Valerie stared around the dark room. She couldn't even figure out where the President was because of the darkness of the room.
“Sir?” She called with a shaky voice. Suddenly, the light was turned on. She was startled to see him right in front of her.
Ethan cleared his throat noisily. “So, this is the best you can do? Why did you take this job? I'm sure you know exactly what the next step would be.”
Tears circulated in Valerie's eyes. What would become of her if she loses this job? It took her a lot to secure this job, and now she was going to lose it in a snap, all because of her heartless stepmother. “I'm ready to take whatever punishment it is you'll give me, President Ethan. But please don't terminate my contract. I really need this money.”
“Is that the kind of family you lived with?” Ethan lowered his voice to ask. He was stunned by what Claudia did earlier. Lastly, he had already met them at the wedding party, and he needed no one to tell him that Valerie's step-mother and step-sister didn't like her.
Valerie sniffed hard. “Yes. They are my family, but I didn't know she was going to show up here today. The last time we had a heart-to-heart talk was five years after I left the house. I know that you have every reason to doubt me, but I have no hand in this.”
With a deep sigh, Ethan replied. “I should be talking about how your contract will be terminated, but because my daughter is fond of you, I'll let this slide. Don't think I'm favoring you, I'm only doing this for Audrey”.
Smiles escaped Valerie's lips. She never thought she would still have her job after the commotion her stepmother caused. She went on her knees immediately. “Thank you so much, Sir. I promise I won't let things like this happen again.”
“You better not. If this happens again, I won't hesitate to terminate my contract with you. This should serve as a lesson to your stepmother as well.” Ethan coldly replied. With that, he turned his face away and shoved his hand into his pocket.
Taking a deep breath of relief, Valerie turned to leave. Suddenly, she heard the sound of something falling on the hard floor. Turning swiftly, her eyes caught with her cell phone on the ground. It fell from President Ethan's pocket.
She bent over immediately, and picked it up. Turning her gaze to President Ethan, who couldn't even look at her in the face, she glanced at him. “Sir, this is my phone. This is the cell phone I've been looking for.”
“Is it? I… I just picked it up at a random spot” Ethan stammered. It was strange of him to stutter while speaking.
Most of all, Valerie couldn't wrap her head around why he would take her cell phone. “Thank you… thank you” She picked the phone up and walked out of the room.
“Holy crap! Why should this happen in front of her?” President Ethan kicked the table in front of him angrily.
…
At a five-star hotel, James was seated in the reserved spot. He couldn't stop glancing at his wristwatch. He had been there for the past one hour, and there's no sight of Valerie. Likewise, he had also tried to call her, but it wasn't connecting. He was still lost in thought when a waitress walked to him. “Sir, are you sure you would rather not order anything?”
“There'll be no need for that. I'll order once the person I'm waiting for shows up” He calmly replied, and she nodded before walking away.
However, James waited for more than thirty minutes, still no sight of Valerie. He was beginning to feel uncomfortable.
“Sir, are you sure you don't want me to go and pick her up?” His chauffeur, who had noticed how uncomfortable and uneasy he looked, asked him.
With a dry smile, he shook his head negatively. “She strictly sent me a text message not to send a driver to pick her up. I don't understand why she hasn't shown up, or maybe something came up like the last time.”
Meanwhile, Valerie was seated on the balcony with her friend, Susan, eating some fried potato chips.
“You're not serious. Are you trying to tell me that your shameless stepmother showed up at Davison's villa?” Susan gasped in shock as Valerie broke the news to her.
Valerie continued. “I almost lost my job today. All courtesy to my stepmother Claudia. She had always wanted me out of their lives, but I never thought she'd go as far as cooking up stories to make me look bad in the presence of everyone at the Davison's mansion”.
“That shameless old hag! Why isn't she going to let you be?” Susan cursed under her breath.
With a deep sigh, Valerie mumbled. “At least her plans didn't work. I'm glad President Ethan didn't terminate my contract, if not, what would have happened to me? You know how much I want to further my education, right?”
“Thank goodness she didn't succeed. By the way, why was your cell phone switched off all through yesterday? I tried all I could to contact you, but I couldn't” Susan raised her brows at her.
Reluctantly, Valerie gulped hard. How does she explain to her friend that President Ethan was on her cell phone the whole day? Wouldn't she get the wrong impression?
“Hey! Are you even listening to me?” Susan snapped her finger in front of her.
Blinking rapidly, she smiled nervously. “I didn't realize it was switched off” She managed to say.
On the other hand, a car drove into Watson's Residence. Halted in the car garage, the driver helped Claudia out of the car. Her face and mouth were swollen as a result of the punches she received from the inmates in the prison where she was left.
The driver held her hand to help her walk in, she pushed him aside roughly, and cried out. “You knucklehead! Are you trying to kill me? Can't you see the wound on my palms?”
“I'm sorry, ma”
“Sorry for your god-damned self!” Claudia cried out as she limped into the duplex.
Suddenly, Patricia and her father walked downstairs, and met her panting in pain. “Oh, Mom, I didn't know it was this bad”
Claudia winced in pain as she glared at her furiously. “You didn't bother to visit me at the station, Patricia. What kind of daughter are you?”
Patricia turned her gaze away, and mumbled. “I can't stress myself. I'm pregnant, mom. Besides, I warned you against this.”