Chapter 28

"Should we just date for real?"

My eyes widened, almost popping out of my sockets as I stared at him.

He chuckled and shook his head. "I'm just joking. Don't worry, I will stop articles about it from coming out."

I chuckled nervously, nodding my head.

"Go on." He gestured at the house and I nodded once again, getting out of the car.

"Get back home safely." I waved, expecting him to leave, but he didn't. He said I should go in first, so I did as he said. As I went in, I watched through the window as he left before sighing out.

"Welcome back home, ma'am." I looked back to see Cynthia staring at me with a smile.

"I made dinner."

"Oh, I can't eat. Just throw it out." I said and while she nodded, I walked past her to the stairs. I trudged upstairs and when I got to my room, I slumped on the bed.

A tired sigh left my lips as my eyes came in contact with the white ceiling. The scene at the party came to my mind as I stared at it. A smile slowly pulled to my lips as I thought about Reed and Esham's look when James talked down on them.

Just the thought of James' smile, and the way he stood up made my heart race. He is...I don't know.

A loud sigh left my lips as I stood up from the bed. I began undressing even though I felt like just sleeping without bathing, but I don't wanna be a dirty girl. Giggling, I walked into the bathroom after undressing.

I had my bath before getting back on my bed after putting on a nightie. I snuggled closer to my pillow and closed my eyes, but the beeping of my phone made me open it. Without moving from my position, I reached for my bag which was at the edge, took my phone out to stare at it. A smile pulled to my lips as I saw a goodnight message from James. I typed a 'goodnight' before sending it to him, but my eyes never left his message till I fell asleep. Staring at the message was comforting.

_________

XANDER

As I read online articles about Silvana's relationship with James, my teeth gnashed in anger. That bitch! How did she get so involved with James after ruining my plans. A call popped up on the screen but I hung up. It was from the lady I hired to make false claims against Silvana. She had been calling me for days now but I was too angry to pick up her calls. Not after the company got back up, and besides, she was surely calling for nothing good.

The call came in and I was about to hang up again, but I decided against it and picked it up instead.

"What the fuck do you want?!"

"I need money." She replied, making scoff. I knew it, calling for stupid things.

"What for?"

"Is that a question to ask right now? Silvana found out that she made a false claim and they are demanding compensation or I will be sent to jail."

"Pay the money then."

"I don't have money!"

I took my hand to my eyebrows, scratching it tiredly. "I remember paying you, didn't I?"

"I used the money for my daughter's surgery, so give me the money or I'm saying your name."

I chuckled at her words. She seemed to have forgotten our agreement. "Say my name and your daughter is gone, you will also lose money too. Don't you remember our agreement?"

There was deafening silence, and I was about to hang up, when she spoke again.

"Please, help me. I really don't have money and I don't want to go to jail. If this case gets investigated, you could be found out too even without me saying anything, so please..." She trailed off, and I sighed. She is kind of right. I could get into trouble if this gets investigated thoroughly.

"How much?"

"Thirty thousand dollars."

"What? That's a lot." I hesitated, but she continued. "I know, that's why I need your..."

"I will get back to you." Hanging up, I dialed Reed's number, asking to meet up at our usual lounge and I was already getting to leave when a knock came on the door.

Going over to open it, I was shocked at the sight of my parents.

"What are you do–" I was pushed away from the door and they came in, my dad shutting the door in a loud bang.

"What's this about you being kicked out of the company?!" He thundered. I gulped nothing as I stared at their faces which were red from anger. This is one of the things I was trying to avoid. My parents were out of the country for months so they were not aware of the situation here, and I never expected them to be back now.

"Cat got your tongue!"

I looked at my mum whose face was all puffed up and red. "I'm sorry, mum, but it's not my fault–"

"It's not your fault, then whose fault is it?" My mum cut in and I sighed.

"Mum, Dad, please listen–" I tried to calm them down, but my dad was not having it.

"You want us to listen? You've disgraced us, James. You were not even demoted, you got kicked out."

"How is that my fault? It's Silvana's fault! How can she come from nowhere and instead of being thankful, she kicked me out!" I yelled, but my dad laughed, making me furrow my brows.

"Being thankful? You almost destroyed the company, James. I should have collected the company from you seeing how you handled it, but I didn't, and I'm regretting it." My father's words cut deep as he glared at me. He stormed out of the house, leaving me devastated. My mum made to follow him but I held her.

"You can't leave me like this mum, help me."

"Help you? You think I have a say in this, right now?" My mum asked, obviously astonished, but it's true. She can help me.

"You are acquainted with Saeja Interiors, right?"

"I am. What about them?" She asked and I smiled, moving close to her. "That's how you can help me."

_______

Stepping into the private lounge, my eyes landed on Reed, who was operating his phone with his leg on the table.

"Bro." Mumbling, I walked to sit beside him and he looked up. "You're here."

"I am, and we have a problem."

His brows furrowed and he dropped his leg from the table. "What's that?"

I told him about the compensation amount we needed to pay and though he was furious at first, we finally agreed to pay it together, since it would affect us.

"You better take good care of this. I don't want any more trouble regarding this matter." He said as he transferred the money.

"I will, and about Silvana. I just have to get back into the company."

"How is that going to happen?" He stopped what he was doing to stare at me.

I shrugged. "You know, I've been watching every of her moves including the company's dealings and I think I have a chance now."

"If that's it, then it's great." He chuckled, bumping shoulders with me.

I smiled and took his glass of whiskey on the table. Sipping from it, I nodded at the hotness before speaking up.

"We just need to get rid of Silvana now."

"Not only her."

I stopped sipping and looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"James. I wish he was gone. Since we can't have him, why don't we get rid of him?"

A smirk appeared on my lips as Reed cocked his head to my direction.

"Good idea.”