Chapter 37

Maria Hall stood in pure shame and disappointment. Only one thing stood in her way of getting exposed and it was this man, Steve.

She knew she had to do everything within her reach to get him to not walk into that entrance door.

She had already tried begging but he wouldn't turn back.

Run! The words struck her like lightning. That's a good idea, she made to run but soon realized the driver had seen her.

And…? The voice came again.

Nothing. She thought.

Exactly, it's his words against yours. He has nothing on you. Just words. The voice resounded in her ears.

Mere words! Maria Hall thought. What evidence does he have? Absolutely nothing. She tried to imagine Steve standing in front of the council trying to recount all her activities with the council members exchanging glances and laughing at him. Calling him crazy.

Maria Hall smiled wholeheartedly for the first time since her day began, this time feeling really satisfied with the thought.

She turned to leave but gave it a second thought.

“No! I must not leave any stone unturned. I don't need rumors” she thought aloud.

Stupid!! You're going to regret this…

Maria soon stopped listening, she must not get the people who sent her angry. She must do her job and do it neatly. Leaving no stones unturned. Anything to fetch her more bucks, she thought.

Any moment now, Steve thought. He wanted her to beg him. He wanted to prove to her that he was worth more than a driver and she shouldn't just speak to him or look down on him because of his position.

Since Steve met Maria Hall during her step-daughter's wedding to the King, he has always known her to be intolerable.
She would always talk to him as if she were talking to a child. He hated being disrespected and she knew that but she would always want to get on his nerves.

One could hardly cope with such a woman, especially with her unbridled tongue. Little wonder, her husband divorced her and her only daughter left her.

He wondered how Jasmine's father had managed to cope with such a woman for that many years. It must have been mentally draining, he thought.

“Wait!” she pleaded once more. “Please…”

He turned back to face her, grinning from ear to ear and she felt hot raw embarrassment flushing her.

His brows raised questioningly. “Are you ready to answer my questions?”

Heaving, she replied. “Yes, sure”
She didn't know why she was doing this but she felt it was the right thing to do. No spilling, no rumors.
She dreaded what her boss would do to her should she mess this up and let the rumor spread.

Nodding, he began. “Why were you hiding behind the King's car?”


“I was on a call” she replied sharply, without meeting his eyes.

“You could have made or picked the call anywhere. You didn't need to hide.” He said as he carefully studied her facial expressions and body language to detect a lie.

“I needed privacy…” she paused thinking of what to say next

His eyes narrowed. “I realized”.

“… you don't take important calls just anywhere” she continued before realizing what he had said.

Realized? Did he just say that? This Steve guy must really be up to something. He must have been watching her for quite a while to have…
With a concerned look etched on her face, she wondered if he had also heard her conversation with her caller. He must have known what transpired between the two of them for him to have thought it best to threaten her with it, she thought.

This job was getting messier by the moment and Maria Hall wasn't liking it one bit. Not like she wouldn't have handled it but she would rather not have to try.

She returned her gaze to Steve who was now standing, glaring at her. Looking like he was waiting for an answer.

“What?” Maria Hall demanded.

“I asked you a question but you decided not to answer”.

She flinched as she tried to maintain her composure. Just patience Maria. Patience!

“What was the question?”


“Why were you sneaking out?” he asked coely.

“I wasn't sneaking out!” She snapped, she was getting angry.

“But you were”. He said with a straight face. “And what's with the scarf?” he continued eyeing the scarf on her hands.

What's this even about? I really should have just ran when I had the chance to. Maria thought.

“I…uh… I…” Maria Hall racked her brain for any excuse, any lie, anything at all to say.

“I was feeling a little under the weather. I just needed some sort of warmth.” She replied looking at Steve hoping he was buying her story. She checked her watch. She needed to go.

“I have to go now” she said and immediately headed for the road, without glancing backwards.

Walking out of the palace, she heaved a deep sigh of relief. She really needed to have gotten out of there. What was it with the questions today? She thought.

Maria Hall thought of the nice reception she was going to give herself once she got home. She would take a hot bath, then eat Mac and cheese or get one of those hot chocolate cookies with warm milk. She'd probably buy that on her way home. Atleast, she could afford that. Then, she'd sit by herself all snuggled up in her last surviving blanket and watch a movie or two before finally sleeping.

Maria Hall had made up her mind not to pick any more calls that night. She had decided to rest alone and that was what she was going to do. Afterwards she could face the consequences of missing their calls.

Maria smiled heartily. She was going to have a calm evening, she thought. If only she knew.

****
“I know what you're thinking and I'm sure we could achieve that,” Rose said from across the room.

Getting up to adjust the window curtains so no one could get wind of what they were discussing, she spotted something. Oh! Someone.

“Is that not…” she peered closer. “...my … mother?”, Slowly the words slipped out of her mouth.

“What? who?” The other lady questioned

" That's my mother”, she said, pointing in Mara Hall's direction, looking pale.

“I thought you said you haven't seen her in a while” the other lady asked, now sitting on the bed.

Rose turned to stare at her before proceeding. “Well… now I have”

“I wonder who she came here to see. Everyone is still upset with Maria Hall to pay her any attention.

Rose watched her mother return her phone into her purse and hurriedly made for the driveway, looking from side to side.

Why was she sneaking out? Rose wondered. Rose knew her mother too well and immediately, Rose figured out that she was there on a mission.

Rose stared on, a thousand thoughts flooding her head. Revenge! The word stung her memories. That was her mother's last words the day she was taken away to the prison. She knew her mother always kept her words and if she said something, she would definitely do it.

Oh well! She resigned thoughtfully. Whatever she came for was sure not going to be her. So, there was no need to worry about that. She had better things to deal with and work on.

She closed the window and adjusted the curtains just as the driver walked towards Maria Hall.