Chapter 5

President Mason wrapped up the file he spent hours correcting. He placed it on the right side of his desk and took another file from the left side and put it in front of him on the desk. He opened the first pages, and as he laid the pen on it to work, he halted and tapped his forehead.

“What's next?”

He thought for a minute and let out, “I should call Evelyn; this is unusual of her.”

He took out his phone, and just when he wanted to dial her number, Mrs. Evelyn entered.

Mrs. Evelyn bent her head. "Good morning, sir. How’s your night?"

"It's fine,” he replied with simplicity. “Why are you late? I have been so worried."

"I am sorry for troubling you, sir," she apologized. “I went to bed late last night and ended up waking up late. I'm sorry, sir.”

"It's fine. You have been my secretary for over nineteen years, and this is the first time you are late. So, if I am not worried about you, I am not human," he pointed out, smiling.

He put his phone down. "How's where you went? Any good news about your son?"

“Where have I gone?" She looked bewildered. “What are you talking about, sir?”

He scoffed and eyed her for a few seconds. "Evelyn, a year's ghost, is no longer an alien to the grave. I have known you for a very long time. So, you can’t hide your feelings from me. I know when you are sad.”

She stretched her hands beside her in an inquisitive manner. "What do you mean, sir?”

"You aren't happy; you are just pretending to be." He said.

Hearing him say that, Mrs. Evelyn's eyes turned outrageously red. His opinion pissed her off and ruffled her feathers.

She raised her eyebrows in rage and scoffed. "If you are in my shoes, will you be happy again after losing a darling husband and two children on the same day?"

She took a deep breath to regulate her anger. “It would be better if my children were dead. I would have wept maybe till I lost vision. But they are lost, not dead. How will I overcome the trauma?"

He glanced at her in pity. "Why didn’t you accept my marriage proposal? I would have healed your broken heart in a better way.”

She giggled. "Why would I accept your proposal?"

"So people will say I killed your wife, who leaned on me till her last breath?" She queried.

He elevated his left shoulder. "Do you still care about what the world says?"

An unexpected sound exited Mrs. Evelyn's mouth. "Hun?!"

He chortled slightly. "Evelyn, sometimes people move out a topic to drag and dispirit you till you say what they can use against you. But if they drag you and you say nothing, the uproar will fade away.”

"What about conscience?” She challenged. “Will it also fade away?”

"Conscience?” He let out a questioning tone.

He tinted the left side of his mouth with a devilish smile and affirmed. “Conscience is nothing. It never affects me, and it can never do. Stop scaring yourself with what's not pursuing you; ignore all that and let's start afresh.”

“What do you have to mend, my broken heart?" She asked.

"I am your first love, and you are mine. So, if we let go of all odds, we will be happy being with each other." He stated.

Mrs. Evelyn grinned in a jiffy. She ceased smiling and wore a solemn look. "So? We parted and married.”

"Yes, but the marriage was in the past; it's now history. Both of us are now widows. Besides, true love never dies." He made a point.

She laughed hysterically for a minute and let out, "truly, true love doesn't die, but avarice killed ours,"

Having those discussions was like driving back to Mrs. Evelyn’s tragic memories, which were the same as pitching her damaged heart. Her eyes and voice were teary, but she acted strong and caged them in her eyes.

"Then you left me in a coma because I had nothing. I was battling between life and death, and you went after a rich heiress."

"It's not my fault." He voiced it out.

"Whose fault is it? Hun?!” She exclaimed. 

She lowered her voice and continued. “Was it my fault because my parents were poor or my parent's fault for not going out of their comfort zone to be rich because their daughter loved you?"

"I did everything for your sake." He voiced it out.

"For my sake?" She asked in a challenging tone. She took a second break and implored, "please, let's stop going back to the past and leave things the way they have been."

He knocked on the desk. “Evelyn, those things transpired in the past. Don't let us judge the present by it. It's not too late, and we can start all over again,”

“Besides, you married your late husband because you had no option; you didn’t love him. We can make things right and be happy at this age.”

She nodded, grinning. “Yes, you’re right. My husband loved me, and I didn't love him. But the least I can do to respect his love is to keep on rejecting you."

"If someone else asks you out, will you accept?" He investigated.

"Why won't I?" She asked.

"Why am I forbidden?" He queried.

"Let me get your morning coffee. It's too early for this." She bowed her head, ignoring his question, and she quickly paced out before he said another word.

TEN MINUTES LATER

Layla opened President Mason’s office door abruptly and clinked in without knocking. She was still angry because of what Asher did. Her face was bitter, and she sat down in a chair facing President Mason.

“Good morning, sir,” she greeted, crossing her hands on her chest.

“Good morning,” he responded with a smile. He stood up and walked down to her.

He sat down and showed concern. “What happened? Did the mighty Asher piss you off?”

“I can't believe that son of a bitch does that,” she said, grinding her teeth. “Must we follow your plans before we destroy him? Isn’t there a faster plan?”

“What did you witness that made you have more interest in this assignment?” He investigated.

