Chapter 8

Azalea's Pov 

I woke up with a bright smile spreading across my face, but it diminished immediately when I noticed that I was alone in bed. I can't deny that last night was memorable; I don't think he'd already be awake and in regret for his behaviour last night, left when he woke up.

He didn't have to run; this was his room, and he could have simply woken me up and sent me on my way. The thought bugged me as I left the room and closed it quietly before anyone saw me. This was my husband's room and it wouldn't be bad if anyone saw me coming out from his room, but I don't know for sure what they'd say and think in this house.

I wasn't so lucky because Danielle chose that moment to come up to his room for his morning medication, but when she saw me lingering by Dante's door, she rolled her eyes and went downstairs again. I do wonder why she doesn't want to have a face-to-face encounter with me. She avoids me by all means, and I do wish her boyfriend would do the same instead of always trying to confront me with a threat to back away. 

A few minutes later, I was ready to leave the house and, turning down Emma's invitation to breakfast, I left for work. 

The first step I took to ensure that Morris lost his grip on Dante's Empire was to sack every staff that he had employed. Those are his people, and they don't hide their hostility when they look at me, so everyone he interviewed and hired by himself has to go. With that vacancy, I created job opportunities for new recruits who would be interviewed and accepted by myself.

That is why I wasn't surprised when he barged into my office immediately when he came to work to shout at me. Totally unabashed, I picked up a file on my desk to rejoin a cordial meeting I put together to get to know the staff more. If anything, I'd need their cooperation and hard work to survive the next 24 days.

“You don't walk out on me when I am talking to you!” He grabbed my hand as I crossed him to the door.

“What would you do if I did? Push me against the wall? Strangle me?” I jerked my hand free and stared down my nose at him. “Maybe something new? I am not blind to all your treacherous intent on a family that loves and trusts you with their life! So don't you ever grab my hand like that or I'd make sure Dante has your head on a platter!” I walked out before he processed my words.

Did I just threaten Morris with a man who had abandoned me in bed after being so sweet last night? Does everyone know that he detests me? Well, his girlfriend had seen me come out of Dante's room this morning; he would have to believe my husband now favours me that much after a blissful night since she must've told him.

We were at the climax of the meeting when the peace in the company was interrupted by a sudden crash and scream. Everyone hurried out of the room, rushing to the entrance of the building where a man stood outside the main entrance with a bucket filled with stones of different sizes beside him. Real big rocks.

“You killed my son! Shut down this place! They killed my only son!” The man shouted, throwing a huge rock on the ad screen, and it came shattering above him.

I flinched, tightening my grasp on a document I held. I started to back away slowly as gory images of the past flipped through my mind.

He subconsciously moved back and watched the damage he was causing with satisfaction when the colourful lights hung loose over the entrance. It wasn't safe for him to be there, and I don't know what happened to make him so angry, but he had to move before it collapsed on him. The man seemed to be prepared for anything before he made the decision to attack the company.

“Step back!” A security guard barked at his team to not close in on the man and scare him into doing more harm to himself than just the building. “Listen to me, you need to stop doing that. It won't bring back your son.” He addressed the man in a kind voice.

“What do you know about my son to say such a thing? He was such a sweet boy and had not done anything to deserve death! He wasn't involved in anything bad, he had a simple life and only wanted to live it with his new wife! With me. Why?” The man said, picking up another rock from the bucket.

“All of you deserve to die!” He threw the stone and it penetrated the swinging glass doors.

“This belongs to my daughter! Just die!” She rose the silver award savagely and cut my neck. 

A memory flashed into my mind, making me step back again as my hands wound protectively around my neck.

“Calm down, okay? Will you?” The head of security, David Macaulay, tried again. 

Police cars arrived a few minutes later. The officers pushed through the now crowded scene to see what was happening by themselves. Some of the security men went over to explain the situation to them.

“If you come any closer to me, I will fucking spill your brains to the floor! Don't play such tricks on me!” The man replied when David started toward him.

“If you tell anyone about this, I will paint the wall red with your blood. Try me.” 

Another memory was brought in by the scene, but a voice snapped me back to reality. Gina was talking to me about calling Morris to help out and calm the man down.

“Mr Mason, this is the police and we are your friends.” One of the police officers stepped forward, too, with a hand microphone so that the man would hear him amidst the chaos.

Now how does someone as inexperienced as myself handle such a situation? A chaotic one at that, which is obviously beyond the company's security chief and the cops. I can't bring Morris into this; for all I know, he might've plotted it to scare me away, and I wasn't about to give him the satisfaction.

“Where were you when my son was gunned down, my friends!” He said in a humourless tone. “Bring me back, my son, and the world will have peace, or I'll wreak havoc beyond the city and burn down this place! Nobody can stop me!” 

I think it was time that someone put an end to this before it escalated beyond fixing. I started walking towards the door, just where the last stone he cast had landed. When he noticed this, he picked up a rock and started threatening to throw it at me if I didn't stop.

“Have you stopped to think what your son would have wanted you to do to handle this situation?” I lifted my hands to show that I was harmless as I continued walking forward. 

“They say that boys learn from their fathers to become men. Is this something that your son would have wanted to learn from you, Mr Mason?”