Chapter 35

**James POV**

*** Twenty-five years ago***

James stood there, rooted to the spot after he heard everything. He was at the age to understand what they are talking about and who! His thoughts were running a mile. His emotions were in chaos. He understood everything yet not understood at all. It was very confusing. He only knows the fact that his dad didn't arrange the party for him.

In the chaotic emotions that were warring inside him, James picked anger. He should have chosen solitude, but then he didn't know any better at that age.

He marched towards the main hall, in search of his father to say what he thought of him and what other people thought of him. He never thought about the consequences his outburst may make. His thought process didn't go that far. In his mind- his father has used him and James was determined to let him know how he feels about it.

Angry tears were running down his cheeks. He rarely cries these days yet his father has turned him into a crybaby with a simple gesture. His fists clenched; he finally spotted his father. He is holding court in the center of the main hall. James approached his father with angry steps, passing by the guests who were busy talking amongst themselves. As he came closer, he realised who his father was talking to. He was chatting with none other than the man he saw his mother with. The man those bad people were talking about.

"Is this my birthday party?", James' voice echoed among the silent listeners of the group.

"Not now, kid. Go play with someone", his dad made a shoo-ing gesture, irritated with his son for disturbing him.

"No!", James shouted so loud, the noise of the party died down.

"James", his father's warning tone fell on the deaf ears.

"Where is my cake? Where are the balloons? The birthday banners?", James accused his father.

Red-faced at the accusation and his son's blatant show of disrespect, his father tried to shove him towards the kitchen by clutching his arm. James stood there stubbornly not barging an inch.

"Move", his father grunted angrily.

"Why? So that you can "kiss the ass" of that guy who was on the bed with mom?", James blurted out not caring about the gasps that came from the people who stood within their hearing distance.

"What!!", his father shouted shocked.

"James!", Perla added her voice to the tone, who was coming to warn them to stop making a spectacle and heard James' last sentence.

"Honey, you know about this boy. He always utters nonsense", Perla tried to defuse the situation. She thought to herself- "That boy is going to get from me".

"No... you lie. You both lie. You don't care about me. This party is not for me. Do you know what they call you dad? A bastard. They pity you because mom-"

"That's enough boy. I was more than lenient with the way you were brought up, don't make me regret that", Perla said cutting his rant off.

"You were? Where were you in my entire childhood? I saw dad less. But I haven't even seen you for some days. You behave this version of a caring mom only in front of other people. You are nothing but a bully. And people laugh at you. Both of you. I don't want you as my parents anymore! I hate you!!"

James ran away from the crowd, not registering the ripples his accusation caused or the aftereffect of it. His parents soon got divorced after that incident. Before other vultures could grasp the situation, Anna's mom didn't waste time snatching his dad. Suffering a heavy blow to his ego, his dad surrendered without any protest.

Since then, Anna's mom and she had tried their very best to bring down the company's finances, almost emptying the coffers, before he could ascend his position. It's his remorseless and hard-hearted exterior that keeps them in check now. And a little threat about unveiling their past, which neither of the ladies wants to come out in the light, especially before his father also helps him keep them in line.

Some may question, why bother? Why let them stay in your nest knowing about them? Why keep a snake as a pet, when you know about its nature? It's because I want to monitor their level of poison. Keep the friends close, the enemies closer, all that. And if the snake tries to bite him, he knows all the tricks to cut its teeth.

If he spills the beans as he did with his mother, the result will be the same. Some other bimbo and gold-digger will snatch him up. Better to have the enemy whose tricks he knows than the unexpected one. Unlike her mother, who stays quiet with some money thrown her way, Anna tried to test her boundaries with him. One of these days, she will go too far testing his patience and he will be ready to tear her apart when it happens.

**Present-day**

"Anna, I'm not in the mood for one of your games right now. Just sprout the nonsense you came here for and begone", James grunted irritated at her interruption.

"Tsk...tsk...temper...temper. What's the matter, dear brother? Did your minions didn't do your bidding? Did someone make an atrocious mistake of delaying their work? Has mommy dearest paid another tearful visit? What is it?", Anna asked as she sauntered into his office, lounged on his desk seductively, and looked pointedly at the broken mess James had made that morning. She made herself comfortable on his desk by crossing her legs, letting the back slit to display her thighs provocatively.

"Careful Anna. You are treading on thin ice", James warned her, not in the mood to see her drama.

