CHAPTER 38
ROBERT’S POV
“Mum calm down okay? She was just leaving,” I said as I tried to calm my mum.
I came in between, stopping her from getting past me to Scarlett. She was so angry I could tell she wanted to strike Scarlett if I wasn’t preventing her.
“You’re so shameless,” my mum threw her words like stones at Scarlett. “After everything this family has done for you, this is how you chose to repay us. You should have never come back from wherever it was you went yesterday or better died in an accident so I don’t get to see your disgusting face again. You are such a disgrace I feel like spitting right in your face. I can’t believe I thought of you as the perfect daughter-in-law and wife for my son…”
“Mum please stop…” I kept urging her to stop but she kept rambling away, the heat that came with her rage palpable and unquenchable. For a long time, I haven’t seen her this angry. What Scarlett did really did pull a tight string in her. Yesterday, she was hell-bent on carrying on with the idea of suing and sending her to jail. If Raphael hadn’t fallen on his knees to plead and the rest of us managed to convince her Jake would need his father, she wouldn’t have changed her mind.
Scarlett broke down in tears, deep racking and making her shake almost uncontrollably as my mum hurled those abusive words at her. Raphael had to guide her outside which was the right thing to do while I worked on calming my mother. I didn’t want Jake walking in on us and seeing this. It’ll only make him suspect something was wrong and he won’t want to leave anymore.
“Mum, I’m begging you to stop. Lower your voice. I don’t want Jake walking in on us like this. It took a lot out of me to convince him, you’ll only terrify him further.”
The tension in the atmosphere subsided as she stopped, but her mouth was still set in annoyance and she was breathing heavily like a storm barely contained.
“Why are you restraining me?” She gave me a hard stare. “Don’t tell me you feel sorry for her.”
“I’m not,” I grimaced. “I’m just worried about Jake, that’s all.”
“You shouldn’t be worrying about another man’s child,” she said coldly, causing me to look with my jaw slightly clenched. “Your father will be up soon. He might even shoot her if he sees her anywhere around here. Just do whatever you have to do and get them off my property as soon as possible. I don’t want people to find out about this. It will be a disgrace to you and the entire family knowing how grand your wedding was.” She finished before making her way out of the guest room.
Just then, I saw Jake approaching with a stack of storybooks in his hands. Thank goodness he arrived just in time to miss the scene that just unfolded. Still, a puzzled look crossed his face.
“I saw Nana, she looked angry and didn’t even talk to me. What happened?”
“It’s nothing okay,” I lowered to his level, smiling at him like nothing happened. “What you got there?” I asked, pointing at the stack of stories in his hands.
“It’s all the storybooks you got me. I will be sharing them with the little kids when my new daddy and I start going on the awesome adventures,” he said with a gleam in his eyes.
I remember buying him all those children’s stories like it was yesterday. I got at least four for him every year to instil a reading habit in him. That’s one of the reasons he learned to read faster than his peers. At the tender age of five, he could already read full sentences like a pro. I also read some to him in bed before he slept. How much I’m going to miss that.
“You’re a great kid you know,” I cradled his cheek, thinking about how much I’m going to miss him. He wasn’t even gone yet and I was already feeling this way.
He nodded.
“Don’t forget everything I have taught you.” We recited our motto which was, “Do to people what you want them to do for you.”
“The driver is here,” I heard Raphael say behind me as I glanced over my shoulder. “We’re ready to go.”
“Be good to everyone you meet there. Be good to your new daddy and don’t give him a hard time. He will take very good care of you. And don’t forget to take care of mummy, okay?” I gave him my last piece of advice before letting out a deep breath and standing.
He nodded obediently. I helped him carry some of the storybooks while holding his hand with my free hand as we made our way outside the mansion.
“Since you can’t come with us, will you be coming for visits?” He asked, tilting his head to look at me.
“Yes,” I faked a smile, my heart heavy in my chest. “I will be visiting.” But that was a lie. This was the last time we’d be seeing each other.
*
*
*
In the conference room…
“First you rescheduled our meeting without informing me, ruining my plans yesterday. Now you’re telling me you can’t bring your former marketing executive, Lily back to continue with our project?” One of our valued clients who had Lily handling his company project since they began working with us said with his face set in frustration.
I shifted awkwardly in my seat, trying as hard as I could to address the matter. “I understand, but I assure you, we have a team-”
“No,” the client cut me off. “Enough of your excuses. This ad agency has proven to be nothing but a disappointment. I asked for her back, and you couldn’t make it happen despite all the time I gave you. This is a big project. I’m not risking it.”
Briefly, I closed my eyes, feeling flustered and unable to think clearly. I didn’t know how to explain to him that getting Lily back was utterly impossible. He was so bent on getting her back to continue with his company project, he wasn’t willing to settle for anything else. If we lose him, no doubt other clients who had Lily handling their campaign projects will follow suit because they must have lost their patience already.
This particular client owned a textile company that produced a limited supply of cashmere from a special breed of goats. Their product was one of a kind, and it was in high demand globally. I can’t afford to lose them-it would severely impact the company.
“I’m done!” He said flatly, rising to his feet. “I hired you because of your marketing executive, Lily. She knew my business inside and out and was the one who convinced me to step out of my comfort zone and consider advertising our brand because I was sceptical about these kinds of things. Now that she’s gone and you can’t get her back for reasons I can’t seem to understand, I can’t keep working with you.”
I tried to reassure him that we’re still fit to manage his brand but he wasn’t giving me a listening ear as he angrily said, “Send me the final invoice. We end it here,” and walked out the door.
I popped out a loud breath and rested my back against the door. The conference room fell silent as I felt the weight of everything that had happened pressing down on me.
My phone rang in my suit pocket, startling me. Digging it out, I saw it was Carrey calling. I picked it and her voice sounded from the speaker in a tense tone as if to deliver bad news. “Hey, Mr. Robert. Velvet Vine, one of the wine brands Lily was managing just sent in an email.”
“What did they say?” I asked in a tone filled with suspense, hoping it wasn’t what I was expecting.
“They said they’re no longer interested in working with us,” she squeaked.
Gently, as if caught in a trance, I brought the phone down from my ear. I didn’t bother to listen to what else Carrey had to say as I cut the call.
My world flashed before me, crashing like a wrecking ball. Then it dawned on me. I couldn’t let this company crumble. It was my family’s legacy, my inheritance. I would do whatever it took to protect it, no matter the cost.
Quickly, I put a call through to Frank. He picked in one ring.
“Hey boss,” his voice lacked luster, obviously because I fired him just yesterday.
“How would you like to get your job back?” I went straight to the point.
“Yes…” he sounded surprised, almost desperate. “Yes boss, I’m willing to do anything to get my job back…anything.”
“Find Lily. I don’t care what it takes-use your tech skills, every tool at your disposal, anything you need. Just find her and bring her back to me.”