‘True, she scammed you, and that’s a worse crime.’
Later that day Troy had some errands to run. First he visited Barbara in jail.
‘You, I know it was you! Get me out of here!’ She yelled through the visitors’ window.
‘Calm down - what do you mean? I don’t know what you're talking about,’ he said innocently, while she cursed and snarled.
‘You drugged me!’ She shouted, grabbing the bars on the window. The guards told her off. She tried to regain her composure.
‘No, Barbara, it was consensual - just like when you took the selfie in bed with me, remember? That was also consensual, wasn’t it?’
‘I’ll get my revenge, I swear...’
‘Yes, yes, I know. Look... I've just come to tell you that yours is a complicated situation. I'll get you a good defense lawyer and I'll do my best to get you out of here.’
‘Yes... honey, get me out of here, please! I have to share a cell with the most horrible people!’
‘Don’t call me honey! Tomorrow is the trial, I’ll help you in return for my shares.’
‘No way!’ She said with a snort, tossing her blond hair back and looking haughty.
‘You’re a conwoman! Then you'll stay here,’ Troy said angrily. He got up and straightened his tie.
‘Wait, wait! Okay, if you get me out of here... we'll reach an agreement,’ she implored, fearful.
‘You agree?’ He asked suspiciously.
‘Yes, I will return the shares that you bought in my name and that I didn’t pay you for,’ she confirmed, to reassure him.
‘Well in that case, let me introduce you to a good friend of mine; his name is Arthur Bradfield, my solicitor.’
‘You brought a solicitor?’ She asked incredulously, narrowing her eyes at the bald, bespectacled little man who now appeared.
‘Yes, my dear. I didn’t hear you say "I swear."’
‘I swear I'll return the shares you bought in my name. Are you happy?’ She asked, annoyed.
‘Perfect. Please sign this document. ’ He handed her a sheet of paper, on which she read:
"I, Barbara Drake, in full use of my mental faculties, promise to sell my shares, corresponding to 20% of the value of Generations magazine, and buy them in the name of Troy Hamilton. In exchange, the aforementioned Troy Hamilton will provide me with legal aid and will pay the fees of my lawyer in addition to all court costs."
‘Have you lost your mind? I'm not going to sign this.’ She said bluntly, returning the piece of paper.
‘It doesn’t force you to anything, nor does it say that the shares are mine. It's just a promise; it proves that you made me a promise, period. There’s no law that forces you to keep promises!’ He passed the document through the window again.
‘Then why is your solicitor here?’ She asked skeptically.
‘So that you will make me a promise in earnest! But you’re not actually obliged to comply with it, look at the fine print.’ At the end of the page Barbara read the last line:
"This document is not legally binding and does not oblige all parties to fulfill said promise."
‘Fuck! Okay, I'll sign it! But I don’t see why it’s necessary.’ She said suspiciously. She took the pen and signed.
A week later, Troy paid Barbara's bail and managed to get her out of prison. Now that she was free again, he would have to meet all court costs and pay the fine imposed on her, which was more than ten thousand dollars.
‘Well, Barbara, call me when you've fulfilled your part of the promise.’ He said, with an edge of irony.
‘Of course, honey! What would I do without you? I'll let you know as soon as I can.’ She got into a car and left; she preferred not to talk about the subject too much, perhaps because she had no intention of complying.
The next day, against all odds, Barbara called Troy. When he picked up his phone he saw that he had about twenty missed calls.
‘What happened? You seem very anxious to talk.’ He said calmly into the phone.
‘S-Someone has sold my shares and bought them in your name!’ She screamed, almost hysterical.
‘Oh, really, have you done it already? Oh, Barbara, thank you very much!’ He exclaimed with feigned joy. ‘I knew I could trust you.’
‘Was it you? I’ll sue you! Damn bastard!’ Her yells came out with such force that Troy was forced to move the cellphone away from his ear to avoid damaging his eardrums.
‘No, it must have been you! You made me a promise, remember?’
‘Damn! I should have guessed it was a dirty trick, I'll take you to court.’ She snarled.
