Chapter 42: The enemy's bargain.
"Welcome Maxson".
Joan greeted him as she opens the door for him. She was expecting him to come late in the afternoon, but seems he had really missed her beyond her expectations.
Vividly look at her face, he longed to touch her and ask how she has been doing. "Maxson, are you okay?" She assisted him back to reality.
With a swift reply, he responded. "I am perfectly okay. I wondered how you have been doing". He said, desperately looking for an answer.
She ushered him to sit on the sofa while she sits beside him.
She smiled before replying, her teeth so white like a clear crystal. "I have been good, what about you?" She asked with courage.
"Perfectly cool too". He smiled.
"Sure? It seems something is wrong with you, do you want to tell me anything?" She moved closer to him.
"Why won't I act strange, you were the one acting unusual at the first place". He thought within himself.
"Huh? I am? No, no, I am okay Joan". He clarified her.
"But why are you sweating?" She moved another inch to him, grab his cloth's collar and touched his lip.
Maxson felt tight and hard down there, he thought his world was about rising up in power. He subconsciously pushed her away.
"Stop it Joan. I didn't come for all these". He rebuked.
"Hmmm?" Joan's eyes suddenly welled up in tears. She tried holding it not to stream down like a gush of water.
She secretly and briefly hid the tears. "I am so sorry Maxson, please forgive me". Her demeanor changed instantly.
She was now back to the once shy Joan she was.
Maxson felt he had offended her, he took her hands and apologized immediately. "No Joan, I am the one who should apologize. I am sorry for pushing you away, please". He sounded pitiful, sincerely apologizing for making her feel bad.
"Ouch". She jerked her hands away from him. She had gotten a deep scratch on one of her fingers from Royce's violence that day.
"What's wrong?" He took her hands back, checking why she had flirt in pain. "How do you get this injury? Not even only on your fingers, but even your neck, legs and arm".
He questioned her confidently.
He further checked her outer body parts and saw no more sign of injury. "I fell down, it's nothing Maxson". She smiled.
"How come you fell down and all these body parts got harmed?" He panicked.
He could sense a big lie from her tone and attitude.
A rumbling sound came thundering from her stomach. "Awwwww, so sorry". She bent her head shyly.
"It fine, I'll do the cooking. Where's the first aid kit?" Maxson stood up as she pointed to a corner in the dining room.
He walked to the side she pointed to and picked up the kit's box. He gently applied medications on her injuries before going into the kitchen to cook.
While in the kitchen, he got a text from Hack. He wanted to continue slicing the tomatoes while he got the beep from his phone.
He put off the nylon gloves while he washed his hands in the basin. He read the text and felt suffocated, he rested his hand on the kitchen cabinet, thinking of how to approach the subtle matter.
"Are you done cooking?" A feminine voice rang out from the kitchen's entrance.
"Hhuh? Still on it. I already told you to go take a nap, when I am done, I'll call you". He smiled.
She nodded her head.
Joan was putting on a T-shirt that reached her knee, it was obvious she wasn't wearing anything underneath, just the shirt.
Maxson wondered what show she was trying to perform, he went back to his cooking but found his downpart hard again.
Now that he knew where she was yesterday, kidnapped, harmed and threatened by Royce, he wanted to wait patiently to see if she would tell him the truth herself.
30 minutes later...
"Hushh!! The aroma of this food turns me on" Joan shouted as the dishes were placed on the table.
Maxson watched her acting cool and different. "You can dig in". He said to her.
"Aren't you eating? Sit down and eat with me". She ordered him.
He sat down, took the cultleries and started eating. Her breasts were poking the dinning table, Maxson could see the display as he eats.
"Is this how you dress at home now?" He asked with jealousy.
"No, but I just feel I should change some things". She said.
"Alright". He agreed with her.
"Joan". He called out to her, attempting to ask her about yesterday.
"Is there anything you want to tell me?" He dropped the dangling knife on a plate.
"No, not at all". She continued eating as she speaks.
"Okay".
Joan secretly looked at his face, she knew he was suspicious of her, but she wasn't ready to sacrifice her only family member all because of him.
He was so gentle and caring to her, but her world had taught her to be strictly harsh and brutal to the outside world.
