Chapter 75: How did you survive?

Maya’s POV

There was nothing more joyous to me than the phone number I had just received from Humphrey. As I held the phone, a strange excitement coursed through me, making me throb subconsciously between my thighs. When I said between my thighs, I was actually saying my pussy. This was the kind of feeling a woman gets when she’s crushing on someone. But it was so strange to be feeling this way about a man I had only met once. Not in a full day, but just a night. What if he didn’t like me? We need to think outside the box. What if he had a girlfriend or worse, a wife? What if this was just his job, make women satisfied and he only added those charming emoticons to texts he sent to his wife?

I stared at the phone number, hesitating. Just as I was about to dial it, I paused, a pang of guilt crawled into my mind. Was I being selfish? Humphrey had gone out of his way to get me this number, and I hadn’t even called to thank him yet. It had been over twelve hours since I asked him for help, and now that the number was with me, there was no need to rush. I took a deep breath and decided to call Humphrey first.

“Thank you so much,” I said when he picked up.

“I should be considered dead by now because…”

“What? Dead? Did you have an accident?” I interrupted with a much louder voice.

“No.”

I couldn’t help but feel very uncomfortable. “Can you come to my house?” I asked quickly. Our past relationship as my personal driver was just still there.

“Hmmm... what if my boss!” He stopped mid-sentence, and then he continued. “He is my boss, even if I don’t drive for him anymore. What if he shows up unexpectedly, like the last time? How will I explain it?”

I understood his fear and reassured him, “What if I come to you instead? Would that be better and safer?”

“No, ma’am. Give me a few minutes, and I’ll call you on a video call,” he said and I wouldn't blame him. We both needed to be careful after the last time Wale came uninvited.

“Okay then.”

I ended the call, my mind racing with worry. What could have happened to make Humphrey talk about death so casually? I hadn’t even thought about Hazel until he called me back a few minutes later on the video call and I saw that I was in his car sitting in the driver's seat.

“Hazel has convinced herself that she has killed me,” he said grimly.

“What? Why?” I asked. I was so confused.

“Because of you.”

“Really?” I asked, shocked to the point I had to touch my chest.

“Yes. She asked me who I went to see, and I lied to her. I didn’t know she had followed me secretly and seen me visiting you. All she could think to do was poison me with a wine.”

“Poison? But you’re alive. How did you survive being poisoned?”

“I was cautious,” he explained. “I could sense something was off from Hazel’s angry expressions. When I told her I had gone to see an old college friend, she offered me a glass of wine. What she didn’t know was that I switched the glasses.”

“Switch the glasses? How did you manage to do that in her presence?”

“I noticed her phone was in her room, so I called my number on my phone, one she didn’t know to call her. The moment when she ran to answer it, I swapped the glasses.”

“Oh my goodness,” I gasped, putting my other hand against my mouth. “I hope she didn’t drink the poisoned wine.”

“Why are you worried about her? She doesn't deserve it,” he asked, sounding slightly angry. Yes! He deserved to be angry because he would have been a dead man by now.

“I… I don’t know,” I stammered, as I didn't want to say something that would piss him off.

“When I pretended that I had been poisoned and called her for help, she confessed everything,” he continued. “She thought I was dying, but I was listening the whole time. She is jealous of you.”

“Jealous? Why?”

“She accused you of lying to her, saying you slept with Grayson and her dad to get your position.”

“What? She said that?” I groaned.

“Yes, but I couldn’t record it. She thought I was dying, and I couldn’t move.”

I shook my head in disbelief. “And you’re sure she said all that? She never even asked me. She just assumed.”

“There’s more,” Humphrey said. “She tried to contact the man whose number I sent you. According to her, he rejected her.”

I sighed. “Thank you for telling me this, Humphrey. I’m sorry for putting your life at risk. But honestly, by tomorrow, my position won’t matter anymore.”

“What do you mean? Has Grayson fired you because you didn’t accept his proposal?”

“No, far from it. Omega Corporation has been sold. There is an emergency meeting tomorrow, and with the change in management, my position is one of the ones most likely to be eliminated.”

“Why not go back to Wale? Maybe he has changed. Rumor has it that he hasn't gotten a girlfriend all this while.”

“No, Humphrey. I can’t. Please, don’t even mention his name to me. You are not to spoil my mood.”

There was a brief silence before he added, “You’re still the beautiful lady I’ve always known.”

His words made my stomach churn. “What’s wrong?” Humphrey asked, noticing my expression.

“I think I’m coming down with a fever,” I admitted. “I’ve been feeling unwell since this morning.”

“Is it because of the management changes at your workplace?” he asked.

“Maybe. I woke up to an email about the change. It’s painful, but there’s nothing I can do. Thank you so much, Humphrey. I really appreciate everything you’ve done. You have no idea how much this number means to me.”

“Take care of yourself. Goodbye.”

“Bye.” I smiled as the video call ended, leaning my head back against the couch. Then I started feeling tired. Was it fear causing this new management? I decided that after tomorrow’s meeting, I would visit the hospital for a check-up.

When I sat up, my thoughts returned to the number. Should I call him or text him? Hazel seemed to know everything about him. Was it true that she had tried to connect with him at the hotel? I immediately felt jealous at once. I stood up to get a glass of water, still debating on what to do. Calling felt too direct, but texting might be too impersonal. What would be the right move?

******

Wale’s POV

It had been months, but I could feel the light as I moved closer in executing my plans. The return of someone I once loved deeply was becoming more apparent. I hadn’t been myself since Maya left my life. As I sat alone in my room, smiling at the thought of my plans falling into place, Lucas burst in, shutting the door behind him.

“Why the rush?”

“Mr. Wale, look at this!” he said, thrusting his phone toward me.

I furrowed my brows and I was a bit confused. “Who sent it?”

“Let me read it to you, at the end, you will know who sent it,” Lucas replied, holding the phone close to his face as he got ready to read out the text.