“Thank you for trusting us,” I said to the man seated across from me while standing up to give him a handshake.
“Thope this isn’t the last time we meet, he returned with a creepy smile, holding onto my hand.
Swallowing the urge to tear my hand off his because I actually needed this partnership, I flashed him an awkward smile.
“I don’t believe it is. Thanks to the contract, we’d be seeing each other often. My response showed how strictly professional I wanted this conversation to be.
But he seemed not to be taking the hint as he added. “I don’t think you understand what I mean, Miss Walton. You are a very beautiful woman, easily one of the prettiest I’ve come across and I’m wondering if I could take you out on a date”
Without hesitation, I pulled my hand out of his and gave him a once–over. He was just as old as my father and I couldn’t bear the bare imagination of having his arms around me. This wasn’t the first time that I was handling such an approach, but it seemed to be getting more audacious as time went on.
The last one wasn’t bold enough and had slipped a note in my file, asking for a night with me in exchange for a huge sum of money.
“I know you think I’m too old for you, but I’m really not that old, and I’m very much single, so you don’t have to worry about having any competition. I had a decline in my physical appearance since my wife’s death. I have two sons and a daughter, so I’m very capable of making babies. Also, I will spoil you to whatever capacity you desire,” he said, his eyes hopeful. “You can think about it.”
The disgust inside of me was brimming but I took deep breaths to ensure that it remained hidden.
I picked my words carefully before replying. Thank you for the offer but I’m not interested.”
“Oh, he looked genuinely hurt but he smiled. “Is there someone else?”
Why did I expect that question before he even asked!
I’m just not interested in anyone right now.”
He left afterwards and I was glad he didn’t try to probe further like most of them nor threaten to pull back his support. Perhaps, his intention was not bad.
True, he was an old man, but he looked physically fit as well, and he was polite and straight with his intention. Maybe if I was desperate to get married or didn’t have a valid reason as to why I should never venture through that path again, I would have given a thought to
his offer.
As I started to get into my seat to resume my duties, my office door was thrown open and a frustrated Aspen stormed in. Almost immediately, Kendra followed after her.
“Miss Walton, I tried to stop her…” She looked breathless. “I’m sorry”
I had expected Aspen’s visit sooner than she made it so her barging in didn’t take me by surprise.
“It’s fine. Allow her.
“Coffee or wine?” Kendra asked.
“I doubt Mrs. Schaeffer here came to drink with me.” I said calmly. “Excuse us for a moment.
Kendra left. I settled in my seat, staring at the woman who looked quite youthful for her age. I thought of what it would take me to pounce on her and snuff life out of her. Of course, I had more physical strength than her but I knew better. It was riskier to be as petty as Xander and even though he never related well with his mother, he would not let the loss slide.
“Tell me what your plan is,” Aspen started and I arched a brow at her audacity. Why would I expose my plan to her when she was part of
the reason I created it!
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mrs Schaeffer.”
“Why did you come back?” She asked, her expression hard.
“I don’t owe you an explanation for that,” I said. “If that’s all you came to say, you should leave
now.”
Chapter 24
“I don’t believe that you returned to our lives without a motive, Mia. Everything that you’ve done until now is proof of that,” she crossed her arms. “All of a sudden you’re this rich big gid and a CEO. And you’ve been nothing but a distraction to my son.”
“First of all, I didn’t return to anyone’s life. Last time I checked, this city doesn’t have the name Schaeffer in it and anyone can breeze in and out whenever they want,” I returned her demeanor. “As for your son, Xander and I do not have any business together anymore. If he has changed since I returned, should’t you be talking to him? Why do you think I’m responsible for that?”
With Aspen, it was getting increasingly difficult to be polite but I was doing it.
“Because you’ve always been a distraction to him!” She snapped. “Even before you left, all you did was give him trouble-
“You’re the one to talk? 1 interrupted, throwing caution to the wind. “Theard you left him when he was just a child. Do you really think you’re in a better position to tell me about responsibility!
You uncultured bitch, she swallowed, offended. “At least I canse back. You disappeared with a pregnancy that you claimed was his and now you’re back with nothing. Tell me. Mia, did you kill that child when you realized that Xander had stopped falling for your lies?
My palms curled into fists, my knuckles burning from the impact but I kept my emotions caged. Aspen wasn’t worth it. None of them were worth it.
Seething, I warned. Td like you to leave now.”
“I didn’t come here to fight you, Mia,” she said. “Just like I offered the first time oh I forgot you lost that memory,” she shrugged and placed a blank cheque on my table. “Name your price. I’ll pay you anything to leave this city and Xander’s life for good.”
1 threw my head back, staring from the paper to her while muttering calmly to her hearing. “Die”
“What?” The color drained from her face.
I
“You said you’d pay anything. If you die right now, it’ll be a nice start to achieving everything I want. It’ll be one less disturbance for me.”
She froze. “Y–you monster.
“Then this can’t work. Mr Schaeffer,” I pushed the cheque back to her. “But you can think about it. Just give me a call if you agree and we can get it done. i
“You want to kill me just like you killed your baby?” She said, breathless. “You’re nothing but a selfish woman, Mia. Selfish!”
She grabbed her bag, raging and ranting as she exited my office. The moment my door went shut, I grabbed my neck and tried to take in as much air as I could. My other hand went into my bag, reaching for my inhaler and I took two deep breaths.
I waited for the medication to hit before dabbing the tears from my eyes, Aspen’s accusation was one of the things I never expected to hut me so hard, especially because it was her. But then I realized that there was a hint of truth in it.
I had clung onto Xander desperately, ignoring the glaring signs of his disdain and that had contributed to my untimely loss. If I had left the moment he asked me to, taking what he offered, maybe all of this would have been avoided.
Focusing on work after Aspen left was nearly impossible, but I forced myself to. After all, I wasn’t blutting when I told her what I deeply desired and since she obviously wasn’t going to give it to me, I was left with putting my all to achieve it.
As I prepared to round up for the day, my phone rang. Distractingly, I received it without bothering to check the caller ID, while stulling my bag with the paperwork I planned to complete at home.
“Miss Walton,” I recognized Lona’s voice but there was something wrong with it. It was shaky. “I tried to stop him but he suddenly barged in. The guards are down and Mr Walton… He…”
That was all I needed to know what was happening and who the ‘him‘ she was referring to was. A rush of vexation clouded my demeanor.
With the phone still held against my ear, I stuffed the rest of the files into my bag, not bothering to check if I had stacked them properly. and dashed out of my office.
If he touched Nathan. I’m going to kill him!
“Im going to fucking kill you, Alexander Schaeffer!”
