wanted my position as the CEO of Starlight. Mostly because his father was my father’s second in command, which is weird because how exactly did that give Harry here the right to be CEO?
Hasan Taimoor—the true youngest member—was the only one in this group of elitists who never agreed with them. He also happened to be the only man with a full set of hair around here.
Hasan was my best friend’s brother. Brown skin and hair, strong build, and mesmerizing eyes that could make any girl weak in the knees.
Either that or those girls naturally had iron deficiency.
Being friends with his sister for close to a decade gave me the right to call him my friend. When he finally had enough money, he bought shares from Eda and landed a spot in the popular group.
Except he and I stood out like sore thumbs. We were the freshman students entering high school not knowing where our classes were or that we wouldn’t be in every single class together.
Maybe that was why he always stuck by my side and made sure to help me out no matter what. Even though therewere times his lips twitched to agree with Harry and his minions.
Loyalty over broyalty, or whatever the saying is.
“I appreciate your input, Mr. Samuels. But unfortunately, we have to release a statement as soon as possible.” I kept my composure and tried hard not to let him get the best of me. Despite the croaky sound of his breaths making my eyes twitch. I was suddenly aware of each man sitting in the room. From the way they sat to the way they stared, to how they openly spoke. Some curved theirr’s, others smacked their lips together, my absolute favourite was the spit flying right out of their mouths.
Involuntarily shuddering at the imaginary feeling of prickles, remembering I had an issue with sensorythings. It itched and my anxiety was already a consistent rash.
“So, the allegations are true then? I’m assuming since you’re eager for a statement.”
The men pondered over Harry’s bashful words.
