Chapter 67. A confrontation
Jackson Johnson
On the way to my penthouse, I couldn't stop thinking about Lilly, who had erased the bad moment when Arya had approached us outside the cinema. I let out a long sigh when I remembered the woman from the past in front of me. I repeated the words in my head: "I want you," narrowing my eyes and pressing my lips in total disagreement.
"Richard," I called out, he was in the passenger seat.
"Yes, sir."
"What happened with Arya?" I remembered the call earlier.
"She has insisted on speaking with you since she arrived in the city. Even her assistant lied to make an appointment, but we caught the trick and prevented her from entering the building."
"That's why she's been following us," I said in a low tone, diverting my gaze out the window.
"We didn't notice anyone following us, which is the strangest part."
"I know, it's strange to me too. Besides, she said something about knowing everything I do and don't do."
"I noticed she was surprised to see you with Miss Bradley." I smiled at the memory of that moment, the way she calmed me, how her hands took my face to make me look at her and focus on her to reach calm.
"Yes, I noticed that. Do you think she has a spy close to our circle?" I asked, intrigued by Arya's words.
"I'll do a sweep, sir."
"Thank you." During the rest of the trip, we finally arrived at my building. I was about to get out when Richard ordered me not to, and then I tensed up seeing the figure at the entrance. "Does this woman not understand?" I growled through clenched teeth.
"Wait in the car, I'll talk to her," Richard said, but I knew she wouldn't leave. I had to put a definitive stop to this.
"No, I'll do it." I opened the door and got out of the car, adjusting my coat as I walked to the entrance. She looked at me, and I noticed a kind of relief.
"Jack..." she said my name.
"Johnson, Jack Johnson," I corrected her, and she smiled defiantly.
"But to me, you are Jack and..." I interrupted her.
"What do you want, Arya?" I showed her I had no patience. "What are you doing spying on me? Didn't what I said hours ago tell you that I don't want you near me?"
"Since when does Jackson Johnson have sex in a car with his... employee?" she spat those words with hatred. I noticed the vein in her neck stand out. "You are not the kind of person who does that kind of thing in a public place. You are the son of a respected family and..."
"What did you say?" I closed the distance abruptly to get closer to her. I could smell her scent, see the same mole on her cheek near her eye, her long lashes fluttered from my proximity, and I noticed how her gaze traveled over my face and then settled on my mouth.
"What is happening to you?" she whispered, but when she intended to touch me, I immediately backed away.
"You've definitely earned a restraining order," I typed immediately to Richard. Moments later, they arrived, keeping a distance near me, and I turned halfway to look at Richard. "Make sure Mrs. Rajak never sets foot in my building again and keeps her distance." Then I turned my face to look at her directly. "My lawyer will send you the restraining order, so from today, you won't come near me, my family, or her." I emphasized "her," which made her even angrier. A moment later, other men approached behind her, apparently her own security escort. She raised an eyebrow after hearing me.
"You can put as many restraining orders on me as you want, but the time will come when we will have to talk, Jack. This isn't over."
"I think you haven't understood that this... ended years ago. Do you remember when you humiliated me in front of everyone?" She didn't answer, just looked at me in total silence for a few more seconds. "That's why you are no longer welcome in my life." I bypassed her to reach the double glass doors, and before crossing the threshold, I heard her warning at my back.
"Are you also going to put a restraining order on me to keep me away from your employee?" her tone was mocking and sarcastic. "Do you think she is enough of a woman to be at my level? Please! An Englishwoman competing with me? Never." Then my hands formed fists, and Richard whispered:
"Mr. Johnson, ignore her, she's provoking you," and indeed she was. Somehow she had discovered my new weak point: Lilly.
"Don't let her win, Jackson," that voice inside me grew until I couldn't contain myself anymore. I turned towards her, removing my hand from the steel handle of the glass door. I could see a secret smile she tried to hide perfectly. I walked up to her, noticing the surprise on her face. Maybe she thought I wouldn't come back to answer her, so when I arrived, I leaned in and whispered close to her ear:
"She is a thousand times better woman than you. And the best part is, you won't make me change my mind no matter what you say..." I straightened up to look at her. She swallowed with difficulty, and I noticed her face reddened even more. "You are the one who doesn't measure up to her. You are the one who can't compete with her because she has something... that you let go."
"What is it?" she asked in a whisper.
"My heart."