27
Chapter Twenty Seven
Amanda remained at the front of the elevator for a few seconds, taking in the scene in front of her.
Samuel was what you’d call tall, dark, and handsome. He sure had an appeal to him, and that’s one reason Amanda had fallen for his charms in the first place. But now, looking at him, none of the warmth that filled her chest whenever she saw him when they were dating showed up. Instead, everything inside froze up, and she wanted him gone in an instant.
“How did you get up here?” she demanded, resuming her walk.
“You didn’t change the code.”
Damn, right. She had never thought of that because she had never expected him to show up at her place.
“Why are you at the door, then, if you had the guts to show up here?” she mocked. He could have easily gotten inside if he was able to let himself into the apartment building.
“I didn’t want to cross any lines.”
She huffed. “Lines. Suddenly know what those are?” She approached her door and punched in the code. “I have no idea what you’re doing here, and I don’t want to find out. I don’t want to see you. Never come to my place again.”
Before she could push the door open, he grabbed her by the elbow. “Give me a second. I need to talk to you.”
She snatched her arm out of his grip. “I have nothing else to give you, Samuel. Leave me alone.”
“I want to apologise!” He called out hastily, putting a foot into the doorway. “I’m sorry about what Nancy did yesterday. I don’t know why she did that.”
Amanda turned around and faced him. “Aww, you’re here to apologise on behalf of your girlfriend. How romantic.”
Samuel sighed and reached out to her, but pulled his hand back before he could touch her again. “I’m also sorry about what happened with our engagement. I didn’t mean to hurt you that way.”
Amanda crossed her arms over her chest. “You didn’t? What, do you mean that after you trampled on my heart and stole my company from under my nose, I would have walked smiling into the sunset, no harm done?”
“Amanda, please—”
“I don’t want to see your face, ever again,” she interrupted him.
“I was going to stop everything. I was going to abandon the plan,” he confessed hurriedly, as if to keep her from shutting the door in his face. “It’s true, my intentions were horrible at first. But… But… I fell in love with you, Mandy. And I… I wasn’t going to steal anything from you after the wedding, I swear. I was going to break up with Nancy when you got hold of that video.”
She scoffed. “You must think I’m stupid.”
He shook his head vehemently. “I swear I’m not lying. I only went away after you broke up with me because I thought I deserved it for what I did to you. I figured I could just stick with Nancy and forget everything about you. But these two months, I’ve been worried sick about you and drowning in guilt. After what she did yesterday, I broke up with her. You’re the only woman I ever want to be with, Amanda. I’m begging for a second chance.”
“You were cheating on me for two years, but suddenly, after two months, you realise how much you loved me?” she wondered. “What makes you think I’d consider, even for a second, giving you a second chance, after what you did to me? Do you think I've been sitting around, moping, waiting for you to show up again?”
He shook his head and took a step forward. “I know I hurt you, Amanda. But… Have you forgotten about all the good times we had together? We were so good together. You know we can work.”
“Ill never want to be with you again. Got it?”
“Maybe you’ve been so angry and forgot all the good times. I can remind you.”
Amanda started pushing the door closed. “If you don’t leave now, I’m going to call security.”
“Please, Amanda. I love you. I really do.”
“That’s your problem.” Her knuckles grew taut as she grasped the door tightly. “If you don’t step back, I’ll hurt your foot.”
“Amanda—”
“Get the fuck away from me, Samuel!” she yelled, because talking to him normally didn’t seem to be working. “We’re done. You’re the worst mistake I’ve ever made. You have no idea how messed up you’ve made everything I care about.”
He barely managed to get his foot out of the way when she slammed the door shut.
He knocked on her door a few times, but she walked away from it and into the kitchen, setting her bag and meal down.
This week was definitely not looking up for her.
***
Margaret Russell was Charles Lemaiyan’s first wife. She was Rebecca’s mother, and for the past thirty years, she had been living with a hatred for Charles that never abated.
When they first got married, everything was fine. Two years later, when she was pregnant with their first child, she found out that he was having an affair. Worse, that his mistress was pregnant too. The mistress gave birth three months before her, giving Charles his first born, Simon. Margaret stayed with him even when he decided to bring the boy into the family.
Eight years later, he found another mistress. This time round, he divorced her and got a brand new wife. Margaret’s decision to stay with him after what happened two years into their marriage turned out to be a waste of her time and a great insult to her.
Charles's new wife, who he always claimed to be the love of his life, died two years later in a road accident. She was pregnant at the time, and the child, Amanda, survived.
