Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Mrs. Leah Hawthorne woke up to a soft knock on her door. She opened her eyes slowly, adjusting to the bighteness in the room. The sun was shining bright outside the windows, casting warm glows with rays of sunlight into the spacious room.

Feeling irritated, Leah turned to look at the door, wondering who was knocking so early in the morning. She glanced at the wall clock, and was surprised to find it was already past eleven.

"What do you want?" She asked calmly, sitting up in her bed, and grabbing her cellphone off the drawer. "Stop knocking on my door, and come in, Kate."

Kate, a woman in her late fifties, dressed casually in a flair long gown opened the door, and stepped into the room.

"Good morning, Leah." She greeted.

"What is it?" Leah asked, not taking her eyes off the cellphone she was going through.

"It's Mallory. Suzanne's mother. She's here this morning." Kate announced.

Leah paused, and looked up at Kate for the first time since she came into the room. "And what is that dirty hag doing in my house?"

"I wouldn't know," came Kate's reply.

"Tell her I'm not in. Make her leave at once." Kate ordered.

"I already told her you were upstairs, and besides, she's an in-law to you. Isn't it right that you go out and meet her? Since she came over this early, I think it might be important."

Leah glared at Kate, a deep frown framing her makeup free face. "Nobody asked for your opinion, Kate. Learn how to keep the hell shut when it is necessary. Go down there and tell her to wait if she can. I need to get myself ready." Leah said dismissively, and resumed the operation on her cell.

Kate stared briefly at Leah, shook her head slightly, and left the room.

"Who does that woman think she is? Does she think she own this house or what? How dare her come to my house out of the blues?" Leah's mouth pouted in anger. She swung her legs down, and got up from the bed just to see an incoming call on her cell.

She picked it up, folding her arms. "Do you know how long I waited for your call? Do you have any news?"

"Yes, ma'am." A thick masculine voice sounded from the other end.

Leah's heart beat a retreat as she closed her eyes slowly, trying to stable her nerves. "Then, spill it out. What are you waiting for?" She barked out the words, her hands already shaking in anger.

"Rita Park Suites. He definitely went into room 403 with her. I made a stop at the reception, bribed the receptionist and got informations from her. I already emailed you the photos."

Leah's hands trembled vigorously now, her phone almost slipping out of her grasp. She stood silently for a while, too furious to say anything.

"Ma'am?"

"I heard you!" Leah hissed, running a palm through her hair. She paced through and fro, totally eaten up by rage. "I hope you got a clear picture of the bitch sleeping with my husband." She breathed heavily, closing her eyes in subdued pain and anger.

"I.. couldn't quite get her face clearly, but I'm doing everything I can to get it. I searching for CCTV footages that has clearly caught her face." The man on the line promised.

"You'd better get a clear result, Marcus. I want every single damn detail on that bitch." Leah warned. Her eyes had reddened with the tears she forced to keep in.

"Yes, ma'am." Marcus replied before the line went dead.

Leah tossed the cellphone across the bed, and turned to look at herself in the gul length mirror resting over its swing. She took a carefull look at her jawline, under her eyes and her cheekbones. Slowly, she touched the wrinkles that were gradually making their ways out of her face.

"That bastard," Leah mumbled with another deep breath, and laughed shrilly at her reflection, "how could he cheat on a woman like me? Is he calling me old? Is that why he's sleeping with her?" She chuckled again, walked towards her makeup table, and picked up her powder container.

Gently, she applied it around her face, applied her red lipstick, and slipped on her nightgown garment.

"I will show you what it means to get on my bad side, Richard dear. I'm going to kill that bitch right in front of you. " Leah mumbled softly as she headed for the door.

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

In the large living room, Mallory sat on one of the comfy sofas, sipping the coffee Kate had brought her. She'd tried to look the part in her long tutle neck gown which she'd purchased just two days before the visit. She'd personally spent a few dollars at a salon to get a good hair wash with a nice smelling shampoo.

She wanted to appear presentable in front of Mrs. Hawthorne even though everything on her body looked cheap. Disappointing her was the last thing Mallory would ever want.

She heard footsteps approaching the stairs, and gently, she stood up.

