YOU WORK FOR ME NOW

LIA'S POV

"Come to the hospital quickly." The message read.

Just then, Mr. Brex's bodyguard walked up to him to whisper something in his ear and they left together.

Left with Carly, i shuffled my feet uncomfortably while she continued to watch the gardener.

"Could you inform Mrs Athena that i have to go?" I asked her. She looked at me surprised.

"Go? But Caine isn't back yet and your snack is being prepared." She muttered innocently.

We weren't that far apart in age, but i couldn't help feeling much older.

"Yes, but, i have a slight emergency. A colleague of mine was rushed to the hospital and i have to go there now." I showed her the message.

"Oh, i see." She looked from me to the gardener, a bit torn, like watching him was a privilege she rarely got.

"Do you need a ride? I could get you there and back in a jiffy." She suggested.

"No, no, it's fine. I prefer to take a cab. I'm sure it's nothing serious." I said, wondering if she was in a relationship with the guy.

He looked at least three to four years older than her.

"A cab? As Judas-Caine Brex's girlfriend? Unheard of. I'll call my driver to take you." She said and i agreed.

I hurried to the hospital without bothering to tell Mr. Brex because i had no idea where he had gone or whether or not i was at liberty to interrupt him.

I met Grace at the waiting area of the neonatal ICU, as soon as i got to the hospital.

"What happened?" I asked, panicking as soon as i got there.

Grace walked towards me trying to calm me down.

"It was just a scare, Lia, it was just a scare. Nothing serious. Listen, there was a problem with the incubator, but he is fine now. Doctor Emma checked him and he is fine." She assured me.

I breathed a sigh of relief before walking to the glass door to take a peep at him.

There were other babies there, but i could spot his incubator just a couple of feet away. It was white like the rest, but i had asked Doctor Emma to attach a little red bow to it for me.

"Come on, you look white as bleach, why don't you wait here and I'll get you a cup of coffee." Grace said.

"Please, make it a soda." i insisted.

"Coming right up."

I stood outside the neonatal Intensive Care unit, staring at a beautiful painting of a pregnant woman and her baby.

They looked so happy.

"Such a beautiful painting, isn't it?" The voice spoke suddenly behind me, and i froze.

I turned wide eyed, to find Mrs Athena standing behind me. "Ma'am -- Mrs Athena. Wha- what are you doing here?" I stammered.

She flashed me her signature smile and turned to stare at the ICU door. "Yours?" She asked. I swallowed, darting my eyes between her and the intensive care door, hoping she hadn't already figured it out.

"Oh, there's no need to lie to me, i had you followed and i ran a quick check on you." She replied and my face fell hopelessly.

"Yes, ma'am." I squeaked. She studied me like a lioness studying her next prey. Perhaps she thought i was some fraudulent animal about to steal her cub.

"Do you like wild games?" She asked and i startled.

"Wild --- wild games?" I repeated.

"Yes, Lia, wild games. You know like take a wild guess, let's go wild, truth or dare, lie detectors and even more so, pulling stunts like the one you and my son chose to do hopelessly."

I kept my eyes to the floor and did not respond, she really did know more than she was letting on. "I'm sorry, ma'am." I said finally.

"Oh don't be, darling, i enjoyed the show. Imagine that you got my son to put on a show. But mostly he got you but also -- also, you got him. Caine might be many things and has been many things in his life, but benevolent is not one of them."

"He rarely has to pay a girl to do his bidding because they do it either way without force, which means that there was something particular about you and why he chose you." She replied.

I felt a crease form on my forehead from frowning. Maybe she did not really know her son the way she thought she did. Judas-Caine might not be benevolent but he definitely seemed like a business man.

"I really don't think that's the case, Mrs Athena. Prior to this, we had never met and he only asked me because he nearly killed me and sent me into early labor and then i clawed his palm and wouldn't say thank you to him until he apologised for almost killing me, but ended up saying thank you because he did over do his bid and i was grateful ---"

I paused to take in a deep breath from my rambling, only to catch Mrs Athena smiling at me as though i was making her point for her.

"Why are you smiling, you should be so mad right now?" I shut my eyes, frustrated from the pressure rushing through my veins.

"Because, what you see as a really bad thing, i find completely amusing and see it also, as an opportunity. My son is no cunt, and he is also a really precise person. He picks people, studies them and chooses them for a reason."

"And for some reason, he was drawn to you. Which only means that there might be an even greater chance of your relationship working out for my good, than it is at making me laugh." She replied.

I couldn't hide my amazement. This woman was something else, and for the life of me i wondered if she had been born rich or she just migrated into it because she acted slightly different from many wealthy elites i had met.

"So, what are you going to do now? Tell him you know? But then, i would lose everything." I couldn't believe the words that came out of my own mouth.

Was i really sounding like a gold digger? But Mrs Brex merely gave her signature smirk, and reached into her bag and pulled out a cheque.

"Here..." she handed it to me.

"Consider this your severance pay." And i looked at her with shock when i saw the amount. She was asking me to leave?

"But what if...?"

"You work for me now." She cut in.