"Charlotte, what happened the other day?" Mr Maquire asked and Charlotte flinched.
"What? What other day?"
"You know, that night I asked my nephew to pick you up." He said and Charlotte's eyebrows furrowed. "My Nephew says he could not find you when he drove down. He had some issues with the car and was not able to make it on time. Though he was late, he still made it there but you weren't there." Mr Maguire explained.
"He could not find me?" Charlotte almost got angry. The fact that she waited in the rain till it was almost midnight while waiting for his stupid nephew made her blood boil.
And more than that, she mistook another man for him and things happened.
Things she wished never happened.
She was angry but pretended to be fine and said,
"I took the night bus." Charlotte responded, with calm breaths and walked away.
Mr Maguire simply watched and shook his head, not knowing what was occupying her mind.
***
Wesley had scheduled the meeting with the headstrong games shop owner at an exquisite restaurant at the heart of the City.
He sat with his legs crossed, shaking his foot impatiently. He rolled his sleeves from his left-hand ankle to check the time; it was some minutes past 9:00 am.
The restaurant had glass walls that you could see the outside surroundings, from the top floor, Wesley could see the rest of the City. He'd been waiting.
Cross walked in.
"What is it Cross?" Wesley asked with his jaw clenched.
"I have bad news boss," Cross replied. He grabbed a bottle of water and poured the contents into his mouth, gulping. He'd been calling Mr Maguire's Arcade and had gotten no response. Days ago, he reached out, and the apprentice there gave a positive response, but now she has refused to take her calls. Even Mr Maguire responded positively to the invitation. He furrowed his brows, waiting for Wesley to give him a sign to drop the bomb.
He's not the type to be unreliable but he'll be forced to appear incompetent before Wesley.
"What's up with you and bad news these days, Cross?" Wesley smirked, he could guess what was up. Cross had a very readable expression and was an easily understood person.
"I am really sorry Wesley,"
Wesley scoffed, taking a sip from his glass cup of red wine.
"The bastard stood me up." Wesley scoffed, taking a look at his watch.
"I can't say, his arcade is not responding as well." Cross said.
"Nobody messes with Wesley Jameson." He paused. "I always get what I want in the end." Wesley's lips played a weird smile. "Take a sit Cross. I'll deal with Mr Maguire."
A few days after that...
"Young lady, move aside!" The huge voice of the workman sitting behind the wheels of the bulldozer rang, and the young lady in question was none other than Charlotte, who was chained to the front door of the arcade shop she works for.
That's right. Mr Maquire's gaming shop, facing the bulldozer fearlessly yet anxiously as it threatened to tear down the building.
"Mr Maguire says you shouldn't tear down his shop." Charlotte retorted nervously, holding tight to the lock.
The men had watched her in mockery, scoffing at her idiocy.
Did she not know the consequences of going against Wesley Jameson?
Other than that, was she really going to throw her life away for a shop that's been standing for years and needs to be torn down?
It was madness coming from her.
It had been over an hour and they were still warning her to get out of the way so they could do their job and not escalate things further.
Yet, Charlotte was proving stubborn.
Why wouldn't she?
This was her only source of income.
Charlotte had arrived at work that morning and met this group of men wearing coveralls and boots using survey tools to measure the area. A small crowd was gathered, watching them.
Weeks ago, Mr Maguire had told her about the demolition of the shops and houses in the area for some government-approved project, he said. He claimed that the property was not acquired legitimately and that it belonged to his family. He claimed he wasn't part of it and wouldn't allow them to destroy his life's work.
Charlotte was stunned by the amount of destruction already carried out and it was their turn. Other shop owners and residents had moved out except Mr Maguire. They approached her, telling her to pack out within the limit of eight hours, or they'd destroy everything from furniture and systems to other stuff inside.
She had contacted Mr. Maguire, and he promised to be back with his Attorney as soon as possible and pleaded with her to buy him sometime before he got back, however she could.
And that was when she came up with such a crazy idea.
"For the last time, I am asking you, young lady, free yourself of the chains and get the fuck out of the way!" An elderly man, one of the demolition crew spat out at her as he exhaled the smoke from the vape he had inhaled. Charlotte turned to face him. "You don't seem to value your life."
"And I'll say it too, old man. For the last time, please take your things and your men away from here. You can't demolish this property." Charlotte replied to him, staring down at his boots; she bit her lips nervously.
"Skipper!" The elderly man yelled, calling to the well-built man who was driving the bulldozer.
"Yes boss," the other man yelled back. By this type, the small crowd has increased and people kept trooping in to witness what was happening.
"Move this thing. I've already done enough talking. Whatever happens next, she's got herself to blame. I'm just doing my job." the elderly man instructed blowing the last smoke before tossing it aside and turning his back against her, facing the rest of the crowd. "At least I got a lot of witnesses. My patience has died."
Skipper hit the engine and began to advance forward. The crowd began to disembark, some yelling at Charlotte to give up and let the men do their job but she went deaf to their warnings and stood with her belief that they just wanted to scare her and wouldn't really tear down the building with her in the way.
She held on to that hope and pursed her lips, her heart beating fiercely.
'Mr Maquire, where are you?'
Meanwhile, Wesley Jameson and his Crew had just landed in the City, and we're currently exiting the City airport. He had flown out of the state to finish a deal that needed his urgent attention.
Now that he was back, it was time to oversee the project.
"Hey, you have to see this." Cross suddenly said, bringing his tablet to Wesley's face.
Wesley looked at what he was referring to and his eyes squinted, peering closer to look at the face of the lady in the news.
His lips curled up and he smirked, letting out a shrewd remark.
"Well, I'd be damned."