SEVEN- BROTHER OR ENEMY

CHAPTER SEVEN

The ice in my drink slowly melted, and my patience ran thin. My eyes darted towards the entrance of the café and I sighed. Ridley was messing with me and if I did not need him as much, I would have left when five minutes had passed our agreed meeting time. I looked down at my watch and groaned, more than twenty-five minutes…I had been waiting for more than twenty-five minutes. That was unacceptable, no matter how much I needed his help, I did not appreciate looking desperate or like a fool.

One last gulp of my cool drink and I stood up, ready to leave. It was safe to say Ridley had either stood me up or forgotten that we were supposed to meet up. I could not believe he did this to me, it had taken all my courage and ego to get my phone and dial his number just to ask him to meet up.

After paying my bill, I walked out of the café and went to my car in the parking lot and just as I was opening the door, I heard Ridley’s voice calling my name and I turned around.

“Hello, dear sister-in-law. Are you already about to leave?” He walked up to me and his stance was cool. I wanted nothing more than to wipe the ground with his face.

I rolled my eyes. “Are you purposely giving me more reason to believe Ashton’s opinion of you?”

His lips cocked up into a smile before he spoke. “No need to come hot on me, I’m all yours until 3.”

Once more, I looked down at my watch for the umpteenth time that day and rolled my eyes. Barely twenty minutes remained until three. He did not even have the courtesy to apologise for being late and making me wait and I could see that he clearly thought less of me or that I was desperate. I also had a company to be at, albeit it being a branch of Stetson Hotels, time was also precious on my part.

“Listen here Ridley, don’t think I’m any less than you. You are the one that came to me with an ambiguous proposal and just because I am in a stiff place does not mean I am so helpless with no other options.” I kept a straight glare and hardened my tone.

“Okay then, would you rather give me a scolding out here or go inside and have a cup of coffee as we talk about more pressing issues?”

I rolled my eyes and scoffed at his inability to give a simple apology and walked ahead of him back to the entrance of the café. I could feel his stare behind me and I knew that he was probably smirking. There was no reason for me to strike any deal with Ridley. Ashton and I had never signed any prenuptial agreement, and while I had told him that I was okay with signing one, he had refused and said there was no need.

I did not care much about being rich, I just wanted comfort and a divorce would probably lead me back to my life before Ashton if I did not play my cards well or claim enough money. A part of me had to admit that I was only teaming up with Ridley to get some form of revenge against Ashton. He trampled over my feelings and what we had built in an instant and I knew that one of the best ways to get to him is through his brother.

Ridley sat opposite me and ordered a cup of coffee for himself. “Do you want anything?” He asked as the waitress was taking down his order and I simply shook my head. I had already taken two drinks, another one would mean a trip to the bathroom.

“What exactly is your proposition?” I asked and placed his card on the table- the one he had left at my house.

“Don’t be so serious dear Jane—”

“Don’t call me that,” I cut him off and he leaned back into his seat.

“Sheesh…” He mumbled something below his breath that I could not hear. “I just need you to be on my team and help me be the next CEO. All you have to do is request for a divorce, ask for more than 50 percent of the jerk’s property including his shares in Stetson Hotel, refuse to settle and we’ll be good.”

“You do know that most of this is separate property and my claim on it is close to insignificant?” I raised an eyebrow and continued. “Ashton and I have barely been married for a year and months, whatever argument I bring to a court won’t be as sufficient as Ashton’s.”

“Who even mentioned anything about divorce?” I asked. Even though I had thought about it and come close to doing it, divorce was not yet on the table—correction, it was already on the table but it was the more hurtful option.

Ridley burst out laughing, I could not help it notice how he looked so similar to Ashton when he was laughing. “Come on Janelle…” He stopped to get his drink as the waitress put it on the table. “You can’t sit here and lie to me that you have not thought of divorce. It’s okay, people divorce after 30 years as well as after months.”

“You do not have to worry about the details and how much of a claim you are entitled to, I’ll get you the best lawyers. My brother was dumb enough to not sign a prenup, you just have to make him regret that.”

