Seduce Me (The Heart Series)

by Angela Estienne

  “You have an admirer.”

  “No I don’t, it’s a bit creepy don’t you think?”

  “I am not sure, I will get back to you on that one when the jury’s in.” We both started laughing, but then that sinking feeling came back to haunt me.

  “Shall we head in? I think it’s about time now.”

  “Yep, I suppose so, I want to get this execution over and done with.” She placed her warm hand in mine and we walked over to the office. I stood looking at the door unsure of whether I really wanted to go inside or not.

  “Take a deep breath Jazz, don’t forget I am right by your side, I am not leaving you.” I nodded. As I was opening the door my body went into panic mode, I let go of the handle and walked away.

  “Cat I can’t do this.”

  “Jasmine look at me.” I turned my head to look at her.

  “You can do this, you are so strong inside, all you need to do is focus on me, all right?”

  “Yeah.” she squeezed my hand and we headed back to the door.

  Chapter 9

  We walked upstairs to the reception and approached the desk.

  “Hi, I have an appointment at 11:00 to see Mr Russell.” She phoned through and told him I was here.

  “He will be with you momentarily, please take a seat, would you like a drink whilst you are waiting?” She asked us.

  “Yes please.” I had learned my lesson about saying no when I was parched, as I thought back to the interview I had with Mr Earnest, “can I have a glass of water please?”

  “Yes, I won’t be a moment.” Cat didn’t want anything. She was so cool and composed, I am glad she insisted on coming with me. We both took a seat.

  The reception area was quite large, the beech effect desk was low, upon it sat a phone, computer, and a metal paper rack, the reception desk was placed on the left as we walked in, behind the desk sat a filing cabinet and a smaller desk unit that housed the printer. It had lemon coloured walls, with some funny pictures in oak frames scattered around. Hard wood flooring lay beneath my feet. On the opposite side of the area sat three single wooden chairs, and two red double sofas, there was a corridor that ran off to somewhere on the right. It had a new feeling about it, they just probably had it redecorated not so long ago, it was like I could still smell the drying paint.

  The receptionist came back with my water.

  “Thank you, do you have a bathroom I could use please?”

  “Yes if you follow that corridor over their on the right, it is your third door down on the left.”

  “Thanks.” I put my glass on the floor and stood up. I headed off and started walking towards the corridor, my insides were churning, I could feel myself getting more worked up by the second. I needed to splash some cold water onto my face. I went to the toilet and then filled the sink with cold water, I splashed my face and looked into the mirror, god I looked dreadful, pale, watery eyes, I was a total mess, I bent down again to splash more water on my face. I dried my face off and headed back to the seating area.

  “Are you all right hun?”

  “I will be Cat, I just want this over and done with now.” I picked up my water and took a sip. I was now physically shaking. I sat back and Cat put her hand on my leg. I felt sick so I took another sip of my water and then I glanced at Cat and smiled. I really was thankful that she insisted on coming with me. I was just starting to calm down a bit when Mr & Mrs Mitchell walked into the reception area, I looked at Cat. My eyes were now wide open. She squeezed my hand to reassure me.

  “We have an appointment to see Mr Russell at 11:00.” I knew they were going to sue me for something, I was now convinced. The receptionist picked up her phone, when she put it down she turned to them and said.

  “Mr Russell won’t be long, please take a seat.”

  I had a good mind to get up and walk out, but I was frozen to the spot, my legs just wouldn’t move. Come on legs get me up, please, I just want to get out of here. I was on the verge of having a full blown panic attack, then I heard this very calm, soothing voice talking to me.

  “Sip on your water hun.” I tried to take a sip but my hands would not stop shaking.

