She had turned into half-human and half-alien. Nothing seemed to be making sense to her and what made it worse was that she couldn't even cry. She had never been betrayed the way she was betrayed today, and she knew if she let this slide, that would be the end of her. Mom had to cry before Anna agreed to go and see a therapist and when she offered that the cops arrest Charles, no, Henry, she told her not to bother. It was only Julia that knew the truth about everything and because she wanted to take all the doubts out of her mother’s mind, Anna agreed to see a therapist, and this was her first session.
She was glad it ended. When she came out, she met Julia waiting for her and she flashed her a cold look that was nothing like the old Anna Brayden. She rushed toward her and smiled expectantly, “Have you felt any better, Anna?” Sometimes Julia acted as though an older sister of hers and when she did that, Anna tend to get all teary and very emotional. But the reverse was the case now, she felt the urge to push everyone away from her because she knew everything only wanted to get close to her because he or she wanted to hurt her.
“Let’s go to the company, Julia.” She said and began to walk ahead, she had never felt this way before. Not even when Nate, the man she had first loved in her life broke her. This was something she didn't know how it got to the deepest core of her heart.
“It’s been two weeks, Ma’am. I thought you’re going to take a month’s break from anything until you’re feeling much better?” She asked, and from the way she sounded, Anna was sure that she was being careful of her words.
“We’re not going to Will Brayden, Julia. We’re going to Frank’s Airline Services, don't even call them.” She walked ahead before she turned back as though she had remembered something, “Are you here with our cheque?” She asked, and Julia nodded.
“We’re with everything that I know you might need, Ma’am.” They hopped into the car together and she heard as Julia gave the driver an order to go to the company. She leaned onto the seat and closed her eyes as she swung the window down to feel the soft breeze on her skin. She sighed when she remembered how she drove through the streets of California with Charles. Damn it, she was finding it so hard to refer to him as Henry, oh god, the intensity of this betrayal.
Sometimes she asked him to drive her around town not because she wanted to go somewhere, but solely because she wanted to spend some time with him. She could remember how they looked as though that was the first time they were seeing each other with Jack in Spain. How good of actors they were, was that talkative Clara included in their goddamn plan? She wondered and that ached her heart more. Maya had always hated that girl, maybe she wasn’t involved though.
When the driver parked in front of the building, Anna stared up at the company and she had in mind, she would show everyone in there the power Anna Brayden had gotten today. He might’ve turned her cold and merciless, and she would show him what she could do with the power he had given her. The power of not giving a damn about other people’s feelings, the power of not trusting anyone ever again in her life and she knew she would never feel guilty for being the cause of someone’s pain because no one cared about her own pain, did they?
“We’re here, Ma’am.” She barely nodded her head at Julia when she got down from the car and they into the reception. A lot of people were greeting her, but she barely nodded her head at them to see whether she had acknowledged their greeting or not, all she wanted to do was see her at the CEO’s office with Jack called up and then she would show him who the real Anna Brayden was. She had warned him, didn't she?
They got into the elevator, even though at first Julia told her that they should wait because there were some employees in there, but Anna couldn’t wait any longer and they got inside the elevator. They stopped at the fifth floor and while some workers walked out, some came in and that was when the elevator got busted and Anna being weak, she was nearly knocked off and she lost her balance. But someone from behind her, a man that had a well-physiqued body and his arms were the strongest she had ever felt, hugged her firmly with his hands wrapped around her waist.
She knew this feeling. No, not a feeling but sensation. He was the one, was he? Or perhaps she was hallucinating? Because that man only showed up when she was in so much and in need of comfort. But it felt like him, as the people kept on struggling to find their spots on the elevator, Anna was pushed deeper onto that man’s chest and she felt the wild beating of his heart. It was him; it was him! She knew the way his heart beat, she knew how she always felt whenever he protectively wrapped his arms around her body and how beautiful it made her feel.
Her whole body began to shake, and Anna knew she had to check to see who this man was, but she had to be so sure it was him before she could lift up her eyes. She turned, as slowly as a non-courageous Anna Brayden could, before she hugged him. Her chest laid onto his while she rested her head on his chest, wrapping her arms around his torso so that she could make sure he was the one, and on god, he was! She closed her eyes to imagine how he rocked them slowly as he told her ‘Shh, it’s going to be fine.’ He didn’t know her name and she didn’t know him. Hell, she had never even seen his face.
