Chapter 116 MAD...DOG
\[RONALD'S ENTERPRISE\]
Eric sighed, gong through the last file. He dropped his signature before closing the file. His phone chimed in with a text notification.
Glancing at his phone, he saw it was the person he had hired to look into Nelly's case.
He picked up his phone and went through the things sent. His eyes narrowed as he read one of them.
He shook his head before forwarding it to Ixora.
"I wonder what she will do," he muttered beneath his breath as he loosened his tie.
His eyes went to the clock, and he realized he had stayed in the company longer than usual. Over-time.
He stood and packed the files into the drawer.
Switching off the lights, he left the office.
He had barely walked down the hallway when his eyes caught somebody at his secretary's desk.
At first, he blinked, thinking he was imagining things.
His eyes went to the clock again. It was late.
"What is she still doing here?" he said.
Cecilia had her eyes glued to the screen, fingers punching the keyboard as if she were arguing with the keyboard.
Her stern expression didn't decrease as she punched those keys.
"Are you still here?"
"Sir," she called and stood, bowing. Her expression softened. "I will soon be done. There are a few things for me to edit."
"Editing a file and endangering your life. You know it's inappropriate for a lady to be out this late," Eric said.
"Don't worry, sir. I will look for a taxi online. Besides, my house is not that far from here."
"Call it a day, Cilia. You need to rest for your health."
"I am resting. I hate incomplete tasks, and I want to finish them before I leave. A new day, new task," Cecilia said with a smile plastered on her lips.
Eric's eyes didn't leave her face as he mirrored her smile.
"Sir, were you about to leave? I'll finish up before it strikes twelve."
"Pack the files. Tomorrow is a new day to start."
"But, sir? I..."
"Are you going to disobey your boss?" Eric asked.
She shook her head negatively. "I'll pack up," she muttered and closed the laptop.
After arranging the files, she placed them neatly in the drawer and took her bag.
"The next time you work overtime, I'll deduct your salary," he said.
Cecilia had to stop to stare at him. His tone sounded serious, like he meant it, yet there was an underlying care in his tone.
She opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't form a word. Most bosses prefer their employees to work overtime, but here he was threatening to deduct her salary.
"It won't happen again," she said, lowering her gaze.
"Your health comes first, and I don't mind helping you out if it becomes too much," he said, his voice low and laced with concern.
Cecilia raised her head to meet his gaze.
"Come, I'll drop you off," he started, walking away.
Cecilia followed in silence, their shoes echoing in the office.
"That reminds me, sir, Mrs Tanya Vaughn brought up a meeting."
Eric halted in his tracks, facing her. "Meeting?"
Cecilia nodded. "She said she wants you both to meet up and talk about business. If you are interested, pick the date and time, and I will get back to her."
"Pick a convenient time after going through my schedule," he said. "She can pick the place of the meeting," he added.
"Okay, sir. I will let you know."
\[VIPOISON ORGANIZATIONS, PRISON \]
Maddox held the bars, head lowered as a series of thoughts ran through his head. Earlier, he had seen Nelly and Slade going out together. He couldn't help but wonder where they both were going.
He could tell she wasn't happy and looked like she had been forced into going. She hasn't come to see him, just making sure he gets his food.
And, he always declines the food, insisting she come and see him. Right now, his skin was dry, his lips pale, his eyes looking like shattered glass reflecting a storm. He looked weak.
He will not eat unless she herself brings the food to him. He knows why she's doing it, and he's just waiting for the right time to get her out of there.
He was still in his thoughts when his ear caught something.
"The boss's wife got shot."
Quickly, he raised his head, eyes landing on the guard who stood at the front.
"What did you say?" he asked, using the bar to lift himself.
"Slade's wife got shot, and he is attending to her. Have any problem with that?"
"Get me out of here," Maddox said, teeth clenched.
He tightened his grip around the bar, his eyes shooting dark lasers at the guard.
The guard laughed as if he had just said something funny.
"You aren't leaving here until Slade gives his approval."
Maddox began banging his fist on the bars, repeatedly.
"What are you doing?"
Maddox didn't reply, his knuckles bleeding as a result of the heavy bang.
He's done staying behind bars like a coward. Nelly needs to answer him. How did she know such a person? What happened to her?
He was groaning, his bones cracking, knuckles bleeding, but he didn't stop banging bars.
"Stop that," the guard warned, cocking his gun.
Maddox kept groaning, the pain spreading across his whole body.
"I will shoot you if you don't stop," the guard threatened, circling his finger around the trigger.
Bang.
Bang.
Bang.
He pulled the trigger.
Maddox froze, eyes going to the guard that dropped dead before him.
The gunpowder cleared only for Slade to be walking in while blowing air into his gun.
Maddox's knuckles looked like torn leather stretched over broken stone, petals of flesh peeled back by the merciless bar.
Slade looked at him, his lips stretching into a smirk.
"Mad..." he paused, the taunting smile growing harder. "Dog."
"What did you do to her?" Maddox asked, his voice a low growl.
"Let me think." He tapped the side of his head twice. "I remember. I took my wife out to train her. Unfortunately, our opponents had the upper hand."
Maddox's chest tightened, anger bubbling within him. He gripped the bar, trying to bring it down.
"J. K always says, anger equals loss. Act with a calm head."
"Release me."
"He wants to get his freedom." He tucked his gun into his pants. "If it were up to me, I'd have blended you and fed it to my dogs. You wanted to play the hero inside my domain. But since Nelly is my wife, and she wants your freedom, I will grant her that one wish. I will free you and send you back to New York," he said with a dangerous expression. No smirk. Mockery. Just dangerous, Slade.
"Nelly and I have a past together," he continued. "We are living in our present now, and our future has already been decided. Nelly belongs to me..."
"She is not a property," Maddox said, cutting him off.
"Right. She is not a property. Together, our souls are bound to each other. Our love story started way back. Nelly does not love you; she's only using you to get over me. I'm the only man in her life." He leaned in, locking his dark eyes with Maddox. "The one who knows her secret. I am her first love, and I will be the last. She can't belong to another man, not when I took her virginity."
Immediately he said that, Maddox put his hand through the bars and grabbed Slade's head.
"Bastard," he seethed, pressing Slade's head against the bars.
His wounded knuckles bled the more, but he cared less. He wasn't feeling the pain, but rather the rage to tear Slade apart. To give him a slow, painful death.
Slade started laughing, the bars piercing into his face. He bled but laughed like a maniac.
"Did what I said anger you? This is what I wanted to see: your rage. I want to know how far you've fallen for my Nelly, and I've gotten my answer," he said, laughing.
Maddox released his head and threw dark glares at him.
Slade, using the back of his palm, wiped the blood off his face.
"You'll get the chance to face me one-on-one, but now I need to go and see my wife." He turned to leave when Maddox's voice stopped him.
"What about the offer?"
"Do we have a deal?" Slade asked after a slight weight.
"Deal."