Nelly was instantly alert.
“Why will you go to such place without telling me? What if I wasn’t with my phone? Or I didn’t hear you when you mentioned where you were?”
“But Ivan, did he see me?”
Ash rolled his eyes and answered,
“I covered you so he didn’t but I’m sure Aria did. She might even be plotting what next to do. I don’t trust that girl. Be careful next time please. So tell me, why exactly did you go to the bar to think as you claimed?”
“Neuer is cheating on me.”
“And how did you know?”
Nelly narrated what happened in the morning, leaving no detail behind and Ash laughed.
“What’s funny? You know I’m serious here, don’t you?”
“You merely heard a lady’s voice and you blacklisted his number and termed him a cheat. Remember when I was dating Vivian, we were so close that she thought I was cheating but I wasn’t.”
“He doesn’t have any female best friends. He was even breathing hard to show that he just finished a round with her. I know that!”
“You didn’t give him a chance to explain, did you?”
“He’s cheating and I know it!” Nelly said with a tone of finality.
“Okay. Just remove his number from your blacklist and when next he calls, hear him out. I’m sure you love him and you don’t want to lose him based on assumptions.”
“Emmm. Fine. I’ve heard you and I’ll do as you said. That’s by the way. There is something going on in my father’s company and I need to find out everything even the most minimal detail. He doesn’t want to tell me but I must find out myself.
“How do you intend doing that?”
“With your help. I will make sure I leave no stone unturned. I won’t rest until it’s all clear and settled. I will go back to the company impromptu, catch them unawares and in that way, find out everything that happened in the company in my absence. Easton Landers is even part of this whole thing. It means it’s really deep.”
“I’m always here for you. Let’s discuss the best and most effective ways to do this and get it done in no time.”
Ivan was seated with Aunty Lily in the VIP section of a classy restaurant. She had specifically called him out for lunch saying she had something to speak to him about. They were done eating but she hadn’t said anything yet. Ivan on his own part did not want to push her too hard.
“Ivan,” she finally called with a serious expression on her face.
“When did your secretary start working for you?” she continued.
“About a year ago. Is there any problem?”
“No. Not at all.”
“Talk to me. You’ve been acting all up since you saw my secretary and you have been so concerned about her. Is there anything you want to tell me?”
“Emm.. no…yes.. I can never be concerned about her and that’s final.”
Ivan looked at her with searching eyes but she wasn’t giving off any hint. Her facial expression was blank.
“Listen my dear brother. For your own safety, Ivan, it’s best you sack that girl.”
Ivan was taken aback. Was Aunty Lily aware that he was having an affair with his secretary?
“May I know why?”
“There’s no need to know why. Just know she’s a potential threat and the earlier you get rid of her, the better for you.”
“You speak in unclear terms. Can you please tell me something that I can understand properly?”
“Like I said, there’s nothing to tell. Just do as I said and everything will be fine.”
Without another word, she took her bag and left the restaurant, leaving a dazed Ivan behind.
Ivan sat in his office, nursing a glass of wine and thinking about what transpired between him and his aunty earlier that day.
Who exactly is Stacy and why is Aunty Lily concerned about her?
To the best of his knowledge, Stacy was just a poor struggling girl whose mother was ill in the hospital. He came to her rescue, took care of the bills and in return, she had to satisfy him if need be.
“Did I make a mistake somewhere?”
He took his phone and dialed a number.
“Find out everything about my secretary, Stacy Roberts. I want the reports sent to my email in five minutes.”
“Yes sir!”
Stacy knocked and entered when she was asked to. She was carrying some files with her.
“Sir, the personnel department sent this for signing.”
Ivan pointed at a space on the table. She dropped it there and made to leave.
“Sir, please, when can I come for it?”
Ivan glared at her, making her wish she had just left quietly.
“I’m sorry sir.”
“Wait and take it now.”
He opened the files one after the other and endorsed his signature.
“President Landers, you don’t look alright. Is there a problem?”
Ivan said nothing until he was done signing the papers.
“Listen. I don’t know what has come over you but you need to know your place. Do you think that because I gave you the little privilege to come to bed with me, you can ask me questions as you like?”
Stacy bowed her head and apologized.
“Know your place. I will not overlook this next time. Be gone!”
She grabbed the files and made to leave but unfortunate fate was against her. The files fell and she hurried to pick them from the ground. Ivan’s cold look spelt out the question in his mind.
“Why are you being so clumsy?”
Ding!
A notification popped up on Ivan’s laptop. He had just received a mail. He knew it was the one he requested. He calmly gulped up his wine, bracing himself up for whatever before her opened the email. “There is nothing special about her, she just from a random part of the society,” he thought until his eyes struck something! No doubt this was the reason for Aunty Lily’s fear and discomfort.