Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Car Procedural Checkup

Brakes condition —cut wires.

Her brakes had been cut! Elena gasped, walked back into the house and shut the door in fear.

She knew her car had been in pristine condition before the accident but had never considered that her accident had been intentional.

Only one person had everything to gain from Elena’s death—- Chelsea.

With anger rushing through her, Elena flung the report on the dining table and marched up to her room.

If Chelsea wanted war, she would give her war!

She still had five percent of her shares. She had a shot at a less-than-pathetic ending.

******

The next morning, Elena drove her second car and pulled in front of her company.

She picked up her phone and shot her sister a quick text.

Hey Eva, I’m at the office right now. Something happened and we need to catch up.

Leave the evidence at home and just come to the office.

It’s time to put an end to this madness.

Elena’s skin prickled in embarrassment as she walked into the company.

Rumours spread like wildfire and she was sure all the staff must have heard how David drove her away from the company like a schoolgirl.

“Good Morning, Mrs Windsor,” Amelia, the office receptionist, beamed as Elena passed.

“Morning,” Elena replied as her anxiety reduced and she walked to the elevator calmer.

….

Elena had just gotten seated and was about to login to her laptop when a knock on her office door startled her.

.

“Hey Elena, good morning,” Elena’s new office friend, Marcel, greeted her in a chipper voice.

Elena’s countenance lifted a bit as she tried her best to give him a smile. “Hey Marcel,”

“Hey, you left yesterday without saying goodbye” Marcel smiled as he walked into the office.

Deep shame filled Elena as she was certain he had heard what happened with David

“Yeah,” Elena bit her lips as tears pricked her eyelids. “I had an accident on my way home and I didn’t get your number so…”

“Hey,” Marcel perched on the table and observed Elena “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I—- I just,” Elena took in a shaky breath “No. I’m not okay,” She whispered as twin silent tear drops rolled down her cheeks.

“Want to tell me what’s wrong?” Elena looked up at Marcel’s earnest face and everything came spilling out.

“Someone tried to kill me,” Elena shook her head and swiped at her tears angrily, “And I have a good idea who it might be but I have no proof.

I’m about to lose my marriage and my company along with it if I don’t do something quick,”

“Damnn,” Marcel shook his head in surprise and lowered his voice “ I feel like there’s more to this story. Why don’t you start at the very beginning?”

Elena took in a shaky breath and resumed, telling Marcel every detail right from how the feud with Chelsea started to the day, Elena found out she was released from prison and caught her with David.

“Elena?” Evangeline called out as she walked into the office interrupting the conversation between Elena and Marcel.

“Eva,” Elena smiled sadly and pulled out a tissue from the kleenex box to wipe her ruined mascara.

“What the fuck did you do! Why is my sister crying?” Evangeline snapped at Marcel as her eyes flashed in anger.

“Eva, relax he didn’t do anything,” Elena shook her head and squeezed the used tissue into a ball.

“Hmmm,” Evangeline hummed suspiciously as she turned to Marcel and looked into his eyes

“I’m sorry, who are you? What’s going on?”

Marcel’s eyes widened and he looked surprised at Evangeline and glanced at Elena for help.

“Errmm “ he stuttered for a bit. “My name is Marcel, and I work here, I actually just got the job and Elena and I are friends”

“Friends ? You met her yesterday” Evangelyn’s eyes narrowed as she dropped her bag on Elena’s desk.

“Okay that’s enough,” Elena spoke up.

“He’s my friend and he was just listening to me,” Elena explained.

Evangeline clucked her tongue but didn’t comment further on Marcel’s presence.

“Hey, what happened?” Evangeline asked Elena softly as he ignored Marcel and walked up to Elena’s side.

“David took his things and left last night,” Elena raised her head to contain her tears. “Also, my life is in danger,”

“What?!”Evangeline swore under her breath. “Well, you can’t just tell me that and be silent. What happened?” She demanded anxiously.

“I had an accident on my way back home yesterday and last night David left with his things,”

“Good riddance,” Evangeline hissed in a low voice.

“I shot a car report from my mechanic and—my brakes were cut,“

“That bastard! I’m sure he and his Barbie doll planned this together! I’m going to kill him,” Evangeline swore as she got to her feet angrily.

“Um, I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” Marcel interrupted tentatively.

“Can we just refrain from violence?” He asked with a wince as Evangeline stared daggers at him.

“Refrain from violence? She got her brakes cut!’ Evangeline yelled in anger.

“We don’t have proof that he did it. I think Elena should go talk to him,” Marcel said softly as he looked at Elena to see what she thought.

“I’m tired of talk, I need action. I mean a fight! No more trying to reason with that animal” Evangeline replied as she shook her head.

“Wait,” Elena said softly as she grabbed her sister’s hand.

“I think I’ll do as Marcel suggested. I’ll speak with David for the last time today, and afterward, we can head out to see Barrister Peters,” Elena whispered with a sigh

“It’s time for the divorce. I just need to get my company back first,”

********

Elena felt a mix of emotions as she pushed open the glass door and entered David’s office. Her office.

