4. His Teary Angel

Liam strolled out of his dressing room, knotting his navy blue striped tie gently as he turned to stare at his expression in the mirror. Today, unlike any other day, he was dressed in a dark beige suit and a white shirt. He wanted to look sexy and ruthless altogether.

He walked to pick up his briefcase from the bed just as his cellphone rang. Liam swore under his breath and bent to drop the briefcase before removing the phone from his suit pocket. Liam was surprised to see his lawyer calling, he rushed to accept the call while wondering why his lawyer was calling him very early in the morning.

“ Yes, tell me” Liam called into the phone. He picked up his briefcase and walked out of the room with his phone pressed to his ear.

“ Yes sir, I had served them the notice just as you've wanted” The lawyer rushed to explain knowing how Liam Powell was, he doesn't like anyone keeping him waiting.

Liam smiled excitedly, as he walked down the stairs, he glimpsed his grandfather at the dining sipping his coffee and going through his morning papers “ That's good. Great job” 

“ Yes sir, but there's a little problem” The lawyer went ahead to say causing Liam to pause on his way down the stairs. Liam's face hardened as he glared at the phone in his hands.

“ And what problem could that be? Did they refuse to move out? Get the thugs and force them out of my house, I'm not here for charity” Liam commanded his lawyer causing his grandfather to raise his head to stare at him shocked at his harsh tone.

“ No_ sir, it's not any of that” The lawyer stammered loudly, deafening on the phone. He was scared of telling the boss that he didn't do his job right. He just hopes Liam will spare his life.

“ If that's not the case, then what is it? Speak fast for I am an impatient man” Liam growled loudly into the phone. He nodded in greeting to his grandfather before taking his seat in the dining. 

“ One of the tenants fainted last night, she has been rushed to the hospital” The lawyer explained gently, he was expecting Liam to scold him but what Liam said next surprised him.

“ She fainted? Then how is that any of my business? Get to work Immediately and stop being idle” Liam called into the phone, he was getting tired of his lawyer's insolence. 

How can he pick up his phone to call him just because some tenant fainted? That wasn't his business, he had paid for the house and was even generous enough to give them a month's notice to pack. What would she have done if he had ordered them to vacate his house Immediately, would she have died?

“ It's the mother of one of your employees' sir” The lawyer's word seems to get through to Liam like a knife-edge as he paused on the teacup.

“ My employee? Who could that be?” Liam asked, surprised, as far as he knew his employees were all okay and living alright. No one will be so poor as to live in such a dilapidated building that the poor call home.

“ It is Miss Maya Banks” Liam stood up from his seat in surprise. He didn't know that Maya was the one affected by his decision. He always knew it has sentimental value to her as she had defended that project with all her might but he wouldn't have changed his mind even though he knew!

“ It's okay, I will compensate her for the loss when I get to the office but for now the plan still holds” Liam called into the one, he barked one instruction or two before hanging up and made to eat his breakfast in peace.

“ What was that all about William?” His grandfather asked him as soon as he dropped the call.

“ Nothing, just some lazy tenant disrupting my business ideas,” Liam told his grandfather shrugging, he needed to create a boundary between his work and his personal life. In just a few days, he has gotten to meet Maya, she had turned his world upside down.

“ You just need to be patient with people, not everyone likes being ripped out from where they've grown to live. That reminds me, how's your search for your wife going?”

Liam nearly rolled his eyes at his grandfather but paused as soon as he remembered that his company was at risk“ It's on. Very soon, I will be able to introduce her to you” Liam told his grandfather, grunting under his breath as he stood up having lost his appetite for food.

Mr. Powell smiled excitedly oblivious to his grandson's mood“ It's alright. Have a nice day at the office” Mr. Powell said to Liam who was already on his way out of the house with his driver scrambling after him.

Mr. Powell turned to look at his son and wife's pictures which were on the wall across from him, with a faraway look in his eyes and a tight smile on his lips, he whispers to them“ I think Liam will soon come around. Just wait, I'm going to make sure he gets married” Mr. Powell vowed to his son and wife before going into his room.

                                                                  ***

Liam walked briskly down the hallway to his office, a slight frown grazed his brows as he was in a foul mood that morning.

His secretary, Noah scramble behind him with Liam's briefcase swinging in his hands“ I wonder why he's so angry this morning” Noah mustered to himself as he ran to open the office door for him.

Liam settled down on his chair, his eyes got the city gossip magazine on his desk, he picked it up and turned to Noah who was standing at the edge of the table awaiting further instructions.

“ Is Miss Banks in the office?” Liam asked him as he started swiping through the magazine. He was about to drop it when a page caught his eyes. 

“ Yes sir. Though she came in a bit late this morning but_____” Noah paused as he watched the boss expression change from sad to sour in just a second. He was about pointing out that Miss Banks was looking sick and now this? Was the boss angry because Miss Banks came in late?

Liam stood up abruptly as sweat perched his brows, he glanced through the magazine again to be sure he read everything there alright before turning to glare at Noah who has frozen as soon as he saw the anger in his boss's face.

“ Who brought this into my office?” Liam screamed at him, his voice bellowing across the office.

Noah whimpered, scared for his life “ I___ you__ it was one of the sales agents. You have a yearly subscription with them” Noah explains as he turned to wipe his now sweaty palm on his tailored navy blue pants.

“ I want the subscription canceled immediately” Liam barked as Noah turned to run out of the door but his boss's voice stopped him.

