HE KNOWS IT ALL

The phone call filled me with dread as I hesitantly answered.

"Hello?" I cautiously responded.

"May I speak with Miss Alicia Cooper?" The voice on the other end queried.

"Yes, this is she. Who's calling?" I inquired, feeling a surge of anticipation.

"Your worst nightmare," the voice replied cryptically, sending shivers down my spine.

"My worst nightmare? That would be letting my mother down," I countered confidently, trying to maintain composure.

"I am no party to your shenanigans," the caller retorted sharply.

"Emily Wang, how are you doing?" I asked, recognizing the familiar tone.

"You recognized me after all," she replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Who wouldn't recognize betrayal?" I shot back, matching her tone.

"A betrayal? Compensating you is little, keep my name out of your mouth," she threatened before abruptly ending the call.

How dare she call me? Emily was the least of my problems, especially considering what had transpired between my mother and me.

After refreshing myself with an hour's sleep, I awoke to an email from Cub Finance. They apologized for the incident and begged me to retract my statement, mentioning that some of their collaborating companies were reconsidering their deals due to the fallout. This brought me a sense of satisfaction, prompting me to rush to my mother to share the news.

"Mom," I called as I entered her room.

"Why are you here?" she asked, reminding me of our ongoing tension.

"You can't stay angry at me forever," I said, taking a seat beside her on the bed.

"Why the sudden change, Alicia?" She moved away, questioning my intentions.

"Mom," I tried to draw closer.

"Tell me, Alicia Cooper," she demanded, her tone laced with anger.

"I want us to approach this differently. Let's strategize our revenge smartly instead of our usual approach," I replied, avoiding any mention of Ethan Robichaud.

"Something's going on, Alicia. I know you more than you realize," she said, sensing my hidden thoughts.

"Mom, see the mail I received from Cub Finance," I presented the email I had rushed in to share.

"This revenge feels satisfying, seeing them face consequences," I said, hoping to convince her.

"I love this and more to come," she responded with satisfaction, indicating her acceptance to let things be, including matters involving Ethan Robichaud. Love prevailed despite our frequent conflicts; we never abandoned each other.

I sensed a heightened awareness of myself around my mother after that night with Ethan Robichaud. His incessant calls became a nuisance. During a business meeting with one of my show's sponsors, he called again.

"Excuse me, please," I said, stepping away from the group.

"Why are you calling me, Ethan Robichaud?" I asked, trying to control my frustration.

"Hey Sunshine, don't you miss me?" He teased, his voice irritatingly familiar.

"I don't have time, Ethan. I'm in a business meeting," I snapped, annoyed at his untimely calls.

"Don't let them sponsor you, Sunshine," he warned, making me glance back at the people I was meeting.

"Where are you, Ethan? Are you here?" I scanned the area, noticing bodyguards in different directions.

"Do you think I'll leave my woman to walk alone?" he replied, making me bristle, despite secretly appreciating his protective nature.

"I'm not your woman, Ethan Robichaud," I retorted, frustrated with his half-baked information.

"I love you more, Alicia," he said before abruptly ending the call, leaving me irritated by his cryptic statements. I returned to the meeting, trying to appear unaffected.

"Can we reschedule this meeting? I have an emergency," I requested, hoping for understanding.

"It's fine, Miss Cooper," the representative agreed, and I left immediately. I called Ethan back, a rare move since that night.

"Don't call me with half-stories," I scolded.

"My woman called me today, making it a good day. I'll forgive whoever offends me today," he replied in his annoying yet strangely comforting tone.

"I didn't call you for romance," I snapped, concerned about a sponsor, a furniture company, that could significantly benefit my show.

"They're about to go down, and if they sponsor your show, they'll take you down too," he warned seriously.

"Leave that company, Ethan. Where will I find another furniture sponsor?" I questioned as I got into my car.

"My furniture company will sponsor you," he offered, making my heart skip a beat.

"You're walking into dangerous territory. What should I tell my mother?" I countered, frustrated by his cavalier attitude.

"You're nearing your enemy for sweeter revenge," he replied casually, causing my frustration to peak. Ethan hardly filters his words.

"Ethan Robichaud!" I exclaimed angrily. Keeping secrets from my mother was one thing, but lying to her about business crossed a line.

