Chapter 4— The Stranger

There stood the all gracious woman. She was almost perfect if it wasn't for the wrinkles of old age that slapped her in the face. Her lips were painted with powerful red lipstick, too bright for Josette's liking. She was holding a brown purse in one hand and a white paper in the other.

" How may I help you?"

The woman parted her lips, her teeth showed— white and well arranged. " Your mother told me I'd find you here."

She stretched the paper towards Josette who collected it almost immediately. Her mother? It had been a long time since anyone talked about her. Despite the fact that her love for her single mother never ceased, she hated it when someone brought up her past, be it knowingly or not.

" You took a loan on behalf of her. The loan was to last two years and today makes it the deadline yet I have not received any details from you."

" What are you talking about? A loan! My mother died a long time ago so what are you even..."

Oh! Right. This woman wasn't talking about her biological mother but her cruel stepmom.

" I didn't take this loan." She handed the paper to the woman who refused to take it back.

" You signed this with your name and signature. How can you deny this now? You owe me three million dollars."

Josette flinched out of surprise. Her glance fell back to paper, reading every bit of it. Her gaze had landed on her name and signature. A forged signature that couldn't be differentiated from hers. " What the hell!"

Just when she had thought it was over between her and her stepmother then this had to show up. That woman wouldn't stop until she saw Josette's life on the line.

" These documents are fake. I didn't sign them. My stepmother owes you this and not me so please leave my house before I call the police."

The woman laughed— a laughter that incorporated humour and threat. She snapped the paper away from Josette, folded it and kept it inside her back and in the process brought out another.

" You have seven days to pay me otherwise I'd be forced to take the collateral. I bet you don't even know what it is."

The paper she held was tossed to the floor, landing right on Josette's feet. The woman, eluding grace and extreme courage, trotted away and got into her blazing car. She drove away, leaving Josette with sore numbness. " You got to be kidding me."

What could Mrs Joan possibly not do to haunt her life?

After the dramatic display. Her determination to visit her stepmother became her priority. She got dressed and left the house, taking the paper along.

It didn't take her long to get to the Mansion of Superior as Mrs Joan always called it. Josette got down from her car, her once radiant confidence slowly began to fade away. She was certain that they might have heard about her broken marriage. They'd make sure to traumatize her brain cells by reminding her every forty seconds.

She marched into the building. Pushing the door open and leaving a hundred gazes in its wake. It was quite a distance from where she stood. The dining area was filled with her step family along with three men and a woman she didn't recognize. They all seemed official and she knew better than to pour out her rant.

" And who could this beautiful lady be?" One of the men spoke, the other two beside him peered at her.

" She is my daughter. I invited her over, come on sweetie, there's a seat reserved just for you."

Her daughter? A seat? Sweetie? This dream was simply too weird for Josette. She pinched herself— testing to see if she had subconsciously gone to the dream realm or if this was all real. She huffed. Luck sucked— of course it was real.

" I should probably come back... later."

Mrs Joan chuckled— a kind of chuckle that could deceive others but was a deadly message to her. " I guess not."

There was a seat left, just close to the other woman she didn't know. She sat down and forced a warm smile.

" You didn't mention you had this daughter."

Her smile remained. " Actually, I am out of the family picture."

" And you have returned, how good is that. Besides, didn't I tell you never to say such? You've always been a big part of this family and we love you for...that."

It was hard faking nice— something Josette learnt from her stepmom.

" So, what do you say, Mr Clarke? Do you accept my offer? Elizabeth is willing to agree with the terms and conditions for this agreement. But if there is any adjustment, I'd like to hear it."

Josette cleared her throat, her gaze landing on her least favourite step sister, Elizabeth.

" Yes, of course. There is a change." One of the two young men spoke. " I'd like to change my guest."

" Why would you want that, Milton?" Elizabeth was quick to say, putting down her cutlery. Milton, as he was addressed, looked over at Josette, one thumb caressing his lips. " Because I like her better."

" And you have no right to do such, Mr Milton."

She didn't understand what the situation was about but she sure as hell wasn't going to get involved.

" The contract states that partners have to agree to the marriage, otherwise it wouldn't work. My sister obviously doesn't want to marry you." Elizabeth protested.

Milton straightened up. " Well, I'm afraid she has to, otherwise we don't have a deal."

" And what kind of a stupid contract would let-"

" It's high time you kept your mouth shut, Josette. Do you always have to ruin everything." Subconsciously Mrs Joan was all over the place like a mess. Silent sprung but it was shattered after a moment.

" Fill her in. She should understand why you're doing this, after all, she's your daughter." The other young man spoke. He finished his wine and stood up taking his phone and car keys from the table. Milton and Mr Clarke followed suit along with the lady. " It's been quite the negotiation. We await your response, Mrs Joan."

The three men walked out of the building with the lady trailing behind them, her head bowed the whole time. When they were finally out, the quietness broke.

" You bastard! How could you have embarrassed me like that?" Mrs Joan snapped, angrily getting up while she clammed her hand on the table.

Elizabeth and Chloe watched their mother silently. Josette got up too, not speaking. She took the paper from her purse, unfolded it and handed it to her stepmother.

" And what the hell is this?" Mrs Joan grabbed it. Her eyes scanned the page.

" First, you lied in my name about taking a loan that I never knew about and now this crazy old lady wouldn't leave me alone until I complete her payment in seven days' time. Secondly, you tried to sell me off to those men just for your gain? How ruthless can you get?"

" Oh, stop it. Have you forgotten when you signed these documents with your own hands?"

Josette chucked dryly. " If I did sign that, I'm guessing it wasn't willingly."

Elizabeth got up. Her face twisted in disgust and resentment. Despite the fact that she had a lot to spill, she always tried to remain quiet and walk away. Chloe ate her food, neglecting the dramatic chaos.

" I don't know what I've ever done to you but I definitely don't deserve your... resentment towards me. Do you really think you're a motherly figure with the way you present yourself?"

" I never wished to be a mother to you, baby girl."

The woman scoffed and crossed her arms.

" Now! About that contract."

" Get Elizabeth to do it and not me. After all she's more into this than even you are." And that was all Josette said. She didn't look back when she walked towards the door and out of the mansion. It was getting late already and she couldn't stop by the grocery store anymore. Her mind flipped on and off. First it was Zade and then all of this.

She got back to her house, the lone feeling of her marriage threatening to destroy her once more but all that disappeared in a single moment when her gaze landed at The Stranger waiting on her couch.

His legs were crossed and a magazine— deliberately switched the other way round was in his hold. Without looking back, he spoke;

" You owe me an answer, Miss Josette."

Okay! What was the worst that could literally happen and how the hell did he get inside her house?