Chương 36: A Bitter Confrontation

Ella pondered on the questions that were throbbing in her head, while she slowly arranged her things in her travel bag. The rattling of the doorknob, followed by a deafening knock, startled her and Abigail.

"Ella, Abigail!" Susan yelled in irritation. "What is going on there? Why did you guys lock the door?"

"Nothing is happening," Abigail mockingly said as she opened the door to allow Susan in.

"Are you done chasing after Mr. handsome?" Abigail rolled her eyes at Susan. " I thought you were leaving Springchad with him."

Susan looked at both her friends suspiciously before responding to Abigail's infuriating question. "Don't be a killjoy," she sneered. "Mr. Leon couldn't take his eyes off me. It's not my fault that I look this..." Susan turned around, gesturing at her seductive curves, "this appealing and captivating to men around me."

Ella and Abigail glanced at each other and roared in laughter at Susan's behavior. After a few puffy demeanors from Susan, she joined in the laughter.

"On a more serious note, Ella, I'm in love with Mr. Leon. Call it whatever you like; love at first sight, lust, infatuation, stupidity– I don't care."

Susan looked at Ella with puppy eyes. "P... please Ella, promise me you'll connect Leon and me. I'll do anything to get his love," Susan wrapped her arms around Ella's body and gently squeezed her. " And I mean anything you want me to do, as long as I have Leon all to myself."

Ella stared in disbelief at Susan. "Hold on Sussy, you can't ask that of me."

"Moreover, Mr. Leon is getting married in less than a week," Abigail interjected.

Susan swiftly released her hold on Ella and cast a frosty look at Abigail. "What?"

"No!"

"That can't be true!"

"Where did you get the information from? Susan scoffed at Abigail with scowling glares.

"Ella just told me some few seconds ago before you came in," Abigail said in her defense against Susan's glares.

"Who is he getting married to?" Susan pinned Ella with her eyes.

Ella felt the heat coming to her cheek. So she rose and continued assembling her stuff to avoid Susan's gaze. "I don't have an idea of who the lady is and please, enough of the questions."

Ella was inwardly aggrieved and she cursed Leon under her breath. If he hadn't shown up, there wouldn't have been all this unnecessary commotion and questions.

"Ella, don't tell me you're interested in him! I saw the way both of you looked at each other and I can tell, that something is going on." Susan wasn't ready to give up as she continued with her probing.

"Don't be ridiculous Susan," Abigail stepped into Ella's defense. "That accusation is uncalled for. Ella has Richard, remember? And even if Ella's business partner finds her attractive, how does that concern you?"

"Why are you speaking for her," Susan scoffed at Abigail. "I am being sincere with my emotions here. I only asked a simple harmless question. Ella, are you interested in Leon?"

"No! I'm not! We are just business partners," Ella's eyes shot daggers at Susan.

"You see... That wasn't so difficult, was it? At least, now we know Ella has no love interest in Leon. So... I can conveniently pursue him whether single or married."

"Whatever!" Ella hissed and turned back to what she was doing.

"Did you really have to offend Ella?" Abigail's brows furrowed at Susan.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be this pushy." Susan went over to hug Ella. "I guess sometimes I could be overbearing. P... please forgive me," she pouted and batted her long lashes playfully.

Before long, all three friends were chatting and laughing heartily.

At about 5:00 PM, later that same day, Ella was fully packed and ready to leave. She said her goodbyes to her friends and family, amidst hugs, kisses, and promises.

Although Richard offered to drop her off at the airport, she politely declined his offer and took a chartered taxi cab.

During the process of boarding the plane, Ella was informed by an airline staff that her boarding pass had been upgraded to first class.

Ella knew inwardly that this was Leon's handiwork. So, she politely thanked the airline staff and boarded the plane. She was thrilled as this would be her first time traveling as a first-class client of an airplane.

When Ella stepped into the first-class cabin, she was totally blown off by the luxury displayed.

The first class cabin had a 23-inches display screen that is controlled with a touch screen remote. Each private suite had seats that could turn into a bed. The seats also had personal lockers for extra luggage, and the services were to die for.

Ella scanned around for Leon but couldn't tell where he was seated. So, she sat back and enjoyed the ride home.

At the arrival terminal, she sighted John from afar, holding up a sign with her name on it.

