CHAPTER 5

Matilda immediately withdrew her hands from Jaden's, as Tiana walked towards them.

Matilda scanned Tiana from head to toe and did a quick check. She looked so pretty in the off shoulder gown she wore, exposing her flawless skin and collar bone.

From the way she walked and carried herself, Matilda knew she was from a wealthy family.

“Relax, alright. I don't bite”.

Tiana laughed as she stood beside Jaden, she began to rub his shoulders.

“Take your hands off me woman”.

Jaden pushed her hands off his shoulder, his eyes becoming bloodshot from anger. 

Tiana held her hands up in defence

“Okay okay, I will back off. At least, you should offer your guest a seat”.

She drew a chair out for herself and sat, heaving a sigh.

“You are not my guest, I did not invite you here. By the way, what do you even want here, in my office?”

Jaden asked with his face in an irritating form, mashed up together like someone that just ate a bad fruit.

“Well, I'm a shareholder of your company so…”

“Point of correction, you are not a shareholder in this company. It is your father.”

Jaden retorted back, with his finger held up towards Tiana. 

Tiana's eyes moved from Jaden to Matilda, and then back to Jaden.

Matilda stood transfixed like a robot, all through their conversation. Bids of sweat had started to gather on her forehead, due to the anxiety that was building up.

“Can we at least talk, please?”

Tiana asked in a pleading voice, pouting her lips, which also sounded kind of mocking.

“Matilda, you can leave”. Jaden ordered Matilda out, she walked to the table and took the contract.

Matilda held the paperwork close to her chest, bowed to Jaden and proceeded to leave Tiana's voice stopped her.

“Hey, you. Get a drink or coffee. Whatever”.

Matilda turned back to look at her, she was dumbfounded by how rude Tiana sounded. She parted her lips to speak, but before she could, Jaden interrupted.

“Hey listen, you have no right to order my secretary around or anyone here at that. Matilda, leave”.

Jaden spoke with a voice like thunder, it was full of anger. His jaw began to twitch as he focused his gaze on Tiana.

Matilda left the office, and deep down somewhere she grew excited. 

“Jaden stood up for me, it feels like I'm dreaming”.

She smiled sheepishly to herself, giggling as she headed to her desk.

**************

“You know you didn't have to disgrace me like that in front of that woman, a mere secretary”

Tiana raised her eyebrows as she spoke.

Jaden scoffed “I can speak to you however I want to”.

Tiana rose from her seat, and began to walk towards where Jaden was seated. She walked like she was counting her steps.

She bent down and began to whisper into Jaden's ears, in a seductive manner.

“We should not argue or fight, we should learn to tolerate each other as we are getting married soon”.

Tiana gave Jaden a kiss on his cheek, but he jerked away from her.

“You better stop this nonsense, I will never get married to you. I stood you up the other day, is that not enough clue for you?”

Jaden's voice growled like that of a beast, filled with resentment. His face started to turn red.

Not giving up, Tiana slowly walked towards Jaden again, this time trying to unzip her dress as she walked.

Jaden grew furious, realising what she was trying to do. He made a U turn, picked up Tiana's bag and yelled at her.

“Leave my office, now! And never come back”.

Jaden spoke through gritted teeth, pointing towards his door, urging her to leave.

Embarrassed, Tiana zipped up her dress. Her face was flushed with anger, as walked towards the door and picked up her back.

“You will regret this Brooks, and I'm definitely coming back. My father's a shareholder here after all”.

She snapped at him, and left his office. Tiana slammed his door so hard that a book fell from his shelf.

“Good riddance”

Jaden muttered.

***************

“Hello my little pumpkin. How are you doing?”

“Hi Matilda, I'm doing fine. You are calling me during school hours, is everything alright?”

Matilda chuckled.

“Of course Niki, I was just excited and couldn't wait to tell you the good news I have”.

“Please tell me, you're making me anxious. My heart's beginning to race”.

Matilda moved in her seat, her face clouded with worry.

“Niki, are you alright? Check your pressure right now, how fast is it beating? I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that to make you…”

“Heyy Matilda, I'm fine, okay? My heart is not racing, I was only kidding”.

Niki laughed heartily at Matilda's action.

“You should not joke like that, Niki. Anyways, the news is that…I already have a means of getting the money for your surgery”.

“Oh my God oh my God, Matilda! Are you serious?”

Niki's voice grew excited, he yelled into the phone that Matilda had to move a little away from it.

“Yes my little pumpkin, I'm as happy as you are too”.

“Did you have to work overtime again to get the money?”

The excutm in Niki's voice was gone.

“No no my little pumpkin, don't be sad. I didn't work overtime to get it, I'll tell you all about it later”.

“Okay Matilda. If Dad and mum were still alive, you wouldn't have to work this hard. You always have a hard time because of me”.

Matilda was almost moved to tears by Niki's words, his voice began to break as he spoke too.

“No Niki, do not speak like that, it is not true. You're the best thing that has ever happened to me”.

Matilda's focus moved from her conversation with Niki on the phone, to the figure that just approached her.

“Niki, I have to go now, I'll see you later. Love you”. She hung up the phone and her gaze was still fixed on Tiana.

“You're Matilda right?”

Tiana asked, looking at Matilda with disgust in her eyes.

“Yes, I am”. Matilda tried not to sound scared.

“I was ridiculed in front of you, because of you this good-for-nothing”.

Tiana's nostrils flared, waving her hands up and down, sizing Matilda up like she was a thing.

“Excuse me ma, you have no right to…”

“And what the hell would you do about that? Do you know who I am? Huh?!”

Tiana growled, her lips tightening together. She clenched her fist like she was going to throw a punch at Matilda.

Matilda flinched, she guided her face with her hands to avoid Tiana's punch. 

“Now, let me make this clear. Henceforth, whenever I come into this building, I will always make it a living hell for you. Mark my words”.

Tiana kicked her table, flinged books off the table and screamed out of annoyance.

Matilda bent down quickly and started to gather her books. Tiana pulled her hair from the back and threw her to the ground.