I sat there silently for a few seconds and breathed out before speaking. “So, what exactly do you propose? How do we go about this?”

He smiled and leaned forward. “How about where it all began…”

…………..

Everything was rapidly changing, my marriage, the love I shared with Ashton and now my work. I looked at my empty and cleared desk and sighed. Still trying to convince myself that this was the only way I could come out of this less scarred, I walked out of the office and let Lisa lock the office.

She was about to hand me the keys and I shook my head. “You can give those to Mr Adam, I’m sure the next Revenue Manager will want to have their office.” I was about to walk away when I remembered that I had to make sure my new office at headquarters was arranged.

“After handing the keys to Mr Adam, go to headquarters and ask Mr Stetson where my office is and make sure all of my things are arranged and set.” After giving her those instructions, I walked away towards the elevator knowing that this was the last time I would ever be in this building as an employee of that specific branch.

When I got to my car, I dialled Ridley’s number which was now saved in my contacts.

“Jane!” His excited voice came through and I rolled my eyes.

“Janelle,” I corrected despite knowing that he would never stop calling me that.

“You know that I am always happy to get your call. Want to invite me for another drink only a few days after seeing my face?”

“You’re just looking for an excuse to leave your desk,” I responded and he laughed.

“It hurts me how low you think of me.” Sometimes when Ridley was being playful, I could see the traces of Ashton- the Ashton I knew before marriage.

“My secretary is going to come to that side, give her the details of where my office is. I want it ready before I come back.”

“That’s sad, I thought I’d see you today…you know walk arm in arm around the company and cause a stir.” He actually sounded excited. It was actually sad and worrisome how Ridley and Ashton did not like each other at all and wanted the demise of the other, having a sibling, in this case, was the worst.

“Who needs enemies when they have a brother like you.”

Once again, he laughed. “I consider myself more than his enemy than his brother.” He replied and even though I did not know Ridley’s character strongly, I could feel that he meant those words no matter how coolly or laid back he sounded.

“Okay then, I’ll see you then,” I said before cutting the call and starting the car.

One of my roommates 2 years ago, Lou had once called me manipulative and that I look innocent when I am not. I have always prided myself as someone who stands by the truth and does what is right. Even though life had thrown the toughest hurdles my way, somehow I remained standing and even now after only a year of happiness, life did its thing.

A huge part of me knew that my reputation would not come out unscathed from this. That was the thing with society, men could get away with cheating and entertaining other men but a woman trying to secure her future and fight was termed terribly. Honestly, I was not ready for what was to happen but I would push through and fight. Even if the person I chose to do it with was someone I did not trust.

I just hoped Ridley would not make me regret this decision.

When I got home, I took a long bath and decided to relax my nerves with some wine, something that had become a habit since Ashton had stopped coming home months ago…A habit I also had to get rid of. My phone rang when I was in search of a snack in the kitchen. I almost spilt the wine over the kitchen floor when I saw Aston’s name on my phone. Instinctively, I picked up quickly and put the phone to my ear.

“Hello,” I said a little bit too excited and out of breath.

“What’s this about your new office?” His flat tone reminded my mind that had gone back to wife mode about what had been happening over the last few months.

“Huh?”

Ashton breathed out as if being on this call was irritating him. “Your secretary is here and asking about your new office. What happened to your office?”

I rolled my eyes and groaned. I had told Lisa to go to Mr Stetson, she must have assumed that I meant the Stetson I was married to. Well, that clearly put a minor dent in Ridley’s plans to cause a stir.

“It’s my fault, she came to the wrong Stetson. I’ll call her and clear the misunderstanding.”

“Wrong Stetson?” He asked.

“I’ll call her and tell her to go to Ridley,” I said before ending the call. Even though this had foiled Ridley’s plans, I knew that the little I had said had obviously caused some form of stir with Ashton, that was how much he hated his brother.

I put my glass down and called Lisa after a few minutes of taking in a few breaths. Every part of me wished I had not made a mistake by siding with Ridley.