This wasn't the answer Sonia had expected.
Yet… it piqued her interest.
Her mind began to race, and her thoughts swam with calculations.
If his grudge against Alex stemmed from someone he cared about… then that person must be extremely important to him.
Otherwise, no sane man would wage war against another to such an extent of turning allies or friends into enemies over something trivial.
Her thoughts shifted quickly as she tried a few guesses of who the person might be.
A girlfriend?
A wife?
Or maybe a sibling?
Each possibility only deepened one undeniable implication. Whoever it was… held weight in his heart. A dangerous kind of weight.
Sonia's gaze lingered on Kelvin's face, trying to read beyond his calm exterior, but his expression remained unreadable.
Still, Kelvin could tell from the slight narrowing of her eyes, the subtle tension in her jaw and stillness that wasn't still at all that the gears were turning in her head at a fast pace.
"So," he exhaled sharply, his tone low, "I plan to settle the score myself."
Sonia's eyes narrowed further, turning into slits. That statement alone carried too many meanings.
Did that mean...He intended to use her? Or worse… Was she already part of the plan?
A pawn. A bargaining chip or what?
Her heartbeat quickened, thudding hard against her ribs as the realization crept in.
If Kelvin was already moving against Alex… then her presence here wasn't accidental.
She might already be Involved and trapped.
Her fingers curled slightly against the sheets. No. She couldn't afford to panic.
She shook her head internally, She had to find a way around this mess. She had to turn this table from the being a captive to a partner.
If she remained passive, she would only become exactly what she feared most at the moment. A tool or at most a victim.
Her breathing steadied, her expression smoothing out as if nothing had crossed her mind at all.
"What's your relationship with that person?" she asked calmly, her voice steady, too steady masking the faint tremor she refused to show.
Kelvin's lips curled in amusement. "It shouldn't be your concern."
"I'm not concerned," she replied lightly, withdrawing her gaze as if disinterested. "I just thought I could offer a suggestion."
Kelvin leaned back slightly, his eyes flickering with something unreadable. "What suggestion?"
Sonia lifted her gaze again but this time, there was a faint smirk on her lips."Let's be partners."
A muffled gasp tore through Kelvin's throat. Nothing had prepared him for such a candid suggestion.
Her voice was soft and gentle yet it echoed through the room buzzing through Kelvin's head.
He stared at Sonia for a while longer unsure he heard her correctly.
"Sonia, did you just say..." He began.
"To be your partner rather than your captive." She concluded calmly.
*
*
*
*
*
~Cyndi's apartment~
Alex stepped out from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist while he dried his hair with another.
Water dripped down his chest reflecting under the soft glow of the bulb.
Cyndi stepped down from the bed, draped in a silk transparent nightwear.
With a slow steady steps she walked up to him. "You are done," She muttered softly.
"Yeah." Alex breathed out his muscles flexed at the movement of his hand.
Her gaze trailed down his bare body, then she slowly lifted her hand tracing soft curls across his chest.
His eyes darkened, his gaze locked on her face. "You shouldn't start..." His voice trailed off as her hand moved down further.
He caught her hand. "Don't be naughty." He smirked as he leaned in capturing her lips, the towel pooling down his feet.
Their breaths grew heavy, the air charged with desire and lust.
What began as a kiss ended with both of them rolling under the sheet.
Buzz
Buzz
Alex's phone vibrated on the bedside table. His drowsy eyes snapped open and as he tried to move, he felt something pressed down on him.
His gaze trailed down the lady lying limp on his body, her breath evened out. She had fallen asleep clung to him like an octopus.
He placed a soft kiss on her forehead, carefully laid her back to the bed, his leg swung down and he sat upright on the bed, he ran a hand through his hair.
"That was crazy," he murmured softly, his lips curled up.
Buzz
Buzz
With a frown on his face, he reached for the phone and the caller ID made his expression tighten.
With a swift slide on the screen, he lifted the phone to his ear.
"Hello, Grandma."
"Alex," her voice was firm, sharp, "have you begun the burial arrangements yet?"
Alex blinked. "Burial… arrangements?"
"For Sonia," she snapped. "Or have you forgotten?"
Alex rubbed his forehead. He dared not admit he had forgotten about it but the reality was he had.
Just like her birthdays.
Because she had the same birthday with Cyndi, Alex had always forgotten hers.
Only to be reminded by Cyndi whenever he wanted to leave and much surprising she would always have a birthday gift handy for him to take home.
Other times, she would be the one to volunteer to have the gift prepared. "I know her preferences." She would say.
He exhaled slowly, forcing his voice to be calm and painful. "I haven't started yet."
There was a pause before the Old Lady's voice filtered through again. "Why?"
"I had a few urgent matters to attend to," he said quietly. "And I am still in a meeting."
"Meeting?" his grandmother pressed.
"It wasn't in my itinerary…it just came up."
She sighed.
"Alex, you lost a wife and you still had to hold a meeting? Is her life not worth anything? Your wife of four years. Even if she wasn't the best…she is still your wife."
Alex rubbed his brow, "Grandma, you calm down," he said softly.
"But Sonia still deserves a proper burial. The Horton family must not delay such matters."
Alex nodded even though she couldn't see him. "I understand."
"Handle it today," she said firmly.
The call ended with a beep. Alex lowered the phone slowly. For a moment he sat there silently.
Then he dialed another number. "Mr. Horton," his assistant answered promptly.
"James," Alex said calmly. "I need you to take care of something."
"Yes, sir, what is it?"
"Sonia's funeral," he said curtly.
There was a brief pause at the other end of the line as if the assistant was weighing the instructions carefully.
Alex brow furrowed slightly at the silence.
"Is there anything?"
"No, Sir. I understand. I will have it handled," James answered.
"You don't make a mistake…take care of everything," Alex continued. "The burial process, the ceremony, the venue. Make it dignified."
"Yes sir," James clipped.
"And James."
"Yes?"
"Keep it low profile and away from my grandmother especially about who is handling the arrangement."
James drew in a deep breath. "Understood."
Alex ended the call, his eyes narrowed for a brief moment before he exhaled.
Slowly, he turned his attention to the bed. Cyndi lay on her back, her hand folded across the duvet as she watched him quietly.
"Awake?" he asked.
She nodded. "I have long been awake, just that you were too busy to notice."
Alex touched the tip of his nose. "It was my grandmother."
"About Sonia?"
Alex nodded. "Not to worry I had James take care of things."