Forty Four

Forty Four


Marinette's point of view

As I walked to the restaurant, the city streets were still trembling from the morning's smog. Long shadows were formed on the cobblestone pathways by the sun, which was a gentle golden ball in the sky. I gripped my bag's strap tighter as my mind raced with ideas about the test Terry plans to give me. I was eager to get started on what would be yet another exhausting day of practice and exploration.

However, my footsteps faltered when I turned the corner to the street that leads to the restaurant.

Across the pavement, three men in black suits stood in a line, their stances stiff and commanding. Although their faces were expressionless, I could tell they were waiting for me because of the subtle shift in their posture as I got closer.

One of them took a step nearer, tilting his head courteously but coldly. "Miss Marinette?"

I paused, looking around. Except for the four of us, the street was empty. Despite my senses telling me to turn around and leave, I refused to back down. "Yes?"

With a calm and composed voice, he said, "Our mistress asks you to join her for tea."

"Mistress?" I narrowed my eyes and repeated. "Who are you referring to?"

Another one of the men stated in a hurried voice, "You will know when you get there."

Their demeanor contrasted sharply with the civility of their speech. It was obvious by their posture, the way they blocked the sidewalk, and the faint expectation in their eyes that I had no choice but to accept.

My heart pounding, I rolled my back straight. "I'm headed to work right now. Like everyone else, if someone wants to see me, they can schedule an appointment."

The first man's tone hardened, but his face remained the same. "Miss Marinette, it would be best for you to come along. Waiting is something our mistress is not used to."

With my head racing, I tightened my fists at my sides. Lucy had to be involved. Who else would want to see me with a phalanx of bodyguards?

Curiosity prevailed even when every rational part of me cried out to leave. "All right," I answered sharply. "However, this should not take too long."

One of the men pointed to a sleek black SUV parked on the curb as the other men moved away. I climbed into the backseat, unable to unwind due to the strain in my shoulders.

The vehicle arrived at a charming small café that was sandwiched between two tall office buildings. A bright cream door stood out against the gray concrete around it, and exquisite lace curtains framed the windows, creating a strange contrast.

My heels clicked on the pavement as I stepped out of the car after one of the men opened the door for me.

A china teacup in her hand and a look of cool indifference on her face, Lucy was already sitting at a table by the window. Her sharp features were accentuated by her well-tailored suit, which gave her an impeccable appearance.

I walked slowly toward the table, feeling as if I were falling into a trap every time.

"Marinette," Lucy whispered, her voice gentle and sweet. "I'm so happy you could make it."

"Not like I had much of a choice." I remarked, taking the chair across from her.

Although it didn't get to her, she grinned. She pointed to the pot in the middle of the table and said, "Tea?"

"I'm fine," I stated bluntly. "Lucy, why am I here?"

Her eyes were sharp, and she leaned forward a little. I've been curious about what Terry finds admirable about you. You are... just an ordinary girl.

Her statements made me angry, but I made myself keep my cool. "You're wasting your time if you brought me here merely to make fun of me."

Lucy shifted slightly forward in a dominant attitude, her cold steel gray eyes narrowing in disdain as her stinging words lingered in the air like the edge of a sword. "I'm trying to understand why he would waste his time on someone like you," she said in a venomous tone. "Marinette, you're not really noteworthy. Not worth his time, for sure."

I didn't want to acknowledge how much her tone struck me, but I wasn't going to give her the joy of witnessing that. I stared at her, trying to keep my voice calm. "Perhaps he values things like perseverance and hard work that you wouldn't understand or ever have."

Lucy gave a scathing, unhumorous chuckle. It was the sort of laugh that was meant to make you feel inferior. "Oh, please," she murmured dismissively, gesturing with a manicured hand. "Let's not act as though that is the issue here. Marinette, you're a charity case. I'm also giving you a way out."

She took out a check from her fancy purse, a sleek black leather one that probably cost more than my rent each month. Her well-groomed fingertips hardly touched the paper as she glided it across the table with accustomed ease.

