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     "How about this sir?" the seamstress asked as she showed me another white coat that looked similar to the last one that she showed me.

     I was inside my office looking at suits to wear for the party tonight.

     I asked everyone to wear white because I want things to look clean when I look at the crowd, but somehow, me wearing white like everyone else made me feel uneasy.

     "Black", I simply told her.

      The seamstress slowly puts the white coat down and asks, "I'm sorry?"

      I looked at my secretary, and like a secret language, he nods his head in understanding and looks back at the seamstress, "the chairman would want a black one."

      The woman looked surprised as she says, "I'm sorry but I only brought white ones today since you wanted..."

     I cleared my throat; then the two guards who were standing beside the door quickly goes to where the seamstress was to take all her things.

     "Let's go", one of the guards said to the woman.

     The woman looked shocked and confused at the same time, "I-I'm sorry but I'll be back and bring black ones as well, I promise to-"

     I motioned my hands towards the door to quickly make them leave, so the guards lifted the woman up from her arms and dragged her out.

     I sighed as the door shuts.

     "Chairman Val, the party is tonight. If you want, we could just go to a clothing store and-"

     I quickly lifted my hand to stop my secretary from suggesting stupid things.

     "I am not going to those filthy public shops just to buy a suit that dozens of costumers have already tried. We talked about this Edrick...each suit must be personalized and done by one seamstress only. What was not clear to you?" I asked as I stared at him with my deadly gray eyes.

     He gulps and nods his head in understanding, "Of course, I'll immediately look for a new one now."

     Then he leaves my office.

     I stood up from the sofa and walked towards my desk. Before sitting down, I looked at the things on top of the table.

     I aligned everything until it was pleasing enough for me to look at, when everything was okay, I smiled satisfyingly and finally sat down.

     By the way, I'm Chairman Romeo Valentino, but you may address me as Val. I am the 34-year-old CEO of Valentino Group of Companies, also known as the Valentino Empire. There are a lot of rumors about me on how I was able to build such a great empire with such a young age. Well, some rumors are absurd, while some are practically facts.

     My employees call me Chairman Clean, but I don't get mad by such petty nicknames because it's not as baseless as others might think.

      I suffer from OCD, or to make it clearer, Obsessive–compulsive disorder...

      I hate dirty things. I hate seeing things that aren't in order. I want things to be precise, arranged, and planned. Being touched by people makes me vomit, which is why I require all my employees to wear gloves.

     If I'm allowed to work with robots then I could have already done it years ago, but sadly, humans are the only things I can work with for now.

     "Romeo..." someone suddenly calls out, barging inside my office without even knocking.

     I quickly grabbed my stress ball and started squeezing on it as soon as I saw my 52-year-old personal assistant slash butler enter the office.

     "Knock...three times...those are the rules", I say as I try not to show my anger.

     Johnson Pollock, who has been taking care of me since I was young, ignores what I just told him and slams his hand on my desk, causing the pens and papers to be unaligned.

     I ignored Johnson's sudden outburst and quickly dropped my stress ball to fix everything again, but Johnson suddenly grabs my hand to stop me.

     I angrily looked at him, but the moment I looked up, he slapped me on my right cheek, making me widen my eyes from shock.

     "Four seamstress has dedicated their hours to make you your stupid white coat...and you fire all of them for a fucking black one? Are you fucking mad Romeo? Have you been cleaning yourself too much that you washed away your sense of sympathy too?" he angrily asked me, my cheeks burning because of how hard he slapped me.

     I was already breathing heavily as I touched my cheek.

     "Wear the black suit you wore on the seminar last week. Stop wasting money and other people's time, do you understand me?" Johnson commanded.

     Without even waiting for my response, he leaves the room.

     I sat there, frozen in place.

     My heart was beating fast as I stared at the unarranged things on top of my desk. And the tingling feeling I had on my cheeks made my stomach churn.

     I blinked and quickly fixed the things on the desk again before standing up to go to the bathroom.

     I removed my leather gloves and threw it on the trash, and then I went in front of the sink to wash my face.

     "H-He was wearing gloves...he was wearing gloves", I reminded myself as I felt Johnson's touch on my cheek.

     I washed my face again and sanitized my hands. Then I quickly wore new gloves from the cabinet before heading out of the restroom.

     But the tingling feeling on my cheek was still there.

     My stomach churned again.

     And I couldn't stop the urge to vomit.

*****

     "Chairman Val", my secretary calls out.

     I blinked and realized that we have actually arrived at the hotel where we were going to hold the company party.