‘As you wish, but I must tell you, my dear, that you made a promise in the presence a solicitor, so therefore, any reasonable person will think that you have simply complied with the agreement. Which is as it should be, right?’
Barbara hung up; she didn’t want to talk any more.
Troy, satisfied with the results, completed his daily ritual - shower, shave and the choice of one of his magnificent designer suits. He was preparing to go to his magazine, which was now completely his.
Yes, completely – or almost, at least, because of the 10% of shares that were left to Barbara, she would have to sell at least 5% in order to pay the loan that she had taken out years ago.
Arriving at the office, Troy whistled as he passed through the newsroom, something which he usually didn’t do. Tatiana looked at Randy, surprised, and he smiled.
‘Have I missed something?’ She asked, while tidying some documents.
‘Could be, in truth I don’t know the details...’ Randy replied. He was inspecting some photographs of models and selecting the best ones for publication.
‘Go on, don’t be like that! Tell us everything!’ exclaimed Betty, approaching his desk with Bianca at her side.
‘Sorry, but I have nothing to tell, I don’t know anything.’
The girls looked at each other suspiciously. ‘We don’t believe you, but we'll find out.’ Bianca said.
At that moment the boss approached. ‘Tatiana! Can you come here a moment?’ He said happily, leaving some documents on a table.
‘Of course. You're very upbeat today - you will tell me the good news, right?’ She whispered, looking around.
‘Do you see these documents I have here? They’re the deeds for Barbara’s shares! But don’t say anything to your colleagues, it's a secret!’
‘How did you do it? I'm impressed!’ She couldn’t believe her eyes.
‘Sssh, don’t talk so loud, be discreet. I'm sorry, but it’s better if you don’t know, it took hard work and a secret mission, hehehe.’
‘You know what you're doing… And Barbara, what did she say about all this?’ She asked in a low voice, looking around her again.
‘She can’t say much, she has simply lost what she stole from me long ago. Hopefully now she will stop being a part my life definitively,’ he said, although a glint of uncertainty was visible in his eyes.
‘She’s probably going crazy,’ Tatiana said. She had realized long ago that this woman was trouble for Troy.
‘If she comes back, I'll be ready. Anyway, let’s have dinner together tonight, the four of us. Sound good? I'll tell Dallas now.’
‘Perfect, let's see if you hear anything else.’ She went back to her desk to continue her work.
After a few minutes Troy called me, but I couldn’t answer because of the tension between my boss and me. I wasn’t allowed to touch my cellphone during work hours. But Troy kept calling me, for half an hour - each time I got more nervous, because I could feel the vibrations of the phone and I wanted to pick up. He kept calling, and now I thought it must be something urgent, maybe something had happened... in the end, I decided to answer when I noticed that my boss was distracted.
‘What’s happened? I'm in the deli, I can’t talk now!’ I whispered nervously, glancing at my boss.
‘Sorry Elsa, it was just to tell you that I got my shares back! Hahaha!’ He was exultant with happiness. ‘Tonigh
t all four of us are going to have dinner in my mansion, to celebrate.’
‘Great! I'm very happy about the shares, but tonight I'll be very tired and tomorrow I have to get up really early – can’t we leave it for the weekend?’ I looked towards my boss again, but she had disappeared and I had several customers in the queue in front of me... everyone wanted to order their Christmas turkey. ‘I have to go, Troy, it’s crazy here – talk later.’
I hung up immediately but, on turning round, I found myself face to face with my boss.
‘You don’t give a damn about what I said the other day about the calls, do you?’
‘It was urgent, I'm sorry!’ I exclaimed through clenched teeth, hoping that it wouldn’t be a big fight.
‘Get on with serving the customers! We'll talk later.’ The mood in the deli was festive, but for me it was always cold...
After a few hours cutting turkey, chicken and ham, my hands were literally frozen - I took off my gloves and went to warm them up. About three o'clock in the afternoon, when the shop was calmer, my boss approached and told me:
‘It's over Elsa, there’s a limit to everything; you’re fired.’
