That very day they Charles and Joseph were having that conversation, Tom had went back to the kitchen to get himself some water when he heard them discussing about Amber and what happened at the company.
He wanted to burst in and punch Charles hard but he restrained himself and thought this would be a perfect way to break his wings that he had been planning to get by getting married to a powerful family like Joy’s. He made sure to record everything that had said without them knowing before moving back to his room.
He had been thinking about how to use it since then and didn’t know until he remembered the wedding coming up. The thought of releasing it on their wedding day crept into his mind but he also thought about how it would be ruining the day of Joy who is the bride.
Kicking against the idea, he hid the recording in his safe at home until one fateful day he had to meet with one of the investor at a golf course. The investor received a call and took a twenty minutes excuse before leaving him alone at the balcony of the huge café situated in the golf course.
He was only looking at the exquisite view of the golf course when his eyes landed on the familiar figure acting lovey-dovey with someone at the far end of the field. He wanted to ignore and return to his seat but a proper look at the lady showed that it was Joy.
“What could she be doing here?” he muttered and the guy she was with too turned, only for him not to be Charles.
He grabbed the rails of the balcony to enjoy the tea better, it was quite funny to him that the bride he was afraid he would be ruining her wedding was actually cheating too. He waited till she was done at the corner of the field and was about boarding her car before approaching her.
“Aren’t you CEO Tom Holland of Shellhouse Mall? You must have been waiting for quite a while, did you want to see me that urgently? You could have called my office to book an appointment though” was her remark as he approached her but he just waved it with a smile.
“I was here to see someone actually but I felt it was better to see you now that you are here than coming over to your office” he responded and she whispered an “Oh” before closing her door to attend to him
“Well, that’s true and is there something I can do for you?” she asked, walking closer to her.
He didn’t hide or beat behind the bush before revealing the picture of her he took with the guy. Although she quickly composed herself, he could see that she was shocked after seeing the pictures.
“Is there something wrong with coming to play golf with my friend?” she shamelessly responded only to hear a chuckle from him.
“He’s the managing director of TVX Paints, the best graduating student of his university and also the best student while he was in high school. He happened to be in the same class with you, be the one who you were dating for years throughout the university before your father cut him off by threatening to ruin his company” he narrated and that broke her.
How was he able to get something that much in the span of an hour? How did he know all the details about someone he haven’t even met? She was so surprised that she couldn’t even pretend anymore and he knew he had broken her defense.
“You were wondering about how I got the information so fast? Well if I am in this position and doesn’t have the fastest source of right information then I would be deemed incompetent. I am not here to threaten but help you and that’s if you want that though” was his next response to her action.
She was not sure about how he wanted to help her and doesn’t think the help is worth it. Growing up as the only daughter of her father, the chairman of MG Pharmaceutical, she had learnt one thing and that is never to cower in fear even when someone has your weakness in your face.
“I don’t know the help you are talking about but I want you to understand that the picture is very useless as what is going on between us right now. We both understand that this will not continue when I get married so you don’t have to concern yourself with my private matter” she slapped back, an evil grin on her face boldly.
She opened her car door before turning to Tom who was still standing behind her “If that is all then I will be on my way. I will also pretend this meeting never existed, Mr. Tom Holland” she added before getting into her car but he held her car door from closing.
“If you feel you need my help cutting Charles off then I will be in my office waiting” he said to her and helped her close the door before leaving for his own car.
Truly, Joy and Charles never liked each other. He was into harassing women sexually while she has someone she loved with all her life for so long. The only thing bringing them together was the arrangement between their families and they both doesn’t care about whatever they do privately. They both agreed to be a couple on the surface while enjoying themselves underneath.
She went over to discuss the benefits of their marriage with him one afternoon, they were halfway into the discussion when his hand suddenly crept on her skin. She flared up in shock before realizing that he was the culprit, immediately she questioned what the motive behind his move was.
“Why are you pretending when you know what I want? I will be the one to see everything when I get married to you so why can’t I see it now?” he stated to her shock.
She couldn’t control her anger as she scoffed before rubbing off his touch with disgust plastered all over her face. He sleeps with almost two to three separate ladies in a week and the thought of someone as lose as that was dirty to her, she had even planned to allow him touch her when they get married but seeing what he did now, her anger level was rising beyond normal with each passing seconds.
“You seems to be forgetting something, this is a marriage of business and not love. The only reason I am in a space with someone as dirty as you is because I have no choice but to go through this marriage. If you dare lay your filthy hands on me again, without my permission, I will make sure to break this shit called marriage off. You know, MG can surely perform well without you so don’t think this is a do or die affair” she lashed at him, spitting angrily but the next thing that happened to her was unbelievable.
A hot slap from him landed on her right cheek all of a sudden. It was so hard that it stung her deep into her skin, her flesh got hot and red in a whim. She held her cheek in disbelief but he didn’t stop there, he wrapped his fingers around her neck and pushed her back into the wall with a full force making her bounce against the wall.
“What do you think you are doing?” she groaned even though his grip on her was tight but he only responded with a forceful kiss. His hand roamed around her thighs as he tried to get rid of her dress but she struggled hard to keep it on herself which she succeeded in doing by dipping a finger in his left eye.
She managed to push him away and returned the hot slap he previously gave her before a flustering scoff escaped her mouth. How could he even think of doing something like that to her? Does that means even when they get married, he would try to rape her if she denies him of having anything to do with her?
“Were you trying to molest me just now? Are you even in your right senses?” she yelled at him but he only laughed crazily before shrugging, “You are just like other girls to me, there is no need to feel special. I get it when I want it from any lady” he stated without remorse.
It was then she knew that she was getting herself into something she would not be able to handle. She finalized that she would rather forsake everything and be with the person who loves and respects her than be with someone crazy about women’s body.
She marched out of the house angrily to declare that she would be calling the wedding off to her father when she remembered that Tom told her to come over to him anytime she feels his help is needed concerning their marriage.
That was the perfect time to bring him into the equation, she realized. Immediately, she ignited her car and drove to Shellhouse Mall.