Chapter 5

Lydia's POV

"Things can't possibly get worse," I sighed sipping my coffee.

Twenty minutes, that's how long I was at Starbucks asking myself if my parents were to show up and ask me about Justin what would I do? Tell them that after we broke up he moved miles and miles away from me to Connecticut? The number one reason why I didn't want to tell them about my breakup was because deep down I loved Justin and I was worried for him.

My dad, Harrison Hayden was a former commander in the army, now him finding out that a man cheated on me would lead to that man either behind bars or dead. And I'm serious when I say dead. I still remember 2002 Texas when Robert Sanders asked me out to prom. Dad almost shot him but due to Robert standing his ground he eventually accepted Bob as the right guy for me which to this day he thinks I will miraculously end up with him.

Now back to Justin. I didn't want dad to track him down, break his legs or send him to prison or maybe worse, kill him?! Justin was still in my heart as silly as that sounded but yes I was a fool for loving him.

"Lydia" someone called from behind.

"Oh God! Steve? Did you follow me here?" I asked turning my head to see a grinning Stephen Gilbert waving sheepishly at me.

He invited himself to one of the chairs beside me calling the waiter to call his order, "Okay. Yes, I followed you and maybe I might have seen you storming out of Power Inc. but but before you scold me, I have something to show you"

He smiled pushing his phone near my cup of coffee. Taking his phone, I scrolled down zooming in on the documents. This didn't make sense? Power Inc. was shipping drugs into LA. And not just any drugs, drugs owned by the biggest crime lord... Mafioso.

"H-how did you get this?"I stuttered my eyes bulging in surprise.

"Ooh I've got my sources and I know how much you hate the owner of Power inc. so this is your chance to bring him down"

Running my hand through my hair, an idea popped up. Yes the kind of idea where you see a light bulb lit up. Power Inc. was a shipping business that much I had figured out but if the police hadn't arrested or looked into Cornelius Powers it meant that they didn't have a clue of this. As much as I wanted to see that bastard rot in jail, I wouldn't hand what I had found to the police yet. On the contrary, I would use this as leverage to make him help me.

"Steve can you send me the documents"

"Ofcourse milady," Steve gushed and I rolled my eyes. He always had to make things weird. But today Stephen Gilbert proved himself worthy.

Excusing myself, I rushed out promising Steve I would be right back.

"Jessica, remember when I thought that you getting Cornelius' phone number was lame?"

"Yeah?"

"Well it was not lame. I need that number asap"

"Ooh Diaaa. You want him to have your number,that's cute"

"Jessica would you please send the number!"

"Ok shish!"

And I hung up getting excited when my phone dinged.

Dialling his number, he declined the call to which I called him again. 

"In my hands are some juicy documents linking Power Inc. to well who do we have here? The biggest crime lord in LA? Mafioso? Now if you don't want me to run in my little bootsies to the cops you'll do exactly what I tell you to"

"I'm listening"

Victory the best feeling one could ever have.

_._._._._

Never since fifth grade when the maths teacher called me to do a maths sum on the board had I been this nervous. I paced across my apartment moving from my couch to the floor then back to the couch.

Did my apartment look neat? I mean did the cushions smell nice and look clean? Did my TV look like a fifty inch kinda expensive TV? And my woolen rug? Was it too dusty? And to my dog, was he allergic to dogs?

Calling Cornelius Powers to my apartment to talk things over probably wasn't the best idea. I mean he was a rich kid, probably owned the finest houses in all of LA, what would he think when he got here? That my apartment was too shallow? Too small for a woman of my criteria?

The ringing of my door bell made me jump while Oggie let out a bark in surprise.

"Breath in...out and try to look intimidating"

Opening the door, his cologne knocked my nostrils. Again was it Axe or Versace?

"Took you long enough", I snorted.

He made his way to my couch, smoothly rubbing his chin in thought. I also joined him calmly settling myself in my bean bag. By crossing my legs did I look intimidating? Did I look like I knew what I was doing?

"Here's the proof and if you even think of deleting that, I have so many photocopies that if anything were to happen to me, my friend would hand in this evidence to the cops"

He chuckled. He chuckled? Did he think I was joking? Drug trafficking was one serious crime that would land even a rich person like himself in the slammer.

"How long did you take to memorise those words? I was shocked you know. Lydia Hayden has me at my neck huh? How much?"

How much. How much?

"How much what?"

"You know ka-ching? Mula? Dollars? I have to say personally I thought you were into me but now I'm starting to see what you want? I can write you a cheque right here right now"

He reached for a cheque book from his coat, took out an expensive fountain pen and wrote something on the piece of paper. Smoothly ripping the paper from the book, he flashed the paper in my face making sure I would get a clear view of the words in ink.

Ten million dollars.