DEALT ( saving his soul )

Chapter Ten

Jonathan confused Cora and it irritated her to no end.

Her plan was quite simple and straight forward but somehow the man managed to complicate it not knowing it was to his own determent. Cora purposely got herself drunk . She thought that it would be obvious her services as maid would be terminated taking into account her rudeness that morning and her drunken state when she showed up the night before, but apparently that was not the case.

Seething and glaring at the expensive China in the dining room as she dusted them , Cora was frustrated. It would have been easier to tell Mr. Yong that she was fired and even give him a letter as evidence but at the moment she was in a very unpleasant dilemma.

Whether to do the assignment or not was a hard decision and even if she did decide all her decisions would lead to jail eventually. It was either blackmail or get caught. She sighed loudly and her mind drifted to what The Don had suggested.

It was a tempting idea but she needed a lot of time and that was what she did not have. Seducing Mr. Blue to fall for her hard in order to reveal to her what she wanted to hear before killing him made her cringe , but it was the only favourable solution unless she would brave it all and spill the beans to him in readiness of whatever decision he would make over her fate.

Cora stared at her reflection in one of the shiny vases and shook her head as if it would aid her to think and decide. She carefully put it on a shelf and that is when her phone decided to chime in her blue apron. She pulled it out then looked at the message that caused sweat to break out on her forehead and her heart to pound so loud that it almost deafened her hearing.

***

" Halloo..." She spoke into the phone.

" What great pleasure to hear your voice Cora, "

" What do you think you're doing ?"

" Oh ! Is it a crime to check on one of my employees especially if they have decided to take their sweet time to carry out an assignment ? " Mr. Yong drawled out sarcastically.

" If I recall well, I'm the one who made this call , "

" Is it ? "

" Listen , whatever you're asking me to do isn't easy and I'm busy , "

" Busy. Busy with what ? "

" Please don't choose to be stupid. You know exactly what I mean, " Cora rolled her eyes.

His annoying laugh assaulted her ears ," Two days. Two days that's all or else what you saw in the picture - "

" Listen. It isn't easy. I need more time - "

" I gave you a job , I expect it to be complete. How you do it is up to you, "

Cora sighed exasperatedly , " I need more time , I promise , only a week more. "

He fell silent.

" Please ? " She tried again.

" Fine , "

She sighed in temporary relief.

" No thanks , Mr. Darling Yong , " He feigned hurt.

" I can't thank a man who has made my life miserable, "

He chuckled, "One week Cora , that's it. Oh ! And if you are worried someone might trace the call please don't be, I've taken care of it. "

" Listen , I need more - "

The sound of disconnected call cut her off. She cursed silently as she assessed the picture filling the screen.

Her youngest nephew , eyes wide in pure terror while his hands and feet were bound to the chair he sat on as a hand pressed a gun to his temple.

Cora could not take it anymore , her feet gave way and she ended up sitting on the carpeted floor of her room trembling.

Mr. Yong was heartless. Why involve her ten year old nephew ? An innocent soul.

Why burn up a family in their home including their innocent two babies , Cora ? In the name of an assignment . The condemning voice countered her thoughts and she shook her head at her unrelenting conscience.

Karma was surely and steadily catching up with her.

Pushing aside her panicked and stressful musings at the back of her head, she rose from the floor in new determination to make a way out of her situation. First, she needed to go to Mr. Yong , if she had to pull off whatever plan she had in mind, she needed help from the man , himself. Cora hastily changed into a loose dress and approached Lan who was strolling peacefully around the compound.

" Hey ? " She beamed.

" Hey Kayla , " he smiled.

" It's Sunday , so I can go out. Right? "

She watched as his smile slowly faded from his face then he shook his head, " I'm afraid you'll have to approach the boss on that. "

" But it's Sunday ! "

" You came back late yesterday and as if it wasn't enough, you were drunk, " he glared, shook his head and walked away.

Cora swallowed and summoned up courage as she made her way back into the house.

Her steps steadily approaching the office of a man that managed to confuse and scare her just by a single glance. She knocked and entered the room once his muffled but raspy voice invited her in.

She closed the door behind her and stared at the mismatched eyes that narrowed at her through narrow slits of the shiny black mask. His hands were clasped over his mouth and for a moment Cora thought his huge frame made him look both handsome and scary , a devilish handsome if there was such a term for even if the mask hid his facial features his eyes were very intriguing.

" Sir ? " She started.

He stared.

" It's Sunday , sir , "

He unclasped his hands and smiled in amusement , " So ? "

" I'm to go out sir , "

He stared.

Cora swallowed and tried again, " I'm supposed to - "

" I heard, "he leaned back on his swinging chair and regarded her with a cool but critical look.

Cora was confused, " So I can go out ? "

" No , "

" But it's Sunday ! I'm supposed to go out today - "

" Consider it punishment, "

" What ? "

Jonathan smirked, " Punishment for yesterday. "

" I - I already apologized, "

" Hmm ! Did you ? "

Her eyes darted around the room uncomfortably, " B - but I've an appointment. "

Jonathan's eyes narrowed further, " With who ? "

" My doctor and I need to buy a few lady stuffs also at the hospital. You know it's a bit personal , I mean it's some sort of personal check up - "

She was cut short when Jonathan rose from his seat.

" I'll take you, " he rasped.