My stomach turned a somersault - it hadn’t been easy to find that job, with a decent salary. ‘B-but… I'm really sorry, it really will not happen again!’
‘I'm sorry; I already gave you an ultimatum. I can’t do anything else.’ My boss had always been strict and a little tyrannical, it must be said.
‘Please, I'll leave my cellphone in the staffroom! I need this job.’
‘Elsa, I’m sick of it all! Look, this is very difficult for me, but your cell phone should always have been in your locker, and after the last time... Next month I won’t renew your contract, you have to go!’ She was inflexible.
‘After slaving away to work hours and hours in a row, and you not paying on time... sometimes we don’t get paid until the tenth of each month!’
‘I pay you as soon as I can! The business world isn’t easy.’ I don’t know if that’s true, but it’s not my problem.
‘And what do you spend it on, wine? You agree to pay us, in the contract, between the first and the fifth of each month.’
‘Get out, now!’
Things had got tense; maybe I should have kept quiet, but by that point it didn’t seem to matter.
‘What? I'm not leaving my job, I know you and you're not going to hurt me anymore.’
‘You’re leaving right now, look – I’ll pay you what I owe you! But you don’t step foot in my deli again!’
‘Who do you think you are, to treat me in this way? You have no right!!’
‘Go, or I’ll call the security guard!’ She shouted, getting up from her chair. I was silent, looking at her with hatred.
I got up from my place, clenching my jaw and holding back my tears. I went to my locker, I took my belongings and as I was about to leave she handed me a folder containing an official dismissal, plus an envelope with money in. She said:
‘Sign here and here.’ I looked at her suspiciously; I took out the document, reading what the letter said.
‘I’ll read it calmly, when I’m home, I’m not signing anything now,’ I answered, keeping my composure.
‘As you like, but then give me the money back, until you sign you get nothing.’
I left the "crime" scene.
Chapter 9
When I got home I called Troy. Sitting on the sofa, I couldn’t contain my tears - what was I going to do now?
‘What's up, honey?’ He asked when he heard me; I had been able to hold on for a few seconds while I dialed his number, but when I heard his voice I couldn’t hold back anymore.
‘They’ve fired me!’ I bawled. ‘I lost my job! I told you that if I used my phone, they could do that.’
‘Oh, no! What a disaster, I’m so sorry; I didn’t think they would be so strict with you.’ Actually, he has no idea how hard my job was, with his millions and his designer suits, he lives in a different world...
‘The last time you called me at work my boss tore into me in front of my colleagues.’
‘I'm sorry honey, I didn’t mean to be the cause of this, you must feel awful.’ He said in a babyish voice.
‘What am I going to do now? I have nothing, I can’t get benefits, I have to pay the rent, the instalments for the car...’ I blew my nose, dabbed at my eyes... it was hard.
‘I'm coming to see you right now. If you need money, I'll give it to you, whatever you need.’ He hung up.
‘Troy, Troy!’ I wanted to vent more, but he had said he was coming...
After ten minutes he showed up at my house. He came up and hugged me – he was there just when I needed him the most.
‘Well, it's time to change job.’ He said, smiling, caressing my nose and kissing me gently.
‘What do you mean?’ I thought I knew, but I wasn’t ready for that.
‘You can work for me; the hardship is over.’ Before I had rejected this offer because I didn’t want to hurt my sister, but now the situation had changed so much.
‘I’m not trained to work in the magazine.’ I said, embarrassed. I was only a middle manager in a warehouse.
‘You don’t need a university degree; you can be on reception, or in the post room. I have other companies too; we’ll look for something that suits you!’ His words reassured me, but...
‘I want to be independent, not a kept woman.’ This surprised him; he got up, annoyed.
‘This ideology prevents you from being happy!’ He exclaimed, his hands on his hips.
‘What? I don’t understand you.’ I had always been independent, had never had a man to help me, I knew I could find another job somewhere. It was just that immediately after being fired I was a little depressed, as was natural - but I could cope alone.
