The Billionaires Too (#2)

44 || Between Enemies and Friends

Sandra never thought the day would come where she would stroll around the garden with MJ Billings. She had dreamt of it many times before, but MJ was always cold towards her.

To Sandra, MJ was a reminder of herself. The trials and tribulations she endured and survived. MJ was strong-willed and was a fighter, something which she sometimes came forward too strong about.

She still remembered the first time Alastair brought MJ back to the house. She was the quietest of all the children Sandra had ever come across; she was laid back, cold, and untrusting. The only person she spoke to was Alastair, until eventually Alastair had to leave for his treatment after he was diagnosed with TB. Only then did MJ speak to her, although all she ever did was ask about Alastair and when he was coming back.

She always stayed in her room, and when anyone came closer to her, she would send them scurrying away with just one glance. She was a troubled child, whose eyes held many years of pain and anger. She didn't let anyone come to a touching distance, she always wanted to be alone; it was so bad that Sandra could not even come to her rescue when she had nightmares. She would wake up in the middle of the night, screaming and wailing, and she would attack anyone who came closer.

Sandra felt a strong attachment to her because she brought Alastair back to life. After he returned from the streets, it seemed that all he ever wanted to do was to get better for her. She watched the girl rise with Alastair by her side, and now here she was; all grown and powerful enough to impeach the president.

They walked towards the wishing well at the back of the house. It was thick with weeds since it had not been functioning in a long time, ever since all the children left the house.

"Where are all the children?" MJ asked.

Sandra sighed. "The last child was adopted six months ago," She said, and MJ stilled. "Is everything okay?" She asked, and MJ cleared her throat and continued walking.

"No wonder this place is so eerie." MJ said as she came to a stop in front of the wishing well. She sat down on the wall and started pulling down the weeds.

Sandra stood aside and watched her in silence. MJ thought she did not know her pain, but she more than anyone, understood what she went through. "Alastair and I were planning to move far away from here, so we made sure to get every single child into stable families; so that we could sell this place." She said as she joined MJ and started removing the weeds.

"He never mentioned it," MJ countered.

"He was going to, but then you left for Cape Town."

MJ sighed loudly and dusted off her hands. "That explains why he was so excited when he called me that day," she said thoughtfully. "I had a feeling that there was something going on, that he was up to something; but I had my own problems, and he made me believe it was nothing." She frowned. "Sandra, did this sudden turn of leaf, open old wounds?" She asked as she got back to removing the weeds.

Sandra shifted uncomfortably and tried to act normal, but she knew that sooner or later, MJ would find out everything. "You shouldn't have come to the memorial service." MJ's steps faltered as she went still, and Sandra wished she started the conversation better. "I mean, your health...you haven't fully recovered yet. It would do you good to rest for a few more days."

"I couldn't miss his memorial service, and besides, my business won't run itself." MJ argued.

Sandra pursed her lips, MJ always had a reason for everything. "You are not immortal, May Jeanette." MJ closed her eyes, and Sandra sighed softly; she had to remind herself that she had to choose her words wisely when it came to MJ. "All I'm saying is that if you are going to face the world again, you need to be in good health."

"Sandra, Alastair was murdered. There is no time for rest. Not while his murderers are still out there." She said in a hard voice and then stood up.

"You are not strong enough."

Her eyes narrowed infinitely as she glowered down at Sandra. "I'm stronger than ever. I feel revived, more alive, and thirsty; and I am not going to rest until I am satisfied."

This was the side of MJ's that Sandra despised the most, while she tried to dim it, Alastair encouraged it. That was one thing that caused a friction between the three of them; to Sandra, Alastair had brainwashed MJ with his tormenting principles, and that was something they had to live with for the rest of their lives.

Sandra stood up and faced her. "Is this how you want to live all your life? How many more people have to die for you to finally let go of your anger and hatred?" She asked, and MJ looked away. "I understand you. I really do. I know pain, I know what it is to hate without remorse. But, May Jeanette, you are not helping anybody by keeping all of those toxic feelings inside; you are only hurting yourself and the people around you." She pleaded.

MJ swallowed and blinked away her tears, masking her feelings with a blank face. "Why did you call me here? To give me a talk?" She asked coldly.

Sandra shook her head and sat back down. "No. I came here to tell you what really went down between Alastair and I."

MJ scoffed and folded her arms. "Why does it matter? He is dead."

Sandra swallowed, unwilling to accept that reality right now, but she had to face it if she wanted to get through to MJ. Alastair was dead, but both her and MJ were still alive, and she would like for it to remain that way for the longest time.

