Chapter Fourteen
Liam had told me about his cousin’s condition for the apartment he was offering me.
“You would train his workers,” he had boldly announced.
If Williams was the owner of the apartment I moved into, it meant one thing; Williams is Liam’s cousin.
“He’s still as arrogant as ever,” I bemused.
I tugged at my collar until the flaps rested firmly on my white shirt.
“Dad, can the kids stay here while I attend an urgent meeting?
“Of course, they are welcome to stay here as long as they want.” I gave him a light hug and trudged in to bid the kids goodbye. Thankfully, their meals and snacks were with them, and James also had his game with him.
I saw his back at the gate of the park. He was dressed in his usual three-piece suit and a matching gray muffler around his neck.
He seemed to be lost on whatever he was doing on his phone and didn’t notice me until I pulled out the chair opposite him.
He scoffed before dropping his phone on the wooden table.
“Never changed? Once a later comer, always a late comer.” The sides of his lips twitched, and his face creased into his usual cold form.
He hadn’t changed one bit; in fact, he looked more handsome than he was five years ago.
His hair was stylishly curled to the left, and his beards were neatly trimmed as usual.
I tried to touch his face , but suddenly got myself and withdrew my hand.
“I had something to”
“It’s okay,” he said, waving me off with his hands. “You can save your excuses for someone who would be interested in them.”
I was vexed,but I quickly covered up with a fake smile.
“And who might be interested in my excuses if not my dear ex. Husband? I asked, trailing patterns on his long fingers stretched out before me on the table. I was ready to taunt him as much as he has taunted me in the past.
He quickly withdrew his fingers, eying me in succession.
“I’m sure your boss has told you about his promise to me.
“Yeah, he did. Come to think of it, you always accused me of being incompetent. Are you sure you still want someone like me to train your workers? They could get worse after getting trained by me.”
“When are you starting the training?
If there was one thing Williams was good at, it was how to make people’s opinions seem irrelevant, and that’s exactly what he wanted to do to me.
“I want to opt out.”
I saw his eyes widen in anger, and he stared deeply at me, daring me to repeat what I said.
“You heard me; I will call my boss to inform him about this. I’m sure he will be willing to refund you for all the stress.”
I saw his hand on my shoulder, and the next minute, he grabbed me roughly to face his glare. “I do not accept no to my proposals; you should be used to that now.”
I squirmed as his grip tightened on me, and my shoulder burned from the pressure of his hand.
“You’re hurting me,” I begged, placing my limp hands on his chest, a gesture that vexed him more and resulted in him lowering me on the table.
“You will do as I say,” he barked before leaving me on the table.
I took a quick look at him and winced in pain as my eyes had become blurry. I staggered off the table and hit a harder surface, and that was the last thing I remembered before passing out.
I woke up to find myself draped in a blue duvet, and as I lifted the duvet, I realized that I had nothing, not even the tiniest piece of clothing under it.
The door suddenly burst open, and a maid walked in bearing a plate of food on a fancy tray.
She smiled upon seeing that I was awake and rushed to my side to help me sit up.
“The boss will be here shortly; he’s gone to attend an urgent meeting in the office.
I took a quick glance at the room; it was the same room where Williams and I slept the night we made love before his driver drove me home.
“Did he intentionally bring me into the room to remind me of what we once shared?”
I quickly pushed the thought away. Williams was the devil himself and was incapable of any kind of emotion.
“Please, can I get my clothes? I need to go home now. My kids are home alone.”
“The boss said we shouldn’t let you out until he returns
“Why on earth would he say that?
I scurried out of bed with the duvet around me and sauntered into the restroom, where I saw my clothes neatly placed beside the mirror. Thankfully for the mirror, I brushed my disheveled hair with my hand until all strands lapped finely at the back, then packed them up into a ponytail.
I quickly wore my clothes and emerged to meet the maid, who stared at me in shock.
“Ma,am! He has also warned the guards not to let you out. I think it would be better if you sat and waited for him a little.”
I was already vexed by the order he gave his staff. I was not one of his assets, and I didn’t need his permission to leave for my house.
I walked towards the gate and faced another hazel with the gateman, who refused to bulge with the words, “Boss said I shouldn’t let you out.”
I was worried about my kids. It was the first time I was leaving them in the care of someone else.
My attention was suddenly drawn to his car honk, and I quickly moved out of the gate.
I watched him match purposefully to where I stood, and he handed me a package in a sealed bag.
“That’s for you.”
I blinked hard at him, wondering what could be inside the package.
“What is this for?” I asked, unsure of what he wanted me to do with the package.
He threw a side glance at me before answering sarcastically, “You will find out when you open it.”