King?
King?
"You slut. I knew something changed about you and I can see it now. You now live with a man? No wonder you had the guts to talk to me that way the last time. Was this how I raised you?" Linda asked in fury. She kept throwing strings of questions, leaving no room for Mia to reply any.
"Oh dear! You should control your temper. You will have enough mother–daughter time later. But right now, we need to talk… Come dear! Come sit here.'' Mr timothy said as he pulled out a chair for Mia to sit.
Mia still looked startled from her mother's assault. She knew her mother was going to do something like that to her but her mother calling her a 'slut' was one thing she hadn't expected.
How could she call her that? Mia tried to maintain a straight face but her lips quivered.
Her hands fisted beside her as she slowly walked past her mother to sit on the seat Mr Timothy had pulled out for her.
Linda frowned. So now she even had a thick skin? She hissed in annoyance before returning to her seat.
"How are you?'' Mr Timothy asked her with a pleasant smile that revealed the crow's feet in the corners of his eyes.
With the way he smiled, one may think he was a good person. He looked gentle and meek especially with the kind look in his eyes. He was in his fifties but looked very healthy. Of course he would look so when he often exercised his body by moving around and chasing debtors.
"Just get it over with already!" She snapped at him angrily. He was never a pleasant sight to behold.
"Oh.." He chuckled. "You've really grown so big. I remember when you were younger and still innocent. Tell me, the man you live with, is he your boyfriend?'' He asked with interest.
'I. Said. Get. It. Over. With" She said through gritted teeth and made sure not to look at her mother who was sitting beside her even though she could feel her mother's piercing gaze on her.
"Alright dear.'' He said with a smile.
''So the thing is, your mother owes me for this month and she brought me only a quarter of the money. What am I supposed to do with a quarter? He asked with a mocking laugh.
Before the little argument with her mother, Mia had left her with some money to use in settling her debts but she knew the money she had given her mother wasn't enough.
"So the thing is…" He looked at the both of them before saying, "I want my money.'' He showed them his ten fingers and added, "And with interest" He added with a sardonic laugh which left Mia irritated.
Mia turned to look at her mother who she was still pissed at for calling her a slut before turning to look at Mr Timothy again.
"If you want your money then you should go get it from the one you lent it to. Why are you all involving me? Didn't she tell you she disowned me?'' Mia asked and stood up to leave but her mother's harsh words stopped her in her tracks.
"How dare you say that? You mean he should go and look for Mary to pay off the debt? Where are we going to find her? Even if we do, where is she going to find such amount from?''
"Hold on ladies… I think you should sit down now little girl. The night is just starting." He said to Mia and looked at the chair as he hinted for her to sit.
Mia relunctantly returned to sit down. She knew he hadn't just asked her to follow his men there if he didn't have something important to say to her aside from the fact that her mother hadn't completed payments but she desperately prayed and hoped he wouldn't raise the issue of her getting married to his son.
''I gave you an option to marry my son..." Well, there they go... she sighed.
You know I have always liked and admired you far more than that useless sister of yours who put you both in this mess.."
"I will not let you insult my daughter." Linda interjected with a scowl. She would never allow anyone speak ill of her daughter in front of her.
"You seem to be very protective of her… what about Mia here? Isn't she your daughter?'' He asked with a curious smile on his face.
He hated it when parents treated their children differently. Maybe it was because he had experienced it firsthand. His parents had always prerferred his younger sister to him and even handed the family business over to her. He had made sure to treat his children equally even though one was not very sound and that was why he was trying to make Mia marry his son since his younger son was just about to get married. From the little time he has known the Lucas family, he could tell Linda treated both daughters differently.
"I will not marry your son" Mia's voice cut in before Linda could say something else that was probably going to throw her into a worse mood.
"Fine'' He answered with a shrug. There were other families he could bait into marrying his son.
"You have to pay me then. Your boyfriend is from a really rich family afterall. What's his name again…? Leo king right?'' He asked.
"Are you following me?'' She asked with a dark look on her face.
"King? The man you live with is from the King's family?'' Linda asked with a surprised look on her face.