The CEO's Painted Skin

Tired from their journey, John and his companion sleep tight that night, but before John fully succumbs to sleep he was able to send a 'good night message' to Catherine.

The next day, John woke up to a bright new day. Their sleeping quarter was on the 3rd-story of the building. The room that he sleeps in contains just the basic commodities such as toilet with shower, single bed with foam, bedside table, ceiling fan, a cabinet for clothes storage and other personal things. He doesn't mind the bare accommodations at all.

He entered the toilet and took a morning shower after sipping a hot coffee that was sent by the caretaker to his room a while ago.

Done with his bath, he lay down back into the bed and picked up his mobile device from the bedside table. He typed a good morning message and was about to send it to Catherine but he changed his mind on the last minute. From now on, he won't be the first to send a message to her, he will wait for her message first before replying to her. He just wants to see if she will take the initiative to extend an effort to nurture their communication.

Will she miss him?

That remains to be seen depending on the frequency of her messages to him.

John and his bodyguards were eating their breakfast in the kitchen. The management hired a temporary cook to cater to their needs.

That afternoon, John ordered the General Manager, Mr. Fajardo to report to him everything about the company's overall performance.

John was sitting at the balcony of the 3rd floor. In front of him is the General Manager Mr. Fajardo, looking uneasy sitting on his chair.

He stared right into the older man's eyes. "Is it true that you embezzled some of the company's money and you used it to finance your girlfriend's demands?"

The older man's eyes widened in shock!

"How did you know about it, Sir?" he fidgeted on his chair.

"I have my spies around here. You are also neglecting your duties as the overall manager that includes taking good care of the workers well being, their health care, their allowances, and their uniforms and safety gears as well as their overtime pay! How can you enjoy taking your young girlfriend into expensive hotels around the city wasting the companies money and your salary just indulging in your lust! Where are your work ethics, your conscience, and your intelligence have gone to? to your dick?!" John sneered at the older man who was trusted by his father to manage their coal mining business for the last thirty years.

The previous years were really good for their coal mining business, good management, good rapport between management and employees, stable profits, minimal overhead cost, and almost zero complaints from the workers. But in the last five years, the complaints start pouring in due to Mr. Fajardo's negligence.

"I came here to fire you Mr. Fajardo!" he said.

The older man looks pitiful, his shoulders were dropping, defeated and full of shame and guilt.

"Sir, I am sorry for all the wrongdoings that I have done to the company. I am willing to pay back the money I embezzled. Can you please just give me a second chance? I promised to correct my mistakes and make this company prosper again. I will iron things out between the workers and the management. Please take credit on my previous performance in the company. Your father trusted me so much. For the past twenty-five years I been a good general manager and devoted my whole life into this business that I love so much. Just that I got carried away and fall in love with a younger woman who only wants my money and destroyed my family. That woman leaves me for a younger man and married him last month. I was left with a gaping wound in my heart. I'm still in the process of asking forgiveness from my wife and my children that I hurt so much," he explained in a sad voice.

The older man paused for a moment, gathering his strength.

"I am willing to go to jail for the embezzled money that I took from the company if you can't forgive me, Sir, all I ask is a second chance. Give me at least 6 months to correct all my mistakes. I am sure I will become a better man and a better manager after this painful and catastrophic event in my life," his voice was now shaking with remorse and guilt.

John shrugged his shoulders. He came here to settle the problem and was determined on selling this coal mining business for good, yet now while looking at this old fallen man he was having a second thoughts. Would he give him a second chance? or send him to jail to pay for his mistakes? Well, it all depends on his investigation. If he finds out severe mismanagement that would make his blood boil he will fire him right away. He needs to tour around the mining site first and interview some of the workers about their grievances then he will make a conclusion later on.

"Mr. Fajardo, what you have done to the job that has been assigned to you by my father saddened me. We trust you completely yet you destroyed our trust just because you got entangled with a woman. You could just have separate your personal life from your work, then all these won't happen at all. I'm not sure if I can forgive you of your betrayal of our trust. I still have to check everything if you are deserving for another chance. My verdict will come later after I finish my investigation," said John.

Fifteen minutes later, John dismissed the old man while shaking his head in disgust and displeasure.