"No, Mr. Rohan. I think it is high time you let people get their own twopence in before you dictate how things would be. As I was saying before you rudely interrupted me, since I refused to do as you said, you find a way to get things done anyway. You have someone else to do your dirty work for you. There I was, vulnerable and looking for every means to rectify my situation, but guess what the man who could do something about it asked for as payment? Oh, you don't have to guess. It was the exact thing you wanted. I am sure the two of you must have laughed at my stupidity after you got what you wanted. Well, you know what? I don't care. What I do care about is you showing your face in my presence and pretending to care."
The way he was staring at her as she finished her statement made her wonder if she had something on her face.
"What?" she was forced to ask when he said nothing.
"I just think you are a very incredible woman. I could see in your eyes just how much you wanted to tear into me, yet you still managed to keep your voice controlled and composed through all that. That is exceptional," he said with a smile.
"What is wrong with him?" Reyona wondered.
After all that she had said, was that the only thing he could say?
No remorse at all about the fact that he had used her situation against her?
There is no apology for being a part of this mess as well.
Her composure? That was what he wanted to comment on?
Reyona wondered why she had even bothered to talk to him at all in the first place.
It was quite silly of her to think she would be able to get to him through words or any action.
If his sister could be cruel enough to willingly have a hand in Reyona's broken home, how much would the brother?
He was nothing but a rotten tomato, and she gave him more satisfaction by wasting her time with him.
She turned to leave, but his voice stopped her again.
"I never terminated your cooperation with the company. We have been waiting for you to come sign the contract and get started, but we understand the situation that must have caused the delay. That was why I called. "
As much as hope bloomed in Reyona's chest, she turned to him with a suspicious glare. "Why?"
"What?"
"Why will you still keep our cooperation after what happened? Even our long-term customers left, and you want me to believe that you decided to keep us on out of the goodness of your heart? Is there something else you want me to do for you? Another way you intend to blackmail or threaten me?"
"I will never blackmail you. I wouldn't threaten you as well. I only asked that we come to an agreement, and you refu...."
"But you got it done anyway," Reyona countered.
"I never asked him to speak to you about it. I had no idea he..."
"But you reaped the reward quite fine, didn't you? How did you even know him?" Reyona said in a heated tone.
She quickly looked behind her towards the entrance of the company, where the security guards were.
She knew it didn't matter that none of them were looking directly at them.
Beyond the reflecting glass walls of her company would be others who probably had their noses pressed against the chrome to see what was going on between the two of them.
He had been labelled as her lover, and here she was having a talk with him in the presence of whoever had a camera and a malicious mind to spread more rumours.
"I know a lot of things, Reyona. Just as I know that your husband is granting an interview today,"
The fact that he used her name, coupled with what he said, made her jerk her head back towards him.
"I didn't give you leave to call my name!" she said tersely.
"You hate me using your official name too. What would you want me to call you? Beatrice?"
"Especially not that," she said. Then we changed the conversation. "And I don't need you telling me what anyone is doing. What are you? A five-year-old tattle tale?"
"Not at all. I am just the man who couldn't stop thinking about you," he said in a serious tone.
While Reyona was speechless about the gravity of that statement, he added, "And this is not just any interview. He is having it in a personal space this time."
He paused before adding, "At your home. It was supposed to be an excerpt from the tell-all in his about-to-be-launched book.
Reyona stood frozen for a moment as if any sudden movement would make her shatter into a million pieces.
Then she said slowly and deliberately, "I don't care. Also, I have no interest in working with you. Now, excuse me."
**********
Reyona rigidly held herself as she entered the company without a backward glance.
Ignoring the employees who greeted her as she passed, she headed straight for the elevator.
Thankfully, there was no one in the elevator.
She pressed the close door button on the control panel, held it down, and pressed her floor number.
It was only after she was sure that the express setting she did would make the elevator take her straight to her floor without stopping at any other floor did she allowed herself to feel.
She slowly dropped into a crouch and rocked herself as she thought about what he had said.
Thomas was going too far.
The bastard was not satisfied with wrecking her life and making her scramble after the pieces.
He was not satisfied with all the humiliation he had caused her.
Now he wanted to desecrate her home with vile lies and obscenity?
How much more cruelty can be found in one man?