chapter 8. Opposing side

The subordinate immediately reported the failure of the operation with a fearful and trembling countenance.

Others were dispatched to search the entire store for any clues. After searching the whole store, they finally sighted a young man. They stopped the cars and ran up to catch up with him.

They grabbed him from behind and delivered a punch to him, he launched forward and fell heavily.

They were about to cease him by the neck when the man shouted. It's only when they turned him around that they saw that he is not the person they were looking for.

"Who gave you these clothes?"

"A young man gave me to wear and paid me for it".

" Which direction did he go?"

"Immediately he gave me the clothes he vanished".

"How is that possible?"

"Damn it! I have been tricked".

"Who exactly is this young man?"

"What are we going to tell the boss?"

Their head hung low in disappointment before Lucas who leisurely sipped his wine without a care in the world.

"Am sorry boss, this....."

He cut him short and waved his hands. They filed up and left his presence.

He stood up and went to stand before the floor-to-ceiling glass wall which oversaw the busiest and most beautiful part of New York.

"Push my schedule back, am going to Rye high school tomorrow".

He tossed his phone to one of his men and kept looking at the bustling city.

He breathed out and then closed his eyes, by then his eyes had returned to their original colour.

Ava hurried down the path to her house and mistakenly bumped into her grandma at the entrance.

" Sorry grandma" she apologised. The latter grunted and pretended not to see her.

After dinner, Ava sat before her computer and pulled out all the dirty deeds of this "slumlord". He thought he is wise, but he is yet to see the wisest one. They have been paying high rent for an apartment that is run down. Let's see what the department of rent administration will do? She closed her laptop and picked up a thick textbook to read.

I

She couldn't read more than a chapter. What is this guy up to?

Why would he come to her school out of the blue?

She tugged herself in and just then Lily called.

"Ha! is your majesty asleep?"

"Yes, she is snoring right now".

"Okay, it's good for her. Don't miss school tomorrow else.....Ermmm.....Mr Martins has been looking for you recently".

" What do you want?"

"Enh, you are still wise. Come very early tomorrow morning and put me through this English subject. I know you are a bit better than me in that area".

" Oh really? A bit better than you? You have no self-awareness at all" She was better than her through and through.

"I told Mr Martin's that your grandmother is sick and you took her to the hospital".

" Lily.... " she was infuriated.

Whose grandmother was sick? It's your grandfather that is sick.

"I have been looking out for you".

Looking out for her or sabotaging her? This scheming girl...

Ava's greatest fear had always been Mr Martinez. Her grandmother had left her in the care of this teacher when she started her 6th grade and told him to let her know if anything like Ava playing truancy comes up.

This has been Lily's trump card. Lily got Ava to do things for her. Fear of Lily reporting her unseriousness in school to Mr Martinez has made her do countless for her

This Lily has always been her undoing. She needs a thorough beating and her hands were itching to deliver just that.

Quincy hopped down from her bed onto the cold floor. Today she would be meeting with the Lawson at their family mansion.

In the group video chat with her friends, she flaunted her to-be status.

"I can't believe Quincy's luck. Oh my God! You are going to be married to the most wanted bachelor in America", one of them squealed

"Not just that, did you see the wedding schedule and the wedding gown?"

"Her wedding is taking place in Greece and then the honeymoon will be in Paris".

The girls continued to chat among themselves while sharing the pictures of wedding gowns to be selected from.

"I heard this wedding gown is yet to be on the market but the design is so intricate and the gems on the gown are countless.

" The Lawson family specifically asked for this design. I have nothing to say about that because it's their money", Quincy sounded so humble.

"The Lawson's is the wealthiest family in this country and Xavier's net worth alone can topple the economy of countries".

"What are you people saying? Xavier is only rich but not to that extent", chuckled with humility while feeling proud internally.

" Quincy is so lucky, how will we be able to find such a man ".

"His heaven-defying beauty is so outrageous".

"He rarely appears in public but if he does, you need to see how many women are willing to die for him".

"To wake up beside such a man is a blessing".

"Am sure you guys have gone all the way?"

"What do you mean?"

"Stop playing dumb... Quincy".

Quincy smiled shyly and her face turned just thinking about his face alone. The others speculated the answer to be affirmative. They started cheering her up and she bowed her head. Some envied her luck while some were outright jealous.

Quincy knew how difficult it was to even get a glimpse of him. Who said they have gone all the way? Xavier had never given her his attention, well she should allow these fools to speculate while she would relish in their jealousy and envy.

"Don't fuss around anymore. I may not be around this evening because I will be staying over at Xavier's place".

The girls cheered her on and some suggested she buy some attractive underwear. She blushed and hung up.

Xavier was able to stand to his feet and was already moving around on his own without help from his subordinates.

He called his assistant to come over and select his suit for him that morning.

" Cancel my schedule for today, am going somewhere. Also help me sort out a very suitable suit combination".

