Chapter 19: The blackmail
"This heart of mine is not to be taken." She bragged. Entering her persona.
"Love is useless, the only thing important is power. I would just look for that," she said smiling and confident, no fault could be seen from her play. She looked sincere saying those words. It fooled everyone except Andy who knew she didn't give up on Liam at all.
The girls were different. Shirley looked at Bella with her chest up. As she thought, Ivy were not a threat for her relationship with Liam. Bella was surprised, she thought given Ivy character, she would fight for Liam and not just give up.
"This is even an interesting candidate," she said her eyes on her phone.
"Thirty years old, vice president an important jewelry industry in England and handsome on all of that. He sound like the perfect candidate," she said reading the profile further for herself.
She was really considering going out with other guys. Since the moment Shirley entered the office till now she didn't fail to observe the couple. They looked great together and Liam was all focus on Shirley, his gaze never leaving her even for a second. He was not for her it seem and she may be better off.
"Sound perfect and enter to all your criteria," Andy said adding food on Bella plat. She ate too little for his liking.
"So when is the wedding?" he added. His reactions gained a look from Ivy, who was wondering was he was doing. He shrugged and smiled in response.
"You guys are really serious about it? How can you really let her get married to a stranger just like this," Bella asked in disbelieve.
"You don't know Ivy yet. Marriage has always been a transaction to her. Marrying a stranger wasn't the deal for her. Her feelings are usually the last thing she takes in consideration before doing something," Liam said.
'It true except when it applies to you,' Ivy thought.
"No wedding for me, he hate basketball? How can he even be on this list, I can't be someone who hate my passion," she rejected him right away. For her partner need to share her passion for sport and primarily basketball.
"I don't want to finish like you guys," she teased. It wasn't his hate for basketball who got him rejected. He wasn't Liam, that was all. She wasn't ready to yet, but had to. She repeated to herself.
With an urge of courage and determination to move on, she sent a text to her mother, agreeing to the blind date.
The men laughed at her words. It was true they did like to share it with them but it wasn't a must for them to like the same thing.
They ate happily and discussed of trivial matters. Andy was relieved thing turned well. He worried when Liam told him the girls was coming as well given Ivy hated for them. Ivy seems to have decided to give up on Liam and did her best as she promised to get along with Bella, it really made him happy. Soon it was brought to the end, the waiter came and took wasted plates.
"I need to go, mom programmed a blind date for me," she stood up from her chair.
"A blind date, so soon?" Liam asked.
"Yeah, it seem she is eager to chase me out of the house," she joked. She knew it was any way near it.
"With whom?" Andy asked
"Don't know yet, would see when I arrive," she said.
They mimicked her action and get off their seat. They went to the bar, wanting to bid their farewell to the old man but her already left a while ago. With nothing left to do, they walked out, the women in front.
"I forget my phone," Ivy said, noticing it before they got in their car. She ran back in.
"She never change always absence minded," Andy shook his head.
They stood by their car waiting for her to come back before they each take their cars and go to their separate way.
"Mr. Black and Mr. Evans!" A man greeted from a distance. He walked to them.
"What a coincidence, I never thought to cross path with you in such a shabby place," he added.
He was in his latest twenty. His negligent look make him look older with big black bags under his eyes. His short messy brown hair looks like it didn't see a brush for days. Their difference of height was equal to their difference of age.
Shabby? One could wonder how the far end of the city center be shabby but in comparison of what people of their social status are used to, it was indeed shabby.
"Greg, seeing you is all but coincidence isn't it." Liam stated.
Despite his negligent look, Greg was the son of an influential man in the underworld. He was as out of place like they were. It was impossible for them to meet coincidentally in such a place except he was following them.
Bella and Shirley curiously stared at him. They wondered how someone like him could know important figures like Liam and Andy.
"You know each other?" Shirley asked. It was her first time to see the man. She knew all of Liam's friends and they weren't many.
"Shirley, I'm honor to finally met you," he extended his hand to takes hers but where stop mid-way by Liam.
"Don't touch her," he fling his hand away, no one touch his woman especially someone like him.
Shirley looked at Liam confused, his stand changed. The carefree Liam where no were to be seen. The smile on his face disappeared, it never happen when he was with his friends. She concluded they weren't that close.
"Who is he?" Bella asked. She was as curious as Shirley, the looked on their face showed they had no good feeling for the man.
"No one, get to the car," Andy said, his gaze never leaving Greg.
"Bella, happy to meet you," he smile, Bella frowned, not liking the way he was looking at her.
"I said, get into the car!" Andy repeated himself in a more commanding tone.
"You as well Shirley," Liam said. With no other choice they when in their respective car. Shirley in Liam's car and Bella in Andy's.
"What? Are you worry I would do something to them?" he laughed. He felt good to have influence to such important persona.
"It's exactly what I'm wondering as well," Ivy spoke from behind them. She assisted to all the scene with bewilderment. How could they allowed anyone, especially someone so low to talk to them in such a manner?
"Greg," she called the man, walking closer to the group. Her eyes met her friends ones but none of them dare to maintain it
"It has been years. What are you becoming," she said standing beside Andy on his right. She scrutinized him from head to toe.
"Nothing good it's appears," she concluded. Her chin high, her eyes full of pity. She felt sorry for pathetic man in front of her.
"Ivy," he called through his gritted teeth. He hated how she was looking at him, feelings superior. Her signature arrogant look she always carried when looking at him was back on her face. He hated how inferior he was to her.
"You are right. It's been a moment," he played cool. There were no need to Let her know his feelings. It wasn't why he came there for
"I thought you realized how bad these guys were and decided to take your distance,"
"How can I leave them? Cat doesn't walk with dog remember," she replied.
"Of course," how could he forget, she was just as ruthless as they were? Maybe even worst. Liam and Andy didn't have a choice, they were bounded to their of lifestyle since birth but Ivy was different. She choose it herself. Of course, he feared her more.
"What are you doing here?" she asked. The conversation she overhead didn't stop coming in her head.
"Nothing. I came to remind them about me and our deal. You have three days left or else I will obligate to my promise," he said and left , his job was done.
Ivy looked at him in disbelieve, did he just threat Liam and Andy? She shook her head at his stupidity, they weren't people to be threated. To her surprise when she glanced at her friends they had a serious look on, considering what he said.
"Are you really going to tell me that loser of Greg is threatening you?" she asked not believing the words coming out of her mouth.