ACCIDENTALLY HIS MISTRESS

CHAPTER FIVE - ARE YOU ASKING FOR WAR

"That's not the case, Alexa, you misinterpreted me," Nicole answered then she suddenly burst into dramatic tears as she gazed up at Steven with pleading eyes. "Alexa thinks I'm a monster," she sobbed. "I'm sorry, Alexa. The media loves following me around, and I just wanted a quiet place to live."

She sniffled, gently wiping her tears. "Your family can live in the mansion," she continued. "After all, all these houses are ours."

I rolled my eyes at the scene. "Let me make this clear, this house doesn't belong to either you or Steven. Now, get out, this conversation is over."

Steven's face darkened, his jaw clenched in frustration. "Alexa, Nicole is being kind," he said, his voice rising. "Can't you grant her a simple request?" The demand was clear in his tone, and his eyes narrowed, as if daring me to refuse.

I stood firm, my voice unwavering. "No, I won't Steven. Greedy people will never be satisfied, no matter how much they are given." I took a step forward, and looked Steven right in the eyes. "I said get out, and I mean it.

Nicole's cries turned into sobs, her body shaking uncontrollably. "I don't have anywhere to go," she wailed and I laughed at her performance. "The twins need a quiet home, please, Alexa, have mercy. Let's exchange houses. I will return your house to you once everything calms down." She collapsed on the floor. Steven ran to her side carefully wrapping his arms around her, shooting me a look filled with disapproval.

I had had enough of their refusal to leave. With a swift motion, I pressed a switch on the wall, and the sound of barking filled the air. Our security dogs, two massive German Shepherds, burst from their kennels, racing towards the unwanted visitors.

Nicole's screams pierced the air as she ran, dashing towards their car. "Get them away!" she shrieked, yanking open the car door and diving inside.

The dogs unfortunately jumped playfully onto Steven, their tails wagging wildly, afterall he was practically their owner. Steven's expression softened, he laughed as he scratched the dogs behind the ears. Looking at me, however, he was not amused.

"You are so rude, Alexa. Why do you have to include personal feelings in everything you do?" He shook his head, his eyes disapproving.

I smiled. "That wasn't personal Steven, but don't worry. Recently, I have learned to separate emotions from facts." I paused, my gaze steady. "Anyways have you talked to the lawyer?"

"What do you want, Alexa? If it's about money, I'm willing to give you as much as you want."

"I don't want handouts from you, Steven," I said, my voice firm and resolute. "I want my hard-earned money, what's rightfully mine. Nothing more, nothing less." With that, I turned and walked away, retreating back to the solitude of my bedroom.

My mother's voice was laced with worry as she prepared breakfast the next morning. "What are we going to do, Alexa? What if Steven chases us out of this house?" She looked at me with concerned eyes.

I smiled reassuringly at her. "Don't worry, Mother. We'll never be homeless. At least I am not that stupid." I squeezed her hand gently. She left to go purchase groceries and I continued with my breakfast.

Lala burst into the kitchen, her face filled with worry. "Alexa, Alexa, hurry! Come see!" she exclaimed, tugging on my arm, urging me to follow her.

"What's wrong?" I asked, my tone calm. "Why are you so riled up in the morning?"

Lala's eyes locked onto mine, her expression serious. "Alexa, you need to check the internet. Now."

I quickly grabbed my phone and there I was, dominating the trending searches with a headline that made my stomach twist with anxiety.

I felt a surge of anger and shock as I scrolled through the search results. "What the f**k? Who linked these?" I exclaimed, my voice rising in outrage.

Just as I was trying to process the chaos unfolding on my phone, Steven walked through the door. "Is this the revenge you meant, Alexa?" He spat. "How many videos do you have recorded?"

"What are you talking about, Steven?" I asked, trying to keep my tone neutral despite the growing unease in my chest.

"Don't play innocent with me," Steven sneered, his voice filled with disgust. "You're the one who leaked those videos. Now everyone knows. Are you happy, Alexa? You are no longer a secret."

My hand connected with his face in a sharp slap. "What could I possibly gain from those videos?" I demanded, my voice shaking with anger and hurt. "Why would I sabotage my own reputation just to spite you?"

"Reputation?" Steven sneered. "Do you even care? I doubt you lose anything from that. But listen, Alexa, I have lost a lot. My wife is humiliated, too ashamed to even leave the house now."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, really? She should be ashamed?" Lala joined me, laughing out loud, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Steven's eyes blazed with fury. "You're going to fix this," he growled. "I will hold a press conference, and you will stand beside me and tell the world that you are just my manager. Also, I built this company from the ground up, without any help from you. You will tell them that I supervised every project you worked on, and that you were nothing more than an employee. And most importantly, you will make it clear that we have never been romantically involved, and in that interview ensure to appear to be on good terms with Nicole."

"And why should I follow your instructions, Steve?" I asked, defiance burning within me. So he wanted to discard me like trash now that I have served my purpose.

"You're a shareholder and an employee," Steven reminded me, his voice cold. "Failure to do so will be considered a deliberate attempt to maliciously destroy the company's reputation. Are you prepared to face the consequences?"

"Really, Steven?" I asked, my tone laced with anger. “The interview starts in an hour.” He replied, “Why don't you go get ready? Make sure you look perfect for the cameras. "

As soon as Steven walked out the door, I turned to Lala. She was my lawyer. "Do I have any chance of winning the case Lala, the earlier, the better?"

"Actually, you have a strong case," she said confidently. " You can sell your shares, which would leave you just as an employee. Then, you can demand royalties for all the designs and buildings. The company profited heavily from those designs, and you were never compensated for your work. We can build a solid lawsuit around that.

"However, there is one problem," Lala said, her face filled with worry. "You'll need to find a buyer for your shares quickly. Noting that according to Hales Enterprises company law, a shareholder or employee of the company can't pursue a public case."

"Where can I find a buyer for my shares urgently? I want to make that case public.”

I paced back and forth across the room, my mind racing with thoughts. Lala watched me intently. Then, suddenly, I smiled and turned to Lala.

"What's your opinion on Mr. Luke Hunters?"

Lala's eyes widened in alarm. "You really want to play with the devil?" she asked, horrified.

I smiled "If that's what it takes."