The smirk on Damian's face grew bigger as he saw how Alexis had sucked in a breath when he spoke up.
"But two can play the game, Mrs or Miss Alexis ..." He added, then sat down and moved in closer to Alexis across the table.
"I have a counter offer!" He announced, the smirk still playing at his lips.
He was trying to intimidate Alexis but the powerful, smart woman held her own against him.
In retaliation, she moved closer to him, as if she would kiss him again, letting him instinctively pulled back. Then she held his gaze.
"What is that, Mr Blackwood? Let's see if it is something that will favor us both." She questioned.
"Oh, well she is tough." Damian thought to himself feeling amused but that didn't change his hard countenance.
"If you want me to help you, let's merge your company with mine." He informed her, his dangerous intent coming out to play.
The information took Alexis unaware and she was rendered speechless. Damian stared at her for a moment, waiting for a response but got nothing. It was just a stare battle.
"I think I have gotten an answer to my offer. And yeah, I can't help you." Damian maintained sharply and stood up.
Then he walked out of the coffee shop, leaving Alexis totally dumbfounded.
"A merge?" Alexis muttered when she finally found her voice. But before she could ponder well on that, her phone buzzed.
It was a text from Evan.
"Where are you, Alexis? If you are with that motherfucker, then you are in danger, trust me. Damian Blackwood is not who you can trust." The message read.
"And you are the one I can trust?" Alexis asked rhetorically, scoffing in annoyance after reading the message.
"This man must really think highly of himself. Cheat!" She spat out in disgust.
Another text came in at that moment.
"I am heading home now, let's sit and talk everything out, amicably." The text read.
"Amicably? You must be kidding me." Alexis grunted. Afterwards, she stood up and walked out of the coffee shop.
"Meet me at the shop across ..." Alexis called her driver and started giving him the address of where she was.
~~~~~~~~~~~
A few minutes later;
"Where should I take you, ma'am?" Collins, her driver questioned. Alexis had gotten into the car without a word.
She appeared sullen and Collins needed not to be told that she wasn't in a good mood.
"Should I take you to the penthouse?" Collins inquired further. The penthouse was where Alexis usually go to whenever she wasn't feeling good or needed to unwind and think.
"Yes." Alexis replied her driver simply.
And off they went to the penthouse near the outskirts of the city, far away from the mansion she lived with her husband.
They got to the penthouse and Isabella came running towards Alexis, engulfing her in a warm hug. The former had been waiting outside the house in expectation of her arrival.
"Hey sister! You are missing me as much as I am, right?" Isabella asked in her loud, adorable voice.
"Izzy, what are you doing here?" Alexis asked totally surprised by her younger sister's presence at the penthouse. They hadn't even been in touch for few days.
"Well, that gentleman over there texted me ..." Isabella began talking, pointing at Collins. Alexis furrowed her eyebrows.
"As I have instructed him to--- that whenever you are coming here to relax, he should let me know. We can't have you being in here brooding, all by yourself. Let's brood together." Isabella said, smiling.
"Who told you I am here to brood?" Alexis asked, then glanced back at her driver.
"Let's get inside already." Isabella said, tugging on her sister's arm.
"Who else have you informed about my mood, Collins?" Alexis asked, raising an eyebrow at her thoughtful driver. She wasn't upset at him for doing that but she wouldn't admit she was grateful and pleased by it.
"No one else." Collins replied, a small smile appearing on his face. Alexis shook her head and without another word, allowed Isabella to drag her into the house.
They got on the elevator and arrived at the last floor of the penthouse.
"Go sit down, let me serve you. I prepared your favorite meal. I bet you are hungry." Isabella told her.
"You cooked?" Alexis asked in shock, her eyes widening.
"Well, I instructed the chef to prepare while I monitored him. So technically, I cooked." Isabella replied, chuckling.
That genuinely amused Alexis, and for the first time since that morning she had been at the office, she smiled.
"Of course, I know the sister I have." Alexis muttered to herself, smiling.
"Wait, what? Are you saying I can't cook? I can cook--- if I set my mind to it." Isabella protested jokingly.
"Girl, if you boil water, it will get burnt." Alexis replied, shaking her head in amusement.
"Huh!" Isabella grunted but didn't say anything. She dished out the meal with a smile plastered on her face.
"I am getting a divorce, Izzy!" Alexis blurted out. As the word got out of her mouth, she exhaled sharply. She felt relieved at that moment.
Isabella was shocked by the announcement but quickly recovered.
"Trust me, Lexi, that is one of the best decisions you have ever made." Isabella replied, taking a seat opposite her sister, her voice taking a serious edge.
"It is long overdue." She added. Alexis furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.
"You know he has been cheating on me?" Alexis questioned.
"Oh, he is cheating too?" Isabella blurted out, sounding shocked then scoffed in annoyance.
That statement communicated to Alexis that her sister knew what she didn't know, about her husband.
"What do you mean by that, Izzy? What do you know?" Alexis asked, looking lost.
"Actually, your husband has a dangerous game up his sleeves. He is up to something very bad and I have been on his tail to gather evidence. Something that can harm you and the company." Isabella divulged. Alexis' eyes widened in shock and her lips parted.
"What?" Alexis gasped, her heart pounded hard