295 A Special Birthday Gift

“Huh!”

Xia felt as though a bulldozer tire had run over her head, making her bulging eyes pop out of its socket. She observed that she had stopped breathing and was beginning to suffocate from lack of oxygen.

“Hahaha!” Ella roared in laughter like someone drunk with fresh intoxicating wine. “You should see your face, Xia! It seems as if you just saw the Boogeyman.”

“Ha...ha!” Xia attempted at laughing but it came out in hiccups. She quickly thought of what to say to remedy her terrified composure. “You got me. Something weird just crossed my mind and I wasn’t thinking about your question.”

“Really!” The humor suddenly vanished from Ella’s face and was replaced with an icy stare.

“Yes!” Xia quickly rose to her feet as she thought of a polite way to discharge Ella before things got weirder. “Umm... I just remembered that I have to run a quick errand this morning. If you don’t mind, can we play this game some other time?”

“Yes, I do mind!” Ella said softly which was in contrast to her chilly stares. “So, why don’t you sit down like a good girl and answer my question? After all, it would only be fair because I answered yours.”

“Ariellla...”

“Chit-chat time is over!” Ella said sternly. “It’s now Mrs. Treshvire to you. Sit down and answer my question.”

.....

“Mrs. Treshvire, please, I would really appreciate it if you leave now.” Xia pointed towards the exit door. “This conversation is no longer healthy for the both of us. If it makes you feel any better, I’ve never slept with your husband. We are simply business partners and nothing more.”

“Hmm... Alright, thanks for telling me your version of the truth!” Ella slowly rose to her feet as though she was about to leave but the next series of events placed Xia on a cruise ship to hell.

Smack!

Smack!!

Smack!!!

Xia felt three ear-deafening slaps strike either side of her cheeks, causing blood and tears to rush into her temporarily blinded eyes. She felt her world spin and the sound of everything around her reverberating.

The fierceness and the force of the slap sent her flying backward and falling flat on her butt, thereby hurting her hip bones. She tasted something metallic in her mouth and spat out bloodied saliva while trying to understand if it was the fragile wife of the CEO that struck her.

In addition to the internal and external pain, Xia felt a deep cut on her right cheek, a few inches close to her right eye. She was forced to cup her right eye while wincing in pain.

“On your feet, Xia!” Ella said calmly and sat down. She carefully brought out her phone and her golden gun. Then she placed them both on the small glass table before her, for Xia to see clearly. “Do not make me repeat myself otherwise...”

Xia didn’t wait for Ella to finish her statement as she speedily rose to her feet and stood trembling like a jellyfish in troubled water. The sight of the golden gun on the table send wave after wave of panic down her spine and she wished the ground would open and swallow her whole.

“Let’s try the question again, shall we?” Ella smiled like an innocent angel incapable of hurting a fly. “Have you been f**king Leon Treshvire? I just need a yes or no and nothing more.”

“Yes!” Xia whispered as burning tears flowed from her reddened eyes.

“Louder!”

“Yes!” Xia increased the volume of her tone. I have...”

“Shhhh.....” Ella placed a finger on her lips and signaled for Xia to take a seat opposite her.

Crying softly, Xia did as she was instructed.

“You see, that wasn’t so difficult, was it?” Ella quizzed nicely, getting a nod from Xia. “Good! “You wouldn’t be experiencing this current pain if you hadn’t provoked me. Imagine me almost breaking my fingers trying to teach you to tell the truth.”

“Nevertheless, let’s continue with the game but this time I’ll be the one asking all the questions, and you have to answer truthfully. Okay?”

Xia nodded her head in reply while trying her best to hold back her flowing tears.

“Use your words, Xia, and stop nodding like an agama lizard.

“Okay!” Xia sniffed and rubbed her itchy nose

How many times have you slept with him?” Ella asked while staring into Xia’s eyes.

“Once!” Xia didn’t blink severally or look sideways when she responded. This confirmed to Ella that she was telling the truth.

“What happened the day he kicked you out of his office?”

Xia’s red moistened eyes widened in shock as the name Lily popped up in her mind. “That evil witch snitched on me. I should have known! I’m so going to deal with her.” Xia mused incoherently.

