My composure broke after those words came out of Colin's mouth. But I did well to maintain my mental stability. Although nobody here knew of my past, I wanted to believe that this was all a prank. But the more I continued to lie to myself, the more reality struck harder.
It has been five years now since after our divorce, and the past three years were spent on therapy to help me get over him. And now that my life seemed to be moving quite well, his industry suddenly wants to move to the same country as me, and buy off the company I worked in? Was this a coincidence, or a premeditated action?
I chose to believe the former. After all there was no way Liam could have found out I was staying here. I had my name changed, and has been a very low profile life, locating me after all this time will definitely be difficult for him, even with all his connections. This was just Woods Industries buying off a company that could potentially be a threat to their newly established one here. There was no need to worry too much about it.
"So..are you packing up your things, or are you going to wait for the new boss's orders?" Colin asked. His words snapping me out of my thoughts.
This was a difficult question to answer. I wanted to get as far away as possible from Liam, but at the same time forfeiting my job here will cost me a lot. Finding a new job would be a difficult task, and with no other sources of income, I was destined to go broke before I could find another paying job.
"I'm not sure yet. Might decide after we get a new update." I answered truthfully. Waving Colin off with a smile, I entered my office and proceeded towards my desk. I might probably lose my job today, but I wasn't the type to leave any work unfinished.
Exhausted from my thoughts, I fell back to the comfort of my office chair. It was ladened with slab foam, and it's exterior coated in premium leather. Just sitting down on it provided me some little ounces of comfort. However, my comfort moments were short lived.
"The manager has demanded for your presence." The receptionist informed from the other side of the phone. I wanted to drown in the comfort of my seat just a little bit longer. But my work ethics got the better of me.
Standing up from the chair, I forced my lazy feet to do their work. And in less than two minutes I was in front of the designated office.
"Ms Lodge is here." The receptionist announced after my figure appeared. Her dark brown eyes scanned me in envy, and the sudden disgust in her expression didn't escape my notice. I had features that would warrant her envious looks, but this hadn't been the case with Kate and me. She seemed nice most of the time, maybe the thoughts of losing her job was getting to her like everybody else.
I ignored her and waited for the order to come inside. After a minute, Kate finally gave me the permission to enter.
I took in a deep inhale and readied myself for the worst. I had no idea why I was being summoned here, but with the recent developments in the company, I was almost certain that this was a bad news.
And sure enough it was. The man before me was not the manager I had imagined. In fact, they were two completely different beings. My knees trembled in shock, and threatened to yield under the pressure in the room, but I managed to stabilise them before I could be embarrassed.
Like an eagle staring down on its prey, he stood there watching me as I suffered from the shock of seeing him.
Although the piercing rays of the sun made it difficult to read his expressions, I could make out the mocking smile on his face. He was enjoying this, the sight of me suffering in his presence.
"Sit." His cold voice ordered.
I wished to turn around and escape from this room, but my legs had a mind of their own. As if being compelled, I walked to the seat in front of me and sat obediently.
He leaned forward to get a proper grasp on my pale face, before retreating with a sardonic smile on his face.
"What do you want?" I managed to ask, while trying to be as brave as I could.
He reached for a pen on the desk and twirled it skillfully around his fingers before finally speaking.
"How have you been Amelie?"
I stared at his blank face in anger. If he was going to ask of my wellbeing, then he might as well pretend to care at least.
"I was doing better moments ago." I replied with no intentions of concealing the rudeness and sarcasm in my voice. Slowly, his lips curled up in a menacing way, and he dropped down the pen in his hand.
"How's work been going? Did you finally get that promotion you applied for?"
"That's it!" I yelled out subconsciously. "You called me in here to mock me didn't you?! Well guess what, I won't sit around and watch you have your way!"
I watched as his eyes darkened in rage, and memories of our earlier days came flooding back. Was he going to strike me again, like he used to? I wondered. Moments ago I was filled with confidence, but now I was being subdued by my fear of him.
"You've developed quite the temper." He commented idly as he rose from his seat. My heartbeat escalated in that moment, and I clutched tightly onto the hem of my dress. "And that is no way to talk to somebody who has your life in their palms."
Shakily, I asked. "What do you want Liam?"
"Let's have a walk outside." He suggested before exiting the office without a second glance at me.
My fists tightened in rage, and I cursed myself at how easily I had submitted to him once again. Awakening my deadened legs with a pinch, I managed to stand firmly and walk after him to the elevator.
It was a whole three minutes of deafening silence from the elevator to the company's exterior.
"Have you had breakfast yet?" He asked.
I shook my head, but my answer didn't matter.
"You look unwell, you should eat more." In the same moment, a black SUV pulled up in front of us. "There's a café around the corner. Let's have our discussion over there."
For the first time in the past twenty minutes of our meeting, Liam acted like a gentleman and held the door open for me to enter. I had my suspicions, but I still entered regardless.
For several moments a tense silence reigned over the entire atmosphere, one broken only by a question from Liam.
"How's your family?" He asked, his black pupils glaring at me through the corner of his eyes.
"They're fine." I answered curtly. His eyes darted away from me as if disappointed by my answer.
"That's good to hear."
Neither of us said a word to the other until we arrived at the café. We settled at the table closest to the door. And after ordering for a cup of coffee for the both of us, Liam proceeded to drop the bombshell of the century.
"I want us to get remarried."