CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

"Goodbye everyone"
Everyone in Lia's department all said their good bye's before going their separate ways.
Lia waited a bit, for everyone to leave so that no one would see her leaving with Leo.
She headed straight to the parking lot where Leo was already in the car, waiting for her arrival.
Leo was in the driver's seat meaning that he was going to drive. Lia took the passengers seat at the front remembering how her father would always scold her anytime she went to the back seat while he drove.
He would always say.
***"What are you doing back there, come over to the front, I'm your father, not your driver"***
She wanted to thank Leo for waiting for her to finish, But she closed her mouth almost as soon as she opened it, when she saw the look on Leo's face.
It looked as if he was holding his anger and he could snap at any moment.
The whole ride was silent. Lia watched as Leo's knuckles turned white and back to their normal shade from clenching and unclenching his fist on the steering wheel.
She was relieved when the ride came to an end. She didn't want to breathe in the tense air any longer.
"Come with me," Leo said as Lia was about to getaway.
Lia felt as if she were in trouble. Leo led her straight into his study room. It was obvious that he was trying his best to stay calm.
Lia lowered her head just wanting the moment to pass by quickly.
Leo brought out an envelope and brought out its content. It was filled with pictures of her, Mary, and Chris.
"Who is he?" Leo pointed to Chris.
"Are you spying on me?"
"Answer my question, Lia" Leo was getting impatient.
"He is my friend"
"Your friend, so you know to meet with other men other than your husband"
"It was just a meeting between friends and besides it wasn't like we went alone, My other friend is female" Lia pointed out.
"That doesn't cover up for the fact that you went out with another man, is it because I didn't have lunch with you? Is that why?"
"Why are you assuming things?"
"You even hugged him, Lia, I'm the only man you should hug" Leo half-shouted.
"I'm sorry, I didn't think of it that way"
"Promise me something Lia"
"What is it?"
"Promise me that you won't ever leave me, tell me that you would stay by side till we both die"
"Why this all of sudden?"
"Just say it"
"I won't leave you"
"And also don't meet up with other men from now on"
"If you are worried about my friend, he is gay"
"It doesn't matter, I don't want you around other men"
"That's almost impossible, there is Mr. Black, the butler, the bodyguards, the driver and I'm pretty sure the person you hired to follow me is a man"
"Those are all my men, I trust they know what will happen to them if they do anything stupid"
"Half of the workers in my department are men"
"Then I guess I'll have to fix that," Leo said in a low voice and the color on Lia's face drained.
"What are you planning to do?"
"I will fire them and replace them with women"
"You can't do that to those poor men"
"I can and I will"
"If you do that then I won't speak to you"
"You are taking their side," Leo said with disbelief.
"I'm not taking anyone's side I'm standing for what's right and what you want to do is wrong"
Leo chuckled and suddenly got serious.
"No one has ever threatened me before"
Lia shrieked.
"I didn't mean it that way, don't you trust me?"
"I do, It's the men I don't trust"
"Please leave everything as it is"
"Fine"
Leo hugged Lia and put his face in the crook of her neck.
"Uhm, that reminds me I got you something"
"What is it?"
Lia struggled to get the box out of her bag because of the position Leo put her in.
Lia handed it over to Leo, he took it and shoved it into his pocket.
"Aren't you going to take a look at it?"
"Not right now, let me enjoy the moment"
"Here is your card"
"Keep it, it's yours now"
Leo was now staring intensely at her face.
"So, when am I going to meet your family?" Lia said trying to make a conversation.
Leo became tensed. His grip on Lia's waist slightly tightened.
"You are the only family that I have"
"But what about your mother?"
"My mother and my father died in a plane crash a long time ago"
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that"
"Don't be"
"Do you remember anyone from your childhood?"
"Well apart from my father, I only remember a few of my classmates and who used to be my best friend 'Mabel Jones' "
"When did you meet her?"
"When I was seven years old"
"What happened before that? When you were younger"
"I can't remember, the only thing I remember is hospitals. I and my father moved a lot when I was still a child and it always had to do with hospitals"
"Who needed treatment?"
"It was I"
"Why?"
"I don't know, I can't remember anything, why are you asking all these questions though?"
"I just wanted to confirm something"
"Ok, I'll go freshen up"
"I will join you later"
Leo waited for Lia to leave.
"Come out"
"It looks like Mrs. King might have developed a case of amnesia, probably from the accident"
"What are you doing here?"
"You told me to meet you here. I've been waiting for you for almost an hour before you came in with your wife"
"I met her father today"
"I know"
"He knew who I was"
"I expected him to"
"Tell me something, where is Cynthia?"
"Honestly I have no idea, but I do know that she is close by"
"Find her"
"Why don't you just leave her be? you already hurt her so much. You killed her husband"
"He killed himself"
"So what if I fInd her? what else are you going to do to her? maybe this time you will end her life"
"That's enough Black, just find her for me"
Leo leaned on the backrest of his chair and loosened his necktie. It looked like he was going to remain there for a while, So
Mr. Black left him alone.
...
"It looks like Mrs. King doesn't know that eavesdropping can get her into a lot of trouble"