Chapter three: Over my dead body
1228 Words
For the umpteenth time today, Kiera was left speechless.
The reason she defended this annoying family was because of her grandma and somehow this man made it seem like she was some helpless fool who would bend at any slight provocation all to defend people who weren't worth it.
He has a way of twisting words until she sounded like the villain!
She was exasperated.
“I'd rather go to that jail!” She hadn't even finished her retort when his voice came again like a death sentence.
“Jail doesn’t pay my $49 million. You do. 24/7. Starting tonight. Pack a bag.”
Kiera felt like she had bells ringing inside her ears, she, no her, paying $49million when she has to work her butt off just to get $1500 dollars last night to pay the remainder of her tuition?
Grandma Stevens stepped in front of her “Over my dead body.”
Damian smiling gently, looked at Grandma.
“Mrs. Stevens, grandma. I suggest you rest off the rest of your days because your family might be in for a rough time. I'll tone it down because of the respect I have for you, ma'am. I own the mortgage on this estate too.”
Grandma looked shocked as she stared at her useless first son. All thanks to him!
She signalled for him to follow her outside with Kiera trailing behind them.
They get to the garden. At least it feels safe.
“Mrs. Stevens. I’m here about the debt.”
Grandma turned, cane hitting the ground.
“You vultures. Always circling. Didn't you just say that in the room a while ago?”
Damian chuckled softly. “Your son’s wife gambled. Your company owes me 40 million. I can take the villa. Or I can take her.”
He nods at Kiera. Kiera rolls her eyes, what a capitalist! Spit!
This time, she knew what her grandma's reply will be, so no matter how she opposed, the villa couldn't be traded.
Grandma Evelyn looked at Kiera thoughtfully. Too bad, two stubborn children like Kiera and Damian didn't understand that look.
But the seasoned lawyer who was standing beside Damian understood perfectly, this woman was probably up to no good with that look.
In Grandma's head: if they could get together, not only would the debt be settled, but I might be able to hold a chubby great grandson before I turn 75! Such a double win situation, no one's on the losing end. Kiera would snatch a handsome husband, have a chubby cute son and love in peace.
Kiera thought that look had another meaning but she couldn't quite place her hands on it.
“Ok then!” Grandma surprisingly agreed, smiling.
Kiera was stunned, even if her grandma would agree, was it supposed to be, this… straightforward?
She felt like she fell into a trap, but didn't know what it was, did they have some kind of agreement even before this?
Sighing, resigning to her fate, she shot Damian a resentful glare. But he just ignored it and signalled to his lawyer who brought out an agreement to be signed.
She didn't read a single word, just signed her name and handed it back. She didn't live here, so no need to pack anything.
Her grandma turned to hold her hand. “Be smart, kid!”
Though she didn't understand what that meant, she waved goodbye to her grandma and entered the car which has been driven in to leave with a stranger as a collateral.
His car smelled like his cologne, Cedar and something expensive. She rolled down the car window.
She didn't know how to feel.
*
Meanwhile, inside the ancestral Hall.
Mrs. Haley and Kathy were the only ones left inside. Everyone else has long dispersed.
They were both gritting their teeth in sheer annoyance as they received their share of whips on the back and turned to pick up the teacup pieces shattered on the floor.
“Mom! Its all because of that witch Kiera Stevens!” Kathy yelled, anger simmering on her face as she tended to the wounds of whip marks on her upper back and shoulder.
How was she supposed to wear off shoulder gowns looking like this?
“I know dear, but since she decided to challenge us, I'd love to see how she would win countless battles against us.”
“Mum, are you saying we are declaring war against her?” Kathy asked, not grasping the hidden undertone in her mom's voice.
Because, no matter how vicious she was, she was not yet near her mother — a homewreckers level.
To attain that level, one must be extremely cunning amd ruthless. Striking when the iron was hot and leaving so many unresolvable misunderstandings for a couple who were so loving to fall out with each other and go their separate ways!
“Don't be such a blockhead Kathy, I'm trying to say that we would be going all out from now on! We've always been at odds remember?”
She replied, facepalming and her gloves which were filled with shards of ceramic dug into her cheek, making her wince in agony.
Kathy, didn't notice her mother's distress and was in her own world of thoughts when she suddenly came up with an idea.
“Mum, I saw she'd have left with Mr. Blackwood by now, wanting to cozy up and become a Phoenix after many years of being a sparrow!”
Mrs. Haley knew the hidden implications of her words but was too worried about being disfigured to think of anything else.
“Kathy, can't you see your mom is in pain. Come disinfect my wounds on my face and back quick. They're starting to hurt real bad!”
Kathy raised her gaze and looked at her beloved mother covered in her own blood on her forehead and some part of her cheek.
“Mom? What happened? It looks horrible!” She exclaimed, rushing over with the first aid kit.
“What?! Am I going to be disfigured from this? Are the wounds that deep. I thought it was only a surface wound?”
“No mom, it looks bad, and it's all that b***h, Kiera's fault, she'll definitely pay for this!”
“Kiera!!!!” Mrs. Haley shrill voice echoed off the ancestral Hall.
*
“Mom… guess what?” A girl seated in an SUV parked across the gate of the estate entrance yelled into her phone.
Her mom quietly took the phone away from her ear some centimeters.
“What happened?” She asked, almost uninterestedly. The sound of fingers tapping against the keyboard could be heard from the phone speaker.
But the girl went on, seemingly ignorant.
“I went to the Stevens residence today!” The girl replied enthusiastically.
“What?!” Her mom shot up after hearing this.
“And guess what I saw mom!” The girl continued, not noticing the change in her mother's voice… “A girl who looked exactly like….”
“Dear, you better do the business I sent you there for and stop dawdling at places that are long forgotten history!”
“Beep, beep, beep!” the busy signal echoed in her ears and she ended up whispering the complete sentence to herself.
Me….
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