I was currently walking my way to the parking area of my own mansion.

Wearing my usual black tuxedo, white inner polo, red tie, and my black formal pants.

I get my car keys from my pocket, and tighten my grip to my briefcase. Then, I immediately unlock my car by pressing the unlock button of the car keys.

I swiftly got in to the car, and settle my briefcase in the passenger seat right beside me.

I insert the key to the keyhole, and start my Lambo. But before that, I let my car got heat, and when Im satisfied.

I drove my car out from the parking area of my mansion.

....

It's currently 7am in the morning. Im still driving with my Lambo to my company.

I get used to it. Wakes up in the morning, do my morning rituals, eat my breakfast, get into my car, drive to my company, joined meetings, check the status of the company, reading paperworks to signed, taking my lunch, back to the paperworks, scold my secretary sometimes, join private meetings, gonna check the product of the company, last review of the paperworks that I must signed, got home, do evening rituals, and sleep.

And sometimes, I go abroad for business matter as usual.

My life was cycling with the usual routines I do today, tomorrow, and the rest of the days. It was my life. I just wait to get older and die.

My friend Luiz, always tease me that I might get old single forever. He knows that Im really a workaholic person.

As I always say to him, love was a waste of time. Some woman was after of my money, and I hate that.

Money was the reason of people's survival.

You can build a business and make money.

In a reason ,when you have no money, you can't afford food. When you can't afford food, you starve. When you starve, you get sick. When you get sick, you die. End of discussion.

So, money is important to people. Because of that money, they became toxic sometimes.

How cruel.

Money can buy anything you want to desire.

Anything.

I arrived infront of my company. I parked my car, and press the lock button when I get out of it.

As I walked from my car to the entrance of the company.

I saw my assitants formally waiting at the entrance of the company.

As I reached them with an authority aura, they immediately greet me with their usual morning greetings.

"Good Morning, Mr. Johnsons" they said in unison when I approach near to them.

I didn't greet back. I continue my pace to the meeting room.

My secretary nervously walk beside me while we pacing our way to the meeting room near at my office.

But before we can go to the meeting room, we must go the elevator first.

"Schedule?" I ask when we enter to the elevator. One of my assitants press the button to my office floor.

"8am-9am meeting with all head departments of the company to check the company's product status. 9am-9:45am meeting with Mr. William. 1:30pm meeting with Mr. Montefalco. 3pm online meeting with Mr. Alwabari from Dubai. 4:25pm meeting about new lot agreement with the lot owner for the plantation of grapes." she formally said.

But I can sense, she's nervous.

"Why are you nervous?" I unconsciously ask, but gladly it's only in my mind.

I slowly pulled in my sleeves and sneak to my wristwatch.

"7:35 am." I said only in my mind.

I heard the elevator bing, informs that we're on the office floor. When the elevator was open, I walk with dominance to the meeting room.

....

When we arrived at the meeting room. All the head departments stand up and greet me with the usual greetings in the morning.

I settle myself on the middle of the 'U' table, and sit on the CEO's chair.

My secretary lay the folders in the table just infront of me.

I notice her hand, and it was shivering. My forehead got furrowed, wondering why.

I got my phone out of my pocket and check the messages, if any text was necessary. I delete some of the messages that I find unnecessary things.

After, I finish those deleting stuff. I pay attention on the folder that lay infront on the table.

It was a chart of how the company's product sale growth. Also, the chart of our financial that we cost weekly.

I saw no bad things at all, after I review anything. I check the printed reviews of the managers on any branch that located anywhere.

I see good feedbacks on how the liquor taste like and so on and fort.

I sneak to my wristwatch and to find out it's? 8 o'clock.

"Head departments you may start." I announced with full of authority.

The Operational Head Department stand up and speak infront of us.

"As you can see, Mr. Johnsons. The reviews of the managers that you can read, at your own copy was good reviews. They send also to us the growth of the product on each branch. Another good thing, its all stable. Its shows that a positive impact of the new product that we launched last week. " he said.

I just gave him a nod of satisfaction, and he breath out. Sign of relief.

Next, the Finance Head Department nervously stand up and speak.

"Uhm." she stated.

I rose my eyebrow to her, wondering what's wrong. As I remeber, there's no issues about the financial.

"Mr. Johnsons, as you can see in your own copy that there's no wrong. But, the thing is... something came up." she inform nervously.

I lay my back at the chair, and cross my arms while looking at her. It's a sign that Im listening.

"Someone stole a huge money of the company, Sir." she finally stated, that makes me to sit properly.

"What?!" I roared, and you can hear the anger in my voice in every corner of the meeting room.

"What time?" I ask.

"Based on the database that I saw earlier of the release of the money was yesterday 9:45pm, Sir." she answered.

I rose up from my sit, and switch my gaze to the Security Head.

"Tell your department to check the CCTV footage of the vault." I command him with authority.

"Yes sir. Excuse me." he replied and grab his phone out of his pocket and call someone.

"No one will get out from this room. Until this case done." I command all of them with full of authority.

I looked at them one by one suspiciously. But my eyes darted to my secretary who was still shivering.

I saw her hands we're still shaking.

