Chapter Fifteen: A Way Around It

Vincent

I don't know what it was, but seeing as she really wanted to leave the room moved something in me.

Does she really want to resign? I've been in this office for up to one hour, somehow wondering what was keeping her waiting.

Since the day she started working here, she has never for once come here late that sometimes I wonder if she doesn't sleep at all before coming here.

“You really want to resign?" I asked her, moving away from my chair and walked towards her.

“You're the boss here and your wish is my command." She replied, keeping that professional tone.

“You can't resign that way. I'm sure you went through official procedures before starting work, you'll also have to go through the same thing to resign.”

"And just so you know, you can't resign when you haven't stayed three months.” I added.

"Okay then, am I allowed to do what I came here for now?” She asked, stepping away from me.

I moved aside for her to do her work which she started almost immediately. I stood by the wall with my hand in my pockets, just watching her.

The silence here today feels even more thicker than usual. When she was done, she walked past me without sparing me a glance.

“Anastasia.” I called her before she got to the door.
She stopped right before the door, her cleaning materials in her hand.

"Are you okay?” I asked.

It's so obvious that something is wrong with her. Though she's been acting cold and distant to me, today's own feels so wrong.

“Why wouldn't I be?" She retorted back.
"I don't know, I just have a feeling that you're not, you don't look good too.” I answered.

"I'm fine." She responded then placed her hand on the doorknob. Before she could get out though, I stopped her from getting out.

“What I said….what I said that day, I didn't mean that you shouldn't talk to me again, neither did I mean that I'll stop talking to you.” I started.

“Vincent, that's literally the least of my problem. I'm battling with bigger things now that supercedes that.” She replied.

"What is the problem?" I asked.
“It’s nothing you have to worry yourself about. It's my own life problem and I want it to remain that way.”

"Such a nice way to tell me that it's none of my business.” I chuckled.

“That's not what I meant.”

"What's the problem, Michelle. I have a feeling that it's something really big and you've been thinking too much about it.” I said.

Her shoulders slumped, "It's a personal problem, like I said.”

"Michelle.” I called her name.
"I'm getting married.” She finally said.

I searched her face to see if she was lying but she was so serious. There was no atom of amusement on her face and in her voice.

My heart sank at those three words and i have no idea why.

“To who? And you don't look too happy about that.” i commented.

“It's kind of like an arranged marriage. I don't even know why I'm telling you this, nevermind. I'll be downstairs Incase there's any other thing you need me for.”

“Why are you dodging the question? Do you really want to get married?" I stopped her once more.

"What exactly do you want? You said you want me to stop talking to you and I did, what's the problem now?” She snapped.

"I'm trying to pay back the help you rendered to me the other day, that's all.”

"Thank you, but I can handle my own problem myself."

"His name is Matteo. Your parents are owing him and he wants to get married to you to clear their debt.” I recited it out like a mantra.

“H-how did… how did you know that?” She stuttered.
“I have my ways. How do you intend to tackle it, you look and sound like you have everything under control.”

“How did you find out about that. I could have sworn that I haven't said a word about it to anyone." She still had that shocked look on her face.

I walked over to my table with my hand in my pockets, knowing fully well that she wouldn't want to leave my office now.

“Let's just say that he's a competitor and I've been carrying out different investigation about him, I just happen to stumble upon his recent plans and it led me to you.” I summarized.

I was really shocked when I found out that Michelle is the lady Matteo intends to get married to. I've been tailing him for weeks now.

“So, he's your competitor." She sounded shocked.

"Yes, for years now. There's this business deal I'm trying to seal and he poses as one of the major competitor, I never took him serious before since I've always seen him as a minor competitor.”

"I suddenly didn't hear anything about him for years but he reappeared this year.” I concluded.

"What's my inclusion in your business competition?" She asked me, making me turn around.

“I never meant to include you in it in the first place, I was only trying to explain to you how I got to find out about him.” I replied.

“Oh, funny how I haven't heard a word about him since, I don't even think I've heard his name anywhere before. My parents said we grew up together, I don't know how true that is though.” She said.

“He didn't grow up in this country to begin with though his parents are citizens of this country. He came back here to start his business here ago.”

My parents lied, I knew there was something fishy about what they said in the first place.

“I don't know what to do anymore. The money my parents borrowed from him is so much that there's no way I'd pay it back." Michelle said in a much softer voice.

The strong facade she had around her since she entered the office ebbed off.

“I think I have a plan. You'll go on that date with him.”