Chapter 848 Chef
The humid Ludus air hit Sonia like a warm slap as she stepped out of the airport. Beside her, Bryan wrestled with their luggage, a bemused smile tugging at his lips.
"Welcome back to reality," Bryan said and Sonia forced a smile.
Reality felt a little heavier than usual. The decision to cut their honeymoon short had gnawed at her, but the image of Mia's tear-streaked face during their last time together at her wedding, wouldn't let her relax. She needed to see her friend, offer whatever support she could and say goodbye before she leaves.
"Alright," Sonia straightened her shoulders, a flicker of determination in her eyes. "First things first. I need to call Lucy."
Bryan raised an eyebrow. "Lucy? What for?"
"We need to find out if Mia is at Tom's…"
"Aren't you forgetting that she will be at work by now? Why not call Mia directly?" Bryan asked and Sonia shook her head.
"I'm not calling to ask if Lucy is at home. I just want to know if Mia is still at Tom's. Mia's phone is off, remember?" Sonia said and Bryan slapped his forehead.
"Yeah. I forgot," he said as he hailed a cab.
"So, where are we headed? Home or to Tom's place?" Bryan asked as the cab approached them.
"Let's head to Tom's. I will give Lucy a call when we get into the cab, and if she says that Mia isn't there, we can just change our direction," Sonia said as the cab stopped in front of them and they got in.
As they weaved through the chaotic Ludus traffic, Sonia pulled out her phone and dialed Lucy's number.
"Hey baby," she greeted when Lucy picked up.
"Why are you calling me now? Isn't it nighttime over there?" Lucy asked as she glanced at the wall clock in her office.
"In Paris, yes. But not over here. We are back in Ludus," Sonia explained.
A beat of silence followed before Lucy replied, a hint of surprise in her voice. "Is everything alright? Weren't you supposed to spend three weeks in Paris for your honeymoon?"
"We decided to cut it short," she mumbled.
"Because of the issue with to Mia, I suppose? You really didn't have to cut short your honeymoon. Tom, Harry and Jeff are handling everything. This is your honeymoon. You should make the best of it. And before you say you can always do it next time, I beg to defer. A honeymoon is different from a vacation. You only do it once," Lucy said and Sonia rolled her eyes.
"I didn't call to be lectured, Lu. Mia is important to me, and you know it. And she is important to Bryan too. If she is not going to be there when we get back, then it's only right that we cut our trip short and see her off properly. How do you think I'm going to be able to enjoy my honeymoon if I'm worried about her?" Sonia asked and Lucy nodded.
"I guess you are right. You have every reason to be worried. Even I am worried after seeing her husband's press release," Lucy said and Sonia frowned.
"Her husband?" Sonia asked and turned when Bryan whispered to her.
"You haven't asked her where Mia is," Bryan reminded her. "We were wondering, is Mia still at Tom's place?" Sonia asked curiously.
"I think so. She was at Tom's office earlier, but she has left with Jeff, so I guess they went back to the house," Lucy said and Sonia nodded. .
"Cool. So, what were you saying about Mia's husband? Did something happen?" Sonia asked with interest while Bryan tried not to look too curious as he waited for Sonia to finish the call and tell him what Lucy had said.
They couldn't exactly put the phone on speaker and let the driver hear whatever Lucy was saying. Somethings were meant to be private.
"Uhm, I can't get into it right now," Lucy said when one of her team members knocked on the glass door and walked into her office.
"But maybe you can watch it. It's one of the hot topics online. He basically painted Mia as a crazy lady. He called her bipolar and her dad was there to support his claim," Lucy said and Sonia sighed.
"Alright. I should let you get back to work now," Sonia said before hanging up.
"What did she say?" Bryan asked after the call ended.
He listened as Sonia halfheartedly told him what little Lucy had said while she busied with trying to find the press release on the internet.
Once she found it, she played the video and she and Bryan watched it. As they watched it, fury bubbled up inside Sonia and the weight of the situation settled heavily on her shoulders.
Cutting their honeymoon short had been a difficult decision, but after seeing the video, she knew it had been the right one. Mia needed her friends now more than ever.
