Chapter 96: Chapter 96

Maya yawned tiredly after the long tiresome press conference.

While In college, she had thought she knew all there was to know about this field of work but nobody had talked about the insanity that came with the publicity of an application.

They were done with the meeting after some minutes past 7 and Tyler had insisted on having a brief wrap with the rest of her unlucky executive colleagues despite everyone's groan.

She had been too tired to even protest and even now, she barely registered Tyler's word but could see his mouth was moving.

He was pointing at her and yet she knew that if she dare hear a word he was saying through her sated brain she could only scream obscenities especially if it was a question.

Shouldn't this be illegal and an infringement of human rights?

Her phone vibrated inside her purse since it was silenced, for like the hundredth time and she sighed remembering that she had Xavier to face too. He sure was going to tell her to fucking quit at this rate.

"Maya!" Jared tapped her and she glared at him instinctively, pure murder intent in her eyes.

"Wow tigress," he whispered raising his hands in surrender and chuckling.

She raised her brow as the rest of her colleagues laughed. Okay, it was official, she was the only normal person with average human ability in the room.

At this point, she doubted that even a well-known stand-up comedian could produce such sound from her lips.

"Do you think you can do that, Miss Luke?" Tyler mumbled and by the exasperated look in his eyes, this wasn't the first time he was asking her the question.

Not wanting to ask him what she could do since that will earn her death glares from everyone in the room, betraying the fact that she had not been present mentally all along.

She smiled, "Of course, piece of cake."

She saw a little smirk on Tyler's face but she could tell she had imagined it because when she had blinked again, she saw the tired spent-out look on his face mirrored on every other person. It had been quite a day.

"You want to grab dinner and then I drop you at home afterward?" Jared smiled helping her to her feet, his arms around her.

She wanted to tell him she could manage but knew that was a lie.

Her phone rang again and then remembering she'll have to answer his call at some point, she opened her bag and answered the phone.

"What is wrong with you, Maya Vanessa Luke?"

She shivered noting the anger and worry in his voice. Jared eyed her, mouthing "are you okay?"

She nodded, offering him a small smile.

"We had a really busy day today."

"I don't care where you are but when I call you, I need you to fucking pick your phone and answer me, is that too hard to ask?"

She sighed, now resting completely on Jared without even knowing it, "No. I'm sorry."

His voice softened, "God, just quit already if it gets too much."

"It is not that deep."

"We are going to have this conversation much later Maya but now, where are you because I've been to the office twice?"

"I'll send you the location once you drop the call, Xavier."

She glared immediately he disconnected knowing he was completely furious and not looking forward to communicating with him especially when by the looks of it he was going to be difficult about everything.

"Thank you for the offer, but Xavier is on his way already," she smiled politely at Jared as she switched on the location on her phone, too tired to even recollect where they were at the moment.

"I gathered that much. But you didn't have lunch and I know you must be really hungry. Have dinner with me."

She gave him an uneasy smile not knowing if that was a good idea.

"I'm not that hungry," she whispered even as he supported her so they left the makeshift meeting room.

And because she had the worst of luck, her tummy choose that very moment to rumble making her look away embarrassed while Jared chuckled.

"I know this good place and it is around here. You'll be done before Xavier gets here and it is super convenient for you since he is coming around here anyway," he reasoned.

She bit her lower lips and then blinked wondering why the fuck she was even thinking about Xavier when she was starving to death. She smiled at Jared, "Thank you."

He nodded.

"No, I mean it. For everything."

He smiled. "It was nothing."

***

Xavier closed his eyes enjoying the soft breeze of the evening, with the rooftop of his car open while he wondered what the fuck was wrong with Maya.

Why the hell did she seem intent on wanting to give him a panic attack, he thought as he remembered all the wild scenarios that had rang in his head as she ignored all his calls and text.

He had even dug up the number of Tyler, whose line was completely switched off making him experience a wave of nausea that had sent him throwing up the clam chowder he had had for lunch.

Then, he had just called and called Maya because he knew he needed something to do else he might just go insane if he stopped to think of what would have happened to her and when she had finally replied, she was completely fine though he could make out the fatigue in her voice which had just made him completely weak and at that moment he had felt inconsiderate and silly for disturbing her and even shouting at her when he knew just how much she was working her butts off for his stepbrother.

Tyler Salvador.

He had expected Tyler to tell Maya already at this point what had happened but it seems like he had other plans or perhaps he was just too busy with his new application that scheming was a hobby he was willing to postpone.

Either way, his chest thundered against his ribcage every day he watch her leave not knowing when she will finally know because he didn't trust for a second that Tyler had no ulterior motive.

But the question was why will he want her to work for him when he could easily just spill it all on the phone?

He knew the answer to that because if someone had messed with Melissa or had been responsible for his sister's death, he'll do that too.

He was going to take it slow, make it gradual, as painful as possible, and then even without using force he was going to kill him somehow. He wasn't just going to make Maya despise him, he was going to make him watch her happy with another.

"Can you drive faster?" He snapped at his driver, fear pulsing in his veins.

He should tell her to resign, they were overstressing her after all and that'll be a valid argument but he won't.

She won't be sacrificing anymore for his sake, that'll only make her hate him more when she finds out. Besides, this could only be Justice huh? Tyler had waited years for him to have a weakness and now he had identified it, he sure was going to use it to shatter him.

Use her.

Make her hate him.

The car stopped, "We are here, sir."

He blinked down, about alighting from the car when his eyes caught sight of a familiar petite frame, she was chuckling with some dude, who looked familiar for some reason.

But he couldn't care less about the pretty boy especially seeing how close their proximity was. He saw red.

"I see you Tyler, I do." He whispered to himself even as he doubled his pace to meet Maya, hot anger and disappointment in his eyes.