After eating the meal, Joan brought a wine bottle and two wine glasses.
"You care for refreshment?" She asked, raising everything up.
"Alright". He took a wine glass from her and allowed her pour the drink.
He dropped the drink on the table, wanting to rest his back.
"Seems I'll need a pretty massage from you".
"Huh? It fine by me". She said.
"I am just joking, I'll rather go to a spa". Joan felt like a bomb had been thrown in her head. Her head exploded with different thoughts.
"Was he rejecting her? She isn't good enough for him?" She was lost in her imaginations.
Maxson didn't know about her weird thoughts, he just closed his eyes as he recollects Hack's message.
"She was kidnapped by Royce, the footage is sent already. Third young brother, beware of her, she would try to harm you by any means because of Royce's threat".
Maxson heaved an heavy sigh, he opened his eyes when he saw her shaking her drink.
"Why are you not drinking?" He asked.
"I remembered my body won't allow strong drinks, you know I am still hearing from these injuries". She touched her body pitifully.
"You can drink yours, I'm fine". She smiled.
"You really want me to drink this?" He asked her looking into her eyes.
"Maxson, why are you asking such?" She stood up, looking at him with a confused look.
"Just asking dear, sit down back". He tapped the chair.
Joan sat down, she acted shyly again, rubbing her hands against each other.
Maxson placed the wine glass on his lip, was about drinking it. He suddenly dropped it on the table again. "You really want me to drink the death you prepared for me?" He faced her and asked.
"Why Joan? I even asked you if there was anything? Anything you want to tell me. I gave you a chance, a chance to spill those things you were forced to do". He said calmly with disappointment.
Joan couldn't talk back, she was shocked, how would he know everything. "And who did you think you are? Because you have everything? The first day you approached me, I warned you, didn't I? I ignored you several times, but you kept on lingering around me, causing me harm since you interfered with my life".
She shouted with anger, her former shy expression had changed into a fierce one. She pulled the jacket on the sofa hand and wore it to cover her revealing self.
"Seducing me was part of it too?" Maxson felt disappointed.
"But Joan, you are getting everything wrong. If it is about Royce, leave him to me, your grandfather is safe".
"How?" She asked in amazement.
"I am monitoring Royce. Your grandfather is fine, he won't do anything funny". He explained.
"I'll be taking my leave". Maxson stood up and glanced at her. "You never want to know me Joan".
Joan watched as he walked out, she fell on her knees and hugged herself. There was no tears falling, just that she was confused, confused about her feelings.
..............
On the way to her daughter's house, Cylene went along with different kinds of fruits. She had had it in mind to feed her daughter well today before she discussed her new scheme with her.
"Son, you need to better change that your security staff, he looks very horrible for that post". She told Marcus as she entered the house.
Marcus helped her with the things she brought along, he smiled and went to put the bags into the kitchen.
"Okay mother". He finally replied her.
"By the way, why are you home?" She asked curiously.
"To take good care of Presch. About work, I would be working from home for some time. If there's anything important to attend to, I'll go to the company". He explained.
"Alright then, I can see you don't want to stress your mother too much. Where's my princess?" She asked with happiness.
"In her room". Marcus who has gone to the kitchen shouted.
Cylened walked into the room where Presch was. She was looking at some puzzle games on her phone.
"Daughter, how have you been?" She asked as she sat down on the bed.
"Mum! I am happy to see you". She tried standing up to greet her but a pain struck her from her belly.
"Ouch". She touched her head, trying to sit down back. Cylene rushed to her side. "What's wrong dear?" She assisted Presch in sitting back.
Presch bursted into tears, she opened her cloth and shew her mother her stomach. "What? Oh my goodness! Who did this to you?"
She asked furiously, she wanted to confirm if her assumptions were correct. "Flora?" She asked loudly.
"Mum, keep your voice low. It is her, she did this to me". She continued crying.
"Really? Oh my precious daughter". Cylene hugged her daughter, she promised to avenge on behalf of her daughter.
Cylene never asked how Flora had injured her, she was fully aware it was the acid she gave Presch to harm Flora. But that wasn't her concern, as far as she was the one who hurt her daughter, she will surely destroy her.