Chapter 38: Chapter 38

Kenneth Domanco

How can they have a lot of things in common? How can she be so fierce just like her?

Seeing the way she shout at me and never get scared of me made me remember the past. My first encounter with Vivian.

I had thought she was a good, naive and innocent girl but, never knew she was only pretending. None of my family likes her, including my friend... I had no idea she would stab me in the back with my best friend.

Why does Chloe always make me remember her at every given time. They both have lots of things in common. Does this means, she's just exactly like her too? A betrayal?

No, I must be mistaken.

Chloe is nothing like her! She's different.

And what if, you're mistaken?- my subconscious told me.

Flashback

"How... dare you... slap me?!!!" Ken roared in anger.

"I will slap you, again and again" Vivian said with a satisfied smile plastered on her face.

"You-" he wanted to say something but she cut him off again.

"Why? Has anyone never put you in your place?" Sye smiled and he sneered.

"What happened, you can't talk again? Did Cat caught your tongue? Because the last time I checked, you were yelling at this poor woman standing right in front of you."

"Miss, you're making a very big mistake" John, Ken's personal guard said calmly. He wish Vivian know who she was challenging.

" I believe, your boss here is making a very mistake. How dare he talk to an old woman like that? Old enough to be his mother!" She asked sounding mad.

"Vivian you-" Mrs Peter, the owner of the restaurant tried to stop her but all to avail.

"No mom. This is unacceptable!" She said before she turn her attention back to Ken "He can't just come here and talk to you the way he like. Who is he?"

"Vivian, please stop it. Don't cause a scene"

She sighed. "Mom, tell this ugly dumb spoilt brat to leave here this instant"

"But my dear-"

"Mom, tell him to leave or else-"

"Or else what?" Came Ken's hard voice. He haven't uttered a word until now. He just keep quiet looking at her with an amused look. For the first time, someone dares go against him. A lady raise her voice at him and above all, she slapped him twice.

Fuck! She will regret ever doing this to me- he thought.

"John!"

"Yes... yes sir"

"You know what to do right?" He said. His voice was so hard and held nothing but authority.

"Yes sir" John signal to the rest of the guards and they drove all of the customers out. Now left Vivian, Ken, the rest of the workers, Mrs Peter , john and the guards.

"What the hell are you doing? Stop them!" Vivian glared at him angrily as she shout.

"No, I won't. You dare slapped me! How dare you slap me... do you know who I'm?"

"Who are you? A prince or A king? Or a president? You're a nobody but a very stupid, ugly spoilt guy who walk around spending his father's money the way he likes."

"What?!! What did you just say?" He fumed.

Vivian rolled her eyes feeling irritated by his behaviour. "You heard me right"

"I dare you to repeat that statement again" his voice sound harsh and cold. He was fuming inside. Vivian was feeling scared but she tried not to show it. "Repeat that statement once again and you'll regret it" he added.

"I said you-"

Mrs Peter stopped her before she could utter a word. "Vivian dear, please stop it okay? It's fine. I don't want any issue, Just let it be" she tried to ease the tension between the two.

Ken smirked. Now, he knows what to use against her. He'll make sure she pays for what she did "So, she's your mother?"

"No my son, she-"

"Yes, I'm her daughter. What will you do?"

"Many things duckling. And now, I'm going to close down this restaurant and no one, I repeat, no one will dare stop me."

" You can't do anything!"

"Watch me duckling" he scorn.

"John!"

"Yes, sir"

He whispered to his ear. "Five minutes John to find out about this woman and this restaurant"

He then smirked at her and announced "Close down this restaurant... Not until I give you the orders to do that otherwise, you must not allow anyone in."

"But sir-"

"Now!!" He roared in anger. Vivian flinch with the tone he just used.

"Everyone, please go out" John announced.

"No one is leaving. This is not your father's house that-"

"HOW DARE YOU DRAG MY FATHER INTO THIS?!!" He fumed in anger.

"And how dare you treat my mother in such manner?"

"Vivian, stop it!" Mrs Peter scold. She drag Vivian away to talk some senses into her.

"Vivian, what are you doing?" She whispered.

She sighed. "Mom, I'm trying to put him in his place. He can't just come here and insult you. No, I'll never take that. You're like a mother to me"

"I know, and I'm so grateful to you for that, but just take a look at him." she pointed towards where Ken is and now, he was sitting down with a beautiful smirk plastered on his face.

How I wish I could wipe that stupid smirk off his face- she thought in anger.

"Look at him Vivian, he's from a rich family. Look around, there are so many guards with him. Do you think we can ever go against him?"

"But, no matter how rich he's. He can never be above the law. We need to report him to the police station, right away"

"And you think that will solve our problem?"