     "Sorry...let's go", I say as Johnson parked in front of the hotel's main entrance.

     "Call me as soon as anything comes up", Johnson tells me, but I decided to ignore him since I  was still furious about what he did earlier. But even though I was furious, I still wore the suit he asked me to wear without any question.

     My secretary goes out of the car to open the door for me. Once the door was open, dozens or camera's started flashing at the same time, I went out of the car and ignored all of them as I entered the hotel.

     "Good evening chairman Val, and thank you for choosing Poseidon Hotel once again to celebrate your company's anniversary", the president of the hotel says as he tried to catch up with me.

     I continued to walk, my secretary walking behind me.

     I looked down and saw that the president was wearing gloves. I took a deep breath and felt relieved when I saw it.

     "It is my greatest pleasure to hold the celebration here again", I say with a fake smile.

     We then arrived at the hall where the party was arranged. Guards opened the door for me, and then everyone inside the room quickly stood up and started clapping their hands when they saw me enter.

     "And the chairman has finally arrived!" the host enthusiastically says as I walked down the aisle towards the stage.

     Everyone was wearing white and was properly sitting on the tables they were assigned to.

     I gave out more fake smiles as I waved at the guests. When I finally arrived at the stage, everyone stopped clapping and sat down.

     I stood in front of the microphone stand, making sure my lips were a few inches away from the microphone. But before talking, I looked at my secretary who was still standing beside me. Without saying a word to him, he whispered, "It's a brand new microphone sir."

     I nodded and looked back at the crowd again.

     "Good evening everyone and thank you for celebrating the company's seventh anniversary with me once again. I'd love to name everyone who made this empire successful but...I can't name all of my employees right?" I say, making everyone laugh.

     When the crowd mellowed down, I continued, "Long speeches are cliché, so let's just have fun tonight. Enjoy the food and wine everyone, thank you."

      Everyone stood up and clapped again as I walked down the stage.

      I would love to make a long speech but I always feel uncomfortable talking in front of a microphone. I'm too afraid that my lips would eventually touch it so I keep my speeches short.

     "Let's now greet everyone sir", my secretary tells me. I nodded my head, and then we greeted all the presidents and vice presidents from all of my companies from all over the country.

     Everyone knows about my condition so they all wear gloves, and they never shook my hand. Those are the basic things that you must know when you are working for me.

     But as I was pretending to be interested on the things that everyone was saying, my eyes were roaming around the room.

     My employees from the main branch are all here, which means the man with the jet-black eyes from the television would be here too.

     "Chairman?" one of the presidents called out.

     I quickly shifted my attention back to him and said, "Yes of course...thank you so much; enjoy the party."

     I didn't know what he was saying but I wasn't interested in it anymore. I quickly left without hearing his response, and then I started walking around the room, trying to get a glimpse of the man who I saw yesterday.

     "Sir, are you looking for someone?" my secretary suddenly asked as he continued to follow me.

     Without looking at him, I answered, "Go ahead and enjoy the food, you may leave me for now."

     He was shocked on what I instructed him, but he nodded his head anyways and left my side.

     I continued to look for the unknown man when suddenly, President Matthew King stands in front of me with a wide smile.

     "Chairman Val! Congratulations on another successful year", he says.

      I was uneasily tapping my feet and couldn't concentrate, but I nodded my head and answered anyways, "Yes, of course...thank you. Enjoy the-"

     "You look uneasy", he suddenly says with a smirk, finally making me stop tapping my feet.

      I now looked at him seriously as I said, "Uneasy? No, I'm just-"

     "Looking for someone?" he asked me, surprising me even more.

     "Is something out of order? Did something happen inside the company that you didn't know about?" he continued to ask.

     I clenched my fist but faked a smile, "There is, and by the way you're acting...you know the exact reason why."

     President King gives out a low chuckle and says, "You must have finally seen him. I doubted you at first but now I'm quite impressed. You really do know each and everyone of your employees."

     I was forcing myself not to get mad to not ruin the mood of the party, so I calmly asked instead, "What did you do now?"

      "I sincerely apologize chairman, but you were so busy with the preparations that I transferred one of my employees to the main branch without asking for your permission. He has been the best employee in my company for the past month and I have decided to make him work at your building to help him enhance his skills. I hope that does not bother you", he says with an apologetic expression that almost made me cringe.

     He obviously knew that it bothered me, but he also knew that I would not ruin such a perfect order just because of this.