Sending her anger, Bryan reached for her hand and squeezed it, "Don't worry. Mia will be okay. We will all make sure of it," he said and Sonia nodded.
Away from there in Tom's house, Jeff and Mia walked into the guest bedroom, and the door clicked shut behind them, leaving a heavy silence in its wake.
Mia set her purse down on the nightstand, and sat on the bed. Jeff, ever the attentive friend, hovered by the door.
"Are you comfortable here, Mia? Were you able to sleep last night?" he asked, his voice laced with concern as he sat on the vanity stool.
He had been dying to ask her how she was doing and if she had slept well- if she had missed him, but he had been unable to do so earlier until now.
Mia forced a smile. "As comfortable as one can be under the circumstances," she replied. "And I managed to get some sleep… eventually. Had to learn to sleep with the sound of my own thoughts again. It took quite a long time before I slept off," Mia confessed.
Jeff's brow furrowed. "Do you want me to spend the night?"
Mia nodded, "Yeah. But not because I'm scared or because I can't go to sleep."
"Why then?" Jeff asked curiously.
"Because I don't know when next I may be able to lie beside you or if I might be able to. So, I want to do so tonight," she said and Jeff's gaze softened as a brief silence settled between them.
"This whole thing… it must be incredibly difficult for you. Coupled with today's revelation," Jeff said after some time.
She nodded, a flicker of despair crossing her face. "But it has to be done. I'm taking back my life."
"I agree. But are you very sure about this plan, Mia?" His voice was laced with concern. "Going back to his house? Will you ever be able to go to sleep at night?"
A steely glint entered her eyes. "Absolutely. I refuse to lose sleep over this bully anymore. I absolutely refuse. This is what he wants. A life where I live in abject fear of him. It won't happen anymore," she said with stubborn determination.
Jeff tilted his head. "And you believe you can win over his loyalists? Get them on your side? Can you trust his people? Can you be sure they will turn on him?"
Mia shook her head. A small, humorless smile played on her lips. "Henry doesn't inspire loyalty, Jeff. He inspires fear. There's a difference. He doesn't have loyalists, just terrified pawns. That's what I plan to use. I will make them see him for the monster he is. I will make them realize it's only a matter of time before he would turn on them if the situation serves him," Mia said and Jeff looked at her skeptically.
"And three months? Isn't that too much time to spend with him?" He asked and her eyes narrowed.
"It could be less," she said, her voice low and dangerous. "But it mustn't be more. Three months is what it might take. He needs to feel secure, let down his guard. Then, and only then, can I make my move."
Jeff remained silent for a moment, his gaze holding a mixture of worry and admiration. "I know I've said this before, but I'm going to ask again just to be sure," he began, his voice gentle, "are you sure you're strong enough for this? This is a dangerous game you're wanting to play, and you can't change your mind once he comes to get you tomorrow," Jeff said and Mia met his gaze, her eyes blazing with a steely resolve.
"Stronger than you think, Jeff. And frankly, I don't have much of a choice, do I? I'm going to do this, Jeff. And I do not intend to change my mind," she said confidently.
"Alright. I'm all in with you then. If we win, we win together. If we lose, we lose together," he said, and Mia held his gaze.
"Are you sure about that?" Mia asked, and Jeff nodded.
"Totally. I'm thinking, do you have male chefs in the house? I could come in as a chef. That way I can keep making sure you are well fed," Jeff said and Mia's lips curved in a smile.
"What is it with you and feeding me?" She asked, and he shrugged.
"I love to know you are feeding well. A healthy diet is important for a healthy body and mind. I want you to always be healthy. Also, you need all the energy you can get right now," he said and she sighed.
"So?" He asked, and she frowned in confusion.
"So what?"
"Do you think I can get a job as a chef?" He asked hopefully.
"I don't know how much things might have changed around there. But Henry is a very cautious person and he is particular about the people that prepare and serve his meal. No random person can work as his chef. But I think it would be nice if you worked as a chef in the house. It would be easier to communicate with you that way," Mia said and Jeff nodded in agreement.
"I thought so too."
"So… will you spend the night?" Mia asked, and before he could respond, a knock sounded on the door and Mia went to open it.
She was delightfully shocked to see Sonia standing there.
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