“You don’t want to waste my time, tramp!” Ella warned quietly without breaking her intense stare on Xia.

“I’m so sorry, please, I will never...”

Xia felt her heart leap out of her chest as Ella slowly picked up her gun resting on the table and carefully removed the safety. This made Xia quickly correct herself and speedily told Ella the truth.

“I went to his office uninvited hoping for a special time with him while ignoring one of the conditions in the contract we signed. So he teasingly ripped out my bra and panty before kicking me out of his office like a...”

“A cheap whore!” Ella completed the statement as she remembered Lily’s earlier remark. However, something new had just surfaced out of her interrogation and this seemed to be crippling her heart by the second.

“Did you sign a contract concerning your relationship with him?” Ella couldn’t mask the horror in her eyes as the thought of a contractual mistress further shattered her already fragmented heart.

“Yes, I did,” Xia replied through trembling lips.

“Is that what you meant when you said you were in a complicated relationship with him?”

historical

Again, Xia was dumbfounded. The only person she remembered sharing this information with was Sabrina.

‘Could it be that Sabrina was Ella in disguise? No! That’s not possible! Sabrina didn’t have Ella’s jade green eyes.’

“Yes!”

“Show me the contract!” Ella rose to her feet and pointed the gun at Xia to do the same.

Xia carefully stood up and walked over to her desk. She picked up her laptop and turned it on while stealing furtive glances at the intercom resting on her table.

The thought of hastily calling the security personnel to come to her rescue crossed her mind. But, when she saw the deadly glow in Ella’s intense gaze, she reconsidered her motives and just opened up the file that bore the contract.

“Here it is.”

Xia turned the laptop in Ella’s direction, but Ella simply said, “print it out and bring it to me.”

“Okay,” Xia again did as instructed.

While Xia was printing out the document, Ella put back the safety of her gun. She was worried that she might end up shooting Xia in the head before she had time to confront her husband.

After printing out the contract, Xia cautiously walked over to Ella to hand her the document while dreading the consequences she would face at Leon’s hands.

“You dare sleep with my husband and signed a contract to be his mistress!” Ella asked between gritted teeth. “You must really have some nerves! Let’s see what lies under those clothes that my husband finds attractive. Strip!”

“Huh”

Pow!

Ella used the base of her gun and struck Xia partially on the head. This made Xia stagger backward and fall a second time.

“Strip you disgusting tart!” Ella boom in a repressed deadly tone.

“O...k...ay!” Xia quickly took off her suit jacket and pants with shaky hands.

“Stand to your feet and strip completely to your birthday suit.” Ella scowled.

Xia rose to her feet with great effort as every part of her body began to ache terribly, and quietly took off all her clothes. Inwardly, she wished Ella would just silence her with the gun, rather than torture her in a demeaning way.

“That’s better!” Ella scoffed and walked back to her seat, leaving Xia standing like a helpless female dog, who has its tail between its legs.

“Let’s see how much my husband would love his special birthday gift.” Ella picked up her phone and dialed Leon’s number.

Leon received the call on its first ring as if he had been expecting Ella’s call.

“Hi baby, are you missing me like I’m badly missing you?”

“No, I’m not missing you,” Ella said rather harshly as she tried to control her traumatized emotions. “Although, I have a gift for you.”

“You got a gift from me?” Leon quizzed excitedly. “You shouldn’t have, baby. You are the only gift I could ever want in life.”

“Come down to my new friend’s office, I’ll be waiting,” Ella said dryly.

“Your new friend? Who is this new friend that I do not know about?”

“Her name is Xia Chu,” Ella said and ended the call.

“Your contracted boyfriend is coming to join in the fun.” Ella grinned evilly as she waited for Leon to show up.

*********

Hello, my exceptional readers, it has been wonderful having you all aboard this love story cruise.

I trust you are having fun reading just as I’m having fun writing.

Please feel free to leave comments and suggestions on what you think about the story so far.

Also, as the story progresses into the love trial between the ML and FL, please be patient with them and do not write either of them off.

A special thanks to you all for your support, power stones, golden ticket, and gifts. I remain ever grateful.

Lots of kisses from your one and only gal, author Tres_Aguila.