     I took a deep breath and continued to clench on my fist as I answered him, "No of course, it does NOT bother me in any way. But President King, I hope that this would be the last time you pull such a stunt, do you understand me?"

     The president smiles and says, "Of course, I apologize again chairman Val."

     I was about to ask what the name of that fucking employee was at least, but the guards suddenly started arguing with someone, causing everyone to look at their way.

     President King and I quickly turned around, but the moment we saw what the ruckus was about, both of us quickly had frowns on our faces.

     "That idiotic son of mine", the president says as he was about to approach the scene, but I quickly lifted my hand to stop him, "I'll handle him. You enjoy the party president."

      Without waiting for his consent, I went to where the noise was coming from.

     "Let me in! I am Bryson King, son of Matthew King, and I command you to let me in!" Bryson shouts as he was unsuccessfully trying to push the guards away.

     "Bryson!" I shouted, quickly making the guards let go of him.

     "Val!" he excitedly says. He was about to run towards me when I quickly say, "Outside, now."

     Bryson pouts but heads out anyways.

     We were now outside the event hall. If I just could, I would have slapped this man from complete anger.

     "What did I fucking tell you Bryson?! This is a business party, not a party where you can get drunk and take someone home. What was not clear to you?!" I angrily told him.

     Bryson looks at me apologetically, seconds later, he started laughing.

     "What's so fucking funny?" I asked him confusingly.

     "Well that was fucking easy", he says as he started walking away.

     I quickly followed him and asked, "What the hell do you mean? What were you planning again?"

     "I was going to make a scene to give you a reason to go out of that boring party. Now that you're out, and you're totally following me, we're going to have fun tonight", he says with a grin.

     When we finally arrived outside, he takes out his cigarette, but before he could even light it up, I looked at him and glared, making him roll his eyes and put it back inside his pocket.

     "Anyways, let's go. I brought a brand new car with me so you wouldn't have a problem sitting there", he says as a valet arrives with a brand new black car.

     I looked at him with shock, "You really are your father's son."

     Bryson smirks and says, "Come on, I have a new place to show you."

     Bryson was about to enter the car, but he realizes that I wasn't following him. So he stares at me and suddenly grins; like he thought of a perfect reason to make me come with him.

     "Have you forgotten Val? Your company's anniversary...is the same as my birthday", he suddenly says, making my eyes widen from shock. I was too busy with the party that I totally forgot about that small fact.

     "Fuck", I say under my breath as I walk towards the car.

     Bryson looks at me with a victorious smile.

     "You're lucky you're my friend", I say as I entered the back of the car with no question.

     Bryson smiles and goes inside as well, "This is the exact reason why I never remind you about it."

     "I can't believe I'm leaving the party I prepared for a month just to celebrate Bryson King's stupid birthday", I honestly tell him. Bryson doesn't say anything but laughs instead. Then he drives off.

     The drive was quiet, and all I could do was let Bryson bring me to wherever he was planning to bring me tonight.

*****

     "Here we are", Bryson says as he parks the car in front of a building that didn't even have windows.

     Bryson goes out and opens the door for me. (If you're wondering, I always sit at the back because I don't want to sit too close to the driver for a long period of time).

     "What the fuck is this place?" I asked.

     Bryson doesn't answer me and just smirks. We then went inside the building where men wearing silver masks welcomed us.

     I quickly hid my hands inside my pockets, trying to avoid touching anything inside this unfamiliar place. 

     The ceiling was made of mirrors, the whole wall was painted black, the floor was a red carpet, and the lights were a warm orange. Thankfully Bryson knows about my condition, so by the way this place looks, he brought me to a clean, organised, and exclusive building.

     Bryson does this every year. He finds a good place, then he shows it to me; that's how he ALWAYS does it. I don't get mad since it always happens so I already find it expected in a sense. But if it's too much for my taste, we leave, and I go back to whatever I was originally doing.

     Bryson takes something out of his pocket. I looked closer and realized that it was actually a token.

     "Welcome", one of the men says as he opened the curtain door for us.

     "I'm so excited", Bryson tells me as he entered the room first. I looked around as the men in mask stared back at me.

     Then I took a deep breath and quickly followed Bryson inside. But the moment I got inside, I quickly stopped, like my feet was suddenly glued to the floor.

     "Welcome to Club Luxuria Chairman Val", Bryson says with a smirk.

     My hands were inside my pockets, but it was already trembling by just looking at what was in front of me.

     "These are the toys...for the big boys", Bryson continued.

      And I couldn't help but stare at the naked men who were displayed inside glass cases.

- END -