My breath caught when I saw the check's number. I was immediately taken aback by the sight of the money, which was more than I had ever seen. However, the emotion was short-lived, as a boiling rage swiftly took its place inside my chest.

"This is a generous offer," Lucy replied in a condescending tone. "Accept it and leave Terry's place. You have no place in his world, and you have no place in mine either."

With my hands clasped in my lap, I gazed at the check. My mind uncontrollably went back to the day Ethan gave me the divorce papers as the atmosphere in the café appeared to get thicker. The same icy disregard, the same feeling of contempt as though I were merely a bother.

I pushed the memory away with a forceful swallow. I was no longer that woman.

"Are you sure you can buy me off?" I asked in a firm yet low voice.

Lucy's confidence was unflinching as her lips formed a smug smile. "Marinette, everyone has a price. I believe this is more than enough for yours?"

I briefly held the check between my fingers as I took it up. The paper had the feel of something from a world quite different from mine, crisp and expensive. As I gazed at the neatly typed number, my heart raced, but not for the reason Lucy suspected.

I looked back up at her, looking into her eyes with a sense of calmness that I wasn't really feeling. Then I slowly and purposefully ripped the cheque in two. The sound of the tearing seemed to reverberate throughout the silent café, and Lucy took a deep breathe.

For a minute, she appeared truly shocked as her eyes expanded in disbelief. Her lips pressed into a thin line, but the expression stiffened immediately. Her voice was poisonous as she snarled, "You're making a big mistake."

"No," I replied, getting to my feet and throwing the ripped check fragments on the table. "Letting someone like you believe you have control over me would be a mistake."

Lucy stood up, too, her steps forceful and precise. Her voice was low and menacing as she replied, "You don't know who you're dealing with."

Despite the adrenaline rushing through me, I answered steadily, "Neither do you. I feel bad for you if you believe that money can make all of your problems go away."

Anger flashed in her eyes and her jaw tensed. Her voice was hardly audible above a whisper as she whispered, "You'll regret this. I'll see to that."

I didn't respond. With my heart thumping in my chest, I pivoted and left the café. Like a spray of water, the chilly morning air didn't do much to silence the storm inside of me.

My feelings were still a muddled mess when I arrived at the restaurant. I kept thinking about my clash with Lucy, her snarky remarks and arrogant manner nagging at me.

Terry was already in the kitchen, concentrating on his customary task of kneading dough. When I entered, he looked up, his brow furrowing a little.

He said, "You're late," in a tone that was more inquisitive than scolding.

I hastily said, "Sorry," as I tied my apron and hung up my coat. "It was a... strange morning."

His hands remained motionless as he inspected me. "What happened?"

After a moment of hesitation, I shook my head. "Nothing much. I just happened to run into someone I didn't want to.

Terry looked at me for a second longer, then nodded and went back to work. "All right, start working on it. We have a lot of preparation to do today."

I nodded, appreciating the break. The incident with Lucy was still gnawing in the back of my mind as I got down to business for the day. However, I turned it into fuel rather than allowing it to drag me down.

Lucy believed that I had no place in Terry's universe. Alright. I would disprove her. For myself, not just to be spiteful to her.

The kitchen was a flurry of activity by the time lunchtime rolled around. For a while, I nearly forgot about Lucy as the rhythmic chaos of cooking overshadowed the stress I had felt before.

Nearly.

The reprieve was short-lived.

"Chef Terry!" A waitress with a pale complexion and a quivering voice rushed into the kitchen.

Terry's hands froze in mid-motion as he looked up abruptly. "What's the matter?"

She wrung her hands uneasily and remarked, "There's a customer making a scene in the dining area. He insists on talking to the chef."

Terry wiped his hands on a towel and groaned. "Fantastic."

As I untied my apron, I said, "I'll accompany you."

Terry responded, "No," in a hard tone that made no room for debate. "Remain here and continue to run things. I'll take care of it."

I felt sick to my stomach as I watched him leave the kitchen. Whatever was going on outside, I couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't a coincidence.