Yet, Another Plot

RHETT

In the fancy restaurant, I was seated on one of the chairs while waiting for the woman, Victoria, to finally arrive. 

According to her, she would make it before the end of the next hour and there was me who was more than willing to wait. Why wouldn't I wait? I moped at the table where I was seated once again, heaving a sigh while I struggled to not be as frustrated as I thought that I should be. 

My phone beeped again. 

Who the fuck was it this time around? 

Staring at the screen of the device right before me, I didn't hesitate to snatch the phone from the table in a hurry. My hand clicked on the button and I placed the device in my ear the very next moment. 

“Hello, Mrs. Victoria. What is happening?” 

“Hello, Rhett,” she sounded, innocently like she didn't know she was wasting my time. “My car just stopped here.” She announced while automatically, I adjusted on the chair and looked around, taking away the grimace on my face and replacing it with a smile. “I'll be there in a bit.” 

That was good news. 

Most absolutely. 

Adjusting again on the chair, I looked at the door. 

Just about that time, someone walked to the entrance. The man at that spot opened the door for her and she walked in, looking around while there was me who waved at her like a gentleman, hoping she'd see me almost immediately. 

She did. 

Phew. Everything was going as smoothly as I wanted. 

What more could I ask for? Once again, I adjusted, moping at the chair right opposite me as I practiced how to speak like a gentleman even though I had come here for violence. 

“Hello, Mrs. Victoria,” I was on my feet. “It's more than nice to meet you again. Please, take a seat.” 

“It's nice to meet you too, Mr. Rhett,” placing her bag on the table, she looked around the space. “It feels like my first date. Back in those days when I was a child. Maybe not a child but a teen.” She took her seat and looked at me. 

“How are you doing on a beautiful day like this? Forgive me, Mr. Rhett. I know I might have wasted your time.” 

Of course, she did. 

But how could I be annoyed when she was being so sweet? A smile now came alive on my countenance. How could a woman as old as Mrs. Victoria make me smile? Looking at the table, I looked up at her again. “It's okay, Mrs. Victoria. It's not a problem at all. Thank you for coming, at least.” 

She nodded and once again, looked around. 

I did the same thing, but this was for another cause. 

“Waiter?” I looked to my right and called, while a man in a white and black uniform walked to the table. 

“Good day, ma'am. Good day, sir. What can I offer you?” 

“What would you like, Mrs. Victoria?” 

Finally, she faced me. “Can you call me Victoria, Rhett? I understand this is business but I prefer to be addressed that way,” she looked at the waiter and then back at me. “Anything at all would do, but I don't think you should stress about it. Or don't you think the same?” 

“No, Victoria—” I practiced. 

“I don't think the same. I am famished as I speak. And I'm sure it should be the same for you, so—” I looked at the young man. “Serve us water for now. We'll make up our minds on your next return.” 

“Sure.” 

The man walked away and I faced the woman. 

“Did you say you have one or two pieces of information for me regarding the wedding of your brother?” 

“Yes, Victoria. I do.” 

The confusing look I expected plastered on her countenance again. “How do you mean? What do you want to say? Is there something I should know?” 

“Most definitely, Victoria. I believe this piece of information would be of help to you. My brother, Raymond, did not marry that woman out of love if you asked me. I'm sure he drafted a contract for the both of them to sign and that was how the marriage came about.” 

“What?” 

“Yes, Victoria.” 

The conversation ended, not because of anything but because the waiter had returned with two bottles of water and two glasses. “Here, sir and ma. Do I serve?” 

“No, thank you.” Victoria let out. 

“Yes, please.” I nodded, smiling at him, but at the same time impatient and wishing he would be fast about it. I didn't leave my mansion to be here because of a bottle of water when I had more than enough over there. 

“Do you need something else?” 

I was hungry, so I faced him. In a few moments, I had let the cat out of the bag and faced Victoria who sipped directly from the bottle. “What would you like?” 

“Anything would do, Rhett. Thank you.” 

On her behalf, I gave a list to the young man who walked away with the tray he had used to serve us water. 

“So, tell me—” she dropped the bottle on the table. 

“What do you have for me and how am I supposed to trust whatever it is you're about to say?” 

“I may not have proof, Mrs. Victoria. But it's the truth. I know how much desire you have for that company and how you wish to lay your hands on an ownership document. Why would I leave the comfort of my home just to be here for a conversation like this?” 

She was moping at me. 

I was moping at her as well. 

A sigh ran out of her mouth and she asked. “What do you have? Let me know and I'll take it up from there.” 

“My brother married that woman on contract.”

“How do I know this? I'll tell you for free that that same woman was married to a man in this city long before now. I don't need to research to know how long exactly but it's more than a year or even two.” 

She started to think, and I struck again. “Also, Victoria. How is it possible for a woman who is married to a man in less than six months, to have a baby? A newborn child at that. Do you see? Where does such a thing happen?” 

She looked at me. “Wow, Rhett. How didn't I know all of these? Maybe I didn't keep up with the news enough. What do you think of this? Who is the Father of that child? Have you confronted them about it at some point?” 

“If I did that and it worked, we'll not be here for any reason. As a matter of fact, I showed up at their house party which I wasn't invited to.”

“Do you know what I did? I aimed to confront them about it so they could be exposed. But that woman—the same woman he married and I used to see as innocent and maybe a coward, confronted me with a story I'll never believe.” 

“What did she say?” 

“Bullshit, Mrs. Victoria. All she said didn't make any sense if I'll be honest with you. You can imagine that, can't you?” A sigh ran out of my mouth and I recalled something I forgot to add. “Do you know what the funny thing is?” 

I stopped talking. 

The waiter caught up with our table and the meals we ordered were served in seconds. 

“Thank you,” I let out and added. “Hand over the bills when you can. I'm the one to cover them.” 

When he walked away, I once again faced the woman. 

“Everything she said at that party, which was a lie, was believed by the people who came for the moment. Can you imagine that too, Mrs. Victoria? This is how serious it is. I believe I have lost on my end because somehow, that son of a bitch was able to maneuver his way into signing those documents. It's your turn to try if you ask me.”

“Do you think it's going to work?”

What was she saying? 

“I can swear on my life that this should work, Victoria. We'll never know until you try. A man who would lie to the whole city shouldn't be given such privilege. But because he is the favorite of the old man that birthed my Father, I almost do not have a choice.” 

“I'm sorry about this,” she looked up from the plate of food. “I'm very sure you'll come around to something when I bring him to book. As soon as I leave this place, I'll work on speaking with the rest of the members of the board of that company. Even without proof, I'm sure we can bring something out of this.” 

That was all I wanted to hear. 

“Exactly, Victoria. Let's do this.” 

“Thank you for this piece of information, Rhett. You don't know how much it means to me.”