Andy rose to his feet with a calm yet assertive demeanor. He met her gaze with a steely resolve, his stance unyielding in the face of her aggression, His gaze bore into Mrs. Cody with unwavering intensity, his eyes narrowed slightly as he prepared to deliver his response.
"John never mentioned you anywhere," his voice was firm, each word pronounced with a quiet confidence that brooked no argument. His tone held a hint of finality, a subtle assertion of his belief in the validity of his statement.
Mrs. Cody's lips pressed into a thin line, her brows knitting together in a furrow of displeasure. The mention of her absence from her son's life struck a nerve, igniting a flicker of indignation in her eyes.
Andy continued, his voice steady as he outlined his honest assessment of the situation. His words were measured and deliberate, each sentence crafted with precision to convey his message clearly and effectively.
"So I am sure you can't win it," his tone remained unwavering, his confidence unshaken despite the tension that hung in the air. He met Mrs. Cody's gaze head-on, his eyes locking with hers in a silent challenge.
"And for him not to have mentioned you..." he paused for emphasis, allowing the weight of his words to sink in. His lips curled into a faint smirk, a subtle acknowledgment of the truth that lay behind his statement.
Mrs. Cody's expression hardened, her features set in a mask of defiance. She turned to Andy with a defiant glare, her eyes blazing with a fiery determination.
"Who asked for your opinion?" Mrs. Cody's voice dripped with disdain, her words laced with a sharp edge of contempt. Her tone was dismissive, a clear indication of her disregard for Andy's counsel.
Ignoring Mrs. Cody's dismissive tone, Andy maintained his composure, his expression betraying no hint of intimidation. He squared his shoulders, his stance unwavering as he prepared to address her next demand.
"Anyway, I want her gone. Can you do that?" Mrs. Cody's voice was tinged with impatience, her demand ringing out with a sense of urgency. She leaned forward slightly, her eyes boring into Andy with a steely intensity.
Andy's eyebrows shot up in disbelief, his incredulous expression mirroring his disbelief at Mrs. Cody's audacious request. He blinked in astonishment, momentarily taken aback by the sheer absurdity of her demand.
"You must be crazy," Andy's voice dripping with sarcasm, his words punctuated by a disbelieving shake of his head. His eyes narrowed in exasperation, a hint of frustration creeping into his tone as he struggled to comprehend Mrs. Cody's unreasonable request.
With a resigned sigh, Andy rose to his feet, his movements fluid and controlled. He turned away from Mrs. Cody, his back straight and his shoulders squared as he prepared to end their conversation.
"This ends my work with you,"
"Don't think you can order me around just because you're Mrs. Cody. I don't kowtow to people like you," Andy's voice resonated with quiet authority, his words echoing with a sense of finality. With a curt nod of acknowledgment, he turned on his heel and strode out of the suite, leaving Mrs. Cody to grapple with the whirlwind of emotions that engulfed her.
The door closed behind him with a soft click, the sound echoing in the empty hallway like a muted punctuation mark. Andy took a deep breath, taking a moment to collect his thoughts, his gaze drifting across the hallway as he processed the conversation.
He shook his head and adjusted the collar of his t.shirt, his reflection on the hallway revealed a man of steely resolve. His eyes are a reflection of the myriad of thoughts whirlwinding within.
He strolled downstairs, just as he reached the hotel lobby his phone chimed with an incoming call. The sudden interruption caused him to stop mid-step. With a quick flip of his thumb he answered, his voice a mix of anticipation and caution.
"Hello, Wills," Andy greeted, his voice a low rumble filled with an undercurrent of tension.
"Hey, Andy, how are you?" William's concern was palpable, his words a lifeline in the tumultuous sea of his thoughts.
Andy's lips curved into a faint smile, though it failed to reach his eyes. "Busy, as always. What do you have for me?" His words were clipped.
"Yeah, the surveillance order came from Cody's headquarters, it was Anderson, Mrs. Cody's capable assistant, I believe it was Mrs. Cody who ordered it."
Andy's eyebrows furrowed slightly, his suspicions confirmed by William's words. "Yeah, I thought as much. Thanks, Wills, I appreciate the help," he responded tersely.
"Another thing," he interjected, his tone lowering conspiratorially, "I did some digging on her. She doesn't just talk. She always carries it through. So be careful."
Andy's expression hardened, the weight of William's warning settling heavily on his shoulders like an invisible burden. "Yeah, thanks for the heads up," he replied, his voice tinged with a hint of grim determination.
Lowering his phone, Andy's gaze lingered on the glowing screen for a moment, his thoughts racing with the implications of William's revelations. He stood in the lobby, a solitary figure amidst the ebb and flow of hotel guests, his mind a whirlwind of calculated risk.
His attention shifted to the elevator, Andy stared at it for a moment, his jaw set in determination, before finally turning away and striding towards the hotel exit.
Each step he took was deliberate, a silent declaration of his resolve to navigate the treacherous waters ahead with caution and cunning. And as he disappeared into the bustling streets beyond, he knew that the game had only just begun.
As Mrs. Cody's anger simmered beneath her composed exterior, her lips curled into a subtle sneer, her disdain evident in the sharpness of her tone. "How impetuous," she muttered under her breath, her voice laced with venom as she hurled curses and insults at Andy, the object of her ire.
Turning her attention to Anderson, her loyal aide, she demanded, "Look up the bakery address. Let's go see this Aliana."
Anderson's eyes widened in surprise at Mrs. Cody's sudden change in demeanor. "Ma'am, do you want to go see her?" he asked cautiously, his brows furrowed with concern.
Mrs. Cody simply shrugged her shoulders dismissively, a sly smile playing at the corners of her lips. "Yes, that's what that fool said. I want to meet her and my granddaughter, but she will never know," she remarked, her voice dripping with malice as she reveled in her own deceit.
Observing Mrs. Cody's demeanor, Anderson couldn't help but shake his head in bewilderment. "Something must be wrong. What is she planning now?" he muttered to himself, a knot of worry forming in the pit of his stomach.
Mrs. Cody waved him away, Anderson took his leave, allowing her the privacy to change into a more suitable attire. From the shadows of the hallway, he watched as she transformed herself from the stern, business-like figure she usually portrayed into a vision of elegance and sophistication. Adorned in an elegant dress and accessorized with a simple necklace and purse, Mrs. Cody exuded an aura of power and authority that left Anderson feeling distinctly inferior.
Examining her reflection in the mirror, Mrs. Cody's smile widened with satisfaction. "I want to make that small fly squirm," she murmured to herself, relishing the thought of exerting her dominance over those she deemed beneath her.
Exiting her suite, Mrs. Cody found Anderson waiting for her, his expression a mixture of confusion and apprehension. "Ma'am, are you having a meeting after meeting Aliana?" he inquired, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
Mrs. Cody's smile remained firmly in place as she shook her head. "Nope," she replied simply. "I am meeting my daughter-in-law and granddaughter. I want to treat them to lunch."
Anderson nearly choked on his own saliva at the revelation. "You? Treat them to lunch?" he sputtered incredulously, his disbelief evident in his wide-eyed expression.
Mrs. Cody's smile widened into a smirk as she met Anderson's incredulous gaze. "Yes, can't I?" she retorted, her voice dripping with icy sarcasm. In that moment, it was clear to Anderson that beneath her polished exterior, Mrs. Cody was a force to be reckoned with, capable of both charm and manipulation in equal measure.