Chapter 30 Stalking

• Fear wrapped around Sia like a rope since Silas stormed her office this morning informing her about the family meeting. As much as she tried to convince herself it wouldn’t get to her, Sia still found herself drifting into fear. She doesn’t know what they had planned against her and if she’d be able to stand up to them.
• For that, her day at work morphed into frustration and confusion, making Sia unable to concentrate and look into the unfinished business Mr. Monson had with some companies before his demise.
• “Ma’am, you haven’t said anything about any of these companies. They are eagerly waiting to get feedback from us in terms of continuing whatever transaction they had with us.” Rebekah galed but Sia wasn’t really paying attention to what she was saying rather she subconsciously gazed at her twitching lips.
• “Ma’am?” Rebekah called when she noticed that Sia zoned out despite the fact that she glued her eyes to her face.
• Sia snapped out of a dazed state and dragged in a shuddering breath. She peered at the time on the clock.
• 5:30 p.m.
• She rolled her gaze back at Rebekah and said,
• “Call my assistant for me.”
• Rebekah bowed and left the office not dropping a word again after taking cognizant of Sia’s flustered state.
• Not a minute passed by and Liam was already there in Sia’s office drinking in her haggard look.
• “Ma’am, you sent for me?” Liam asked, closing in on Sia.
• “Take my bag and shoes to my car. Before that hand me the flat flip-flops there…” She said pointing at the cabinet close to the fridge where different flat slippers were kept.
• Right now, Sia’s too weak to walk on her heels. So she prefers to step on flat slippers to make it easy for her.
• Liam strutted to the cabinet and picked up a white flip-flop. He trudged back to Sia, helped her doff her heels, and fit on the slippers.
• Liam saw the creases on her face and knows that something was really up but he can’t dare to question her about it. So he kept cool. He took Sia's bag and strolled downstairs to keep it in her car while she walked behind him.
• On getting to the car, she affixed her body inside and worded ‘thank you’ to Liam before clipping the door shut.
• When Sia’s car slid into the driveway, Liam ordered a cab.
• “Follow that car…” he shot his head at Sia’s car before filing himself into the cab.
• ‘Why the hell am I following her?’ Liam asked himself. ‘Okay, let me just find out where she actually lives and know if she’s truly Mrs. Monson and then after that maybe my fucking mind will relax. Yes, just this once.’ He whispered, fiddling with his phone while shuffling his gaze on the road and on his phone.
• The drive took half an hour until they arrived in an estate.
• Liam wandered his eyes around and he could tell by the type of houses here that only rich people in the city lived around here.
• However, Sia’s car was still on the driveway, and to avoid suspicion Liam told his driver to give much distance between them and Sia’s car so she wouldn’t see him.
• Right after passing a few houses by, Sia’s car pulled into the biggest villa in the area, the building was built with grey-colored brick with glass doors and windows and a high cathedral roof and ceilings.
• The gate was an automatic sliding gate. Two white Eagle gargoyles nestled on the outside fence and Monson’s Vila was engraved on the walls too. Immediately Sia’s car drove inside, the automatic gate fluttered close.
• Liam sucked in a long
• gulping breath while staring house as a vortex of surprise blanketed him.
• “She’s truly Mrs. Monson. She is truly the widow.” Liam spouted in realization, still feasting his eyes on the name engraved on the wall.
• He still doesn’t understand why he’s doing this nor the wave of shock that swept through him knowing that Sia is the widow.
• ‘Why doesn’t she want anyone to know she’s the widow…?’
• Liam’s musings were obstructed when the driver called out.
• “What’s next mister? I need to go back to work.”
• Liam annoyingly ruffled his hair and replied, “let’s go back. Sorry for wasting your time.” His deep voice faltered as he spoke. When the driver reverted back, Liam peeked at the house one last time before it was out of sight.
• Meanwhile, Sia shuffled to the dining, first of all, to eat some food as she lost her appetite at work.
• “I made soup, rice, and meatloaf.” Michelle listed while ladling it out on the plate.
• Sia didn’t respond to her like she always does. She picked up her fork and began spearing the meatloaf with her fork into her mouth. Her mind was still in a spiral as she ate the food and Michelle took cognizance of that.
• She pulled out a seat across from Sia and asked with the gentlest voice, “is everything alright, Mrs. Monson? You look different…I feel something’s bothering you. Can you confine in me?”