For years, Margaret had watched from the sidelines as Charles treated the motherless child like a princess, favouring her above his legitimate first-born daughter. She watched him make effort with Simon, his illegitimate first-born who never showed much incentive towards the family business, while giving no such special treatment to Rebecca.
So, she was pleasantly surprised when Rebecca showed up at her house one Tuesday evening and let her know that Charles had granted her control over Lemaiyan Fits.
“As much as it makes me happy,” Rebecca said as they sat together enjoying wine, “it makes me wonder. Why is Dad no longer spoiling her? I always wanted to snatch that company from her just to spite her, but I never thought it would be so easy. Sure, I don’t have the shares in my name yet, but I’ve been getting a weird feeling lately. Something has changed about how he treats her.”
Margaret scoffed. “Maybe he’s finally realising that of all his children, you’re the only one with a brain for business. Everything should have belonged to you in the first place, Rebecca. And it will. You’re the only Lemaiyan fit enough to run that Group. He knows it too.”
Rebecca’s swirled her glass of wine, a satisfied smile on her face. “I’ll go by his office tomorrow to see if I can find out exactly what he has in mind for her.”
Margaret gave a nod. “I worked so hard to get that Group to its feet, only to be cast aside for some slut. I’ll only feel vindicated when you finally sit at the top, Rebecca.”
“Don’t worry, Mum. I’ll get it, for you and me.”
***
The next morning, Rebecca walked through the reception area outside her father’s office. The secretary was nowhere to be seen, so she went straight ahead.
She was about to knock and push the door open when she realised it was partially open.
Two familiar voices floated to her through the opening. It was her father and Simon, her brother.
“Simon, I want to put you in charge of the construction company,” her father said.
“What? No, Dad. I told you, I don’t want to head anything.”
“If you cannot be the CEO of the damn company, how will you run the Group when the time comes?”
“How many times do I have to tell you that I have no interest in that? If you keep pushing, I’ll disappear and you’ll never get me to do anything.”
Looking through the opening in the doorway, Rebecca caught a glimpse of the two men. Simon was reclining in the chair like he couldn’t be bothered, while Charles rose from his seat and paced.
“You’re giving me the construction company even though I’m not interested. Will you give Amanda the fashion company?” Simon asked.
“No.”
Simon sat up. “What? That company practically belongs to her. Why would you put Rebecca in charge?”
“The company belongs to the Group, and Amanda is not the right person to run it right now.”
Simon shot to his feet. “That’s bullshit, and you know it. All her life, Amanda has wanted to do something to bring her mother’s dreams to life. Lemaiyan Fits was her idea, not yours. You borrowed her inheritance to make up for financial woes in the group, but now you’re acting like the company is yours to give. I’m not taking anything from you if you’re not giving back my sister what belongs to her!”
Charles approached, teeth bared. “Don’t think I can’t just give everything to Rebecca right now and forget all about you.”
“Is that supposed to be a threat? Go ahead,” Simon taunted. “Do it. Maybe it’s time you did right by at least one daughter of yours, don’t you think?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Simon turned on his heels. “Whatever you think it means.”
“I’m not done talking to you!” Charles yelled, but Simon didn’t stop.
Rebecca stepped away from the door as her brother came through and slammed the door behind him. He stopped when he saw her. His pissed off look morphed into a smirk within an instant.
“Hello there, sis. Got all that?”
Her eyes narrowed. “He’s giving you construction. Why are you playing hard to get?”
“It’s fun that way.”
“Whatever game you think you’re playing, I’ll not let you win,” she promised.
Her mother had warned her time and again to not underestimate Simon Lemaiyan. He acted out and behaved as if he had no interest in the Group, but that could all be a façade.
Their father openly favoured him, even when Rebecca was the best asset he had when it came to running the business. Her mother once pointed out that Charles only used the women in his life to get what he wanted and didn’t think much about them afterwards. Rebecca being a woman somehow made her less valuable than an illegitimate son who lacked passion for the conglomerate.
“Too bad for you, I’m not into losing,” Simon told her, patting her shoulder as he walked away.
Rebecca glared after him then turned back towards her father’s office.
According to what Charles told Simon, he had no intention of handing everything to Amanda at Lemaiyan Fits.
Why?
This no longer seemed like a case of tough love due to everything Amanda had gone through the last few months.
Something had changed how the Chairman treated his favourite daughter. Rebecca wasn’t going to rest until she found out what it was.
