FOUR – HURTFUL SURPRISES

MIRA

I watch with a rapidly beating heart as Darth produces the CCTV footage and a computer. Meanwhile, crocodile tears are still crawling down Halloway’s cheeks.

I do not miss the evil looks she sends my way when Mason is not looking, of course. The bitch is suffering from some kind of mental psychopathy issues. I can swear it.

The tension in the room is nerve wracking as the footage begins to play out on the screen. When it gets to the point where I begin speaking, I lean in closer.

“Go slower right here.” I tell Mason and he sets the video to play in slow motion.

I can already see Halloway sweating in her designer outfit as the video gets closer and closer to the point where she nearly choked me to death.

“Mason, I honestly don’t see the p-point of this. I didn’t do anything.” She stutters nervously.

Mason glances at her.

“Mira insists you did. I want to give her the benefit of doubt.”

The video finally pinpoints on the scene where Halloway began to look upset. My fingers on the table tighten as we finally approach the highlight.

It all happens in a blur.

One second, I am watching the unravelling footage expectantly, and the next, I’m completely frozen and staring at the screen in horror, unable to believe my eyes.

“No. Rewind the footage. Rewind the footage, Mason! It can’t be.”

Mason turns to me, his eyes dark with disappointment. I push him away and hastily click the buttons that rewind the video, but the same scenes still play out.

It appears that the scene where Halloway leaped across the table and almost killed me has been completely erased. The footage just skips to the point where she lets go of my throat and Mason comes into the office .

I sink into the nearest available chair, utterly dumbfounded.

“I swear she tried to choke me. The footage has been sabotaged.” I whisper, still trying to wrap my head around what I just watched.

Halloway jumps to her feet and slams her hands on the table, startling the crap out of me.

“Enough of this nonsense! I’m sorry, Mason, I can tolerate all of Mira’s unwarranted past insults, but I will never tolerate wrong accusations. You and I both know that I would never hurt anyone, but you still went ahead to shame my reputation by requesting for the footage. Now that my innocence has been proven, I will not sit back and watch Mira continue to insult me.”

“I’m sorry about all of this, Hayley…” Mason begins.

I stare at him incredulously.

“You’re sorry?! You’re sorry? This bitch nearly killed me. She sabotaged the footage…”

“Enough of this nonsense, Mira!” Mason thunders, stunning me to silence. “I allowed that video to be brought in because you looked really upset, but I will no longer stand for this drama. Enough!”

Halloway gives me a mocking glare over Mason’s shoulder.

Right now, I want to hurt her so much, the feeling is like a dangerous itch beneath my skin.

“You should be grateful that you’re Mason’s woman, otherwise I would press charges against you for harassment and…”

I do not wait for her to finish. Suddenly, I see red. My desire to claw the bitch’s eyes out tears at me and I make a mad dash for her.

I hear her high pitched shriek as I pounce on her, pulling at her million dollar hair and expensive lashes.

“Mason! Help me! Somebody, please help me!” Her pained screams give me insane satisfaction and soothes the darkness that was burning in my guts.

“Take that, bitch!” I growl as I hit her harder. “Doesn’t feel so great to be on the receiving end now, huh?”

All too soon, a strong arm wraps around my waist, pulling me away from a crying Halloway. Still completely enraged, I struggle in my captor’s grip, hitting his shoulders.

“Let me go! Fucking let me go so I can teach the bitch a lesson.”

I’m still struggling when a hand wraps around my throat once again, shutting off my air flow and stunning me to silence. My red haze clears long enough and I take in the furious grey eyes before me with hurt surprise.

I claw at his hands, indicating that I cannot breathe;

“Mason…” I whisper.

Instead of letting go, his hands tighten around my throat and dizziness begins to set it in. But that isn’t what really hurts me.

What hurts me is seeing that the disappointment and anger in Mason’s eyes are channelled at me. What really hurts is the fact that he vowed to protect me, but here he is supporting the one woman who almost killed me.

“Sir, you’re hurting her. I would advise you to let her go to prevent any further damage.” Darth’s voice breaks through my fog.

Mason lets go of me immediately, pushing me against Darth as if the mere thought of touching me is repulsive

“Darth?” He growls, his eyes still pinning me in place.

“Yes, sir.”

“Take her to my office and keep her there until I return.”

His icy stare chills me straight to my bones.

I let go of my sore throat and spear him with an angry glare, tears stinging my eyes.

“No, Darth. I do not want to be in the same building with people who tried to kill me. Take me home.”

Mason’s eyes flash with a dark expression.

“Do not disobey my orders, Darth. Do as I say.”

“Come on, miss. Let’s go.”

Darth grabs my arm gently and I watch with mounting hatred as Mason goes to Halloway, checking her body for injuries while I’m over here, hurting from the emotional and physical injuries he’s just caused me.

Just as Darth is about to pull me out of the room, I cannot help but let him feel even a quarter of the hate burning in my heart.

“You were supposed to protect me.” I say through my tears. Mason remains frozen to the spot at the sound of voice. “You promised to keep the enemies away, but there you are breaking all of your promises yet again.”

Mason turns to me, his eyes as cold as ice, but I’m not done yet.

“I hope you enjoy the enemy camp because I will prove that Halloway did try to strangle me in this office today if it is the last thing I do, and you will be sorry that you laid your hands on me because of her.”

Then I push Darth out of the way and make for the elevators.

When Mason comes searching for me in his office later on, he will not find me. He won’t even find me at his home.

I am done being his submissive little lamb.