Chapter 8 Another Problem

• "Bye Girl. See you soon" Elaine waved as Jessica yelled as she walked down the road.
• She boarded a cab and directed the driver to stop in front of the huge estate gate that led home. She peered at her phone and time showed Friday,7:31am, she hoped she could make it in time to see Alexander before he left for work.
• Elaine strolled on and on till she reached the final road to get home. She took a few steps and suddenly….
• Two bulky men in black masks behind a car ran towards her.
• It happened so fast before Elaine's brain could process what was happening.
• One man placed a thick towel with a weird scent over her nose and as the seconds passed, Elaine felt her brain go numb and her body became weak and everywhere became dark as her eyes closed.
• The sound of two men laughing filled the empty slightly dark room. Elaine shuffled as her brain started responding.
• "She's awake now. Call the boss" one of the men muttered while the other man walked out to call whoever was behind this.
• Elained opened her eyes slowly only to realise her mouth was gagged and her wrists were tied behind her back. A skin crawling fear engulfed her and she pushed herself to a kneeling position.
• "Ummmph" Elaine rugged at the ropes around her wrists hopelessly. Tears rolled down her cheeks, a mixture of fear and pain from tightly knotted rope.
• "Trying to say something, pretty lady?" The man who stayed back walked up to her till he got to where she knelt. He pushed himself down to her position and placed a finger on her jaw.
• Elaine jerked her face away from his hands, her eyes filled with fear. Who is this guy? What is going on? Where is she? Couldn't she just get a single moment of rest?
• She pulled harder on the knotted rope around her wrists, groaning in pain from the pressure.
• "Don't waste your time. That won't work no matter how hard you try"
• The sound of heels clicking on the tiled floor echoed softly behind the door. The man in front of Elaine rose to his feet and walked to the door. He pulled it open for the 'boss' to enter.
• Elaine peered through the slightly dark room, trying to focus her eyes on the face behind the high heels shoe as the person drew nearer.
• She almost choked on her saliva as the ray of sunlight from a window revealed Suzy Bernard's face as she came nearer. The second man walked quietly behind her.
• She watched as one man led Suzy to a chair a few feet away from where she was tied down.
• Suzy settled on the chair and crossed her legs over each other. "Shut the door…." she ordered one of the men before bringing her eyes to focus on Elaine.
• "Surprised?…." Suzy smirked, still looking at her. She looked at one man "....take the mouth gag off her"
• The mouth gag was pulled away from Elaine's mouth and she bent her head low as a sharp migraine hit her. Her head hurt and she wanted to close her eyes and rest for a while.
• "What is the meaning of this?" Elaine voiced out, her voice low and shaky.
• Suzy laid back against the chair and rubbed a finger under her bottom lips. "Do you want to fight me?"
• Elaine exhaled. There was no point exchanging words with her.
• Suzy trailed her eyes over the woman in front of her, jealousy eating at her. It didn't make any sense. Why would Alexander choose a woman like this over her?
• Suzy puffed in anger. Elaine couldn't compare to her in any way. Not in beauty, not in wealth, nothing at all. The only way to get Alexander for herself was to get rid of this woman once and for all.
• Suzy cleared her throat. "I'll get straight to the point, Elaine Smith."
• Elaine looked up at her. "You can at least untie my hands and feet. I'm too tired to run anywhere anyway"
• "And why should I do that?"
• Elaine sighed and looked away. "Suit yourself"
• Suzy hissed and rolled her eyes. "As I was saying, I won't repeat myself so listen carefully. Whatever happens here stays between both of us, is that clear?"
• Elaine scoffed, disgusted by these relentless rich folks she'd been clashing with endlessly. She was so tired and angry. She despised them more and more each moment.
• "You expect me to just be a robot and do as you say because you have some extra bags of cash? You are a fool." Elaine seethed through her teeth, glaring at her.
• "Watch your mouth miss—" one of the men muttered.
• "Stay away from this. Both of you" Suzy warned. "Let her talk"
• "Alexander, my husband….." Elaine said, noticing how Suzy frowned at the endearment. "....is expecting me home by 9am latest. You should know him. He is not stupid, he will fish you out if you lay a finger on me."
• Suzy laughed. "You sound so sure"
• "Of course…." Elaine poked her harder with her words "....that's what amazing husband's do. They protect their wives"
• Suzy's right eye twitched. She hated this woman's guts. All of her. She hated all of her. And yes, Elaine was right. Alexander would dig into the case if any harm was done to Elaine.
• "I'll get straight to it. I want Alexander for myself and I want you out of the way. You either find a way to leave him by yourself or you make things easier by pushing me to kill you."
• Elaine laughed. A slow, long laugh. "You rich folks are the biggest cowards. Is this how you fight for what you want? Going behind to do dirty things like kidnapping the wife of the man you're obsessed with. You are so shameless!"
• Suzy stood and walked over to where Elaine knelt. She dropped down on her knees and looked her in the eye. "Of course, I am. I want Alexander's heart just as much as I want him in my bed and I will have him. I always get what I want. Always."
• Elaine spat on Suzy's face, disgusted by her raw desire for a married man. A man who didn't even like her shadow, talkless of her.
• "Ugggh!" Suzy yelled and in a fit of rage, she slapped Elaine hard across her cheek. "You disgusting peasant! How dare you!"
• Elaine closed her eyes for a moment as the pain from Suzy's slap reverberated around her head. "You can try getting his heart and body. You can try….but Alexander will never see you as a woman. Not now, not ever. Even if you are the last woman on earth."
• Suzy wiped her face clean and grabbed Elaine by the collar of her shirt. "I am not your mother-in-law that wastes time exchanging words with you. You have just two weeks, Elaine Smith. Two weeks!!...."
• ".....Divorce Alexander and get out of his sight. Leave him to me. Or else—"
• "Or else what?" Elaine muttered.
• "I'll take their lives in exchange…." Suzy smiled, an evil glint in her eyes. "....Dexon Prime Hotel, that's where your poor parents are, isn't it?"
• Elaine felt a shiver run down her spine.
• Suzy smirked. "I have my people all around. From the security to the chefs. Killing them without being directly involved with their death isn't hard for me, you know?"
• Elaine closed her eyes, holding back the angry tears that threatened to fall.
• "Whatever happens here stays between us. I believe I have made myself clear?"
• Elaine got the message.