  “And again.” So I did. I actually managed to get a sip this time, “now just try and relax and breathe, in through your nose and out through your mouth. I am here, I am not going anywhere, come on hun, focus on me, just ignore them, it is just you and me sat here, there is no one else around us.” I turned my head to look at Cat. “That’s it, it’s just you, and me remember?” I took my eyes of Cat and looked at them. They took a seat opposite us, they didn’t say a word, not one little thing, never making eye contact with me, they just looked at the floor. I wanted to say something to them, but I didn’t know what to say, we used to get on really well, at least I thought we did. Greg was their only child, but the way they turned on me after his death seemed unforgivable. And now this.

  Mrs Mitchell looked up directly at me.

  “You bitch. You are evil, you were sent directly from Lucifer himself, you are a murderer, you killed our beautiful son, robbed him of his life, murderer, murderer.” She went to stand up, I had to fight back tears of rage, how dare she say that I was a murderer? I put my glass on the floor stood up and ran out. I couldn’t take this, it was just too much to take in. I never murdered anyone, she shouted and screamed at me with such venom, I went to sit on the wall to wait for Cat. My body flopped down, my back slid down the wall and I hit the floor with a thud, I wrapped my arms around my bent knees and I rocked myself back and forward, I shouted out.

  “Why did you leave me with all of this Greg, please just come back to me, I can’t live without you at my side. Make this bad dream stop and wake me up, please. Please come back to me, I beg you to come back.” I broke down, I just wanted to go, if they were going to sue me I wished they could just do it without me being present. I wasn’t going back in there, not now, not ever. My eyes turned into waterfalls and there was no way to stop them falling down my face, my back was burning from sliding down the brick wall.

  Cat came outside and sat down next to me.

  “Jazz, you need to come back inside.”

  “No way, I just want to go, please let’s go now.” She wrapped her long arms around me, my head was resting on her chest, I could hear her take in a deep breath.

  “We have to go back in, but I will be right by your side, I promise.”

  “I am not going back into that place while they are in there, now take me home please.”

  “I can’t do that hun, Mr Russell tore a strip off Mrs Mitchell. He was very forceful.”

  “I am not going back in there, you can’t make me, I refuse. If you won’t drive me back then I will get a taxi.”

  “Ok, calm down, I will just have to let Mr Russell know that we are leaving, sit tight I won’t be long.”

  “Finally.” I instantly started to calm down, knowing I didn’t have to face them again, Cat was taking me back to her house.

  “Will you be all right on your own for a minute?”

  “Yes, but don’t be long, please, I want to go.” She walked away towards the office. I couldn’t believe she wanted me to go back into that place.

  When she came back out she had a chair in her hands closely followed by a gentleman in a dark blue suit, carrying a glass of water and a box of tissues. Cat approached me.

  “I have brought you a chair come on and sit yourself on this.”

  “I don’t want to, I am comfortable where I am.”

  “This fine gentleman behind me is Mr Russell, he wants a quiet word with you on your own, I will just wait by the car for you, ok?” I just looked at her. Mr Russell sat down on the chair.

  “Miss Williams, here I have brought you some water and some tissues.” He passed them to me, I blew my nose and wiped my eyes, I then took a sip of water.

  “What do you want with me?”

  “I need you to come back inside, please, this is really important Miss Williams.”

  “Yo
u can tell them to sue me, I don’t care anymore, I am not coming back into that office.”

  “Take a sip of water.” Great I have someone else telling me what to do now. But I did as he asked, “they are not suing you.”

  “Well why am I here?”

  “I can’t tell you yet, but I really do need you to come back in with me. I promise you, they will not say another word.”

  “How do I know this is true?”

  “I realise you don’t know me, but Greg did and he trusted me, I am asking for your trust now, take your time, catch your breath, have some more water and come up when you are ready. I will wait for you upstairs.” He walked off with the chair, I was so confused and upset. Cat came back over to me.

  “Now tell me when you are ready and we will go back in together.” I took my time to calm down, if they did start again I would get a taxi and go home, no amount of sweet-talking would get me to go back in. I wiped my eyes for one final time and took another drink of water.

  “Ok Cat, I am ready.”

  “Well done Jazz, I am so proud of you.” She gave me a cuddle and I winced.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “My back hurts.”