“We’re on the floor, Ma’am. You’re safe now.” With her eyes still closed, Anna felt the way Julia peeled her away from that man’s body and she turned without staring at him face. Some part of her wanted to look at who he was, but then a huge part of her didn’t want to ruin the beautiful feeling she had for this man after they knew each other more than just him being her comfort giver. “I’m sorry, sir. Sometimes she gets scared whenever there are a lot of people around, I hope it’s no bother?”
“There’s no problem.” That was all he had uttered, and Anna wanted to scream at the pitch of her voice, it was his voice. That calm and soothing voice she had always found comfort in. She felt as Julia gently guided her out of the elevator and as they walked, she was slowly removing off that sentiment she had in her heart. And when they got to the CEO’s office, she was back to being her poised self.
“I want to see the CEO...” She saw the protest that was already growing up on the tip on her tongue and Anna immediately stopped her. “My name is Anna Brayden. Here is Secretary, you can have all the formalities with her. Is he inside?” She asked, and the woman nodded her head before Anna walked further into the office after she had knocked, and he invited her in.
“Oh my, Miss Brayden.” He pointed at the visitor’s sofa for her and she nodded with a cold smile before he sat down opposite her. “I'm glad you’re here, but I'd like to know what brings you, Miss Brayden.”
Anna crossed her heads and pulled up the bossy attitude she had always kept down because of good manners. “I want you to fire one of your staffs, Mr. Trent. His name is Jack Roberts...” She watched as realization covered his face and she nodded her head, “Yes, him. I want you to hold his pilot license and fire him.”
He squirmed on his chair and grinned awkwardly at him, “It’s not like I don’t want to do what you want or that whatever reason you have isn’t okay with me. But he’s among our best pilots, Miss Brayden.”
Anna gave a lopsided grin and she looked at the door, “Julia?” She called out and when Julia poked herself into the office, Anna continued, “Can you please bring in all those documents? It seems like we’re in need of them.” In less than a minute, Julia handed all the documents to Anna and she placed them on the table between them.
She looked up at Mr. Trent’s eyes that were eyeing the documents, “This first document, I've bought you a share in Will Brayden worth $5 Million dollars. And this second one is a cheque from me, I'm going to invest in Frank’s Airline services, you just have to tell me whatever among you’re in need of, Mr. Frank Trent.” She held her eyes into his and she watched the way the contemplation he had on his face was slowly vanishing and he had this pleased expression on his face. “I believe this is enough to get you twenties of Jack Roberts, isn’t it?”
“You’re right, Miss Brayden. We’ll do it right away. And about his license...” She cut him even before he continued.
“I want his license to be seized so that no airline service could hire him. Will that be possible?” She felt no guilt feeling and even though she knew she was literary crushing someone else’s life, she was still not satisfied. Because compared to what he had done to her, she would never ever take a perfect revenge on him for she wouldn’t stoop as low as he did to have someone fake-date him, not to even consider doing that herself.
“I'll call the HR now. That is done, is there anything more that you need, Miss Brayden?” He asked as he dialed the HR’s number and Anna listened as he told him everything he wanted, and they demanded to see Jack in just a few minutes. “Is there anything more, Miss Brayden?”
She shook her head with a gratified smile. “Nothing, I just wish to hand him the letters myself, is that possible?” He nodded his head at her and it was in less than minutes as she patiently waited in the office, his secretary knocked, and he ushered her in. She handed him the letters, saying that they were from the HR and he told her to urgently summon for Jack Roberts. When Jack walked in, Anna turned to Mr. Trent and she smiled appreciatively at him, “Can you please excuse us, Mr. Trent?”
“Yes sure, Miss Brayden, take your time please.” He walked out of the office without even sparing a glance at a gob smacked Jack that already knew what was going to happen since when he saw seated legs crossed in this office, he had already given up on his career and the life he had always wanted to lead.
“Why are you still standing there, Jack? I though you’re courageous enough to just walk in. I thought you already know what has happened and what these letters...” She lifted the two papers she was holding as though a weapon in her hands and waved them at him, “You must’ve known what they meant, right?”
Jack gulped down a lump in his throat and Anna could already see anger filling his eyes. He didn’t speak until he sat down opposite her, and she uncrossed her legs to have a better look of his face. “You're looking so calm for someone that has crushed an innocent woman nearly to her death, Jack Roberts.” When he didn’t speak, Anna grinned and placed the letters on his palms, “The first one says you’re fired while the second...guess what’s inside it?” She was smiling as wickedly as Anna had never smiled in her life. And the smile he was seeing on her face was enough to pique Jack’s curiosity to the point that he began to unfold the letter while she watched, with a satisfied expression filling every nook and cranny of her soul.