Chapter 152: CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY TWO: HER SAKE.
~GREY’S POV~
A summon for physical assault. I couldn’t be reading right. James Rivera was filing a case against Mira Evans Anderson for physical assault. How in God’s name did that happen? Tentatively, I reached for the pictures. There were mostly pictures of James.
Pictures of him with his shoulder bleeding. Blood rolling down his temple. Pictures of a broken pencil, an ashtray. Attached to the letter was a medical report with the total expenses spent on stitches for his head and other things.
Did Mira do that to him? The thought of my wife smashing a tray on James’ head almost made me smile with pride. Mira was not that violent but it was good to imagine her hitting James.
I picked my phone up and called my lawyer. There was no way Mira would go to court. Mh lawyer didn’t pick, so I called James.
Bile jumped to my throat as I waited for the call to connect and it didn’t take long for that to happen.
James’ wicked laughter greeted him. “I take it you got my love letter.”
“Yes,” I grumbled out. I folded the letters and shoved them into the envelope alongside the pictures. “What do you want, James? Start talking.”
“Your wife is such a fighter.”
I groaned. This man was such a talkative. Both of us didn’t want a court case, at least I hoped so. Why else did James send the letters to me directly, not Mira? I cleared my throat to call James attention.
“You’re a smart man, Grey. I knew you would figure this out soon.”
“What do you want?”
“Jeffrey’s company.”
A grunt stuck in my throat. I opened my palm and forced myself to take calming breaths.
“I have had my eyes on it since and you just swooped in. I want his company. Call off the deal you have with him and let me do business with him. I’ll drop all charges and I’ll never bother you two again.”
I closed my eyes. “Done.”
“Done?” James asked, his shock obvious. “Just like that?”
I didn’t say a word.
“You love her, don’t you? She has that effect on all of us.”
The familiarity with which the bastard spoke about my wife made me unfasten my tie. There was no us. There was only Mira and I
“I’ll have Jeffery give you a call after you drop all charges and sign a contract never to bother me or my wife again.”
James laughed. “That won’t work. We will meet and I’ll sign your silly contract to show my seriousness. But the deal won’t commence until I have Jeffery’s company.”
Another moment with this guy and I might do what I didn’t like. I recoiled at the idea of spending a second in this man’s presence.
“I’ll send my assistant with the contract. Jeffery will give you a call later.”
I ended the call before James could speak.
The next few minutes was a blur of calls. Jeffrey didn’t take so kindly to my new suggestion but at the mention of a new buyer, he calmed down considerably.
Jeffrey agreed to meet with James and we ended the call on a good note, with a promise to meet up later to celebrate if he loved James’ deal.
The next person I called was my lawyer. I asked him to draft a contract with strict conditions in regards to James Rivera and his existence in our lives. Some of the terms made my blood boil but it was all for a bigger purpose.
James would be out of our lives for good. No court case. I would hand over the deal with Jeffrey to James. Should we have a chance encounter in the future, each party promises to behave themselves, even in the business world. Anyone who breaches the contract would pay double the selling price of Jeffrey’s company. That addition was made to let James know I meant business.
Mira wouldn’t miss James’ presence, neither would I. And I could only hope that by giving up this, I would put an end to James' disturbance in our lives.
When I called my assistant minutes later to head over to James’ office, I didn’t feel as confident as I had been with my lawyer. I was doing this for Mira, I reminded myself as the door opened to reveal Bethel.
Mira didn’t need anything bothering her now and as long as I lived, I would do everything within my power to make her life smooth and easy.
“There has been a new development,” I said.
Bethel didn’t hide her disappointment when I told her I cancelled the deal with Jeffrey. My conscience pricked me but I said nothing more on the matter, only giving her strict instructions to head to Contra Tech with the printed copies of the contract my lawyer sent.
An hour later, I received a message from Bethel. James had signed the contract. My hand shook a little as I pulled out my phone to send the rest of the documents about Jeffrey to James. We finalised everything without seeing each other and Bethel returned to my office with my own signed copy of the contract.
My eyes skimmed over the contract, stopping at the line James signed. James Rivera would be out of our lives for good and if he crossed our paths again or caused any troubles, I would be making two hundred million dollars from him. All I had to do now was inform Mira so she knew better than going to fight him.
I looked up to see bethel was still in the office. My assistant was not smiling.
“It was really important to do this,” I said by way of explanation.
I owed her that much. Bethel remained mute and the guilt ate me deeper. She was the one who had to go to the strip club to find Jeffrey because he had earlier refused to meet up with me. “You can take the day off.”
“Okay, sir.”
Pivoting on her heels, she started for the door. “Bethel.” I wasn’t convinced she was over this.
Unlike other bosses, I preferred my staff respecting me because I was a good boss, not out of fear. She turned to me slowly.
“This will get James to back off my wife. I’m tired of the back and forth with him.”
“I understand, sir.” Her head bobbed and she finally sent me a small, reassuring smile that calmed him. “I would probably do the same if it involved my fiancé.”
“Thanks.”
I busied myself with work when Bethel was gone. My first meeting came and went and I hadn’t received a call or text from my wife.The next time I got a breather, it was some minutes past two. And I was famished. I shut down the laptop I used for my zoom meeting and cleared my desk. Since I wouldn’t be meeting with Jeffrey anymore, I was done for the day.
I hit Mira with a text and a few minutes later, my office door opened. Mira walked in with her head down. She stopped in the middle of my office without saying a word and the corners of my lips twitched.
“You called for me, sir,” she said.
My eyes twitched. This could not be happening. “Baby. Don’t be like this.”
Mira looked up and our eyes met. She was still frowning. My fingers ran over my legs.
“Have you had lunch?”
“No.”
“I’m about to go for lunch,” I said, jumping to my feet.
I grabbed my briefcase. She looked much better this morning. Her bruises were gone but I needed answers and I could get them after tour lunch.
“You can join me.”
She looked down again. “I’m not hungry.”
“Mira!”
“I’m not hungry,” she snapped.
My lips pulled into a thin line. We didn't break eye contact but her frown didn’t waver. I placed the briefcase on my desk and sat on the edge. Forcing the growing anger to the back of my mind, I tried to smile. She was only transferring aggression to me.
“You’re still mad at me,” I commented.
“Yes.”
The soft spoken reply had my heart breaking into a thousand and one pieces. I was trying my best for her. Everything I had done regarding James was for her. I loved this woman but she was frustrating me by this behaviour. I didn’t deserve the silent treatment.
“Alright.” my smile faltered and my eyes swept over her frame.
Her gown hugged her frame, showing her soft curves and I was tempted to drag her closer, kiss away her anger.
“You look pretty.”
We gazed at each other and I wished she would say something.
“I’ll give you some space. Let me know if you change your mind.”
“I won’t. Thanks for the offer. Can I go now?”
“Yeah.” On a second thought, I said, “I love you, baby.”
Her eyes lifted to me for the briefest of seconds but she didn’t reply. With a curt nod, my wife was gone and I was left to wonder if I had done the right thing by cancelling the deal with Jeffrey for her sake.