Eighty- two. Just the preamble
Ezekiel had just finished the second glass of whiskey when a knock came on the door. Slowly and lazily, he turned his head to the door. "You're?", he asked with no effort.
The person on the other side of the door, clutched their clothes tightly. "It's me, Arianna", the person said.
Ezekiel smirked. She finally came to his den. Without hesitation, he replied. "Come on in".
Ariana happily pushed the door open and walked in. Her clear eyes net Ezekiel's dark ones. He had a smirk on his face that sent chills down her spine. She didn't know why but she felt that he was kind of different.
"Ezekiel", she called his name.
"Yeah, Miss Fords", he replied in a laissez faire manner. He took another sip from his whiskey and stared out of the window.
Arianna clutched her bag tightly in her hands. Her palms were sweaty however, this wasn't the time to be nervous. She had worked so hard to be here and she couldn't destroy her own plans by herself. That wh**e was already out of the way, so that left only her in the picture. She gulped down a dry chunk of saliva while taking a step forward.
"You're not even going to offer me comfort?", she asked with an affectionate smile. The man before her was strikingly handsome. Looking at that glass of whiskey in his hands, she wished to become that glass of whiskey.
"Why did you come?", he asked, twirling the glass in his hands. "Because she's gone?"
"She's gone? How so?", Arianna asked, feigning innocence.
"Your partner in crime took her. She's at his place", Ezekiel said.
"There's no way he could just walk in here and take her, except she's also in cohort with him. She couldn't have just left like that", Arianna lied. "It must have been something they had planned for sometime now", she added with a shrug.
Ezekiel smirked. Walker...just what did you do to these people? Did you wrong them in your past life? I thought I was the only one you wronged? But that's alright... I'll trash them out for you, since I'm the only one who should share any kind of emotion with you.
He remembered the lines she had drawn on his chest, and her determined eyes. "Quite brave", he mouthed.
"Yes?", Arianna replied, thinking she was the one that was talked to.
"You said you came to see me?", Ezekiel asked with his face devoid of expression.
Arianna smiled joyfully. Finally! "Yes. I came to see you Zeke", she said
"That's a good one. What's the reason?", he asked and took another sip from his drink.
"The reason... because I wanted to see you. I missed you", she said.
"Ah... that's your reason. Was that the reason you planned with Neon to take Walker from my side? Because you missed me?", he asked his anger brewing. The thought of Monalissa under another man's roof that wasn't his made his heart ache. It was as though there were thousands of needles pricking at his heart.
Arianna curled her fists in anger. "You never want to look at me Ezekiel. How can you choose a mere slave over me? She's not in your class! What would your parents do if they had been here?",she questioned. "Your mom won't even allow it! Christopher too!"
Ezekiel clutched the falss of whiskey tightly in his palms. "If they were here, they would still have to support my decision in the end", he said.
"Ezekiel!", Arianna shouted. All her efforts couldn't go to waste.
"Keep it down Miss Fords. I know it was your plan to keep Monalissa there. I know everything. You were the one that sent that doctor to her ward. I'm surprised that Neon didn't have you killed when he found out", he said.
"We used it to strike a deal. He said you were going to come for me so and I seeked help from him. He asked me to bring Monalissa in return for him", Arianna explained. "Ezekiel, all these were just my hard work to be with you! Can't you see how far am willing to go?", she cried.
"How far can you go? Tell me", Ezekiel asked with a dark smirk.
Arianna clenched her fists. "I could do anything to get you. Anything".
Ezekiel nodded. "Anything?", he asked with his brows raised.
Arianna's eyes seemed to have regained some light when he asked her that. "Yes, anything", she replied.
"Hand over the Fords company to me. Everything concerning it, then probably, I might think about it", he said.
Arianna felt her body turn cold at his words. He was always cruel. Why did she ever think he would say something reasonable? "Ezekiel", she called.
Ezekiel spared her a glance.
"You can't be that unreasonable. That's one of the Fords relics. I can't hand it over to you. You know that right? My parents won't allow it!", she yelled.
"You said you would go far", he said in a grave voice. His gaze was fixed on the drink sitting in the glass which he held. "You can't even go that far".
"Ezekiel...", she was going to call him.
Bang! Bang! Bang!!
Arianna froze. He heart leapt to her mouth and she fell to the ground. She didn't see that coming. Ezekiel had whipped out a pistol and fired three shots at her direction. Three shots!
Ezekiel finally stood from his seat and walked towards her. He stopped in front of her, his gaze on he in a manner that looked condescending. He had no respect for her... whatsoever.
"That...was just the preamble. You really got some nerves Miss Fords. Walking into my lair like you own it and coming to teach me principles? Well, I should say thank you to you for saving me the hassle of bringing you here myself. Today, is the last day you ever see the light of day", he stated
Arianna was alarmed the moment she heard that. "Ezekiel, what are you going to do?", she asked in a voice that was shaky. She was scared now. "You can't kill me".
"I'm not planning on killing you. I just want to make you wish for death yourself", he said.
Arianna's eyes was filled with horror as tears clouded her vision. This wasn't what she bargained for. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"I have a company to run. You can't keep me here! Do you know what would happen when I suddenly good missing? They will track you down to this place and that would be the end of you", she threatened.
Ezekiel let out a dry chuckle. "You're quite amazing, Miss Fords. Was that what you threatened Neon with, that made him unable to kill you after betraying him?", he asked.
Arianna furrowed her brows. That was true. Elijah cowered the moment she said this, giving her room to concot the plan that made him have Monalissa by his side at this moment. But Ezekiel...she should have known she had entered a dangerous zone.
"Well, I'm not Neon. I don't care about your family's little company. You took what's mine, I take what's yours. Just so you know, your little company is already under a siege by me", Ezekiel stated.
Arianna's eyes widened in horror. She couldn't believe her ears. "What? Under what?", she asked as though she didn't hear what he had said.
"You heard me. I already have your company under my turf. It has become one of my trophies", he said. "The day that you sent that doctor into Walker's ward was the day you lost every single thing. This is what happens to those who touches what belongs to me".
"Ezekiel, stop this joke. It's quite expensive. See, I will leave and never come back. Please just let the company be", she pleaded.
"I don't want to. You...your kind of people really don't know when to stop. It's already late now", he said.
"Ezekiel! You can't be like this!", she yelled as hot tears of anger fell from her eyes. "Just because of that c**t?! You're willing to go this far?!"
Slice!
Ezekiel fired a shot at her skin, tearing a portion of her flesh, allowing blood to flow out.
"Aarghhh!", she screamed.
"You don't have the right to talk about Walker that way", he said. "This is just the start".
Arianna became afraid as things started becoming clearer to her. Ezekiel was no joke. What was she thinking? That she could get him? What a fat lie!
"Someone there?", Ezekiel shouted.
A bodyguard came in. "Boss", he said in greeting while his head was bowed.
"Take her to the dungeon. Keep her there", Ezekiel ordered.
"Yes Boss",the bodyguard said.
He bent over and grabbed Arianna who started struggling. She didn't want to be caged.
"Ezekiel please. You can't do this to me. I swear I'm sorry. I will bring her back, please", she cried. She didn't want to be locked up.
"Turn on the music for her to keep her going", he said. Lifting his palms, he knocked her out.