I'D RATHER DRINK POISON

HAZEL

I stopped my hand midway from landing on the cheek of the brat in front of me. I had never raised my hand to a woman before and I didn't think I ever would until Miranda appeared in my life like an erupting volcano. Of all the women in the world, why did it have to be her? How did I get so unlucky?

I stared at her face as she closed her eyes, waiting for me to hit her. Where did she get her courage from? It was almost as if she really wanted me to hit her, but I had no interest in giving her that satisfaction. I walked out of the room, my mood worse than it was when I went in. I had never met someone more insolent in my entire life.

As I got into my room, I called my mom. When she answered the call, I asked, "Why, mom? Why would you do this to me? Are you deliberately trying to punish me because of what happened?"

"What is going on, Haze?" My mom asked. "You called so late and you are asking me weird questions."

I sighed and tried to be calm. I didn't want to speak disrespectfully to my mom.

"I'm talking about the insolent brat you brought to ruin my life, Mom."

"Are you in any way referring to Miranda?" My mom asked. "Hazel you can't speak about your wife like that. Besides, I learned you two are getting along so well and she makes you very happy."

I scoffed, "Makes me very happy? Did the definition of happy change recently? Mom, she hasn't even been here for more than twenty-four hours and she is already making my life miserable. Please, come and take her away before I do something we will all regret."

"We had a deal," My mom reminded me. "One year, Hazel and you've already signed those papers. Keep your own end of the deal and I'll get off your back when the time comes.

Besides, Miranda was carefully chosen by me. She is intelligent, young, fresh, and decent too."

I recalled how she had danced seductively in front of so many people while wearing a skimpy dress earlier and scoffed, "Decent, my ass."

"Treat Miranda nicely," my mom added. "She might seem tough but she is soft on the inside. She's sweet and naive too. Just treat her lovingly, take her on dates, and make her happy, and she'll reciprocate it, I can assure you."

I hung up and clenched my jaw. Make that brat happy? I'd rather drink poison.

I knew nothing about this girl except that she was a pain in the neck. This was why, after she left the party, I had asked my assistant to send me information about her.

I opened my computer and began to read about her. She was just nineteen, in her first year in college, and from a poor family. My mom must have spent a fortune on her family to bring her all the way from Albany to New York City. So why was she so full of herself? She even had the effrontery to lie to my mum that she was making me happy.

It had cost me so much to stop the embarrassing scene she created at my launch party from going viral, yet she did not seem sorry in the slightest. No one had ever disrespected me the way she did, and it was high time I gave her a taste of her own medicine.

When I woke up in the morning, I already had a plan in mind, one I knew would bring instant and permanent results.

Sammy informed me that breakfast had been served and I went to the dining after getting ready for work. I was just about to eat when I began hearing voices from the ante-room.

I got up and went to the ante-room. To my surprise, I saw two ladies and a man, they were dressed like teachers. Miranda didn't look pleased and Melinda seemed to be trying to mediate between Miranda and the three new faces.

"What the hell is going on here?" I asked.

Melinda turned toward me to explain while Miranda rolled her eyes. This action only annoyed me further and I lost it.

"My house is not a circus," I yelled. "It's upsetting enough that I have to deal with two flies, but no other nuisances will be tolerated. All of you, get out before I call security.

The three teachers began to leave while Miranda stared at me as though she could not believe her ears. I picked up my keys, got into my car, and drove away. I had completely lost my appetite.

On my way to work, I made a phone call to someone and said, "Her name is Miranda and she thinks of herself as my wife. I have sent you her picture for easy reference. Pick her up and bring her to the address.

Follow my orders exactly and leave the rest to me."

I went to work and realized that I was getting surprise gazes from my employees. I recalled what Miranda did at the party and knew that word had spread.

Even though I had stopped it from being shared on social media, I could not stop tongues from wagging. I felt no iota of guilt for what I was about to do. That insolent brat deserved it and even worse.

I got a call an hour later that Miranda had been taken. I smiled. This was why I loved working with competent people. I drove to the location and waited for her to be brought in.

Ten minutes later, an unconscious Miranda was carried into the house by three men.

"Keep her on the bed, duct-tape her mouth, and tie up her hands and legs," I ordered.

Once it had been done, I said, "You can wake her up and begin. I'll be watching from the other room."

I went into the next room and sat down as I watched her on the screen. According to my instruction, a jar of water was splashed on her face and she immediately came to.

When she opened her eyes and saw the three men, she was consumed with fear. She tried to scream but could only make muffled noises.

Soon she became teary-eyed and I nodded, "I thought your cheap courage had no limits, Miranda."

The leader of the three men took out a gun and sat beside her on the bed.

Her eyes widened in shock when she saw the gun and she began to struggle with the ropes binding her hands but it was futile. She moved backward until there was no more room for her.

The man pointed his gun at her and she shook her head while tears fell from her eyes. He moved closer and she closed her eyes, thinking he was going to kill her.

Rather, he took off the tape from her mouth and asked, "What is your name?"

"Mi....Mi....Miranda," she replied.

He nodded, "Miranda, do you know why you are here?"

She shook her head, "No I don't. Please don't kill me."

He laughed, "You don't want to die? I see. Well, as long as you cooperate, you can walk out of here alive. Do you know Mr. Hazel Duke?"

She shook her head, "No, I have never heard that name before."

I smiled. "Wasn't she declaring to everyone at my party that she was Mrs. Hazel Duke? Now she had never heard my name before. Interesting."

The man showed her a video of her in front of the counter in my company ordering, "Call Hazel Duke and tell him that his wife is here."

I bet she had no idea that she was being captured by CCTV while saying all those things. It was also after watching that video, that I realized how she was able to gatecrash my launch party.

"Were you lying to me?" The man asked and pointed the gun at her again.

She shook her head and cried, "I'm sorry, please don't kill me."

"One more mistake and I will not hesitate to pull the trigger," he warned. "You are here because you have stepped on the toes of our boss, Mr. Hazel Duke."

Her face fell in surprise as she realized that I was the one who had humbled her.

I walked out of the room at this point and the moment she saw me, her eyes widened.

I smiled, sat down, and crossed my legs as I ordered, "Untie her and let her come to me."

The man freed her hands and legs and pointed the gun at her saying, "Go to him and apologize."

She got off the bed and walked up to me. As she stood in front of me, I remembered all the things she had done and felt so satisfied with the state she was in.

She stared at me quietly, her face still showing fear.

"Now you know what I am capable of, you insolent brat," I told her. "Go ahead, get on your knees, and apologize for everything you have done. Afterward, make a promise that you will never get in my way again. Otherwise, I will kill you."

I waited for her to get on her knees, and I felt really good inside. It was the same feeling I always had whenever I closed a deal or crushed my enemies.

I folded my arms and looked at her as she began to slowly go down. However, unexpectedly, she got up, raised her hand, and landed a hot slap on my cheeks.