Chapter 111 It was you

Chapter 111 It was you
Laura. 

I lost concentration at work after what I saw. It's very obvious now that Michael was cheating on me. With whom? I have no idea. 

It doesn't seem to be Alicia, but if it's not her, who then was it? 

Everything else remains a blur from that moment on. 

It seems Boris noticed it and insisted on driving me home today. 

Home. That word grates on my nerves now. 

What home am I going to? The one where Michael brings in other women and fucks them? 

A quiet, bitter laugh tears out of my chest, echoing in the car. I notice Boris looking at me through the rearview mirror, probably wondering why I'm laughing, but instead of stopping, I laugh harder. 

This relationship of ours is just an endless circle of back and forth. Has it been long, Michael and I reconciled, and yet here we are again in yet another fight. 

But you aren't sure if Michael has anything to do with that? The voice in my head chimes in, dropping its two cents. 

I hate that my mind has a way of justifying Michael even when the details are glaring. 

My mood darkens more, and I turn from laughter to hissing. 

Boris certainly twitches uncomfortably in his seat, gulping thickly the question he's just about to ask me when I sputter. 

"Is this how he acts? Cheats on a girl he's dating so blatantly like she can't do anything?" My tone is high-pitched, making Boris flinch. 

"Uh...I've no idea, Ma'am." He supplies, focusing back on the road. 

We move past the rush hour traffic, my eyes fixed on the skylines as the car whooshes by. 

Tension presses down on my shoulder just as we drive into Michael's estate, the fading sun gleaming over the lush black cars lining the street. 

I bolt out of the car as soon as we come to a halt, my movements fast, hoping to meet Michael and rain hell on him. 

Much to my surprise, it's not Michael that I see when I walk into the house. It's Alicia. 

She's in the kitchen with the maids–Natasha, Moira, and others I can't name, laughing their hearts out and discussing. 

However, it's not that she's in the kitchen that's my problem. It's the fact that she's wearing an apron and is kneading dough on the counter while others watch with amazement on their faces. 

"My world. I can already tell the tacos will taste nice!" Natasha blurts, clearly salivating. "You're indeed a great chef."  

Alicia smiles at her before gesturing for someone to help wipe the sweat on her face, the action seeming bossy. 

Hurriedly, Moira does that for her, using a handkerchief to wipe Alicia's face. 

"I remember when she used to cook every day in the kitchen years ago. I was seventeen then." Moira says to Natasha. With a bold smile on her face, she adds. "I always enjoyed her meal." 

I stand there silently, watching what's playing out. The fact that they're not aware of my presence makes flames burn inside me. 

They're praising her like she's a queen. 

Have any of the maids acknowledged my presence before? 

It's not like I've spent quality time with them, but they try to maintain their distance from me, never bothering to come any closer. 

Yet here they are, buzzing around the very woman I hate the most. 

Now that I'm looking at her, I've a strong feeling that she was behind that video, only that I don't have any proof to back it up. 

"Oh, really, Moira? I'm honored to hear that." Alicia's tone sounds meek, a blush creeping up her face. "Does that mean you've never tasted Laura's food? She's dating Michael, which means she should be cooking." 

My body flares. I stand up straighter and cross my arms over my chest. 

I see where this is going. She's making me their topic now. 

No matter how much I try to control it, I feel myself losing control. 

"Huh? Cook? Never!" Moira spits, but there's no bite to it. It's just coming from a neutral perspective. "In fact, it's the boss who does the cooking for Ms. Laura." 

"Exactly. He doesn't like her stressing herself." Another one of the maids adds. 

"That's true, he even hired the most renowned chef in Russia to teach him how to cook." Natasha's words seem to be the summary of everything. 

"Is that right? Laura is meant to be the one who cooks for Michael..." Alicia's tone is full of spite and shock, as if it's outrageous for Michael to ever do such. 

"Unfortunately, I don't." I butt in then, their gazes shifting to me. 

Shock flashes through the maids' faces when they realize it's me. 

Ignoring them, I fixate my eyes on Alicia. The rolling pin in her hand drops as she whirls to face me. 

She's trying to mask it, but I see the fire in her eyes. 

"You're back." She says, a fake smile on her face. 

"And you're in my kitchen." I hum in response, advancing forward. The maids try to leave, but I call them back, my voice stern.  "Don't go." 

They freeze, trade glances with each other, and bow their heads. "Yes, ma'am." 

"What do you think you're doing, Alicia?" I ask her, surveying the contents in the kitchen. There's meat simmering on the stove and vegetables scattered around the island. 

She chuckles halfheartedly, answering. "As you can see, I'm just making dinner..." 

"And on whose permission are you doing it?" I cut her off in annoyance, thinking of my next course of action. Something I'll do that'll shock her to hell and back. 

Alicia darts an 'I can't believe this' look around, before resting her eyes back on me. "I never knew I needed permission to help out in Shark's house after everything he's done for me." 

Her statement is my undoing. With my eyes pinned on her, I snap my fingers at the maids and order. "Dispose of all ingredients and the food right away." 

Inaudible gasps come from the maids while Alicia begins to bark, her voice echoing throughout the house. 

"Why would you do that? I'm sick and yet sacrificed time to do the cooking, you have no right to dispose of them! Just because you can't do them doesn't mean another person can't." She limps forward to the Island, trying to stop the maids from packing up the food items, but they don't listen to her. "Stop, Moira! Natasha...you can't just throw them away!" 

"They won't listen to you, Alicia." I remind her smugly, watching her eyes dim with hatred. 

"How could you!?" 

If looks could kill, I'd be long gone, given the flames emitting from her eyes like daggers. 

"This house, this kitchen, and Michael are all mine now. Do you know what that means?" I smile in her face, loving the reaction I'm getting from her at the moment. "That means you've got no place here, Alicia. You should get consents from me before doing anything in this house..." 

Suddenly, she laughs hard, her shoulders shaking with the force of her laughter. 

My eyes narrow into slits at her, teeth gritting. "Do you think it's funny?" I ask. 

"Of course not. This is actually serious, coming from a girl who's bound to lose her place in Michael's life soon." She says, limping further into me. She flips the hair on her right shoulder away. 

My eyes drop to the column of her neck, and my blood runs cold at what I'm seeing. 

Breath shaky, I murmur. "So...it was you?" 

Alicia doesn't answer. She doesn't need to. 

Her laughter says it all. 

Michael cheated on me with her. 

My courage crashes. 

My feet backpedal. 
My heart thunders wildly as reality washes over me. 

Just like Liam, Michael has cheated on me with his ex-girlfriend. 

Everything begins to blur– time, my surroundings, my memories with Michael. 

Every other thing happens on autopilot, and by the time I know it, I'm somewhere I shouldn't be in. 

Tbc.