Chapter 615 Girls Hangout
Instead of returning to the office, Lucy decided to just drive around and find somewhere to relax since she wasn't mandated to return to work after her therapy.
After driving for some time, she found a quiet spot with lots of trees around and parked the car under one of the trees.
First, she texted Tom to let him know she was done with her session for the day and that it had not be bad. And then she sent him pictures of herself and her environment.
Done with that, she took out her journal and a pen and adjusted her seat to a comfortable position as she wrote down all her thoughts concerning her discussion with Dr Julia.
While she was still in the middle of doing that, her phone started ringing and she quickly picked it up, thinking it was Tom, but sighed when she realized it was Lucas.
Hearing from Lucas was good too, she reminded herself as she received the call, "Hey!" She greeted cheerfully.
"Hey, you! How are you doing?" Lucas asked curiously.
"I'm good. Ended my first therapy session a while ago," Lucy announced.
"Therapy? You started one already?" Lucas asked sounding delightfully surprised.
"Yeah. I decided to give it a shot so you all would stop nagging me so much," Lucy said dismissively, even though she wanted Lucas to ask her how it went.
"So? What do you think about it? Was it good or bad?" Lucas asked with interest.
"Well, it was honestly better than I expected. We didn't talk so much about me, though. She said today was for us to build a rapport so we spent the time getting to know each other. She is a lovely lady, and I believe she is terrific at her job," Lucy said and Lucas smiled happily.
"I'm glad to hear that. Perhaps I could use her service too?"
"Not unless you were a victim of a stalker or have been sexually abused before. She specializes in such cases," Lucy explained.
"Well, Rachel did stuck me, didn't she? I mean through my phone," Lucas joked, and Lucy giggled.
"It's good to know you can now joke about her," she said with a smile in her voice.
"Tyler is always making jokes about her, so it's either I learn to laugh about it or I murder my host," Lucas said, and Lucy laughed softly.
"How is Ty doing? I guess you're enjoying your break?" Lucy asked curiously.
"He's good. And yes, I love being here. It's refreshing. Tyler recommended me for a six months advanced medical training course. So, I will be here for a while," Lucas said, and Lucy sighed.
"You're not planning to stay back there permanently, are you?" Lucy asked with a slight frown.
"Why? You're missing me already?" Lucas asked in a teasing tone.
"Of course! It's too far away. We will all definitely miss you," Lucy said and Lucy chuckled.
"Don't worry, it's not a permanent move. I will be back after the training and ready to get back to work," Lucas assured her.
"So, how is Tom? And how are things going between the two of you now?" Lucas asked curiously.
"Not bad. He's out of the country at the moment taking care of business. But everything is alright. I've decided not to let breaking up with him be an option. I think if I keep thinking things might end eventually I might not put my best into making things work. So, I'll just try to forget anything else and work on those things I can work on," Lucy said, and Lucas smiled.
"One therapy session and you already sound this way. I'm more than impressed," Lucas said, and Lucy rolled her eyes.
"It has nothing to do with the therapy. I just figured I need to do what I can to make things work since Tom is doing his best too," Lucy said, and went on to tell Lucas about the notes Tom had left her.
"He's a great guy. I wish you both all the best. By the way, mom told me about Sonia and Bryan. Don't let her put any pressure on you," Lucas said and Lucy told him about the little exchange between their parents the previous evening.
"It's good dad is putting his foot down on it. Anyway, I called to find out how you're doing. I'm glad you're good," Lucas said, but before he could hang up, Lucy stopped him.
"Lucas?" She called hesitantly.
"Yeah? Is there something else?" He asked, and she sighed.
"I'm sorry to bring this up. I spoke with Amy last night," Lucy explained, and Lucas paused.
"I already told you I want nothing...."
"Yeah. Sure. I'm in support of your decision. She wanted me to let you know she is very sorry. That's all," Lucy rushed to assure him.
"It really doesn't change anything, Lu. I'm not upset nor mad. I'm indifferent right now. I wish them all the best in their endeavour. Whatever you do, just make sure you do not give them Tyler's number," Lucas warned.
"Sure. I won't," Lucy said, and then glanced at her phone when it beeped with an incoming call notification.
"Alright then. Talk to you later. Be good. Love you," Lucas called, and hung up after Lucy responded.
Immediately, Lucy received Sonia's call. She had been expecting Sonia's call since the previous day, but had been too preoccupied to give her a call.
"Hey, baby!" Sonia greeted in her usual chirpy tone, and Lucy grinned, happy that Sonia was back to being her happy and carefree self.
"You seem to be in a good mood," Lucy said, and Sonia giggled.
"Well, I am. That's not why I called. How are you? And how are things between you and Tom?" Sonia asked curiously, and Lucy repeated all she had told Lucas to Sonia.
"But something strange happened today," Lucy said, and then went on to tell Sonia about Cora's visit to her office, the picture, and Tom's response.
"Hmm! What? You think he's lying to you?" Sonia asked, and Lucy sighed.
"I don't know. I don't want to doubt him or think about it, but I'm bothered by it. I mean, it doesn't make sense that a business meeting would be held at such a place. And then he said he met with a man, but the picture said otherwise," Lucy said with a sigh.
"If you ask me, I think you should take Tom's word for it. If you're still in doubt by the time he gets back tomorrow, you can just ask him in person. Tell him what you heard and saw, and ask for an explanation," Sonia advised.
"Yeah. I think I will do that. I'm hoping he gets back tomorrow in time for the dinner party. You're coming, right?" Lucy asked hopefully.