“Why are you here?” David’s eyes flashed as he got to his feet.

“I thought I told you not to show your face here again,”

“Yeah well, my relationship with you is over so you do not tell me what to do anymore,” Elena strolled towards David’s desk.

David let out a sigh of irritation and stared at Elena angrily.

“What do you want?” He demanded as he dropped the pen he had been using to write and folded his arms.

“My company, David. It’s my life’s work and we’re no longer married so I want it back,” Elena demanded as she produced the share transfer document she had grabbed before coming.

“What are you talking about? This is MY company. At least that’s what the documents say,” David replied to Elena with a chuckle as he waved her off with one hand and went back to work.

“David, this is my company.” Anger welled up in Elena at his dismissal “I don’t care if you’re having some temporary memory loss or if you’ve grown too attached. I want my company back.”

“Sign them” Elena threw down the transfer documents on the table

“And why would I do that?” David chuckled in amusement and took a step towards Elena. “Look, you’ve always been gullible.

Us. Our Wedding. Everything has been Chelsea’s plan from the beginning.

You didn’t think she would let you live a good job while she rotted away in jail, did you?”

Elena’s breath caught as David’s words sank in.

“Was our marriage just a way to get my company?” Elena stuttered in disbelief as her heart broke to smithereens.

“Look, just make this easy for yourself so you don’t die broke and lonely. Sell the remaining five percent to me. At least you’ll walk away with something.” David said with pity in his tone.

Tears filled Elena’s eyes as she shook her head vehemently and tried to hold back her sobs.

“But if you decide to be difficult and stubborn, just know that the prenup—“ David leaned in and whispered with resolve in Elena’s ear. “Will prevail and you’d have nothing at all,”

“Now Elena, get out of my office, and don’t show up here ever again without informing me,“ David said in his normal voice as he straightened up and went back to seat behind his desk with a small smile playing on his lips.

“No. I’m getting my company back. I’ll get both you and Chelsea for this! Mark my words.” Elena swore as she turned and left the office with tears blurring her vision.

She thought she saw a flash of fear in David’s eyes but it was so fast she could have imagined it.

*****

“Elena?” Evangelyn’s eyes widened in worry as she Elena walked up to her.

It’s time to go to the barrister,” Elena said calmly as she wiped all traces of tears from her face.

“We just have to make a quick stop at your house. I am ready for David and his bitch”

Evangelyn stopped in her tracks and turned to Elena

“Are we using the file?”

“Yes we are,” Elena replied as the two sisters stepped out of the office and made their way towards the parking lot.

*******

“Let’s take a Uber,” Elena shook her head as she stared at her car and bought out her phone to book a ride.

“Why? Your car is right there,” Evangelyn blinked in confusion..

But that was exactly the reason Elena was spooked about her car. As they came into the parking lot, it dawned on her that she no longer trusted her car.

Elena had parked at the same spot she parked the previous day and she immediately felt very uncomfortable and didn’t want to drive.

“Yeah, I’ve been at the company since this morning while the car has been parked here. More than enough time for Chelsea to do something to the car. I’m not risking it,” Elena explained as she began to book the ride.

“So are you never going to drive again because of David’s bimbo? “ Evangelyn took Elena’s car keys from her hands and walked towards the red car.

“The car looks perfectly fine to me,”

“Evangelyn stop! We don’t have time for this. The Uber is already here, let’s just go. Please,” Elena said tiredly.

She knew she was being paranoid but she just couldn't drive.

“If you’re scared, go in the Uber, I’ll take the car,”

Before Elena could protest , her sister opened the car and slid into the driver’s seat.

“Evangelyn’s, get down. Right now!” Elena snapped in fear.

“It’s fine!” Evangelyn’s chuckled as she started up the car’s engine and pulled up beside a panicking Elena.

“Just, get down! I don't want to take this car,” Elena protested.

“The brakes are fine!” Evangeline chuckled as she tested them over and over for Elena.

The Uber honked impatiently as he rolled down his car windows staring pointedly at Elena.

“The Uber is waiting. Come down let’s leave. I don’t want you to drive the car ” Elena demanded tiredly as she tried to pull open the car door.

“No, I won’t let them intimidate you like this. If you want, take Uber. I’m driving the car,” Evangelyn said in a firm voice that brooked no arguments.

Elena let out a resigned sigh, walked over to the Uber, and got in the back seat.

The two sisters pulled out of the company in two different cars. As they drove, Elena’s eyes were glued to the road. The events of the day had left her on edge, and her senses heightened with every passing car.

She watched in shock at the sight of a large truck hurling towards Evangelyn’s vehicle.

“Evangelyn!!” Elena screamed in terror as she pounded her hands on the car window for the Uber driver to stop.

The Uber screeched to a halt with Elena screaming as she witnessed the truck run Elena’s car off the road and drive off.

Elena couldn’t barely hear her screams over the sickening crunch that followed as the car tumbled over and over again until it finally came to rest upside down, at the side of the road.