chapter seventeen

David 

As if torturing me during the meeting earlier was not enough. Now my precious and annoyed father has just forced me into a ride with this woman again.

She's here again, right beside me. Riding with me.

There's some weird silence in the car. This is going to be almost a thirty minute drive and I don't know if I'll be able to handle it. I can't help but steal glances at her.

She seems lost in her own world as she stares through the window. What must be going through her mind?

It's no secret that she dreads this drive. As for me, I don't know whether I'm dreading it or I'm enjoying it. 

From what just happened back there, I'm dreading it.But sitting next to a gorgeous woman, I'm definitely enjoying it. 

I keep wondering whether there's going to be a day that Maria and I will get on the right foot with each other. Or a day where we'll just talk normally, without getting on each other's throats.

All the encounters we've had have always been arguments. We've actually never had any conversation like normal people.

I wonder how her relationship with that Gordon guy is. 

My mind takes me back to the diary that I dozed off while reading Last night. 

On one side, this Frank Gordon must be a lucky guy, having tamed this little villainess. I didn't finish reading it, so I don't know what happened between them.

Did she leave him? Is she still in love with him? I'll soon find out, but not tonight though. I have other plans tonight, as part of my investigations.

I still haven't quite put things together, of how this woman framed me. If meeting this person that she was going to meet at Olive's hotel is one of the keys, then so be it. 

Despite the fact that I admire her, I can't let everything go and I can't let her keep up with her schemes. 

I dread what will happen tonight and my mind shifts to the negative part of her. 

I'm thinking about all this as I'm driving through the highway. I'm thinking of how I'll solve each mystery at a time. 

But the awkward silence becomes unbearable and I attempt to spark a conversation. 

"Who was that guy anyway?" I manage to ask the question again. She gives me one angry glare before she continues minding her business, looking at the window, without answering my question. 

"Not to sound rude but..," I speak up again before she counters. "Can't we just have a silent drive, David." 

Oohw! She's still mad. 

I maintain the silence for a while before I ask another stupid question that I regret as soon as it's off my mouth. "Do you have a boyfriend?" 

I know she's not going to answer that. What was I thinking?

To my surprise, she actually responds, "Why? Do you want to be my boyfriend?" she says, and I can see from the corner of my eye that she's shifted her gaze from the window. She is now staring at me. 

Part of my insides responds,'hell yes! Who wouldn't wish to have such a beauty all to himself.' But the other part responds differently, 'of course not, she's a traitor and she framed you, remember.' 

But what comes off my lips is very different from what's in my thoughts, "Do you want that? For me to be your boyfriend?" 

It's a wild response, I admit to myself. 

"You know, I could just pull over and we can talk about this, like adults." I raise my brows. Deep down, I know that would never happen.

From how she despises me, from how I see her as a traitor, how I'm planning to investigate her,it can never happen. 

She doesn't respond. 

" You could tell me your likes,hobbies," I say again. But she's gone silent. 

Only for a short while until she speaks up again. "I like slitting people's throats, it's one of my favorite activities, you know, which I was about to do in there, until you interrupted, remember. Ooh and I do that to people who are a pain in the ass, for example, you know who." 

"Wow! Woman! Do I underestimate your powers?" 

"If you want to be my boyfriend, well, I don't know what you could do to achieve that, Mr. Delavega." She lets out a smirk. 

Does she despise me that much? 

To be fair this is the most peaceful conversation we've had since we met.. 

No shouting, no getting into each other's throats. Just a small talk with a little sarcasm. 

Dad told us to settle the fuss between us. Not that we've settled it, I mean I still have my own investigations to do concerning her , but at least we've not fought, like always. 

"What's your deal with me David?" She asks. 

"Me?" 

"Do you see any other David in this car?" She asks, looking at the back seats. 

To be fair, I wasn't expecting that question from her. 

"Why do you ask? I don't have any deal with you. I just don't like.." I realize I can't complete my statement. 

"You know our first encounter, I found you snooping in my room, then I found you snooping in my office,then you found me in your father's office and caused a fight.

As if that was not enough,you found your way to the place we were and caused another fight. What do you want from me, David? "

I don't know if I can answer that question but wasn't she the one who framed me first? 

I don't get the chance to answer her questions because we're already here. At Delavega Holdings.

I don't think we can really keep sitting in the car having this conversation. 

I spend the rest of the day going over important documents and familiarizing myself with some work.

I ask Cole for assistance where necessarily, if not my secretary. I'm buried in work for a while and I don't even have lunch that day. But again, when has lunch ever been my priority? 

I also have to spare some few hours planning my meet up with this person that Maria was supposed to meet. I need to arrive there in time and when this person shows their face, I can execute my plan. 

I don't know how this is going to end. Since I also don't know what it was that Maria was supposed to bring the first time. 

I could torture the person for information if my plan works and finally find out what this Maria Banes is up to. If that involved framing me. 

So, after work I head home at around six in the evening. I know my mother is going to be under my nose, asking how was work today? She could even start asking about Sofia again. 

I freshen up as I stay in the bath tab for a while with a lot of thoughts flashing in my mind. After that I dress up for the occasion, not in official clothes but in some casual clothes, jeans and a t-shirt and I don't forget my black hoodie. 

Before I can put it on there's a knock at my door. 

"Honey, are you there?" Oh crap it's my mum. And I knew it. 

"It's open mum, come in." I answer 

She walks in with a tray, containing a glass of milk on it. 

"Look what I brought you. This would really be good for your body after a long day at work. I used to bring it to your father when he was still new to this….oh wait are you going somewhere?" 

We both sit on my bed as she places the tray on the nightstand before handing me the glass of milk. 

" Thanks mum. "

" But where are you going son? " She asks again. 

" Well, I'm just going out for a drive, to clear my mind. " I answer. 

" Is everything okay? Is it about work? I mean, I could keep you company if you want." Oh! This woman. This woman I call mum. I love her though. She's the best mother one could ever ask for. But Today I just need time for myself. 

" I'm fine mum. It's just an evening drive. I won't even take long. I'll be back before you know it. "

"Okay then, but you're not leaving without finishing the milk in that glass. I'm watching you."..... 

When I'm finally ready to leave I put on my hoodie which I didn't have on, since My loving mother interrupted me. 

I carry my gun. Most importantly.. 

It's the VIP spot that I'm headed to. I don't know what's going to happen but I'm hoping that the plan I've had since I read the note, is going to be successful. 

I have set up the necessary precautions since I just can't go there blindly. But I'm willing to do anything to save my family from whatever plans that Maria might have had for us.