Cora regarded him with an incredulous expression, " S - sir ? "

" Yes ? " He smirked.

" It's personal , I'd like to go alone, "

" No, "

" Mr. Blue , please. It's my gynaecologist I'm talking about, "

His lips tightened in anger , " You have STD ? "

" No , no , no. I mean I'm not going because I'm sick, I mean it's just a regular check up, "

" Name ? "

" Huh ? "

" Of the gynaecologist , "

" Err... Sir, that information is personal. I'm sure he wouldn't - "

" He ! "

She frowned , " Yes , "

" He's a man !?"

" Uhm ! Yeah, anything wrong with that sir ? "

" Yes , " he nodded.

" What ? "

" He's a man ! "

Cora frowned, " I don't understand,sir, "

" I'm not going , " he rasped angrily.

" Great ! Then I shall be on my way - "

" No , "

" Huh ? "

" You won't leave , "

" What ? "

" You won't leave , "

" But he will be very disappointed if not inconvenienced, sir, "

" Let him be, " Jonathan glared.

" But what about my shopping sir ? Surely, you know these are essential for my survival sir , " She tried again.

Jonathan outstretched an open palm , " The shopping list. "

Cora inwardly screamed in frustration but instead she smiled and said , " I'll message you in a minute. "

Then she proceeded to pull her phone from her pocket and typed a short list then sent it to him.

He nodded once he heard the buzz of the phone in his hand then he walked out of the door.

Cora stomped a foot on the floor. That was her second plan and it was already in pieces before it was even fully launched. She groaned, huffed then stormed out of the office just in time to see Jonathan leave. Cora looked around just as another idea struck her mind.

Calmly, she walked out of the house , a bowl of baked cookies in hand and approached the guard hovering around the gate. Once she was in front of him, she beamed brightly.

" Hey ! " She chirped but the guard replied with a curt nod.

" Hey, I thought , I could bring you these , " she raised the bowl towards him.

He grunted and grabbed it then mumbled a thanks.

Cora smiled, " So ? Can I go out a little, I just need to do some shopping and - "

" That's why you brought me cookies? " He managed a crooked smile.

There was no point of lying at the moment, " Yes . "

" I see, "

" So , may I - "

" No. The boss gave strict orders that you were never to be allowed out of this gate ever again, "

" What ? "

" Pretty sure you heard me, " he shrugged and walked away, happily munching a chocolate cookie.

Cora struggled to keep her cool as he walked back into the house. She knew she had made a mistake the night before. A mistake that was supposed to get her fired but not to confine her to his home like a prisoner. The plan had achieved a completely reversed reaction. Cora was raging, the man had no right to restrict her movements. That was unfair ! How then could she possibly meet with Mr. Yong in order to acquire help ? She pondered as she passed by Jonathan's office door then abruptly stopped short.

She knew what she had in mind was risky but that was her only chance. Cora walked back to the door then knocked as usual before walking in. Tactfully , she begun searching the shelves in the place. Her hands skillfully dusting books and arranging them ; to any onlooker , she would pass as a maid simply dedicated to doing her job. As she advanced in her search, she realized that the hardest part was Jonathan's desk.

Jonathan Blue was a neat and organized man if she were to go by the evidences of how organized the paper work was in his office. This disadvantaged Cora . If the papers and books were scattered on the desk, it would have been easier rummaging through them but that was not the case. Neat files and envelopes lay in a pile beside Jonathan's desktop.

Cora had to act quickly, she had already spent a lot of time in the office. Her slender hand stretched , grabbed the top envelope on the desk and that is when the door opened . Jonathan walked in , a brow raised at Cora who was busily stacking the documents on the table in order.

He cleared his throat and she looked up but the look his mismatched eyes regarded her with was enough. Cora was not a fool , his eyes narrowed at her hands then at her face and she though he would demand a reason as to why she was touching the his documents only to be thrown off balance by his statement.

" Here's your shopping, " he rasped as he held up a bag.

Cora stopped her pretentious act and walked towards him , mouth agape.

" I only asked for three things. This is a lot sir , "

" It's all yours , " he smiled and handed her the bags.

She stared into his intriguing eyes," Thank you. "

Jonathan nodded , his eyes shiny with a new excited sparkle and he sat at his desk. Cora watched and she could imagine the frown hidden by his mask as he stared at his documents then begun running a finger on top of his pile. She knew she had to distract him.

" Sir, you gave an order that I was never to leave this place ? "

He smirked then clasped his hands , " You tried leaving. "

Cora inwardly cursed, " I - I - I just asked around . "

" Strange , " his smirk grew.

" Why ? " She asked.

" Only one guard, " he swung in his chair, " was ordered so. "

" Who ? "

" The gatekeeper perhaps, "

Cora cursed under her breath , " But still you had no right ! "

" Quite true , "

" What ? " She stared confused.

" Consider it punishment, "

" For what ? "

" For snooping around, "

At that , Cora's eyes widened in panic then bolted from the office.

Cora was breathing hard by the time she locked her bedroom door and sat on the floor. If the boss knew that she was indeed snooping around then why was the man still keeping her. She looked at the small paper she grabbed from the top envelope, what would he do to her if he found it missing ? Cora trembled.

Jonathan Blue was not an ordinary man, she realized and she was very sorry that she made a grave mistake of getting involved with the man. Cora stared at the brown fluffy carpet.

What exactly was to be her fate ?