• Sia bunched her skirt with her fist as that fear surged through her again. She wants to keep it to herself and figure things out but knowing Michelle is always there to support her, she decided to clue her in a bit.
• “Not all is well Michelle. I’m…sort of scared.” She began.
• “Of what, Mrs. Monson?”
• “The family. I don’t know what they’ve planned against me. Silas just told me they have slated a family meeting in the coming months and I’m scared. I don’t know how to face them.”
• Sia puffed a heavy breath after saying this. She suddenly lost the appetite to continue with her food.
• Michelle’s face contorted upon hearing Sia’s words and then her mind began the put two and two together.
• ‘Was that the reason the elders and Silas and his mother came here the last time? To slate a family meeting?’ She thought, heaving a sigh.
• “That might have been the reason they came here the last time I told you…” Michelle began and Sia lifted her eyes to Michelle’s face.
• “Could it? Because of the meeting?” Sia asked in a stutter as her mind diverted in the direction Michelle did.
• “Yes, they’ve already planned it within themselves and I’m certain Silas incited his meeting,” Michelle said with a shrug.
• “This is…making sense now. But the question is why do they want to hold a meeting?” Sia blurted, dropping the fork in her hand with a loud clatter.
• Michelle smirked, “have you forgotten what happened on the day of your husband’s burial?” She asked with her brows pushed together.
• Sia’s mind rode back to the events of that day.
• The Will that was read.
• Silas stepping on a rampage and almost suffocating when he tucked his hand on her neck.
• Sia blurted when her mind finalized something, “Because of the Will!”
• Michelle began to nod.
• “Silas is trying to make everyone think I jinxed my husband and made him transfer all the family property to me and he’s coaxing the elders too,” Sia said, rolling her fingers in the air.
• “All the while I’ve served Monson’s mother. They've a norm in this family, were you aware of the norm?” Michelle asked, studying Sia’s face.
• “What norm is it?”
• Michelle huffed, lifted her eyes, and stitched them with Sia’s.
• “When the son in power dies all the property is meant to be demised to the younger brother. But it was an alteration this time. Mr. Monson demised everything and power to you instead of Silas. That’s the reason he’s making fuss everywhere.”
• Sia slouched her back on the seat, a grin streaming from her lips, “I should have known better. It’s because of my power. Silas is mad because of what my husband did.” She said in realization.
• “This shows how much Mr. Monson loves you. But there’s always a way to prove you're now the head of the Monson family…”
• “And that is?” Sia asked, interrupting Michelle.
• “The debutante. Through the debutante, you prove to the state that you’re the new ruler.”
• “That means I’ll have to plan about my debutante?”
• Michelle inclined her head in a nod at Sia’s question.
• “I don’t want to do that yet. I have a few things I need to work on before that. “ She wheezed, leveling her head downwards.
• “You can do that at any time, Mrs. Monson.” Michelle inched her hand closer and glided it to Sia’s. “You said you were afraid about the meeting. Now, we’ve made assumptions about what the essence of it is. So all I can tell you now is to put on a strong façade. Don’t show them that you are weak even if you’re. Rather show them you now wield the powers of the Monson family.”
• “Thank you, Michelle. I appreciate your words.” Sia spouted.
• “You’re always welcome, Mrs. Monson. Please enjoy your meal.” Michelle beamed and stood up from the seat. When she walked back into the kitchen, Sia smiled remembering her words.
• “Put on a strong façade. Don’t show them you’re weak even if you’re.”
• Sia knows it’s exactly what her mother always told her. Therefore, she summoned her withered courage back.
• “I’ve to be strong.” She told herself before getting up from the seat.
• When she arrived in her room, Sia peeled off her clothes and made a beeline to the bathroom. Some minutes later, she came into her room and saw her phone zinging.
• She pulled it up and swiped the receiver.
• “Hello.” She wheezed in.
• However, she didn’t get to peek at the caller ID before answering.
• Sia was greeted with silence from the other end of the line. All she could hear is the heavy breathing from that end.
• “Hello!” Her heart started smashing against the wall of her chest. Her mind began processing who it could be that called her.
• She doesn’t want it to be him. ‘it can’t be. Just tell me I’m just making assumptions.’ She sputtered inwardly.
• No matter how hard she tried to convince herself otherwise, the heavy pants from the other side and the strong heartbeat reverberating countered her words.
• “Sia!”
• Hearing his baritone voice seep into her ears made her cringe.