“ And I want Miss Banks fired immediately from my company,”  Liam said, causing Noah to nod and run out of the office confused as to what Maya could have done to make the boss fire her.

Liam paced around his office, a tiny bit of sweat perch his brows as he ran his hands rapidly through his jacket trying to unbutton them. He was sweating profusely even in his heavily conditioned office...

He couldn't believe Maya could stoop so low as to do that to him. Was she trying to get back at him for what he did to her mother? Moreover, he hasn't even kissed her yet, how could she________

Liam couldn't complete his sentence as he came out of his thought to hear Noah arguing with someone outside his office. Liam paused as he listened to their conversation, his eyes widened as soon as he recognized the voice.

“ I'm sorry but you can't see the boss” He heard Noah tell her over and over again but she just wouldn't listen as she kept on persisting to see him...

“ I'm going in there and no one would stop me” Liam heard Maya's voice. He was about to go over to tell her that he wasn't in the mood to see her when the door suddenly opened, Maya stood glaring at her while a shocked Noah was lying helplessly on the floor having been pushed by Maya.

“ It's okay, Noah. I will handle this, you can go back to your office” Liam told Noah who was already on his feet about to drag Maya out, he nodded and walked out closing the door gently behind him.

Liam turned to stare at Maya who was still glaring at him. Liam felt all the anger in him evaporate as soon as he remembered that her mother was in the hospital, he was about to tell her how sorry he was when she beat him to it

“ How dare you, Mr. Powell? You have the gut to sack me after making my mother sick in the hospital?” Maya screamed up at him, her eyes blazing red in anger. She couldn't remember how long she has been this angry with anyone like she is right now? She felt adrenaline surging through her body system as she wanted to punch anything to make her feel good? Punching Liam's face wouldn't be such a bad idea.

Liam gasped at her, he felt the anger that was subsiding returning in full force. How dare she accuse him wrongly when she has committed the greater crime against him? To think that he was feeling sympathy for her a second ago? He was angrier with himself that he didn't contact the police a while back to get her arrested for her crimes.

“ Wow!! Miss Banks. I'm surprised you are still in the position to be angry after slamming my name, my image, and reputation?” Liam shouted at her. He was done being gentle with her just because she was a woman he was attracted to.

Maya scoffed at him, she knew what he was trying to do. That's what businessmen like him do, trying to buy her dignity with his useless lies“ Wow!! Mr. Powell, nice words. You never cease to amaze me” Maya's words infuriated Liam's anger the more. 

He walked back with a force to his table and grabbed the magazine, he threw it at her with disgust“ You think I'm lying. I can never do that Miss Banks, I'm not as cheap as you are. Now, take a look at that and tell me right to my face that I'm lying”

Maya stood shocked. The magazine hit her on her forehead and fell to the floor causing it to open to the page Liam was referring to. Maya let her eyes scan through the paper as her eyes widened in shock as soon as she got the name of the writer.

“ Zara Smith” Maya whispered to herself, she couldn't believe her friend could stoop so low as to frame her, everything in the paper was lies. She didn't sleep with her boss and most especially she wasn't pregnant for him. How could Zara tell such absurd lies?

“ Cat caught your tongue. Why aren't you saying anything? I'm sure you'll be able to speak to the police once I get him here” Liam called angrily to her. He walked behind his desk to pick up his intercom which seemed to jolt Maya out of her thoughts.

“ I___ I'm sorry. Please, I can explain” Maya immediately rushed to apologize to Liam. She couldn't bear going to prison right now, her mother was sick, no one would take care of her mother. 

“ Oh! So you can talk now, right?” Liam mocked her as he abandoned the intercom and came to stand in front of Maya.

“ I don't want to listen to any explanation from you. I want you out of my company and my life forever. Now, use the door” Liam commanded her, showing her out with his hands pointed in the direction of the door.

Maya turned to walk out as tears streamed down her face. She felt helpless and lonely in the world with no one to turn to. The only person she could turn to had betrayed her.

“ Wait!” Liam called to her, Maya pause and turned to stare at him with a hopeful look in her eyes. 

Liam walked up to her with a smirk on his face“ I want to compensate you for your mother's accident” Liam called to her as he handed her an envelope containing a check 

Maya was torn between collecting the money or not. She was penniless without her job and she still has the hospital bills to settle but her dignity won“ Thank you but I'm not interested in your money” 

Liam was shocked. He has never met such a proud and stubborn woman before in his life. He knew she needed the money which was why he offered but she has the nerve to reject him.

“ Then you won't be annoyed if I do this, ” Liam told her, he bent to kiss her deeply on the lips while Maya struggled in his arms. She wasn't expecting him to kiss her especially after firing her from his company. What does he take her for? 

Liam pulled out of the kiss and stood smirking at her with his hands folded across his chest “ Now, I can proudly say I've kissed you before. Stop looking so disgusted Miss Banks, isn't that what you've ever wanted? I only just granted your wish” 

“ Son of a bitch! I hope you rot in hell” Maya screamed at him with tears in her eyes. She turned to walk away annoyed with herself and everything around her, she never knew how someone could be so heartless and wicked. And to think she was still attracted to him...

“ I will gladly do so with you by my side, Miss Banks” Liam called at her retreating back before going back to his seat. He adjusted his trouser to accommodate his biggie which has sprung up in excitement. He sat down and picked up his phone and put a call to his lawyer to continue with the plans of the house...