"Ah...big brother, you hurt me. I was just concerned about you", Anna leaned towards him and said it as she goaded him by drawing her fingernail on his shirt in a slow circle.

"Goad me again and see where your mother and you will land", James threatened as he gripped her hand that was on his chest and threw it forcefully.

"Pst... you are no fun. You always use the same line dangling this warning before us. One day big brother, I may find out YOUR secrets and we will see how you will respond to the threats", Anna exasperated with a bite in her voice, all seduction gone from her tone.

"Careful Anna, I won't say again. Forget threatening, if you even think about doing anything to me or mine, your mother and you will face the prison bars. Mark my words'', James growled in a voice for which he was renowned.

Anna's face turned white at the threat and she gulped in quick successions to wet her suddenly dry throat. Anna carefully pulled her hand back, rounded the desk, and sat on the chair opposite him, as she composed herself.

"It was...it was a joke James. Couldn't a little sister joke with her brother now?", Anna questioned as her composure slowly returned.

"Come to the point Anna. I have work to do. Unlike you", James countered bored with her usual tactics.

"Well... you know mom and how she always does something for charities", Anna started.

James raised his eyebrow at that. Correction, her mom takes money from him in the name of charities.

"Well, she thought about some other new project and asked you to sponsor it", Anna quickly blurted out.

"Asked me?", James probed.

"Requested...I mean requested you. It is for...it is for poor children", Anna said as if she decided the cause at that moment.

"Yes...I can see how poorly these CHILDREN are. However, as you might know, or not, I have my own foundations for these charities", James coolly spelled out.

"You are a billionaire. You could afford them", Anna bit out.

"Certainly. But then, why should I?"

"Because we requested?"

"If your mother wants some money to spend on charities, ask her to earn it herself. Not beg in front of me"

"How dare you! She is your step-mom. She has the right on this company's shares", Anna stood spitting anger.

"Does she? In what world? I never knew anything about it. Bring the papers and I may look into it. And as for her being my step-mom, she is still in that position because I let her. Don't forget that. Nor shall your mother. Next time if you want to beg for some money, play nicely and I may give it", James said, boredom evident in his voice.

"You are going too far, James. Don't think for a second we will abide by your orders. One day...one day, you will pull the strings too tight and it may snap. Then it will be you who will dance to our tune", Anna said.

"What did I say about threats? Are you so eager to wear orange, Anna? I could arrange it if you want", James said nonchalantly.

"Fine. Do as you wish. You may be king today big brother, rule all you want. Who knows what the future holds? No one ever knows. One day, it may be me who will sit on that chair. Guard it all you want James. But you can't change fate".

James raised his phone and pressed the intercom, "Brittany called the security. I want them to escort one unwanted guest", James informed on his phone.

"You wouldn't dare!” Anna asked horrifyingly.

"I just did. Behave like this and try to throw any more threats my way in the future and your mom and you will land in prison faster than light", James replied.

"I just came to do what mom told me to do!", Anna said, throwing her mother under the bus. She came to flirt with James, but she wouldn't admit it.

"Since when are you listening to dear mommy? Sprout your stories elsewhere. Now get out".

"You will hear from dad about it", Anna said as her parting shot before leaving the premises hurriedly, just as the security guards entered the floor.

James pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. Any more bad things and he will burst a vein. He checked his mailbox to see for any mails and surprisingly there is one from his little red. James read twice to understand the "subject" of the mail. This is the weirdest one he ever read.

[mail from Bella to James]

To: james.aonal@gmail.com
From: iamfifbel@gmail.com
Subject: My nana eloped with my wannabe boyfriend.

Dear life-ruiner,

You are an insular man. You are not only delusional and self-obsessed but also borderline schizophrenic. Because of you I got fired from my job and lost my one and only admirer to my nana. And that's not even the worst of it. I blame you for all the wrong things happening to me right now.

Seriously heartbroken,
Bella.

[end of the mail]

James quickly typed a response and sent her. After reading the reply mail laughter burst out of him so loudly that Brittany came barging into the office thinking something wrong might have happened. James didn't see her reaction. He just laughed a full hearty one. This girl... only his little red.

Brittany stood there stunned. She is seeing so many firsts today. This spectrum of emotions from James is really rare. She wondered to herself, who might the girl be? Who has the power to make James McKenzie laugh with a simple gesture from far away? What magic is she wielding to achieve this miracle? She is curious now to find out more about her.

Who are you, Ms. James?