‘I mean, we’re a couple! I’m not trying to make you dependent - I want to help you, protect you! You would do the same with me, wouldn’t you?’ Actually, I couldn’t imagine having a boyfriend who I had to pay for; I don’t know if I could be with a man who earned very little money.
‘You’re taking a long time to answer... you would help me if life went wrong, right?’
‘Of course, honey.’ My words seemed to reassure him; it seems that this was an important point for him.
‘Great, after my bad experience with Barbara I could only be with a woman capable of fighting for me when my life gets difficult. Which is what I will do for you, but you have to let me do it! We’re a couple; we have to be there for each other! Stop thinking in that individualistic way!’
‘Individualistic?’
‘Yes, with that "I can do it alone, I can manage alone!" Allow me to be part of your life, let's be one! Or if not... what's the use of a partner?’
‘Maybe I should change my feminist schemes.’ I thought out loud, looking at him affectionately. My man wanted us to "be one"; this phrase made new tears slide down my cheeks.
‘Elsa, my dear, maybe in the future humans will be generated in artificial wombs, and then couples will be unnecessary, maybe men and women won’t want to share their lives, feelings, or worries. But until that day arrives... Let's share everything!’
‘Yes, my love.’ We kissed, we hugged. It was decided; I would work with him and we would move in together. I had never imagined that Troy would change so quickly in such a short time.
That night we all met for dinner. We had a lot to celebrate.
‘Have you heard from Barbara again, brother?’ Dallas asked. Obviously he knew all the details of Troy's "secret operation".
‘No, but I mustn’t lower my guard. She might surprise me when I least expect it.’ He said, as he drank some of the magnificent wine he had ordered.
‘I imagine she’ll come to her senses, she will have realized that it’s crazy to try to sue you, she has no proof.’ Dallas said, cutting up and tasting his steak.
‘I don’t know; she’s become used to the good life... I think she is probably looking for evidence to
recover the shares, or another millionaire to live off! Hahaha!’ Everyone laughed in unison.
‘I have bad news; I've been kicked out of the deli.’ I said suddenly.
Tatiana almost choked when she heard this. ‘What??? Elsa, you didn’t call me or anything!’ said my sister, worried.
‘It happened this morning, little sister, but don’t worry, I'm going to work for Troy.’ Tati's expression changed when she heard this. ‘Oh, thank goodness! At least I won’t be awake all night worrying, thank you...’
‘Hey, why are you thanking me?’ said Troy. ‘We’re a family! And there’s more good news.’
‘Today is a fun night!’ Dallas exclaimed with his mouth full. He had been doing a lot of sport, that's why he was so hungry.
‘Yes, it's time for a change. Well... from today we are going to live together, we don’t want to waste any more time; we don’t want to miss out on anything.’ We leaned close and we exchanged a kiss on the lips.
‘Amazing, then we really will be a family, hahaha!’ Tati was euphoric; ‘and tell me Elsa, what are you going to work on?’
‘I don’t know yet, we'll think about it.’ I said. I returned to my dinner.
The next day I enjoyed my free time; we got up late, after a long morning of sex in a fairytale bed. After lunch we started thinking about organizing the upcoming Christmas dinner. There was always a special lunch or dinner to attend!
‘Every time I think of that bitchy boss who fired me I feel low.’ I said, remembering those hard moments.
‘Don’t think about it anymore, it’s already history.’ He said sweetly, stroking my neck.
‘Hahaha, when I arrived in a limousine at the delicatessen they were all speechless.’ It had been like in a movie.
‘You can use it whenever you want. Now I have to leave, I have some things to do. Later we'll talk about your next job.’
After he had left I started preparing dinner. Could I see myself as Mrs. Hamilton? Hahaha, it would be better not to imagine too much, I was being excessively optimistic, we still had to see if we would get on well, living together.
That kitchen was huge for me; I was used to the simplicity and small size of my apartment. I surrounded myself with a confusion of dishes and pans, and then a cleaning lady arrived.
My boss seduces me! Page 7