"Yes, boss".

He had never worn a bright-coloured suit but Jeff decided to give him a dark blue suit with a white shirt.

"This colour doesn't work for me", he frowned but when he remembered that his sister had sent it down to him on his previous birthday, his expression relaxed.

" This is suitable for a date. Miss Hobbs will like it".

The smile on his face disappeared completely without a trace. Jeff searched his memory and was worried. Did he say something he was not supposed to say? Oh really?

He shuddered when his gaze met with his boss freezing his own.

Damn! He had just mentioned Miss Hobbs. He would get roasted for sure.

"There is this dam project in Africa which the company is yet to complete. You will be in charge of it".

His sweat produced buckets of ice within a few minutes. Why didn't he get the clue the last time Quincy came into his boss's ward, that she is not wanted by the boss?

But come to think of it, who is this boss of his dressing up to the nines for?

" Yes, boss. So this morning we shall head to?"

Xavier gave him a side glance as if analysing why he asked the question again.

"Well, our project still has to be completed in Dubai right after you return from Africa".

He was practically on his knees, he had to talk less from now henceforth that's if he wished to live.

Xavier wore his three-piece tuxedo suit and stepped out of his walk-in closet. Jeff took a closer look and realized that he had a new haircut. hump! He even paid extra attention to his hair.

What the hell is happening? He has always been the first person to know if his boss had a none work related secret. Did his boss get a girlfriend without his knowledge? When did he get relegated to the sidelines?

Xavier took one of the most expensive vehicles and Jeff's mouth went agape.

His boss must have been smitten by a woman and he had to find the identity of this woman. This woman that made his boss wear a light-coloured suit is not a simple entity.

Xavier took out his phone and went through the information he had. His lips curled in a seductive smile.

Something must be happening, Jeff thought.

He strained his neck to get a glimpse of what his boss was smiling at...

Xavier gave him a casual glance.

"Assistant Jeff", he called out in a breezy manner.

" Yes boss"

"It seems as if you have a neck problem, do you feel like having a checkup in the hospital? The company is always fair in handling staff health issues".

Jeff was dumbfounded, he had no energy to argue with this boss of his. Even if he was given a choice between staying in the hospital and working, he would prefer to work.

Ava tied her hair carefully and put on makeup which hide her beautiful facial features, she had a feeling that Xavier was coming for her. Later in the day, she has to book a good hospital for her grandmother's surgery.

She got on her bicycle and rode away. Her Grandma spends most of her time in the garden and she dares not disturb her.

On arriving at Rye high school, the students were heading towards the assembly hall.

The excitement in them was bubbling as they anticipated Xavier Charles Lawson's visit.

A row of cars stopped inside the school premises and Ava happen to park her bike just then.

The school principal and the directors all came out and bowed before him.

" You are welcome to our humble school. If you need anything just tell us".

"I heard there is this debate some 12th-grade students will be having, so I happen to have time to watch it".

" ", Jeff.

Boss this is a blatant lie, You happen to have time? Rescheduling your meetings is the time you have?"

The school administrators were speechless. When did the head of a multinational company have leisure time on his hand?

The debate began as the proposing and opposing sides took their positions. They tried to outdo each other but couldn't. Who wouldn't want a scholarship and automatic employment from the XM group of companies?

Xavier whispered to the school principal that he wants Ava to join the debate preferably on the opposing side.

The principal did not know how to tell him that this student was ranked the lowest in the entire grade in terms of looks, grade and disposition.

"This student doesn't know what to do here?

Xavier frowned and cut him off impatiently, " I do not mind"

The principal gulped down nothing, why would he not mind? Her looks alone can make one puke.

"Listen to me, if student Ava Clifford is here let her step forward", he secretly prayed that she would be absent. The entire school went silent, did they hear wrongly? Ava? Sassy Ava? The hideous girl? Lily couldn't believe her ears

" Come on, quickly go up and see him", she squealed.

She shoved her out of her seat. Everybody around her gave her a weird look. This man was out to get her for real this time. She walked timidly to the front pew and secretly glared at this busybody.

Jeff slumped in his seat and couldn't utter a word. Is this the person his president has taken a fancy to? Preposterous!!!

Xavier relaxed in his chair and his lips held an arrogant secret smile only Ava could see. Ever since he got his hands on her information, he has been having sleepless nights. Ava had deliberately exposed her information to him so that he would no longer be on her tail but who would have imagined that this man would be so shameless to the point of looking her up in her school?

Xavier kept his eyes trained on her the entire time. He felt that something was different about her. He tried to connect the personality of the hacker to her own but it would not superimpose.

"Miss Clifford please come up and oppose this motion for us, thank you". The principal ran away with his tail in between his legs.

Ava's legs felt like she had bags of cement on her legs, would she be exposed this way?

She took the microphone and puff out air.