9. The Presentation

Keira was still in high spirits even if she was literally sleepless. She glanced at her closet looking for the simplest wardrobe she can find to avoid conflicts like what had happened yesterday.  She wore black pants and a red tank top and covered it with a black blazer. She let her long hair down and swept it on one side with a golden butterfly clip. Her simple makeup complemented her straightforward corporate attire.

It was already fifteen past six when she arrived at the office, her department was in chaos.

"Keira, this is your entire fault! You left us yesterday with all this work undone" Rebecca was boiling with anger.

"Relax, it was her first day yesterday, she might have been a bit overwhelmed with the task at hand, that's why she opted to leave and skip work." Jude wanted to explain on Keira's behalf.

"Relax? Because of this bi*ch we're about to get fu*ked up, how can we relax?" rage flowed through Georgie like the lava of a very volatile volcano.

Keira was trying her best to prevent herself from laughing at her colleagues in despair; they have no idea how hard she worked all night just to finish her report. She threw her hands up in the air as a sign of surrender for their frustration.

Thea held Keira to comfort her, "it is okay, I have done some of your parts here, it's just the first five years that is missing, I think we can ask Boss Pete to let it go this time."

They all turned around as they heard a loud sound when Pete slammed the door behind him. He was in a rush when he left his office and shouted at them as he walked towards the elevator.

"What are you waiting for? Move your lazy as*es to the president's board room!"

Rebecca and Georgie Glared at Keira. They loathe her because she seems nonchalant at the doom that awaits them in the board room.

Keira winked at Thea and whispered to her, "I got this, you don't have to worry." Keira sounded positive and calm, that Thea felt her sincerity.

This will be the first time Keira will meet her grandmother at work as an employee. She is actually excited to make her Nana see how well she prepared for her report. She stood up and brought her flash drive with her. Her confident stride made her more eye-catching; she had the lady boss aura in her already.

All the different department heads are seated around the conference table; while subordinates like Keira are seated rows behind them.

Keira glanced at her watch, anticipating the arrival of her Nana, "any moment now." She murmured.

"Are you nervous?" Thea inquired when she saw Keira looking anxious as she glanced at her watch.

Keira shook her head and smiled "I am excited."

Mr. Watson came into the board room and everyone stood up to greet Mrs. Elisa Greene the president and one of the founders of Golden Greene Ltd Holdings Corp. Her legendary partnership with her husband Tomas Greene, the myth himself, who built their company to what it is today.

Golden Greene is one of the biggest corporations in the country, they are also considered as one of the pillars of the country's economic resurgence. They were considered the power couple in their hay days, something her parents were not able to do since her mother was not interested in running the company.

Keira was all smiles wanting to hug her nana; she saw her looking regal in her fashion style as always. Nana was secretly looking everywhere for her only granddaughter, her joy unfolded like a flower when their gaze met. "My dear Keira is finally fulfilling my dreams," Elisa exclaimed in her mind.

The president was seated in the centermost chair to oversee the presentation of the different departments. Mr. Watson took the podium to hint the start of the presentation;

"The first to report is from the planning department; they will give us the background of the company, we just acquired, Manager Pete, please take the lead."

Pete was sweating buckets knowing his department is not prepared for the presentation. He nervously wiped his sweat as he glared at his team who were all avoiding eye contact with him except for Keira. She smiled at Pete and mouthed the words, "I will do it."

Pete finally breathed a sigh of relief as he spoke to the microphone. "The planning department prepared thoroughly for the data to be presented today, thus our new staff Ms. Keira Gray will be in charge of our presentation."

Keira was filled with confidence as she handed her flash drive to Mr. Watson. The whole boardroom was filled with murmurs as she was preparing for her presentation.

"Such a pretty lady, I am not expecting much from beautiful women like this." Leo, the manager of the accounting department sneered as he commented to his peer.

"The most beautiful employee is Pete's staff? She might be one of his sugar babies."  Two girls from the implementation department giggled as they stared at Keira.

"This is a board meeting not a spectacle for your filthy minds; I expect my employees to be of a higher standard than what you are showing right now."

Elisa's tone is full of contempt; the whole boardroom went silent after her straightforward comment.

Keira started with her presentation, it was clear, concise, and complete; she explained it very well. It was as if she so easy to understand it felt like you were learning phonics from such immense data. Everyone in the boardroom was flabbergasted. They did not expect such brilliance from a young and gorgeous woman.

Thea raised her thumbs to cheer on Keira who just finished interpreting her collected data in such a well-designed presentation.

"That is all, from our department. Thank you." Keira bowed as the entire boardroom gave her a round of applause.

"Ahem" Elisa cleared her throat.

"In my fifty years of being part of this company, this is the first time I saw such a report. It was well presented and beautifully explained. I hope all others adhere to the standard set by this good-looking young lady."

Mr. Watson again went to the podium and asked the accounting department to present the budget expenditure plan.

Manager Leo's staff went to the podium bringing in his own flash drive and plugged it into the laptop in the boardroom. He then gave out printed reports to serve as a guide in their designed expenditure plan. All was well until the numbers were placed on the graph. Keira's mind started computing the figures, and it does not add up. There was a hole in the report and it might be a source of loss of funds, she is perplexed with the amount that can be potentially lost with such a careless expenditure plan.  She cannot prove it if it was intentionally done, but she is determined to show everyone the hole in this report.

Manager Leo stood up to personally close their presentation, wanting to be the one to receive the applause.

"Thank you very much for listening, we hope our expenditure plan will be approved immediately to begin the implementation of the plan as soon as possible."

Keira raised her hand, the president immediately noticed her.

"Yes Ms. Keira, would you like to add anything to their report?"

"If I may go back to the report, I would like to point out a flaw in the expenditure plan." She was calm as she was asking for the president's permission.

"A flaw?  What a preposterous claim!" Manager Leo turned red as anger thrummed through his veins.

"Yes Ms. Keira, please proceed." The president completely ignored manager Leo who appeared even more furious after Keira was given the go signal.