Chapter 42: Chapter 42

ANGELIQUE SLOAN’S POV

My eyes remained at the center of the front page. Greyson pulled over, giving me time to react to what I discovered. “What is the meaning of this, Lian, Greyson? If this is some kind of prank, I’d rather you stop it now before I get furious,” I said in between my heavy breathings.

“Don’t overreact, Angelique. It’s not like this is the first time that you’ve gotten yourself involved with crimes,” Lian mumbled, insulting me right in front of Greyson. “Besides, you’re not the one who’s going to do whatever’s written in those papers. I just showed them to you so you wouldn’t doubt your husband’s words,” she added.

Greyson invited the two of us to go out for a while and get some fresh air, noticing that the tension between Lian and me began to worsen. He opened the door for me but not for Lian, which made me slightly grin. Fortunately, there was a stall open nearby with no customers, so we were freely allowed to stay inside. Lian and I watched Greyson from the corner of the stall, and we were seated across from one another.

“So, now that you know why you saw Lian there, what’s your next move?” Greyson asked as he returned from the cashier after he bought some snacks for us. “Are you going to report her?” he added, knowing that I wouldn’t do such a thing.

I clicked my tongue as I gave the files back to Lian. “I never planned anything, Greyson. I just thought that you’re seeing Lian behind my back and doing luscious acts with her without informing me,” I retorted.

“Since these are confidential…” Lian flipped the pages of the document she was holding. “Do you think that we can just let you roam around after you heard about this?”

I scrunch my forehead. “Get straight to the point, Lian. What are you expecting me to do? Kill those people for you?” I inquired as I crossed my arms below my chest, leaning my head on the wall without removing my gaze on her.

The files that Lian was holding contained different people’s personal details and their background up to the present. They were all targets of the company, mainly the chairman, Greg. From what I read, once someone from the list gets taken down, the finance department would immediately receive the cash reward through bank wires. The sender and the receiver would be strictly anonymous though, so there’s no way for me to trace where the money would be coming from.

“I can’t rely on you for this kind of task, Angelique. I know that you only killed your parents out of rage. But taking the life of someone you’ve never met?” Lian shook her head. “I highly doubt that you could do it. You couldn’t even finish off your mother. I heard that she’s still alive and is on good terms with your husband’s other woman,” she continued, teasing me.

“Then, what should I do?”

Lian and Greyson looked at each other, sending meaningful gazes like they could communicate through their eyes. When Greyson nodded his head once, it was the sign for Lian to give me a response.

“Go finish what you couldn’t do before, Angelique,” Lian said with a straight face. “Your mother is such a nuisance to our business and also to Greyson. If she doesn’t exist, no one else other than Gwynneth can be a risk with your relationship with him,” she explained.

My heart thumped quicker than I could imagine. “I lost to her once, and I don’t know where she’s hiding now, Lian.” I turned her down, thinking that my mother might’ve fled to a faraway place. “And for Gwynneth... I don’t have any plans on seeing her again. My blood boils every single time that I think of her. I don’t know what I’d do if I saw her again.

Lian held my right forearm tightly, causing me to fix my posture and glare at her. “I never gave you any room for excuses, Angelique. You must kill her first before I lay a hand on her,” she seriously said.

I was also informed that the duration would be within a week. And that it was a race between Lian and me. If she gets to take my mother’s life first, then that means that I must move under her thumb and act like her slave for months. And if I win against her in a race of time, then Lian and Greyson would both set me free from their chains.

“Why are you doing this to me, Lian? Didn’t you say just a few hours ago that you’re still indebted to me?” I questioned her sudden change in personality, seeing how much she seemed like a different person now.

Lian chuckled. “What are you saying? You simply accompanied me to the hospital and swiped your husband’s card that day. You never used your own money, Angelique. You can’t use that against me,” she replied.

I massaged the temple of my head in a circular motion upon the realization that Lian was right. I simply acted according to Greyson’s order, too.

Greyson placed his hand above my head, slightly patting it. “You’ll be alright. I’m going to be with you in Lian’s challenge,” he muttered before he stopped patting me.

“Aren’t you going to team up with her?” I pointed at Lian. “And why do I have to get my hands dirty again? Can’t I just report my mother to the police and everything else that they’ve done to me in the past?” I asked.

My parents were the ones who made my entire life suffer. However, my father’s death was more than enough. I still haven’t faced the consequence for murdering him, and now they’re making me more sinful.

“Come out for a second,” Greyson demanded as he stood up from his seat. “Don’t follow us, Lian. I’ll just say something important,” he warned.

I quickly followed Greyson outside, and as he stopped around the other corner of the stall, he brought out his cigarette and lit it up. “What did you want to tell me?” I asked.

Greyson stretched out his arms in front of me. “Come here.” With a perplexed mind, I stepped forth and let him embrace me as he wanted. “Don’t let Lian kill your mother, Angelique. She’s insane down to the core. I said that I’m going to be with you since I also need to protect her,” he whispered directly to my ears, letting me feel his hot breath.

“Are you sure that you want to protect my mother, or is it Gwynneth that you want to protect?” I arrogantly asked.