"What are you doing here?" Leah asked as soon as Mallory came into view. She stopped several miles away but could still manage to perceive the cheap lemon and gel shampoo which Mallory had used on her hair.

"My God, what's that smell?" Leah asked with a look of disgust creeping into her eyes. She twitched her nose, letting her eyes run over Mallory's appearance.

"Good morning, Mrs. Hawthorne." Mallory greeted, despite Leah's rude utterances and behavior.

"There's nothing good about the morning, Mallory. Not with the way you show up at my house however you please." Leah retorted rudely.

Mallory bowed her head slightly, holding her wrists together. She had come prepared. She knew what she was going to face. The woman had never approved of their children's marriage.

"I'm here to plead for my daughter, Mrs. Hawthorne. I know she has made a lot of mistakes, and that she doesn't even measure up to the standards you want. Forgive her this once, whatever she might have done." Mallory answered, and lifted her head to look at Leah with the most pitiable look she could get.

Rather than listening to her pleas, Leah threw her head backwards, and laughed out loudly.

"You look so miserable and desperate while trying to hook your daughter with my son."

"What?" Hook? They are married for goodness sake! Mallory wanted to yell the words at her.

"You must have forgotten my warnings to you right before the wedding took place. I told you it wasn't going to last, didn't I?"

Mallory blinked back tears as she stared at the woman.

"But you ignored my warnings, and went ahead to sell off your daughter to my son who never even loved her. You thought Arlan would be there for you guys forever. Well, Arlan is down with a partial stroke now, and Davey already has full management of the company. Your daughter is of no use to us anymore.

"He's back with the high-class runway model, the woman he truly loves. You should advise your daughter so she can get the hell moving." Leah replied smoothly, and let her gaze drop on the cup of coffee on the side table.

"Finish up your coffee and leave. You look like you need it." She added, and started heading back to the stairs.

"For old times sake, Leah," Mallory suddenly voiced out, halting Leah to a stop before she got to the staircase.

She turned, her cold eyes on the other woman. "Old times should remain in the past, Mallory. You need to move on, because moved on a long time ago."

"How did you become like this? I find it very hard to believe that you were that same girl I shared a bowl of cereals with in grade 4. I find it very hard to believe you were the same person I once shared a bed with in highschool."

Leah smiled now, and nodded her head. "I'm glared you find it hard, dear. That's exactly what I wanted. Not to be ever associated with the past. Get the hell out of my house." She said with a dismissive nod towards the down, and disappeared up the stairs.

Mallory stared at Leah, her lips hanging in defeat. Barely able to stand on her feet after the humiliation she got, Mallory dropped back on her seat, and a flood of tears rushed down her face. Few minutes later, she picked up her bag, and left the house.

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

The Brooklyn Tower city was filled with Luxury that left Suzanne breathless. This was where Michael's penthouse was located, and he'd personally sent one of his cars to pick her up at the house.

As the car finally stopped in front of one of the massive estate with buildings that towered against the sky, the driver quickly went round, and pulled the door open for Suzanne.

She highlighted gently, her eyes feeding on the luxury that surrounded her. She was married to a billionaire and had seen the luxury materials of life, but the designs of Michael's estate was something out of the ordinary. He must have hired a good construction company for the building construction.

"You can go in, Ms. Suzanne." The driver told her, gestural towards the large entrance.

"Oh, you can call me Suzanne." Suzanne smiled at the man, and resumed her silent inspection. At the center of the estate stood a clear fountain with the similar popular statue of liberty standing right at the middle. Fine tall trees aligned the walkway with several streetlights as well.

She finally got inside the penthouse, and was wowed all over again. Suzanne couldn't believe she came all the way here to sign a piece of paper. She found Michael at the bar, sipping slowly at a glass of red wine.

"You're finally here," his voice appeared calm and soft, unlike the other days when he sounded cold and commanding.

"Y...yes, I am." Suzanne stuttered slightly as she replied. From the corner of her eyes, she caught a huge piano sitting at the far end of the room.

Michael filled out another glass with red wine, and walked stealthily towards Suzanne. He stopped very close to her–so close she could feel his breath on her face. He handed her the drink, his eyes not leaving her face for one second.

"Drink up before we go in the office for the signing." He told her, almost in a whisper.