"Yes mom, I'm sure if we tell them what happened, they're going to support us"

"And what if he bribe them with his money? What can we do after that? It's going to be another problem for us Vivian. Remember, in this country, the rich people are always right while the middle class like us are always wrong no matter what"

"Please Vivian, initially, this restaurant is not mine because I took a loan before I could open this place. Presently as we speak, my husband is lying on the hospital bed, he's sick. He has cancer but luckily, he's still at his early stage, they could cure him but money is required. I paid for his treatment through the money that I make in this restaurant, I pay my house rent, my children fee through the money I make from here. If I loose this restaurant, my children won't be able to further their education, my husband's treatment will have to be on hold, I'll be asked out of my house and what will then happens to me? I'll be left with nothing." She narrated with tears on her face.

"Please don't cry." she wiped her tears away with her two hands. "I've heard you. I just can't tolerate anyone talk to you in such manner. You've been like a mother to me. You loved me just like your own daughter. It's hard to just sit there and watch him treat you bad. You've shown me nothing but love. That's why I can't bear to see anyone Insulting you"

"I know Vivian, I know you're doing all of this for me but please, I also don't want anything to go wrong at the same time. Let just flow with him. Do whatever he says just so he could leave this restaurant in peace. If we have to beg him, let's do that. I can't bare to loose this restaurant please" she pleaded.

"Okay, I promise you, you won't loose this restaurant."

"Thank you dear." she smiled at her and they both walk back to where Ken was sitting.

"Please sir, we can sort everything out amicably. She's just a child, that's all. Please forgive all of her mistakes."

"May I remind you that your plea is nothing compared to the embarrassment your daughter just caused me"

"I know, and-"

"You deserve it though" both Mrs Peter and Vivian said at the same time.

"Vivian" She warned.

"I'm sorry." she whispered to her.

"What do you want me to do, for you to forgive us. Okay, I promise, I'll ask them to make the meal right away. Is that not what you want?."

"No. I've changed my mind." he replied. He looked at Vivian who was busy glaring at him and smirked at her before he then faced Mrs Peter. "Give her to me, and I'll leave in peace"

"What?!!!" Both women chorused at the same time.

"You stupid ugly guy! I'm not a property that you can just acquire like that! I'm a human just like you!"

"Point of correction duckling. You can never be like me. And to remind you, whatever I want, I get it. Now, it's your choice old woman. Give this duckling here to me and I'll leave in peace. Your husband will be safe, and I will pay off the debt you've been owning for this place. Or... not only will you loose your husband, I'll also make sure all of your children are suspended from their school... the choice is yours"

"What?!!!" By now, Vivian couldn't control her temper anymore. Tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"ho... how... how did you know about-" She stuttered.

"I have my source, duckling" he smiled. A satisfied one because he enjoyed seeing her in displeasure. "And ma'am, you shouldn't be concerned about her, she's just a worker here. She should mean nothing to you. I thought she was your daughter but turns out, she's not"

"But she's like a daughter to me. Please spare her"

"You choose. Your family or your worker?"

"Please don't make me to choose, she's like a daughter to me please. I beg you in the name of Allah, spare her. I promise, she'll never repeat this mistake again" Mrs Peter begged. She was about to kneel but Vivian stopped her.

" No, please don't do this. He doesn't worth it"

"But Vivian-"

"I will handle it mom, don't worry".

She faced him whilst she wipe the threatening tears away from her face "why are you so heartless? Just because you're rich doesn't give you the right to hurt innocent people!"

"Why are you doing this? We never know you from anywhere. You barged in here and caused ruckus simply because you couldn't get the food you wanted. Is this how your parent brought you up? To make innocent and poor people suffer?" She bitterly asked.

"Shut up you stupid duckling! Don't you dare! I repeat, don't you dare bring my parents in to this, most especially my mother. I'm warning you or else-"

"Or else what? You'll threaten to ruin everyone's life in here? Is that what you'll do? Don't you feel a little bit remorse at all? If you have any problem with me, you can just take your anger out on me but why dragging the innocent people."

"Yes, I slapped you but I only did that just to make you realize your mistake but instead, you seem to be more foolish than before"

"You-"

"Fine! You want to punish me right?" She wipe her tears. "Fine, I'll follow you to wherever you want to take me to but please, just spare mom and her family. They are her last hope most especially this restaurant" she said pointing towards Mrs Peter. "She's innocent, I was the one who slapped you not her. I'll go with you, just promise me you won't drag her family into this"

"I don't make promises duckling. And if you were not going to follow me in the easiest way, I would have done it forcefully but you should be happy, you cooperate easily. You turned out to be a good girl"

"John!"

"Yes sir"

" Make the preparations, we're going back home."

" But what about the mi-"

" I'll take care of it."

End of flashback.

He looked at Chloe who was now calm in front of him. He was supposed to be upset at her but for some strange reason, he couldn't. All he sees was nothing but his ex girlfriend in her.