Repeat and Retribution

Chapter 57

“Brit, I’m going!” she calls out to her friend as she had finished all of her work for the day.

It’s already been a week since her encounter with Clyde and everything seems to have been okay after that. Of course, she still went on with what she had already planned not wanting to show any signs of fear or weakness against Dana.

“You be careful now,” Her best friend hollers from the kitchen as she was busy checking some of the orders that were being served.

As of now, the new store that they had just opened was running smoothly, thanks to their efforts. So she was now free to only assist around the place if needed.

“I’ll see you guys tomorrow,” she happily waves goodbye at the other staff while walking out of the store.

Since she was getting out early she had planned to take a jog at the nearby park before going home, to release some stress.

Fishing out her gloves and towel she was already set to start her brisk walk when a shadow suddenly loomed over her. Feeling a sudden sense of danger she quickly yet discreetly takes out her taser and raises it up in front of her, glaring as she turned it on.

The sparks on the said mechanism made the man in front of her jump away in surprise and fear of the weapon.

Whoa, whoa Crystal, It’s me!” Raising his hand in surrender Larse tried to calm her down by flapping his arms to avoid the said device.

Letting out a deep breath she could help but roll her eyes upon seeing the man. “And what brings you here this late?” Swirling her weapon in her hand she decided to keep it in her pocket just in case.

Larse finally feeling safer pulled his blazer to straighten it, then combing his hair with his hand afterward. Finally looking polished again he looks at her with a very sensible smile.

“Look, we’ve already received your complaint and lawsuit about Dana’s actions, and seeing as our cameras did confirm the incident it seems we’re quite in a bind here,” he let out as her shoulder fell in defeat.

Crystal shook her head in disbelief. “So you’re here to ask for forgiveness from me because of what your wife did,” she could not help but mock since the man looked like it.

Larse sighed. “Crys, believe it or not, I’m trying to be on your side here, I just need to clear some things first,” he says as he tried to get closer but decided not to especially since Crystal folded her arms and backed away.

“And with that being said that just means you’re still basically clueless about your wife’s actions,” She snaps at him.

Quite very disappointed that the man seemed to still be under the palm of Dana’s hands.

“I don’t know what you’re implying about, but I can assure you that I am looking into it,” the man defends as he frowns at her.

Tilting her head with a smirk she flicks her finger to him. “Then I’ll leave you to it then,” she says before walking past him.

“Crystal, hey!” Larse chases her before she was even able to cross the street.

“What?” she yells at him after turning around, she couldn’t help but feel annoyed that the man seemed to still be under the woman’s spell.

“Look, I just want to make up to you somehow, after what she did,” Larse said in a much calmer voice, yet he was unable to look her in the eyes as he spoke.

“In exchange for what exactly?” She raised a brow.

Hearing that, she felt the same thing with Clyde all over again, seeing as the man was having the same actions and mannerism as her ex when it came to Dana, irritating her even more.

“Why do you make it sound like I’m the bad guy here, It's not like I wanted that to happen,” the man whined as he pressed his hands on his face.

“She’s your wife, isn’t that reason enough for me to be wary of you,” Crystal says back, her head tilting to her side in mock reaction.

It was only then that she noticed that all the men around Dana seemed to always aggravate and in panic.

“Point taken,” Larse wasn’t able to argue with that, as he finally understood where she was coming from.

Crystal shook her head again. “I don’t know whatever she’s done for you that you’d tolerate her behavior like this,” she just sighed, feeling pity for the man.

“She’s still the mother of my child you know,” he says in a weakened voice and sort of defeated tone.

Crystal was unable to hold her snort as she tried to hold her laugh. “Well, lucky for her,” unable to hide her smirk from that like, she just avoided the man’s gaze.

It was the one thing that she was going to keep hidden, as she still was unable to fully fuel the fire that she was preparing for her.

“Crys, c’mon, can’t we at least just talk about this,” Larse burst out after a few moments of silence between them.

“What’s there to talk about? I mean, seriously Larse, why exactly is it that you want from me?” she just scolds him.

Confused at the man’s action since they seemed to be going in circles with the topic about Dana. She didn’t really want to hear any excuses right now, nor did she want an apology, especially if it wasn’t coming from the actual woman, plus there was no way that she backed out with what she had already done.

With a firm face and passionate burning eyes, Larse stared straight at her. “I’d like you to work for me,” he says not even blinking when he let out those words.

“What?” Crysta was no longer able to suppress her laugh.

But Larse was not hindered by it. “I’ll double...No! I’ll triple your salary from before,” he states firmly.

Crystal swallowed hard seeing the seriousness and sincerity in the man’s eyes as he said those words. There was something there that she just couldn't point out that suddenly made her think twice.

“And do you think that’s enough for me to take back the case?” she scoffs, remembering the reason behind the said visit.

“No, I don’t need you to do that or anything else. I just feel that this is all my fault and I’d like to make it up somehow, especially after all the help that you did for me,” Larse voice was suddenly soothing in his ears as he said it softly as if trying to woe her.

Yet that wasn’t really enough to calm her down, since she just can’t take Dana off of her mind, added that the man seemed to actually be doing it to try to make amends for her.

“Well, you can start by making sure to put your wife on a leash. Man up for once and stop being such a pushover, else you’ll forever end up like you are right now,” She rolled her eyes as he mocked him.

Larse jaw tightened upon hearing that, yet he stood in place though his face was already frowning.

“Then I want you to work for me, name your price and I’ll gladly give it to you,” he said in a much more stern manner this time.

“Sir, is there a problem here?” a high-pitched yet calm voice stated.

At that moment Brittany had suddenly appeared behind the man, it seems she saw them from the store as they weren’t that far off. And like before her best friend came in for the rescue thinking that she might be in trouble again.

Larse just looks at her friend then nods, he takes out a card from his breast pocket and fearlessly approached her.

“I’ll leave my card and I expect an answer by Monday,” he says as he placed it in Crystal’s hand before walking away without another word.

Gaping she just turned to Brittany who seemed to also have been speechless at the sudden change in the man’s demeanor.

“What was that all about?” her best friend had this weird look on her face as they watched Larse slowly disappear.

“I don’t know myself,” she tried to shake it off, but there was just something that seemed different with the man at that moment.

“Wasn’t that Larse August?” Brittany asked since she wasn’t able to fully see the man.

“Yeah, and he just offered me a job.” Pouting as she showed the card that he gave her.

“For real? And exactly how much did he say was going to be your salary huh?” Brittany's lips twisted in a curve, her head tilting backward as she folded her arms on her chest as she gave her this sort of challenging look.

“He actually said he’d triple my old one, but then took it back and just ask me how much I wanted,” she immediately answers, since even she was caught by surprise with that offer.

Her best friend's eyes grew wide. “You serious? Girl, if that is the case you better not waste that offer of his while it’s hot! Set that pride aside and let the money roll,” she was suddenly doing this motion with her arms as if she was dancing.

“I might actually take up his offer.” Crystal smirk seeing another possibility because of this so-called development.

She thought that somehow, Larse was still redeemable seeing as how the man had this certain personality that made him different and very far off from Clyde.

“Then go do it! Money is money, plus you know you going to need it after that loan of yours,” Brittany brushed her fingers together as if there were actually paper bills on them while shaking her hips in a sort of victory dance.

“I will then!” she grins as there seems to be another chance for her to totally cause havoc on Dana’s life once more.