Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"I'm a broken woman, Michael. There's nothing to like about me." Suzanne replied, look away.

"Everyone is broken in their own way, Suzanne. You're not the first to be broken, and won't be the last." Michael replied casually.

"If you're going to support me just because you're beginning to fall for me..."

"I didn't say that, Mrs. Hawthorne." Michael interrupted. "Liking you doesn't mean I'm falling for you. Do you even know who I am? Don't get carried away. I'm supporting you because I know very well what it will do to Hawthorne. He's always been competing with me, and using you as a weapon against him will only make him weaver."

Suzanne nodded with agreement. "If that's the case, then I accept this offer. I'm willing to be a weapon."

Michael smiled slowly, and nodded as well. They were getting somewhere finally.

************

Davey walked into his office, a stern unwarm look on his face. He took off his jacket, hung it around his chair, and turned to face the two men sitting across his table.

They were two Chinese men from Hong Chan Fabrics. Although they were not related to the decisions concerning the contract, Davey still summoned them to his office.

"Sorry for keeping you waiting, gentlemen. You know how it is with traffick these days." Davey apologized, taking his seat.

"It's okay, Mr. Hawthorne. We had to be here when we got a call from the office line. As the marketing team leaders, we had to come immediately. Besides, we were told it was the general CEO, Arlan Hawthorne that wanted to see us." One of the men spoke.

Davey drummed his fingers in front of him on his desk, and shook his head. "You're not here because of my grandfather. I sent for you, Mr. Zhang and Mr. Choi. It's concerning the contract your company is about to award."

The two men turned to look at each other, and back at Davey.

"We have nothing to do with that." The second man, Mr. Choi spoke up, showing off his braces.

"I know. I'm not daft." Davey hissed. "I want you to name your prize."

"What prize?" The men chorused.

"The prize of your involvement. What you can do to make sure Hawthorne enterprise gets the contract." Davey replied, glaring from one man to the other.

Mr. Zhang who appeared to be more matured and calculating moved forward in his seat, and cleared his throat.

"Actually, I know one of the board members who's deeply concerned with the contract's criteria evaluation. Collin Adams. He's not Chinese, but he has a lot of influence." Mr. Zhang supplied.

Looking alerted and interested, Davey crossed his legs, pushing out a bit from his chair. "Can we easily win him over on our side?"

"I don't think so." Mr. Choi replied, to honest that it provoked his colleague. "Mr. Adams doesn't do favours. He plays by the rules of the game."

"No man is an island," Davey scoffed, glaring at the man who had just finished speaking. "If money can't buy him over, more money will do." He added with confidence.

"What do you want us to do now?" Mr. Zhang asked.

"All you need to do is set me up with him. Set up a meeting between us. He doesn't necessarily have to know who he is meeting. You know what to do." Davey said with a curt nod.

"We shall try our best." Mr. Zhang replied with an assuring smile. Before they left the office, Davey wired them the sum of 10 thousand dollars into their respective accounts.

"You know that man is a blocked area even though he knows your mother-in-law. He's not going to grant any favours." Mr. Choi said in the car as they drove back.

Mr Zhang laughed behind the steering wheel, and shook his head. "I knew what I was doing, you daft scum. I needed the money, and I'm pretty sure you needed it to. All I will give him is empty promises. If he wants the contract, let him work for it." He said in their language, and laughed again.

****************

"That woman and her daughter will never leave this family alone." Clarrisa spat out after Leah had told her about Mallory's visit.

They were both in the living room, each with a bottle of freshly popped up red wine from the cellar. Clarrisa had come for a visit, hoping to discuss her wedding details with her mother in-law.

"She came in here, filled my house with her nonsense cheap shampoo smell. I was so irritated, Clarrisa. " Leah sighed.

"So sorry about that, mother. Who does that cleaner think she is?"

Leah sipped her wine, placed it on the stool beside her before turning to look at Clarissa. "Have you chosen the style you want for your wedding dress yet?"

Clarrisa blushed, and shook her head. "I've been waiting for Davey. I wanted him to do with me to the dress fitting."

"You know my son is busy with a lot of things at the office. I also heard he's trying to get the huge contract from Hong Chan. I can go with you to the dress fitting." Leah replied with a smile.

Clarrisa's eyes widened with pure excitement. "Are you serious? Are you really willing to go with me?" She asked.

"Of course. Why not? You're the only woman I can approve of to be with my son. You're not only with a lady of class, your father is also ab important figure as well. You come from a family of influence." Leah smiled again.

"Oh, mother. I feel blessed to have you. Thank you so much." Clarrisa giggled.

"I think your phone has been vibrating for a while now. Check who's calling." Leah suddenly said, dropping her gaze at Clarissa's bag.

"Oh, really?" Clarrisa asked, acting totally dumb. She definitely knew her phone had been ringing nonstop. The sofa would not stop vibrating under her cheek ass. She pulled the phone from her bag, looked at the screen, and back at Leah.

"I'm sorry, mother. But it's my father. Can I quickly take the call?"

"Of course. A father's call shouldn't be ignored."

Clarrisa got up, and walked briskly into the kitchen. She went further to the store room, and picked the call.

"Why the hell do you keep calling me!" Ste snapped furiously into the receiver.

"Why have you not been picking up your calls, Clarissa? Aren't you bothered that this calls might be important!" An equal impatient male voice erupted from the other line.

"I don't want to know how important it is. Why are you trying to ruin my plans with your stupid persistent calls? If you try this again, I'm going to block you from calling me..."

"Octavio is sick. Seriously sick. He was taken to the hospital early hours of this morning."

"What? What happened to my son?" Clarrisa asked, suddenly looking scared.

"The doctor says he has a chronic fever. I thought I should let you know."

Clarrisa closed her eyes, trying to gather her thoughts. She masked away her fears, and tightened her knuckles.

"You should take care of him, Julio. There's nothing I can do from here." She dropped the call after the words had left her tongue, and broke into a silent sob. She pressed her hands on her lips, muffling her sobbing sounds.

After she'd gathered herself together, Clarissa cleaned her face, dried her eyes and left the store room. Coming out to the kitchen, she found Leah at the doorway, arms crossed, face swollen with shock.

Clarrisa stopped in her tracks, her heart almost jumping into my stomach. She tried to act calm, but her lips quivered as she tried to say something.

"Mother?"

"You...have a son??" Leah's strangled voice came.