I whipped my head around to see Evelyn running towards us as she stepped out of the car alone.
She immediately went to my mother's side, quickly closing the distance between us. Her brows were furrowed together as a look of concern masked her features and she placed a hand on my mother's arm as if to comfort her.
"Auntie Jennifer, are you alright? Did she hurt you or do anything?" She then turned to look at me and we locked eyes, disdain evident on her face. "You! You have some nerve showing up here again today after what you did the last time, what do you want this time, huh?" She snarled, each word that left her lips were coated with a thick layer of venom as she glared at me.
I couldn't hold back the laughter that left my lips.
"What do I want?" I repeated, tossing her words right back at her with an incredulous look etched onto my face. "What I want is none of your business, I was talking to my mother," I snapped in frustration.
"There's nothing left for us to talk about," my mother chimed in this time, as she clicked her tongue in annoyance. "And don't be rude to Evelyn, I taught you better than this," she demanded through gritted teeth, her tone protective and defensive.
"I was just telling the truth. Was I not talking to you only before she came barging into our conversation?" I asked, my tone sharp and filled with disdain as my eyes glanced over to glare at Evelyn with contempt.
My mother didn't have a chance to say another word when Evelyn butted in. "I didn't barge into the conversation," she denied. "I was just concerned and I wanted to check on Auntie Jennifer to make sure that she is okay," she said, playing the innocent woman once again.
I let out a loud scoff as I rolled my eyes in a dramatic manner. "I didn't know you two were so close like that," I commented, my words dripping with sarcasm as I looked between the both of them.
"Don't make me call the guards," she threatened this time, smugness radiating off every inch of her skin while my mother continued to view her as an angel and an innocent woman who was just trying to help her. "And how about you stop harassing us?"
I laughed at her ridiculous statement. "Harassing you? Since when has this become about you? I was just talking to my mother. Is that also counted as harassment?"
I watched as her face turned red with anger. "I… I…" She stuttered as she struggled to find the words to say.
My mother then gently tapped on Evelyn's arm to grab her attention and her lips curved upwards into a small smile.
"Don't worry about her. No need to waste your time talking to someone like her," she sneered as she turned to face me with a look of disdain plastered across her face. "Why couldn't you be more mature and sensible like Evelyn?! She was just trying to help me, no need for your snarky remarks."
"Right… of course… Evelyn is forever the good person." I chuckled and my eyes flickered over to see a smirk starting to form on Evelyn's lips while my mother remained ignorant. "I'm sorry that I wasted your time coming here," I said, my voice filled with sarcasm as I looked her straight into her eyes.
"Leave, get out of here," she commanded, her voice remained unwavering as a cold and distant look was etched onto her face.
Another humourless chuckle escaped from my lips as my eyes darted between the both of them.
"Fine, I'm done talking to you anyway," I declared before lowering my voice as it grew heavy with a threat. I gazed at the confused Evelyn and my mother who only glared at me without saying another word as I let the next few words roll off the tip of my tongue. "But this is not over, I'm going to find out the truth and make you regret ever lying to me."
***
The office was mostly quiet and peaceful until someone came barging through my door. The sound of the back of the door hitting against the wall echoed in the space and rang in my ears, immediately capturing my attention..
I tore my eyes off of my computer screen that I have been staring at for way too long and looked up to find myself staring into a familiar pair of icy blue eyes that belonged to my ex-husband who had this smug look plastered across his face at that moment.
The receptionist who was supposed to be working at the front desk appeared from behind him as she breathed in and out frantically, trying to catch her breath.
"I'm sorry Mrs Wilder," the woman apologised in a flustered tone. She was new here and probably hadn't seen him around in the office. "I tried to stop him but he demanded to see you and before I knew it, he came running into the office," she explained, her voice filled with desperation for me to believe her and not put the blame on her.
I let a smile fall on my lips as I looked over at her. "Don't worry about it," I assured. "I know him," I said, my voice unwavering as my gaze flickered over to look at his face instead, watching a smirk tugged at the corners of his lips as his eyes gleamed with a knowing look.
She immediately heaved a sigh of relief and soon got the cue as she turned to leave with a coy smile and a soft "thank you" left her parted lips. The doors closed behind her. And now, it was just the two of us looking at one another as the air crackled with unspoken tension.
"So…" I drawled, leaning forward to place my elbows on the desk in front of me as I clasped my hands together and rested my chin on top of it. I looked up at him and our eyes met. "What do you want? Let's get this done and over with."