The Security Head use the laptop, the other heads was helping him by settling the projector.

I sit back on my chair, as I brush my chin. Sign that I get annoyed.

When everything was settled, the other heads except the Security Head get back to their chairs as the Security Head plays the CCTV footage.

We saw a woman, she was looking at her side to side and then she type the passcode of the vault.

Then, I saw in my corner of the eyes, someone got paled when she saw the footage.

I close my eyes firmly, getting so annoyed right now.

"Stop, I know who." I said and turn my gaze to my only secretary who was now vividly shaking.

I have a guess lately, that she was her. All I need is confirmation.

By the way she act this morning. The clothes she was wearing yesterday. She thought that, Im an easy fool and didnt pay any attention on my surroundings.

Im not a CEO for nothing.

"Mr. Johnsons, Im very sorry! Its an emergency! I swear! I didnt mean to! I just have to do that!" she pleaded while her knees was on the ground.

"Im verry sorry! I hope you forgive me! Don't fired me, pleaase!" she pleaded again.

I stood up, while she was pleading with her knees to the ground.

Because of money, people got toxic.

"So?" I ask her, note the sarcasm people.

"Im sorry!" she looked up to me while her make up was totally ruined due to her tears.

"Emergency?" I sarcastically said to her, and like mocking on her 'Emergency' tone.

I quickly grab my phone and dialed her parents. I got saved every number of the parents of my secretary everytime I had one.

But, I immediately delete this contacts once they're daughter or son will be fired.

Its for future purposes and that's now.

"Hello, who's this?" woman answered.

"Its Mr. Johnsons." I answer her.

"Oh? Mr. Johnsons!" she replied, I can sense she was shock by the sudden call of mine.

"Yes, it's me. Mrs. Miller, I would like to ask about your health. Are you fine with your husband?" I casually said while looking at my secretary.

She looked up to me shocked, and it make her paler.

"Awh, thank you for your concerns Mr. Johnsons. We're totally fine, healthy and strong." her mom answered, and I can sense her voice was happy.

"Did your financial support was alright?" I ask her again.

"Yes, thank you Mr. Johnsons! Your pay of my daughter's salary was enough for us to live and I gladly thank that." she replied again.

"Okay, thank you Mrs. Miller. Have a good day." I casually bid my goodbye to her mom.

"Thank you, and so do you! Have a good day Mr. Johnsons!" she happily said and I immediately turned off the call and place my phone inside of my pocket.

"Mr. Johnsons let m-" I cut her off, when I take a step to her.

"What a good liar. Who ask you to do that?" I calmly said but you can feel the coldness of my voice with no emotion of my face.

"I was force to!" she shouted back.

"I said, who." I said with a dark voice.

"I don't know!" she replied while her face was full of tears.

'What a good actress.' I said on my mind.

"You we're force? So, you afford to buy a luxurious jewelry hmm." I mockingly said to her while noding my head.

"It was from the pay! I wa-" I cut her again.

"GET HER OUT NOW!" I roared the four words, because Im so mad.

No, not just so mad.

Im really mad, really really mad.

'Traitor, because of money!' I shout in my mind.

The guards suddenly barged in to the meeting room and help her to get out of the room.

"Oh, and one more thing." I coldly added and face her.

While the guards was escorting her to get out. They hold her hands, and face me.

"You're fired!" I officially announced that makes her eyes big of surprised.

"No! Please no! My mom and Dad, No! Pleaase Nooo!" she scream while another batch of tears came up as she was grab out of the meeting room.

"Smith." I called the Head of the Security Department.

He looked at me, but immediately looked down.

"Do the investigation with the authority about this case." I ordered and he immediately nod and made his way out of the meeting room.

"Fuentes, talk with the attorney and file a case to her. After your discussion, let me talk to her five minutes for a important manner." I command with authority to one of my assitants I have in this company.

They barged in with the guards lately. They were the last one who enter.

"Yes, Mr. Johnsons." he said then leave the room.

I turn my gaze to the other one of my assitant.

"Move all my schedule. I will meet them tomorrow. Clear the schedule for today. Apoint a hiring for secretary to our website. You, and together with Salazar will handle that. Give me the folders of the employees that match our regulations for being my secretary." I command and look for the other one assitant.

Actually, all I got three assitants.

"Yes, Mr. Johnsons." they said in unison and leave the meeting room.

As I said earlier, I got my phone out of my pocket and immediately delete Mrs. Miller contact? number.

When, Im done. I turned my gaze to my Head Departments of the company.

"Meeting adjourned." I finally announced to them with authority and leave the meeting room immediately.

I walked my way to my office. I look at the template that was stick of my door.

Ace Elijah Johnsons

CEO of Johnsons Liquor Corporation

I open the door and grab the liquor that I especially made. I remove the cap, and pour it into my shotglass.

I remove my tuxedo, leaving my inner polo and tie alone.

I stressfully grab the liqiour and the shotglass to my table.

I refill again the shotglass and drink it.

Today my life cycle has change a little bit. I did not only scold my secretary, but I fired her.

'See? People going to be toxic because money. As I said, it was people survival.' I retorted in my mind.

People only live for money.

Live for money.