Chapter 44: Starting the games
Mira and Lucas entered the elevator when Lucas was finally done tying loose ends on his work, as he had put it.
And as soon as the elevator doors slid open with a soft ding, they could both immediately hear a loud sound of unmistakable chaos.
Lucas paused as he tilted his head towards the sound. He even suddenly became alert, too alert, more than necessary.
"What is it?" Mira herself couldn’t help but ask as she leaned slightly towards him.
But instead of answering, Lucas just continued toward the source of the commotion as it grew louder with each step they took.
When they finally reached the lobby, it was like they had come in contact with a train wreck. Because in the center of the vast open lobby, under the gaze of a modern art sculpture, stood Travis and Naomi.
They were, in fact, the source of the disturbance.
Travis’ face was so red with anger as his hands gestured wildly. "How dare you? How could you go back on our agreement and dare lie to me, saying he told you to come back?"
His voice was even trembling. "You actually came here to try to seduce and sleep with another man while I’m waiting in the car park for you? Do you take me for a fool?"
Naomi stood with her arms crossed. She looked composed, but anyone could see that she was clearly irritated by his public display.
"Lower your tone, Travis." Her voice was low with controlled anger. "Let’s go home first and we can argue about it as much as we want. This is not the place."
"No! This is exactly the place! You can’t just—"
Mira watched the scene unfold as a wave of memories hit her.
This was exactly what Travis always did when she was with him. He hated her speaking to any man at all. Not even a polite smile at a waiter or cashier was accepted. He would always accuse her of flirting with every man, even when she was just being a normal human.
Yet he turned out to have been sleeping with her very own best friend behind her back for so long.
Talk about a hypocrite. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
But then a slow smile spread across her face as she realized the opportunity presenting itself.
At least, he’s now Naomi’s problem.
Lucas noticed that the exchange did not seem like it was dying down anytime soon, so he gestured to Jack, who had suddenly materialized at his side like he always did when there was trouble.
"Get security and remove them before this escalates further. This is a work environment, not a marketplace."
Jack nodded and started moving to get the security.
But Travis’ voice rose again, succeeding in making a lot of people stop in their tracks.
"See this?" He pulled out his phone and almost shoved it in Naomi’s face. "Someone anonymous just sent me this message! So how can you even deny it, huh? Even without this message, it’s so obvious with the way your jacket was off and your clothes were all wrong!"
Naomi tried to grab the phone, but Travis pulled it back.
"Who sent that to you?" she demanded.
"Look, it doesn’t even matter! How could you believe something some nobody sent to you over what your future wife is telling you? That person could be anybody, even an enemy who just hates us together and wants to sow discord!"
The bait had been taken, Mira thought as she bit back a laugh that caused Lucas to glance at her with a confused expression.
"What?" Mira whispered without taking her eyes off the drama. "Isn’t it funny?"
Before Lucas could respond, or security could reach them, Mira decided to make her move.
She straightened her shoulders and walked down the remaining steps, then she stopped directly in front of Travis.
"Uhm, hello, Mr. Hale?" she said in a very sweet and deliberately poised voice.
Travis froze as the angry words he was planning to spout died in his throat.
All attention snapped to Mira, and even Naomi looked from Mira to Travis with confusion.
Mira leaned in a little as she let the sweet smile spread wider.
"Oh, you seem so shocked that I know your name, right? Of course I do. Didn’t you attend the anniversary gala? You stood out that night in your beautiful suit, and your handsome face is not exactly one that can be easily forgotten either."
The way the words rolled off her tongue with ease was shocking even to Mira herself.
Travis’ anger seemed to visibly melt away as a blush crept up his neck. His ego was so inflated, and the way he stood a little taller and smoothed down his own shirt was proof of it.
"Oh, really? You’re flattering me, Miss Sanders. Thank you."
Of course, Mira thought with satisfaction.
Whether or not Lorena Sanders is in debt or a scandal right now doesn’t matter to men like Travis. She was one of the sources of their fantasies, and she still is.Her face and body didn’t change just because she’s fallen from grace.
The calm composure that Naomi had been trying to feign finally cracked as she stepped in front of Travis.
Her voice was sharp with jealousy and rage as she spoke. "What the hell do you think you’re doing?"
She said it to Mira, but Mira barely acknowledged her and only gave her a roll of her eyes.
Travis, however, reacted instantly. He felt irritated by her interruption and grabbed Naomi’s arm, only to pull her roughly behind him. "Stand still, woman! Can’t you see that I’m talking to someone important?"
The dismissive tone, the casual manhandling, the way he pushed Naomi aside like she was nothing all gave Mira nothing but a flashback.
She had lived through all of it, and now she got to watch it happen to none other than Naomi.
Mira had to fight to keep a straight face because she was savoring the delicious humiliation on Naomi’s face.
"It’s okay, Mr. Travis," she started in a light and forgiving tone. "Anyways, I heard you run a dry-cleaning start-up?"
Travis immediately puffed his chest as he scratched the back of his neck nervously. "Yes, it’s just starting, so it’s nothing big yet."
"That’s wonderful, and exactly what I need." Mira’s eyes lit with fake interest. "I’d like to work with you. I’ve needed a good dry-cleaning partner for a while now. It’d be best if we talk more about this."
She pulled out her card but then pretended to consider something else.
"Here’s my card... no wait. Better yet, let me give you my personal number."
Travis’ eyes widened like she’d just offered him the lottery jackpot.
"Can I have your phone?" she asked sweetly, and he handed it over immediately with shaky hands.
Mira entered Lorena’s number and handed it back with a smile that could have melted steel.
"Don’t forget to call me, Mr. Hale."
She managed to use the sultry tone that had made Lorena famous. "I’ll be looking forward to it."
She then turned back towards Lucas, who was still standing and watching the entire scene.
They walked together towards the entrance, even though it felt like a victory lap to Mira. Because behind her, she could still hear Naomi hissing at Travis in low and angry tones, while Travis just seemed too dazed by his interaction with her to pay much attention.
Lucas looked angry as they walked towards the car, but Mira was starting to get immune to his moods.
In fact, his anger didn’t even scare her anymore like the way it used to. If anything, it was starting to get predictable.
They reached the sleek black car waiting at the curb, and Lucas held the door open for her as she slid into the leather seat.
And as soon as the door slammed shut with more force than necessary, he turned to face her.
"Lorena, what the hell was that?"