CHAPTER XV

                                    

                                          


It's Wednesday and Simo still hasn't reported for work. The PA, his PA, gave me contact details of most of the executives in the company. I don't feel comfortable with her. I am thinking of hiring a new PA and sending her to lower departments to work for what she studied. Or maybe she can continue being Simo's PA if his job requires one. I have called Simo to my office for a meeting. I hope that he shows up because if he doesn't, I will be forced to give him a written warning and I don't want it to seem like I am being petty, but he is just being a big baby. 


I have also called in Khwezi's husband, Khulekani Mniki. He is a web developer here in the company. I did a background check on him and found that he is qualified for the job and he does splendid work. But I need to make sure that he doesn't behave like an asshole just because he is married to the late boss's princess. Well, fortunately he shows up for the meeting but a few minutes later. 


"Good day boss. I am sorry for being late. There was a report I was finishing up." He states as he gets seated opposite me. I look at the computer in front of me and then raise my eyes to look at him. 

"Khulekani, right?" He nods. "I was looking at the job you have done for the company and I must say I am impressed by it. It shows in your record that you joined the company straight after graduation. You were lucky, hey." 

He smiles. "Yes, boss. I was very fortunate." 


"This is not my first rodeo being CEO and though I don't keep tabs of my employees, I do check regularly how people behave, how they treat other employees especially those working under them and how they do their work in general. So don't be frightened by this meeting. One thing I like more in a work space than anything is professionalism. Being on time, leaving on time and not doing as you please. I am very easy to please. As long as you do your job right and don't let family politics get in the way of your work, then we might get along." 


He smiles. "I also like being professional and punctual. So I don't think we will have a problem." 

"That's all. I look forward to working with you. I will also need your report in my desk by Friday morning. I hope we will get along, Mniki. I am the CEO now. Don't let anyone in the Ntombela threaten to take your job away from you just because they think they can. I will fire you only if you give me reason to and not because my sister said so."


His smile is so wide. "Yes boss. Thank you so much and I promise I won't let you down." I extend my hand and he shakes it. He then stands up and heads out. There is something off about him. He seems like a weakling and an ass kisser. But Khwezi wear the pants in that marriage, so I am not surprised. 


Time comes for me to head home and Simo still haven't come to my office. What's worse is that he didn't report to work. Now I have no choice but to track him down and show him who is boss. I hate working with adult babies. They are the worst. Getting to my car, I ask one of my guards to locate him and it turns out that he is having the time of his life in Houghton Golf Club. Wow. I then ask Pule to take me there. 


After a while, we get there and the guards are quick to let us in. There is a chirpy tour guide who leads us to exactly to where Simo is at. We find him at a restaurant table with Senzo and Sizwele. I pull a chair and join them at their table. Senzo chuckles. This kid has an attitude. I wish I can slap him so hard that he will see stars flying. 


"Simo, are you going to talk to me like an adult or you want us to continue playing a cat and mouse game?" I ask, looking at my big brother who looks unbothered. 

"At least have the decency to greet us, dear sister. We know you lack manners and discipline but prove us wrong for once." Sizwele mocks me and I chuckle. 


"I am older than both of you, Senzo and Sizwele. So either you show me some respect or risk making an enemy of me and you don't wanna do that. Also your disrespect makes me question your mother's motherhood skills. Mine taught me to respect my elders." I turn to Simo. "Simo, I am not going to beg you. If you don't wanna talk to me, then fine. Consider yourself fired." 

He scoffs. "What do you want from me? Haven't you taken enough already?" 


"You were supposed to be present at the handover and you are supposed to be at work, taking on the duties of being an Operations Manager but instead someone is doing that job for you. So why aren't you at work?" 

"In case you haven't noticed, I am mourning the death of my beloved father who screwed me over from his grave. It's called a bereavement leave. Look it up, little sis. And I am not talking about a beret. It's B-E-R-E-A-V-E-M-E-N-T!" 


I chuckle. "I am not illiterate and I know how business work. I also know that bereavement leave is supposed to be 3 days or up to two weeks. I don't know how your generation mourns but this is not it. Either you fill in the form for a leave or you will find a formal written warning when you decide to finally show your face at MT because you are currently absent without a reason." 


"You are just saying that. You can't fire me. Mahlobo Technologies is nothing without me. Clients will want to see a real heir not someone who just got handed the position by luck." He is so rude and thinks so highly of himself. 


"Nothing without you?" I laugh. I actually laugh because this idiot is amusing. "Amos was the real visionary here, not you. He would never let anyone destroy his company, even his true love. Unlike someone I know. He put this company above everything else and at the end, he entrusted me with it. Clients trusted him and they will trust that he made the right decision for the company. Either you get on board or fuck off because no one is going to jump ship because of a guy who is controlled by pussy." He jumps up of his chair, wanting to strangle me but my guards are quicker and they restrain him. I smirk and stand up. "Join me in continuing the Mahlobo Legacy, brother or watch in the side lines as I launch MT on Mars." I look at Senzo and Sizwele. "We came from the same balls, so don't let ignorance stop you from getting to know your coolest sibling." I wink and then head out feeling like a boss. I won’t let Zizile’s kids disrespect me. Who the fuck do they think they are?