"Don't align with Lion Furniture," he cautioned before ending the call, leaving me torn between his warnings and my exasperation at his cryptic nature.

Aware of my mother's curiosity, I anticipated her eagerness to delve into the details of my encounter with the sponsors and my sudden need for a rescheduled meeting. Intrigued by her inquiries, I delved into extensive research about the company and its owner, reaffirming Ethan Robichaud's prior insight once again.

AFTERMATH OF THE FINANCE DEAL

Later, after the compensation from Cub Finance and Wang Management, Ethan reached out.

"Hello," I answered hesitantly.

"I heard about your compensation," Ethan said, his tone unusually serious.

"Do you want your share?" I retorted, irked by his constant interference.

"Please don't pick any unknown calls. Trust me," he warned in a protective manner.

"Why are you so invested in my life?" I questioned, baffled yet somewhat comforted by his concern. Memories of his unexpected gentleness during our encounter played in my mind.

The following morning, a series of continuous unknown calls made my phone alarmingly hot. Panicked, I flung it away, causing an explosion and smoke. Startled, my mother rushed outside, and I stood there, trembling and terrified, pointing at the source of the commotion.

"Somebody attempted to harm me with a call bomb," I stammered, still shaken by the incident.

"Pull yourself together, Alicia," my mother urged, trying to calm me down as we both faced this unexpected threat.

"Someone tried to kill me," I stammered, still trembling from the encounter.

"Let's go inside," my mother urged, leading me indoors, concerned but holding back her questions. I wanted to steady myself quickly to ask Ethan who was behind the attempt.

"But someone just tried to end my life," I pointed outside, the shock still palpable.

"But they didn't succeed. Pull yourself together, and let's find out who's responsible," she said in her usual firm tone, trying to comfort me.

PRESENT

Since that incident, I've been convinced that Ethan has a way of obtaining information. And he was right again. The CEO of Lion Furniture is embroiled in a bribery scandal, which could threaten my company and show.

When I got home, my mother was waiting for me in her room, clearly expecting an explanation.

"Mom," I began, approaching her cautiously.

"Another decision made without consulting me," she expressed her disappointment.

"I wanted to inform you about this," I replied, showing her the evidence of Lion Furniture's deceit, leaving her visibly shocked.

"How could they deceive us?" she exclaimed.

"Let's not rush into retaliation. I avoided signing the deal to steer clear of their downfall," I pleaded, hoping to prevent her from seeking revenge.

"Ensure you research thoroughly before finalizing any future deals," she advised, her tone gentler.

Leaving her room, I pondered over Ethan's knowledge of my impending deal, the meeting's location, and his persistent use of bodyguards to keep an eye on me. His possessiveness over things that weren't his puzzled me – I certainly wasn't his to possess.

In moments of distress, I usually find solace in relaxation. After a short nap, I woke up to multiple missed calls from Ethan. I decided to return his call.

"Hello," I greeted him.

"Hey Sunshine," he responded with his typical playful tone.

"What's the reason for your call?" I inquired, not in the mood for his usual banter.

"I've saved you three times now, and still no thank you," he mentioned, suddenly reminding me of the night he intervened when I was drunk at the restaurant. He might have taken advantage of me, but oddly enough, I cherished the moment.

"I'm just drained from today, Ethan," I replied, unwilling to express gratitude.

"You're welcome," he chuckled.

"My woman handling business today," he remarked, the sound of a blush evident in his voice.

"You're blushing over the phone," I teased, sharing a brief laugh. Despite my frustration with him, his presence oddly lifted my spirits.

"Is that Xavier?" My mom's voice startled me. I hadn't told her about Xavier, leaving me in a tight spot as she approached, questioning the identity of the person on the line.

The intense mix-up with my mother mistaking Ethan for Xavier added another layer of confusion to an already complicated situation. His curiosity about my relationship with my mom deepened the dilemma.

"I thought you and your mom were best of friends," Ethan inquired after a moment of silence. His voice seemed calm, yet I felt the tension building up.

"Stay out of this," I replied curtly, the frustration in my voice evident as I hung up, seeking a moment of solitude to process the mess that was unfolding.