CHAPTER 23: I SAW HER

Chad flinched as he looked warily at the dashing man, famously known as the devil in the business world.

"Aryan, it's okay. Don't scare him." Malia stated as she looked at him.

Aryan glared at Chad before glancing at Malia, the only woman who could calm down the 'devil' in him.

Seeing that he had calmed down, Malia turned to look at the wary Chad.

"He doesn't bite." She said, in a bid to ease up his worries. "Anyway, you are yet to answer my question, Mister Chad. What's your choice?"

"Can you explain to me what's going on, first?"

"This might come as a shock to you or you might choose not to believe me but, Tyra is cheating on you and she planned on breaking up with you today. She wanted you to be caught doing drugs and other...'things', so that the reason for breaking up with you may be justified." She explained.

Chad remained silent for a while." I...I don't believe you. S..She loves me."

Malia shook her head helplessly and glimpsed at Leo, who removed his phone from his pocket, unlocked it and sent some photos to Malia's phone.

When Malia passed her phone to Chad and he saw the photos, he immediately shook his head in disbelief. "No..this can't be. I..I can't believe this. That woman has the audacity to cheat on me after everything I have done for her?!" He bellowed as he threw the phone angrily on the bed.

" Unfortunately, that's not all, Mister Chad. Did you know that the company that she claimed I had stolen from her was mine from the start. I built everything with my blood, sweat and tears. I worked hard, day and night to make sure that my company would reach greater heights, but, she stole it away from me. She took everything away from me, using you. To her, you are nothing but a useless chess piece in her bigger chess board. Sooner or later, she will discard you and you will end up regretting why you even tangled yourself up with her." Malia let out a sigh as she ran a hand through her hair.

" I am nothing but a tool to her?" Chad asked as he chuckled and covered his face using his hands.

"Look, Mister Chad, we are here to help you get out of a sticky situation. In less than thirty minutes, there will be reporters knocking on this door, so you better come with us or your whole life will be discarded away like trash."

Chad remained silent as he took a deep breath, left the bed and stood to his full height. There was a glint of viciousness in his eyes. " Let's go." He declared as he headed to the door.

"But, what will we do about Tyra's plan so that she can't be suspicious about you?" Malia asked as she looked at Leo.

"Don't worry about that. I already got the perfect person for today's charade."

"Who?"

"A lackey from Tyra's side, who was to drug Mister Chase's drink tonight."

Malia and Aryan looked at him in bewilderment. "She wanted to drug Aryan too?"

"Apparently, but I saved you by asking you to come here. So, go on with Chad. I got some unfinished business here." Leo said as he left the room and went to the next one where a man writhed on the bed in unbearable pain or perhaps, pleasure.

********

The three and their bodyguards used the backdoor to leave the hotel. Chad called for his chauffer and in less than a minute, a Land Rover Evoque, stopped near them. Before he boarded the car, he turned to look at the couple.

"Miss Malia, I am glad that you are alive. I am sorry that I was blinded by that woman that I didn't realize I was hurting a hardworking lady who built a legacy on her own. I didn't realize that I was forcibly taking away everything that you had pride in. I also don't want to have my revenge on Tyra because I know that you will avenge me. However, if you need anything, you can just ask me for it." He stated. "And Mr. Chase, I am sorry for being disrespectful to your wife earlier." He added as he stretched out his hand for Aryan to take.

"Apology accepted." Aryan responded as he shook Chad's hand.

The couple stood there for a while as they watched the car drive off. "He called you, my wife." Aryan said, breaking the comfortable silence between them and looked down at the woman in his arms.

Malia chuckled before responding. " You can't wait to call me your wife?"

"I can't."

"Don't worry, you just have to propose again and I will gladly accept it."

"I will propose to you a thousand times just to hear a yes from you." He stated as he pressed a kiss on her forehead."Shall we go home?" He added after a short silence.

"Yes." She answered and Aryan turned to the bodyguards and some of them left to fetch the cars.

*******

Back in the hall, after Tyra finished the long talk with the member of the board, she looked around but couldn't see neither Aryan nor that masked woman with him.

She looked at her wrist watch and smirked. Only an hour was left to finally end things with Chad. As she headed to the table where Malia and Aryan were seated earlier, she overheard a conversation going on among a group of socialites who were seated nearby.

"We both saw her in the bathroom. I can't be wrong about Malia Kim." One of the ladies said.

"I was so shocked when I saw her. I thought it was her ghost but we both saw her. She is back but how?" Another one chirped in.

"Maybe it's just her doppelganger. But who knows, maybe she wasn't dead after all."

" Or maybe it's someone who had facial surgery just to look like her."

"Yeah, right. Have you ever heard of a facial surgery that heals completely within two months?"

"She is right. But, guys, have you considered the fact that Mister Chase was accompanying her despite the fact that he had never been seen with any other woman except Malia Kim herself?"

"I mean...it's true but.."

"What are you guys talking about?" Tyra suddenly queried, interrupting the lady.

"Oh, Miss Tyra, we were just... discussing something."

"Is that so?" She asked as she eyed them.

"Yes."

She gave them a sweet smile. "Well then, excuse me ladies."

Tyra hurriedly went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. When she saw her reflection, she herself was stunned. Why was her face pale?

"What's this, Tyra?" Someone suddenly asked and she looked at the mirror again. There, stood that woman who had accompanied Aryan, but this time she had no mask on.

"Y..you..." Tyra stammered as she pointed shakily at the mirror and quickly turned around but...there was no one around.