Chapter 16: Chapter 16

The morning was slow and less exciting than Jane had thought it would be. Her head was buried in stacks upon stacks of papers. Marcus was at his usual desk outside her office. She and Suzan had only exchanged a few awkward greetings in the morning. She was grateful Marcus was there to save her from what was supposed to be the second most embarrassing moment in her life.

Marcus had made her promise to treat Suzan out for lunch which had never been a problem but with the new finding she had, she was not sure how she was going to sit across a lady she knew was lying to her and not try to strangle her to death or worse break down crying. She had always sworn never to trust a man again, after what Cletus did to her heart, she always thought all men 'male gender' were evil but with what Suzan did and is still doing to her, it is obvious that both male and female are the same.

After going through records that seem to take forever, it was finally time for lunch. She had intentionally waited for the company’s lunch time because she knew she needed to gather all the strength she needed if she was going to pretend to like Suzan. Marcus walked quickly to her desk and whispered. “Okay, ma’am she is on her way. Remember to be nice and caring. Ask her about her personal life today. Let it seem like you are interested in being a better friend to her. Do not, not under any circumstance, break down or cry.”

“Wait, you ain’t coming with us?!” Jane’s voice was coloured with utter panic.

Marcus looked at her face, her perfect face. He could see the fear in her eyes and he could almost hear her thundering heart. “She is not going to bite you,” he muttered barely audibly for even his ears. “You are the boss, and you are going to act like one.”

Just then Suzan walked in, Jane could have sworn she saw Suzan roll her eyes in irritation immediately after opening the door. She noticed how plastic her smile was for the first time.

Suzan stopped almost immediately after she came in. “A-a- am I interrupting something?” she stammered.

Jane hadn’t noticed how close she stood to Marcus, and without thinking, she pushed him. “No! Marcus was just helping me um…” She looked to Marcus for help.

“I was helping her get a cockroach off her hair,” Marcus said, straightening his shoulder with a crooked smile.

That wasn’t the kind of lie she wanted Marcus to pull off but it felt good enough, at least at the moment.

“Oh,” Suzan did not seem half convinced even for a minute but she decided to let it pass.

Jane noticed the stares Suzan gave Marcus as he made his way out of the office. She did not like him and she made no effort to hide it. Not that she was immune to his charms and good looks, but it seems she felt he was a threat to her and whatever evil plan she was cooking.

“Well, what are we waiting for?” Jane said. Her voice sounded too bizarre even to her hearing.

Suzan smiled. “Hey I was going to ask if you are okay, you were acting a little too strange this morning,” Suzan addressed as they made their way out of the office.

Jane dreaded this moment. She had wished Suzan would never bring it up again till they were all dead but clearly, all the wish fairies were asleep. Memories of what happened tortured her for the millionth time that morning, she could remember it clearly as if it was just a few hours ago, which it was.

The driver had just pulled off in the parking lot. She was quick to leave the car; she had taken a few steps towards the reception when she saw Suzan at the door of the reception waving at her. She quickly turned and went back to the car. Marcus, who was still trying to fix his hair for the hundredth time that morning, was confused. “Did you forget something?” He asked.

“I need a hammer and a knife,” Jane said fuming. furiously

Marcus kept his comb worried. “Is everything okay ma’am?”

Jane glared at him. “No! No, Marcus. Everything is not okay. Suzan is out there waving and smiling at me. How can everything be okay?”

Marcus could not believe his ear. “You turned around and came back to the car at the first sight of Suzan?”

Jane folded her arms and didn’t answer.

“Jane firstly, you cannot hide from her forever –“

Jane interrupted. “I am not hiding from her, I am –”

“Can I finish speaking first Ma’am, Please?” Marcus interrupted back.

Jane glanced at him with a wicked glint in her eyes but allowed him to speak.

“Secondly, don’t you think she will find it weird that you ran at the sight of her?”

“No, Marcus, I did not run! I just…”

Marcus had no idea how to get her attention. She was blaring about why and how it is legal for her to kill Suzan and she was using her hands to demonstrate passionately. He tried calling her name but her voice was towering over every other sound in the SUV. He finally was left with no other choice but to hit her.

“Hey!” Her rude bratty self was back. “You do not have the right to do that!” she barked.

Marcus only pointed at the window to which she had her back. Jane turned to see it and all she wished for at that moment was for the ground to swallow her. Suzan was there, at the window waving at her. Jane was relieved to know that Suzan couldn’t have heard anything but she cursed Marcus for not stopping her when she decided she wanted a more transparent glass.

To top it up, when she finally got out of the car she tripped and fell. She was sure that it was just the devil trying to mock her. She had always been graceful and never had clumsiness problems so there was no other explanation.

“Jane, Jane!”

Jane snapped out of her thoughts and glanced at Suzan grudgingly. “Hum?”

Suzan looked at Jane, almost irritated. “I asked you a question. Are you okay?”

Jane scoffed. “Of course Su, I am fine. Sorry about that morning. Marcus and my driver are getting on my nerves lately.” She replied.

“Oh,” Suzan seemed a little relieved. “I thought it was something else.” She muttered.

“Something like what?” Jane asked curiously.

“Nothing.” Suzan snapped. She then grinned to make the moment less weird. “We should hurry up, lunch break will soon be over,” Suzan advised as she quickened her pace.

“Have you forgotten who I am?”

Suzan glanced at her and laughed. “Oh yeah, I am the founder's daughter's friend. Why should I fret?”

‘Have you forgotten who I am?’ The question she asked rang in her ear as they made their way to her SUV and the waiting driver. It seemed to her that the question she asked Suzan was what she needed to ask herself. It seems like in the face of danger or pain she changes or forgets who she is.

Just like she had changed from being the good, sweet, charming girl to a bitchy, rude, arrogant spoiled brat because of the pain Cletus inflicted on her. And now she wants to be fearful and revengeful because of Suzan’s betrayal. She decided she was going to remember, she will be who exactly she is.

She would not break in the presence of Suzan. Her father owned this company. It was just like Marcus said, ‘she is the boss.’ She was going to step into her rightful position and do what is right. Just as she finished making those resolutions the driver made a wrong turn causing the SUV to jerk.

“What the hell is wrong with you? You make one more wrong move and you are fired!” She barked disdainfully.

She remembered the resolution she made not up to a minute ago and frowned. “Baby steps,” she told herself. ‘Baby steps.’