"I wouldn't miss if for anything. Bryan is going to be there after all, and so is Matt. You haven't met Matt, right? Did I tell you about Matt and Candace?" Sonia asked excitedly, and before Lucy could respond she started telling her all about their coincidental meeting the previous day and that morning as well.
"Sounds like one of your romance stories. I hope everything works out well for Candace. She deserves to be happy," Lucy said thoughtfully.
"Yeah. Matt too," Sonia said, "I was thinking, it's been a while since we hung out together. You know? Just us besties chilling. No boyfriend drama. I was hoping you would make out time this weekend so that all four of us can hangout. By four, I'm talking about us girls. Us two, Jade and Candace. What do you think?" Sonia asked, and Lucy smiled.
Even though she expected Tom to be around, she wasn't sure how her weekend would be now that she was no longer living with him. He might as well have made his own plans for the weekend.
She couldn't let her life and plans all revolve around Tom's availability, and she couldn't sit still waiting for him to make plans for them. Taking a couple of hours to spend time with friends wouldn't hurt anyone.
"Sure! That should be fun," Lucy said, and Sonia smiled happily.
"Good! I wanted to check with you before suggesting it to the others. I will bring it up in the group and then we can decide on when and where to hangout," Sonia said excitedly.
"That's fine."
"I should get back into the pool and join Bryan. Love ya," Sonia said before hanging up.
Away from there, sitting across from Mr. Bateman, Jade watched the man silently as she waited for him to speak.
She believed he had called her over because he was ready to make some sort of deal, and she wasn't going to say anything until he said what he had in mind.
"Before I say anything, I will like to know what you have against Rebekah Miller," Mr. Bateman said, and Jade raised a brow.
"That's not how this works, Mr. Bateman. It is my job to ask questions and get information from you. It is your duty to answer my question and tell me all I need to know if you care about your son and want to save him. I heard your company stocks are dropping really fast. This scandal is not good for you or your company," Jade said, and Mr. Bateman shook his head.
"Even if I tell you what you want to know, I'm sure the company will still be affected in the long run," he pointed out.
"The truth is, whether you tell me what you think I want to know or not, I'm going to find it and prove how you and Rebekah murdered Mr. Richard Miller. You can take my offer and save your son, or I can do it myself, and then both you, your son, and your company will suffer. I'm giving you an opportunity to at least save your son," Jade said as she picked up her phone and scrolled through her gallery.
She turned the phone's screen to him to reveal a screenshot picture of Adam fucking Rebekah from behind, "You aren't the only family relation warming Rebekah's bed, you know? And neither are you both the only men warming her bed. You have no idea what she is capable of. I'm telling you about her affair with Adam in confidence. The chief judge doesn't want me to reveal this information to the public," Jade said, and Mr. Bateman frowned in confusion.
"I don't understand. What exactly is going on?" He asked, and Jade smiled.
"In order to prove that your son isn't responsible for Adam's murder, I will have to bring up the issue of Rebekah's affair with Adam. If I'm unable to do so, your son will be found guilty," Jade said, and he narrowed his eyes.
"Are you trying to say Rebekah is behind all of this?" He asked, and Jade shrugged.
"I've revealed enough. Are you willing to give me what I want or not?" Jade asked, and watched as he pinched his nose.
"I had no hand in Richard's death. Yes, I may have defrauded him, but that was as far as I went. Murdering him was Rebekah's idea. She was the mastermind behind his death. I had nothing to do with it," Mr. Bateman said.
"Evidence. What I want is evidence. If Rebekah is behind it as you claim, then provide me with evidence," Jade said impatiently.
"Can you give me your word that you will save my son?" He asked, and Jade met his gaze squarely.
"If you provide me with evidence that Rebekah is behind her husband's death, I will make sure I prove that Jackson is not responsible for Adam's murder," Jade promised.
Mr. Bateman took a deep breath as he opened his drawer and took out an old phone with a damaged screen, "Alright. I believe you will find the evidence you need in here. This used to be Rebekah's phone. She lost it on the night Richard was murdered. She doesn't know I have it. I'm giving you this because after she lost her phone, she made me wipe out my phone's memory so I wouldn't have any record of our past implicating conversations," Mr. Bateman explained.
"So, why did you keep it this whole time?" Jade asked as she took the phone from him and he shrugged.
"One thing you learn as you grow old is that even your best friends can become your worst enemies. I had it this whole time and had forgotten all about it until we met yesterday. I don't know what Rebekah has to do with this case, but if she is deliberately trying to make him take the fall for a crime he did not commit, then she has become an enemy," Mr. Bateman said, and Jade nodded.
"Can I ask a question?" He asked, and when Jade shrugged, he looked at her curiously.
"Why are you trying to prove that she murdered her husband? What is it to you?"
"She messed with someone she shouldn't have messed with, and now they will stop at nothing to bring her down from her high horse and expose her," Jade said, and he nodded.
"I don't suppose there is a way I can convince you to expose her without involving me?" He asked, and Jade shook her head.
"I'm afraid not. Thanks for this piece of evidence. I will do what I can for your son," Jade promised as she rose and he rose as well.
"Thank you very much for your time," Jade said politely before walking away.
The next person she was going to visit was Rebekah. She was yet to meet the woman in person and she was very curious to see her.
She had no doubt that for Mr. Bateman to have given her Rebekah's old phone, he must have deleted everything that connected him from it. She was going to get it from Rebekah.