“He shouted at his staff and didn't apologize for coming late. I waited for more than an hour, and he dared to tell me why I came uninvited.” She narrated. Her hands stretched out and shook with anger.

President Mason filled the air with vicious laughter for a few seconds. He stopped laughing and looked straight into Layla's eyes. "You are surprised because it's your first time. His staff is used to it, and they can do nothing or they will face consequences."

"What do you mean?" She inquired.

"Why do you think none of them resigned?" He raised a question.

"Of course, he is paying them a good salary, so no one will probably want to leave. They stay because of money." She expressed her view.

He cracked up. "Do you think his staff is stupid to pass through those tensions because of money?”

“They are still with him because they dare not resign. He menaced them, and if they resign, he will lie against them, and they might die in prison.” He added.

"Why did he do that?" She let out a blur.

"Because he is scared they might disclose his enigmas if they aren't with him anymore. His competitors might use them against him." He replied. 

"He is heartless!" She yelled in dismay.

"You can say that millions of times. He is a zombie," he said.

"You said something about salary earlier, right?" He recollected.

"Yes," Layla answered.

"He isn't paying them what they deserve. His staff works harder than him, but he pays them a token. I pity his staff," he revealed.

A tear dropped from his eyes, and he wiped them. "I hope they will be free soon, and I will employ all of them in my company. Those lambs' souls are suffering. Asher is just too cruel to be a human."

"Don't worry, I know what to do. I will make him tremble in trepidation, and he will weep blood in place of tears. He will wear clothes but still feel naked,” she vowed. “Soon Asher will call paper money, and he will devour the rest of his life, either in jail or wandering around the street."

"Does this mean you have given in totally?" He asked.

Layla stared at him and crossed her arms. "Even if it remains a whiff till the last minute, I will keep on receiving dictums from you to destroy Lucas Asher,”

"From now on, I will be your helper to seek justice, and together, we will conquer Lucas Asher." She committed.

President Mason smiled with pleasure. "Now, I can trust you with many things."

"If you feel like it, I can't force you." She let out.

"So, what do you plan to do now?" He asked.

Layla beamed devilishly. "Don't worry; leave the rest to me. I will discover a way and let you know if I need your support."

Layla stood up and turned to leave.

"Bye. I hope to hear from you soon." He said.

Layla laid her hand on the door and pivoted back toward him. "There is a limit to how I can come here from now on. Find a better place to meet."

She walked out and slammed the door.

She exhaled deeply. "I have to make a brisk and super plan. This is an additional reason to do things fast. I must free his innocent staff."

Layla fixed her eyes down and took her steps with anger. She got to a corner to turn to the elevator, and she stumbled into Mrs. Evelyn. And half of the coffee in Mrs. Evelyn’s hand split on the floor.

"O-oh, I am sorry!" Layla apologized, bowing her head. She raised her head and cleaned Mrs. Evelyn's dress with her hand.

"It's fine." Mrs. Evelyn grinned.

Layla stood in front of her and bent her head. "I didn't see you coming. I'm sorry, ma.”

"It’s fine, but what are you thinking that you didn't watch your front?" Mrs. Evelyn showed concern.

Layla smiled insincerely, shaking her head. "Nothing, ma. I am fine," 

"I am sorry. Should I get you another coffee?" She stretched out her hands to collect the coffee cup, but Mrs. Evelyn declined.

"Don't worry, you can go."

"Thank you." Layla appreciated it. She took a step forward to enter the elevator, and Mrs. Evelyn saw a birthmark on her neck.

Mrs. Evelyn held her back and gaped vividly at the birthmark. A memory came up in her head, and she recalled something from the past: playing with a kid, looking at the kid's neck, the kid crying, kids playing together, and parents laughing and chatting.

"Is everything okay, ma?" Layla queried.

Layla's words got Mrs. Evelyn out of the memory, and she came back to reality in shock.

Mrs. Evelyn shook her head and quickly let go of Layla. She smiled and apologized. "Everything is okay. I am sorry."

"It's fine." Layla smiled.

"What's your name?" Mrs. Evelyn asked.

"Layla."

Hearing Layla's name, Mrs. Evelyn's eyes widened in shock, and she scanned Layla for a second.

"Is there any problem?" Layla queried.

"Not at all. You can go." Mrs. Evelyn said.

Layla bowed her head and walked into the elevator, and after a few seconds of looking at the elevator, Mrs. Evelyn turned to President Mason’s office in outrage.

She abruptly opened the door and slammed it.

"What are you planning?" She flung a question immediately as she stepped in.

President Mason looked up at her. "What do you mean?”

"Do you know the lady that just left your office?" She investigated, pointing her finger at the door.

"That's John's first daughter. Layla with the birthmark!" She explained.

President Mason looked shocked for seconds and let out, "I didn't know..."

He suddenly laughed hysterically and let out, "if she is truly John's daughter, that will make everything more interesting."

Mrs. Evelyn scoffed and queried. "Do you want the same dark side of fate from the past to repeat itself?"

He looked at her, confused. "Fate from the past?"

"A lot of dark incidents have occurred in the past. Which side of the dark fate are you talking about?"