Max’s POV
Max parked his car outside the estate, waiting.
He had been following the little rich boy his boss always liked to have him follow, but there was a pretty rigorous security checkpoint at the gates that he didn’t want to risk going through, so unfortunately he had to wait outside.
Max lit up a cigarette while he waited, deciding he might as well use the time for recreation. He sucked in and puffed out the smoke rhythmically, all the while keeping an eye out for the black Chevvy he had been following earlier.
He didn’t understand what exactly was the observation his Miss had for the rich boy. So far as Max could tell, apart from being stinking rich and (unfairly, in Max’s opinion) being blessed with the features of a demigod, he had nothing else going for him. He was incredibly boring and did nothing but work. Hell, in all Max’s years of following him around, he had never even seen him interact with women. Perhaps he was one of them rainbow Rguys that Max had been hearing about, but Max had never seen him with a man either.
The guy’s personality was piss-poor as well. Max didn’t think he had ever seen the dude crack a smile even once in years. But then again, that was probably why the Miss liked him. Their personalities matched all too well.
Max didn’t know why he put up with her, to be honest. Sure, the pay was good, but he didn’t know if it was really worth it. The little Miss was incredibly arrogant, rude, and unbelievably haughty, but still there were certain characteristics Max could respect about her. For instance, she was one of the few rich kids he could respect, not having just been given daddy’s money but having to claw her way rung by rung up the ever-slippery social ladder. She may not have used completely honest means, but the hustle was what Max could respect.
Max’s phone suddenly brought him out of his musings with a loud ring, and speaking of the devil, Rachel Spark’s contact name, ‘Boss 2’, showed up on his screen.
He picked it up while keeping an eye out.
“Ay, what’s up, Boss?” Max asked, exhaling smoke, “Ya miss me?”
“Shut up,” Rachel’s voice came predictably harsh over the reciever, “Where is he? Where did he go?”
“Well, can’t really tell ya if I’m shut up, can I?” Max said cheekily, smirking to himself.
“Max, I swear to fucking God that if you keep trying this shit with me”
“Alright, Alright!” Max rolled his eyes. Sheesh, never any fun with this one. “Your boyfriend went into some estate. Couldn’t follow ‘im, so ‘m waiting out.”
“He’s not my” Rachel sighed, and Max could picture her massaging the bridge of her nose in annoyance. “Whatever. What’s the estate called?”
Max peeped around the image of his own bloodshot eyes and sandy-blonde hair in the side mirror to look at the top of the broad estate gates, where it’s name was constructed in big, black, broad letters that spelled;
“Magnolia Estate.”
Rachel was quiet for a while, then she began to mumble. “Magnolia… Magnolia… Who does Shawn know that lives there?”
Max shrugged, then realized she couldn’t see him and said, “How should I know? Never followed him here before.”
“Shut up, I wasn’t talking to you!”
Max was about to reply when suddenly he spotted the black Chevvy slowly leaving the gate, having successfully gone through the security checkpoint. He ducked low in his car seat, so that he wouldn’t be spotted just in case, while he peered through the car window.
The windows of the car were tinted, but luckily for him, the one on the passenger side was slightly rolled down. Max could see the little rich boy inside, and, to his utmost surprise, a little rich girl! They seemed to be arguing about something, then the widow went up, and the car was speeding off at high speed down the road.
“Er, Miss?” Max said cautiously, interrupting Rachel’s soliloquizing mutterings, “Your boyfriend just left.”
“What? Where is he going? Who is he with? Follow him, follow him!”
“Relax, damn,” said max. He was already putting his car into gear, ready to chase. “I’m on my way. And, I have bad news. Seems your boyfriend has a new girl.”
“What?” Rachel’s voice came surprised, quiet. “Is he with a girl?”
Max kind of felt sorry for her. “Yah, toots, he is.”
“Describe her for me!” She ordered sharply.
“Ehn, I didn’t see much, mind you. But she’s a blondie. Real pretty. That’s all I got.”
The reply he got came in the form of a single, drawn out beep signalling the end of the call.
Max stared at his phone for a while, then spat out a curse. “Rude ass bitch.”
One day. One day, and he would be done with this shit.
Rachel’s POV
Shawn was with a pretty blonde girl who he picked up at Magnolia Estate? Who the fuck was that?! Since when did Shawn keep contacts that she didn’t know about?
She picked up her phone and dialed her secretary, Eucharia. Working hours were over, but the girl knew that her job was at a risk if she refused to pick up. Of course, though, she didn’t.
“Eucharia,” Rachel said briskly, “I need you to check the company records for anyone who lives at Magnolia Estate in this city.”
Eucharia sounded reluctant, but she dared not refuse and only said, “Yes, ma’am.”
There was the sound of typing for a while, and then after some time Eucharia spoke up. “Mr. Conrad and Mr. Dion are listed as residents of Magnolia,” she said, “But it seems Conrad moved a few months ago.”
“Mr. Dion still lives there?” Rachel asked, just to confirm.
“Yes, ma’am,” said Eucharia.
Having gotten what she wanted, Rachel ended the call without so much as a good night. Her mind was reeling with thoughts.
Mr. Dion had a daughter. Of course. Rachel remembered now that she had seen her at a few events only the big-wigs usually attended, accompanying her father like a shiny ornament. But that didn’t make sense. She couldn’t be older than eighteen or nineteen. What would Shawn be doing with a child like that? Was the little social climber suddenly trying to get close to him now that there were rumors about Shawn taking over as Chairman flying about?
Just as she was wondering this, her phone rang, and she picked it, noting with annoyance that it was Max but still wanting the information he would give her.
“What is it?” she snapped. She was already in a bad mood.
“Yikes, if you’re like this already then”
“Max, for fucks’ sake, I don’t have time for any of your pathetic jibes. If you have something to say then fucking say it!”
Max snorted, annoying her to no end. She hated how he always joked about everything, even when she was serious as fuck.
“Wow, miss,” he continued stupidly, “You sounded just like my own sweet ma just now. Almost make me miss her.”
Rachel was about to cut him off again when he continued, “Anyway, I just called to tell you your boyfriend just went with his new chick into that new fancy Italian place on 23rd.”
Rachel’s eyes widened, and her voice was disbelieving when she asked, “D’amor?”
“Yeah,” Max’s voice came distant over the phone, confirming her worst fears. “That’s the one.”
Rachel felt like screaming, and crying, or doing both. One question was running through her mind – Why? Why? Why? Why?
She had wanted to be the one to take Shawn there for the first time. She had spent weeks planning for the day, and even had to pay Bryan off to have Shawn to herself for the day, and now not only did Shawn cancel on her for whatever plans he had with that little blonde bitch, he was also taking her to the place she had planned for them.
Rachel couldn’t remember the last time she had felt so angry, especially in regards to Shawn. He had always been very easy to keep by her side in the past. He never talked to any other girls willingly, and even when he was forced to, he did his best to mitigate further interaction. Rachel had enjoyed being the only woman he could tolerate, the only woman he ever smiled at. Most people even thought they were childhood sweethearts! Shawn was hers and hers alone, and that was how it had always been.
And now, it seemed someone else was trying to infringe on her territory. But no one took what was Rachel’s. No. One.