Page 64 of Degrees of Innocence
Chicago Midwestern
Chase Prestian Returns to Chicago
Nate Collins
Chase Prestian has arrived back in Chicago after a 10-day visit to the isle of Aruba where he participated in a week-long Lean event to determine the future of the Prestian Chicago Medical Facility. He was accompanied by hospital and clinic administrators, clinicians, nursing home, government, and pharmacy leaders, as well as designers, mechanical engineers, and Torzial representative Kate Meilers.
Kate is a process consultant hired by Prestian Corporation to drive the design of the new Prestian Chicago Medical Facility. It is rumored that she and Prestian spent the better part of the week together. Prestian is a strong advocate for design using Lean methodologies. He personally participated in each of the sessions and spent the other days with Kate as she recovered from an altercation on the beach, which was broken up by his security team.
After having arrived stateside, Chase shared with this reporter that he and Kate were celebrating after making the decision to move in together. He said and I quote, “I couldn’t be happier,” before escorting Kate into Noor’s restaurant.
There is a picture of Chase holding me around the waist and I have to admit the photographer captured a very nice photo of us. I’ll have to remember to ask Chase if we can get a copy of the picture from Nate.
I feel bad that I didn’t give Jenny a heads up. “I should have known the photograph from last night would be in the papers. I’m not sure how you feel about me dating Chase related to my employment with Torzial and our contractual relationship with Prestian Corporation, but I was going to tell you today,” I say.
“Kate, there’s nothing in the employment agreement that says you can’t date someone from a company that we have a contract with. I’m just concerned about you, and frankly surprised that you’re going out with someone that has anything to do with your job. It’s just, well, I mean your mom, and well, you know you’ve always steered well clear of that,” she says.
“I didn’t know who Chase was when we first started seeing each other. I don’t know how to explain the chemistry we have, but it’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before. The story is pretty accurate. We haven’t spent much time apart and I’ve actually agreed to move in with him. I haven’t even told my mom yet. I need to call her before she gets wind of this, although she’s probably going to flip either way,” I confess.
Jenny gasps. “Kate, this is just one of the stories that hit the papers today. It happened to be well written, but I’m afraid the others are not,” she says, pulling up another article on the big screen.
Sizzle Publications
Chase Prestian Ensnared
Brent Korska
Chase Prestian spent 10 days in Aruba with Kate Meilers, the representative for Torzial Consulting assigned to the Prestian Chicago Medical Facility project.
According to confidential sources, they spent every moment together, dancing and partying the week away. Police records show she was assaulted by three men on the beach and was moved into the Prestian suites shortly afterward. Another police report was filed the very next day citing details of an attempted poisoning of the consultant. Members of the team were delayed in getting home until she recovered and could finish the event. It’s hard for this reporter to sift through all the rumors and various opinions about what happened. One team member who asked to remain anonymous shared thoughts from the group that these attacks may have been part of a ploy to get close to the elusive Chase Prestian. Others suggest she may have become a target because of her relationship with the billionaire who is under suspicion of drug trafficking.
Chase Prestian is well renowned for his exotic tastes in women around the globe. He and Kate were interviewed outside of Noor’s last night and he shared with reporters that he and Kate are moving in together. The question for most readers is how long will it last?
I feel sick as I look at the images on the monitor. There must be at least twenty pictures of Chase with different women on his arm. Blondes, brunettes, and redheads from around the world, all drop dead gorgeous.
“Kate, there’s more of the same in different tabloids. Do you want to see them?”
“No, I can’t see anything else and I’m not really sure what to say, Jenny. I didn’t know who he was when we first started seeing each other or we would never have started dating, but it happened and I’ve never felt like this about anyone before. I have no clue what they are talking about related to the drug trafficking. I just hope that Torzial does not come under scrutiny because of it,” I say, hurt and embarrassed by the articles.
“Fuck that, Kate! Torzial is a stable, reputable company and it stands on its own merits. This won’t hurt the firm. If anything it will give it more publicity. I just want to be sure you are okay. I mean, Kate, I don’t have a clue about the drug trafficking stuff, but honestly hon, the guy’s in the tabloids with a different girl every night,” she says, hugging me tightly.
“I’ll have to talk to him about the articles, but in the meantime I’m going to pack up some of the Prestian Facility documents and facilitation materials to keep at Prestian Corporation. Chase offered to provide the teams with a floor in the compound and I looked at it this morning. It’ll work out perfect when we start modeling some of the rooms. I was also hoping to stop by your apartment and pick up my personal belongings,” I say, hoping that I don’t seem as desolate as I feel.
“Whatever you need, Kate. You’ve got the key and you know you can stay for as long as you want to,” she says.
“Thanks Kate, I just need to talk to Chase about the articles,” I say before I set out to find some boxes. The mailroom is humming with machinery when I go downstairs and I can hear the women in the back cubicles chatting. I stop walking when I overhear my name.
“Did you see the articles about Kate and the guy who owns Prestian Corporation? She’s all over the tabloids. A week in Aruba sounds like a tough assignment. Looks like she snagged Chase Prestian. What a little gold digger. The guys downstairs have a pool going to see how long it takes for Prestian to dump her,” says a voice I recognize as one of the Torzial accountants.
Her voice drops slightly and I have to strain to make out what she is saying. “Pete from IT said his uncle works for the Chicago P.D. He may be a great upstanding entrepreneur in this country, but he is the number one suspect in a large drug trafficking incident that happened last year. I guess the guy’s got a security system on par with the police and they couldn’t make anything stick. He’s sure got the perfect cover to move in and out of the country.”
“Stop it. I feel sorry for Kate,” says a woman I recognize as Sue. She has worked in the mailroom for as long as I have been with the company. “She probably doesn’t even know what he’s up to in his spare time. Last year when I was home sick with pneumonia she brought me containers of fresh soup, so all I had to do was pop them in the microwave for a warm meal. She’s a real sweetheart. You can’t believe what you read in those trash magazines. What’s concerning to me is that Pete said Mark told him that Prestian is going to use their templated designs. If that’s the case why would they keep Torzial on for the project?” she asks.
I close the door and walk quietly out of the mailroom and take the back stairs to the second floor, glancing toward the elevator where the security detail is still staked out in the waiting area.Drug trafficking?What the hell. I knew it was strange he had so much security, but nothing like this ever crossed my mind. He can’t possibly be into drugs. Maybe this is the reason someone is targeting me and why we need so much security.
I head to Jenny’s office hoping she can put some perspective on the situation with Martel, but as I reach her office I stop short, hearing her on the phone. “Chase, you’re not really leaving me much choice in the matter. Are you going to announce details of the new contract at the meeting today?”
“I see,” she says after a brief pause. “Then you can be the one to break the news to Kate. She’s not going to take it lightly, though. She prides herself on her ability to handle multiple complex projects such as the Prestian Corp Facility.”
