Lorraine was fuming! She had gone into the 'Officer May' mode. They had the audacity to play her and to hurt someone because of greed! She was disgusted! The girl built a million scenarios she would pay them back and all of them involving her physically hurting them.
Should she castrate each and every one of them? Break their hands that hit her with their famous metal bat? Or crush their legs so they'll never be able to walk to make someone's life miserable? Slam their faces into a-
Something vibrating snapped her out of her thoughts. It was her phone. It had been vibrating for a while she just didn't feel it. She fished it out of her trouser pocket and was about to slide a finger to answer only to be taken aback by the number.
She stopped in her tracks. She was outside the hospital on her way to catch a cab but this.... This was a call she had been avoiding but now. Oh she desperately wanted to ignore but she needed the truth!
"Finally! She picked up!" A crispy yet older female voice resounded in clear amusement as soon as Lorraine answered.
As annoying the woman was to her, she still gritted her teeth and got straight to the point. "You can't help but cause more trouble for me even while you're in prison?"
"Why I'm fine thanks for asking", she deadpanned. Lorraine rolled her eyes in annoyance and let out a frustrated sigh. "Oh and this place, it's become my second home."
"Clearly but do you have any idea what you put me through? No, forget me. What you put Oliver through? Do you?" The hurt and the pain all came out through her anger. Her eyes stung with frustrated tears.
"Sweetheart, I know I haven't exactly been a great mother to both of you so I did the right thing. For my babies", she cooed the last three words like she was talking to a child.
"BULLSHIT!" Lorraine screamed but quickly became conscious of her surroundings. She didn't want her outburst to alarm anyone and most importantly did not want to give this woman the pleasure of hearing how frustrated she was. She moved away to a more secluded place and spoke quietly as she walked. "Stephanie, I cannot put up with your bullshit anymore. Oliver cannot continue to live like this. He needs to grow up in a normal environment like a normal child."
"Do you seriously believe that I did not pay everything off? Lorraine."
"Paying off is not the issue, how you did is! You cannot continue borrowing money from who knows where and leaving me to deal with the aftermath! The constant harassment, the-"
"I promise I didn't know they would resort to such underhanded means."
"Gee, it must have been hard to guess especially knowing the type of people they are", she deadpanned. Stephanie grew quiet at the obvious truth her daughter had just stated. Lorraine closed her eyes and exhaled to calm her inner turmoil. "How much is it this time? What did you do?"
"Lorraine, uh, my time is up. I have to go."
"No! Stephanie! Steph-" The call had been terminated and there was dead silence.
The fear of the unknown was slowly creeping up on her and along with it came frustration. Who will she have to deal with this time? Will their lives ever return to normal? What if this new person is worse than these guys and actually hurt Oliver?
These thoughts plagued her mind as she walked. There were so many what ifs and all of them only fueled her worries. Why was she handed such a miserable fate?
Lorraine's life had never been peaceful and she desperately wished for that to be undone. It was like she was under water for too long and desperately needed a breather. A breather...
She had no idea how she ended up at Xavier's room door. She still needed to pay back those goons but her legs remained glued on the spot. She had somehow wandered back to Xavier. Before she could think, she opened his door to find him still in the sitting position.
The moment Xavier saw her facial expression, he opened his arms wide. Lorraine automatically walked over and cried in his arms, for the second time that night.
"Thanks", she pulled away and sat on the edge of the bed, facing him.
He wiped her tear stained cheeks with his thumb. His expression and tone of voice was full of worry. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"I..... I got a call from Stephanie, my mother."
He nodded. "She confirmed?"
"Was there anything else you found out concerning the debt payment? I don't trust her."
"I don't think I got any of that, check in that tablet", he nodded at the device on the coffee table.
She walked over to retrieve it and gave it to him to unlock it. They read through the information together and found nothing. Xavier now understood Lorraine's worry. Did this mean new loan sharks to deal with? Could they be worse than the previous ones?
"I know someone who can find out", he said.
"Please."
He didn't waste a second and took his phone from the night stand and called. "Hey, can you look into Stephanie.... May?" He looked at Lorraine and she nodded confirming the surname.
"Stephanie May", Zach's voice resounded in Xavier's ear. He had seen that name in the report early on.
"Yeah, we need to know what she's done, if there's a new enemy or not."
"Okay."
Lorraine watched with expectant eyes as Xavier put away his phone. He nodded at her assuring her that it will be done. She wanted to breath a sigh of relief but would relief ever come to her? She felt a warm hand take hold of hers and looked up to meet Xavier's kind eyes.
"Everything will be okay. Whatever you need, I'll be here for you. I promise." All he wanted was to see her happy and vowed to keep his word.
"Thank you", she gave him an appreciative smile. Her eyes fell on the tablet and reminded her of her earlier mission. "Um, what do you plan on doing with Nico and his boys?"
"Well, for now, they will remain in custody until I regain consciousness and we'll file a case for assault."
"They might get off on easy bail. They have the money."
"Not when the Frost name is on the line", he smirked. "And there are so many charities in need of a good funding."
She smiled at his idea. "That's nice."
"You have something else in mind?" His brows shot up.
"Oliver and I have lived in fear for too long, I want them to have a taste of their own medicine", she shrugged. "I'm not that kind."
"I think.... I can make happen."
The two smiled at each other, feeling thrilled about what was to come. Meanwhile, Zach and Amy were still on their way home. He put away his phone and resumed holding her in his arms as they were driven home.
"Stephanie May.... Lorraine May....", Zach mused as he played with Amy's hair.
"Don't like her?" Amy sat up and looked at him curiously.
"What do you know about her?"
"Mm... I've worked with her team at least once or twice in the past. She's got good work ethics and is trustworthy. But I don't know her personally."
"Mm..." He nodded. Amy was still giving him a curious gaze so he decided to explain himself. "Miss May's mother, Stephanie, had incurred a huge debt right before she went to jail leaving her kids to deal with that. The loan sharks were the ones that stabbed Xavier tonight."
Amy cupped his cheek in comfort and sympathized with the man's worry. "You don't want this to be a repeat of the Irene case?"
He only looked at her, his eyes confirming her guess. She sighed and moved to hug him. She understood him completely. As much as she liked Lorraine because of their professional relationship, she was not in the place to back her up especially when she didn't know the girl personally. In that moment, there was nothing to alleviate her man's worries.
This content is taken from (f)reewe(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