  “Turn around and let me see.” I turned around and she lifted up my t-shirt.

  “Shit hun, we will deal with your injury’s when we get home, you have taken a fair amount of skin off your back. Did you slide down the wall?” She pulled my t-shirt back down.

  “Yes.”

  “Come on, let’s get in.” We headed back inside.

  Mr & Mrs Mitchell were still sat in the waiting room, Mr Russell ushered Cat and me straight inside his office. If she hadn’t of been right at my side I don’t think I would have gone into the room. Mr Russell’s office was of average size, it also had the same wooden flooring that the reception area had. A large wooden desk took centre stage in the office. A single lonely phone sat upon it, there was a single filing cabinet in the right hand corner and two brown leather sofas. The walls were painted in cream, with just a few ‘fill in the gap’ pictures scattered around. One wall was dedicated to his credentials. It was a very impressive read.

  “I am so happy you decided to re-join us Miss Williams, I promise, you won’t regret your decision to come back to us.” He brought me a fresh glass of water and closed his door. Now I will leave the tissues here for you, I am going to bring Mr & Mrs Mitchell in soon, I need you to stay calm and composed if you can. I have already warned them that any further outburst will not be tolerated. He walked away and headed for the door, he slowly opened it up.

  “Jazz hun, stay focused on anything but them. You are so brave doing this, coming back in here after all what she said to you, I love you Jasmine.”

  “Thanks Cat, I wouldn’t have come back in if it wasn’t for you, I love you too.” I reached for her hand.

  “Mr & Mrs Mitchell, sorry to have kept you waiting, you may come in now.” When they entered they sat at the furthest point away from us, which I was very thankful for.

  Mr Russell pulled a file out from his desk.

  “I would first like to thank you for coming in today. I understand this cannot be easy for any of you.” I squeezed Cat’s hand, she looked at me with a big smile on her face. Mr Russell continued speaking “I have called you all here today so I can relay Mr Gregory Mitchell’s Last Will and Testament, he instructed this office to take charge of his affairs upon his death. Now this is quite an in-depth Will so please bear with me. He has stipulated a few clauses.” Last Will and Testament, I didn’t even know he had one. I felt the blood drain from my face, I must have turned white as a ghost. Cat squeezed my hand again. So Mr Russell was telling me the truth, they weren’t suing me after all, well not yet anyway. I glanced at Cat, she gave my hand another comforting squeeze.

  “May I first ask, Miss Williams, who is this lady sat with you?”

  “Oh, yes, sorry, this is my best friend Miss Caitlin Fisher.”

  “That is fine, she is mentioned here in the Will.” Cat looked straight at me, “Greg knew you very well Miss Williams. He stated on this paper that you would bring her along, it would have been a shame not to meet her after he had predicted it. Greg talked about her with love and affection. Nice to meet you Miss Fisher.”

  “Nice to meet you Mr Russell,” she replied.

  “I just need to ask a few brief questions before I can start.” I took in a deep breath. In through my nose, and out of my mouth.

  “Miss Williams were you still living in a separate residences when Mr Gregory Mitchell died?” What sort of question is that? What business is it of his? But I was too shy to say anything, so I answered.

  “Yes I suppose we were, we both had our own apartments. We were going to merge them after we got married.” I was feeling like a schoolchild being asked to do a test. I wasn’t sure if I had given the right answer.

  “Relax Miss Williams, take your time and don’t worry,” he replied. I took another sip of my water. He carried on “and Miss Williams how has your relationship been with Mr George & Mrs Susan Mitchell since Mr Gregory Mitchell’s death—?” he was rudely interrupted by Mr Mitchell. He arose and shouted out.

  “Can we just get on with the reading of my sons Will and stop all of this nonsense. We are already behind time because of someone running off.” Mr Russell, calmly, but firmly rose up out of his chair and replied.