There were many things in her life she wished she could have done differently. But the truth is, what happened was out of her control. She defied her people and betrayed her race, and fell in love with an Englishman. Not only did she marry him against her family's wishes, but against his family and friends too. She married him against odds.

"Alastair was a people's person. He lived a long life." She said when she thought of all the people his decision to marry her had impacted.

"He could have lived longer," MJ encountered, and Sandra flinched.

She gave a small smile and shrugged. "He should have. Our marriage life was not as we had anticipated, there were a lot of people against it. You know how we met and everything." MJ rolled her eyes, obviously having heard that story multiple times before. "Alastair moved to become the world's number one enemy, all because of me. A lot of people he considered friends, turned against him. Some people made it a mission to break us apart, and they succeeded. Your father's worst enemy broke us apart in the worst way possible."

"What happened?"

Sandra laughed coldly, but remained silent as her mind went over everything. "He r***d me," she whispered.

MJ went still and her face ashened. Her hands shook and she balled them into fists to calm down. Her face concocted into different expressions as she gritted her teeth. "Why are you telling me all this?" She asked in a shaky voice.

Sandra gave her a sad smile. "Because I..." She trailed off as she caught the fear and vulnerability in MJ's eyes. "I also want the person who killed Alastair to pay." She quickly said and watched as MJ relaxed a bit.

"How did Alastair find out?" MJ asked.

Sandra sighed loudly and gulped. She had never been open about this to anyone. "The man... He had everything on tape." Her voice broke as tears started trailing down her face. "And then he used the footage to get Alastair to sign over all his wealth to him. He took Alastair's money, company, and properties. Alastair lost everything trying to save me. Alastair stood firm before when we got attacked, but that was the last straw, and it drove Alastair to the streets."

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"Because I know that despite everything; deep down, there's a part of you that sympathizes with me because you understand my pain. You know my pain; we both lost the man we loved; you lost a father, and I a husband. Thoughts of revenge have never crossed my mind, not even when I was r***d. I won't live forever, May Jeanette...I am dying inside." She laughed humourlessly, her own voice sounding foreign in her own ears. "It's so funny how a person has so much to live for and yet, have little time to do so," She paused and gave MJ a hard look. "Alastair's murder was not an accident."

MJ sat down and stared at her feet as if they held the answers to all her questions. "What are you talking about?" She asked in a broken whisper.

Sandra sighed and stared at MJ sadly. "He did something that got him into trouble, but it was not with the Mexicans." Esperanza's devious smirk popped before her eyes and she shook her head. She couldn't tell MJ that Esperanza was holding her hostage on the day of the robbery to prevent her from warning them. She couldn't believe that the girl whom she looked after for years, turned out to be her worst nightmare. "Alastair was working on sabotaging McEnroe Construction."

MJ shot up as if splashed by cold water. "What? That doesn't make sense, why would he do that?" She asked, but Sandra didn't answer. "Why?" She repeated in a hard voice.

Sandra sucked in a deep breath. "Because Aaron McEnroe was the man that r***d me and took away Alastair's company."

"Aaron McEnroe?" Sandra nodded and watched as realisation struck MJ; she knew Alastair always hated Aaron McEnroe, but she obviously did not know how deep their rivalry went. MJ did not wait to hear anymore, she turned back and walked away.

Sandra panicked and ran after her as she walked into the house and into her old room. "MJ, whatever you do ... please don't hurt the boy!" Sandra pleaded, but MJ ignored her as she picked up her teddy bear and walked out. "MJ, please–"

MJ halted in her steps and turned to Sandra with a dangerous glint in her eyes. "Why not? If there's anything that man cares about besides his business, is his son...so, why not hit him where it hurts the most? There's no greater pain that losing a child." She whispered the last part. "He's a parent, and I don't think he's any different."

"He's innocent." Sandra said pleadingly.

MJ gave her a dark look. "He's a McEnroe." She said coldly before she turned and walked away without second thought.

Sandra watched as she got into her car and drove off. "He is my son!" She yelled to an empty space. "He is my son." She sobbed and covered her mouth with her hand as her body shook. She was about to turn back towards the house when a voice called her.

"Ah, I see you stuck to our plan!" She turned around to face a teenage girl with an innocent face, she was nothing but.

"Esperanza, what are you doing here?" Sandra asked in panic.

The girl ignored her and slung her arm over her shoulder, leading her back to the house as if they were old friends. "Now MJ is going to go after the McEnroes without a care in the world, and she will forget about poor me and my father." She said enthusiastically, and Sandra cringed. "Great job, Sandy!"