"Hello John," Ella smiled on getting close to John. "How are you?"

"Welcome back Miss Ariella," John smiled politely and took her luggage from her, while he led her towards the exit. "I'm doing great. We've missed your presence at the villa."

"I have missed you guys too. How about Mr. Leon? Have you by any chance run into him." Ella's curiosity got the better part of her.

"Oh, yes! He was just ahead of you by a whisker. He instructed me to bring you back home and then left. I think he has some unfinished work at the office."

"Thank you, John," Ella smiled and entered the black limo.

On her way to the villa, Ella's heart raced with a thousand questions.

Why did Leon come to get her at Springchad?

What information does he have that she didn't know about?

Why had he avoided her like a plague at the airport, on the plane, and now?

What could be awaiting her back at the villa?

Was Marissa still around or had left the villa?

What if... The questions were endless.

At that moment, she received an anonymous picture and video message on her phone. What she saw almost made her eyes pop out of the socket.

"Could this be Chloe Or am I losing my mind?" Ella questioned herself in incredulity.

In the picture, Chloe looked like a floozy. The man she was shamelessly kissing and making out with in public was a dirty, ugly, and old scoundrel. There was no morality in her eyes as she was captured sniffing some white substance.

"How the mighty had fallen," Ella thought aloud with disgust, as she watched the video. "I wondered what cooked-up remedy or damage control her dad would use this time to rescue her."

After watching the video, Ella forwarded it to Denise; who in turn made the picture and video go viral, using a secured line.

After shower and dinner, Ella was relaxing in her room chatting with Abigail when Leon sent for her through Paul.

When Ella entered Leon's voice-proof home office and shut the door behind her, her body tingled like she just walked into the gates of hell.

Leon was seated at his desk and scowling at her with a dark and haunted gaze.

Ella felt she was being scrutinized by a devilish hound with red eyes. And anything she said now could unleash the panting hound at her.

She stood by the door trembling and placed her hand on the knob for an easy escape should in case Leon decide to devour her.

"Ella, take a seat!" Leon commanded in an icy cold piercing voice.

At first, Ella's feet were glued to the floor due to fright. She was unable to move from the door. But, after inwardly encouraging herself, she moved forward and sat down quietly with her head bowed.

"I want you to look at me when I am speaking to you," Leon's temper was almost at its climax.

Ella swallowed hard severally before speaking up with her head raised but her gaze was not on Leon.

"I can't look at you when you staring at me that way," She responded with a mixture of anxiety and irritation.

Suddenly, it hit Ella that she should be the one staring him down. After all, he visited her unannounced and almost ruined her family fun time. So she braced up herself and glared back at him defiantly.

Whatever gave this girl the guts to stare at me that way, Leon smirked bitterly. So he stood up and walked across the mahogany desk to her. He sat on the desk very close to her and stared down at her.

Ella didn't flinch or moved, instead, she spoke audaciously causing Leon to almost chuckle.

"You know, I'm mad at you! You had absolutely no right to come to visit me in my hometown unannounced," Ella scoffed at him. "I had to lie over and over again to my friends and family about my relationship with you. You..." Ella was cut off.

"Did you enjoy kissing Richard?" Leon's expression became worse as he imagined Richard kissing her.

Ella was stunned. She lost her cool and flared up. "Were you spying on me?" Her eyes shot daggers at Leon as she stood up to meet his gaze. "How dare you! you...you...you..."

"You what?!" Leon's voice boomed with so much irritation.

Ella's face reddened and her eyes shimmered with tears. "You had no right to come visit me in my hometown. You also have no business meddling in my affairs. Whoever I decide to hang out with is none of your f**king business," terror flashed in her eyes. Ella was surprised at her use of a curse word. It was something she rarely used, except in a dire situation. But at the moment, she cared less. All she wanted to do right now was give Leon a piece of her mind.

"Point of correction, you are my f**king business now!" Leon retorted, using her curse statement. "And everything you say or do matters," his jaw tightened. "Or, do you need an interpreter to explain the conditions of the contract to you?"

Ella was bewildered and infuriated at his statement.

"You know what? I don't think I can stand you for one more second. Also, if I need an interpreter for that ridiculous contract of yours, so do you." she barked at him. "To hell with you and your stupid contract." She turned around to leave but Leon held her firmly at her wrist and pulled her back to face the heat.