  “Mr Mitchell, I will not be interrupted by your shenanigans, now sit down so I may continue. I have warned you once already. The reason that we were delayed is not because Miss Williams ran out, it’s because your wife viciously slandered Miss Williams in front of witnesses, so I suggest you sit down before I advise Miss Williams to sue you for slander, do I make myself understood?” He sat back down but you could tell he wasn’t happy. Mr Russell sat back in his chair. “Sorry about that Miss Williams, I will continue. Would you like me to repeat the question for you?”

  “No thank you. I got it.” But how was I supposed to answer that? They are evil, they want me dead, they blame me for the accident, so I thought I just had to be honest about it, so I replied.

  “Our relationship ended the night Greg died, they didn’t even mention me on his headstone.” Tears were getting ready to flow again, I didn’t know much longer I could hold them at bay.

  “And may I enquire as to why your relationship ended?” He asked.

  “Yes, they blamed me for Greg’s death, they wanted me to die and still obviously want me to die, not Greg.”

  “And finally, have the police brought any charges against you for Mr Gregory Mitchell’s death?”

  “No it was an accident. The police have taken a statement from me, but a car apparently ran into us, we didn’t run into anyone.” Tears started flowing down my face again. Cat got a tissue and gave it to me. I wiped my eyes and tried to catch my breath. I slid forward on the seat and perched myself on the edge of it, just in case I needed to get out of the office fast.

  “Very well. Thank you Miss Williams.” I took another drink of water.

  Mr Russell turned a page in his file and took a sip of water. He cleared his throat and continued.

  “Now I have all the facts that I need, I can proceed with the official parts of the Will.

  Mr Gregory Mitchell has left instructions that, this office, under Mr Mitchell’s direction will sell the apartment at, 56 Luna Haze Street West. Miss J Williams his fiancé will inherit all of the proceeds from the sale, minus any fees incurred for the sale of the property. Including sellers fees, taxes, rates, redecoration/maintenance, any outstanding bills that the property has incurred, and also any debt that he may have accrued over his life time, including his funeral, and with the added bit of information that Miss Williams was kind enough to divulge, we will make a cheque available to get a new headstone for Mr Gregory Mitchell which will include details of his fiancé on it. The rest will go directly to Miss Williams.

  It is also stated that he makes no claim, to any of Miss J Williams assets.” He looked d
irectly at me, I squeezed Caitlin’s hand “Miss Williams, may I ask you who paid for the funeral?”

  “Mr & Mrs Mitchell did, I wasn’t included in it.”

  “Thank you Miss Williams. Upon written evidence being presented to this office for the funeral costs, this office is instructed to reimburse the full amount of the outlay incurred to Mr & Mrs Mitchell, as soon as possible.”

  “This is an outrage, she killed my son, where is the justice here?” Mr Mitchell said.

  “Sit down Mr Mitchell or you will not be privy to anymore of todays discussions, do I make myself clear?” Mr Mitchell sat down and nodded his head in agreement, “very well, Mr Gregory Mitchell has also left instructions that Mr George and Mrs Susan Mitchell will receive any possessions that Miss J Williams has no further use for.” my mouth fell open. “It is also stipulated that if one or both Mr George Mitchell or Mrs Susan Mitchell should shun Miss J Williams in anyway after his death they will not inherit a dime, with a stipulated clause: only if there are no suspicious circumstances for his demise with regards to Miss J Williams.”

  “Miss J Williams.” He looked directly into my eyes and continued “Mr Gregory Mitchell had taken out quite a few insurance policies that would automatically mature in case of his death. He had also saved the proceeds from a court settlement that he received on his 18th birthday, from an accident he was involved in when he was younger. You are to be given a yearly amount to be set by this office, inclusive of any interest procured, for the rest of your natural days. Miss J Williams, you have just become a very wealthy lady, you will never have to work again or worry about money. He has made sure you would be well provided for.” My mind was spinning, I had no idea that he had even received money, I knew about his accident, I used to kiss his scar, but money!

  “Mr Gregory Mitchell has left some other instructions.” He looked back in my direction.