157 The One to Pay

"Listen Miya, if we don't talk –"

"Jimmy, I really don't want to –"

" – How are we going to resolve this fight?"

" – Talk to you right now!"

"Okay Miya, listen!"

"Back off, please!"

"Miya –"

"Alright Jim, quiet! You'll wake up Ben!"

Miya glanced nervously at the sleeping child, and then glared back at Jim. Her face was a strange contortion of extreme annoyance and fury. She stomped off to the couch nearby, plopped forcefully into it, even though it was mushy enough to actually engulf her ass. That annoyed her even further.

She kept glaring at Jim, and motioned him to take a seat before her.

The young master heaved a sigh of relief at that, and he quietly walked to the missus and leaned against the desk set in front of her. She rolled her eyes.

Did he have to tower over her every time?

Folding her arms, she said in a vicious hiss, "What is it?"

"I'm sorry!" Jim said in a blurt, "I was just surprised. I won't lie to you – I still think it looks fascinating, it does your image credit even. I don't apologize for feeling that way about your scar. I apologize for conveying it so badly."

"That is a lousy apology."

"It is?"

"The worst."

"And I've apologized beforehand for the cameras."

"I'm not mad about that."

"You know Miya," Jim then said thoughtfully, "But if I hadn't bugged you that day, I would never have realized about us from thirteen years ago. You were coincidentally wearing something blue when you went to meet Rebecca, an she had you cornered. Then she said you had green eyes – and it hit me!"

Jim looked at her as if he expected redemption now. It was a great find!

Miya's fury subsided. She had meant to ask him about it before, but somehow it always slipped her mind. How had Jim figured out about them and the masquerade party from so many years ago? The wiring, it seemed, had been essential.

She huffed.

"Just because of the eyes?" she asked, wary again.

Jim shrugged.

���Of course not. I've thought you seemed familiar a lot of times, I just couldn't place it. So when Ms. Storm said 'green' it just fit. And well… one of the camera's angle was set that way. I could recognize your face, the eyes, of course the dress and your li –" Jim stopped before he could say 'lips'.

Miya looked at him, eying him carefully. Finally, she let out a deep, exasperated sigh again and got up from the couch.

"Let's go to sleep," she said.

Jim scratched the back of his head again.

"You're not mad at me anymore?"

"We're fine. Don't push it."

Jim nodded slightly, kind of stumped, but somewhat satisfied. Then, because he was feeling imprudent enough, he blurted out once more, "You realized we just had our first fight post marriage, right? It think it went well. I was honestly scared!"

So sighing again, she said stoically, "We argue all the time, Jimmy. Even Ben knows that."

"Yes, but this was a real fight! You were seriously angry at me!"

"You really think I've never been seriously angry at you before?"

Jim's eyes were incredulous.

"You have?"

"Many, many times, Jimmy. More times than you can count. There were times you made me so angry, I could barely resist hitting you. There were times when you gave me this deep feeling, that stirred at the bottom of my stomach, and it's like fury and annoyance and so much more irritation, and then when you do stuff like this, it made me so tir –"

Jimmy was stunned. Then very softly, he cleared his throat, eying the missus rather sceptically when he saw her lost in her own world of protest. She was even clawing her small fist in outrage.

"You don't have to be so passionate about it, you know," Jim remarked quietly.

Miya retorted again, and the fight went on.

A few feet away, Ben had woken up long before. He had watched mommy stomp about the room in a daze and Jimmy saying 'sorry' to her. Then they had argued some more. The little boy had simply covered himself completely with sheets and turned his back to them.

Grandpa Hunter had been right after all.

Ben liked mommy and Jimmy together.

But he had also told Ben another important fact – his mommy and Jim would never find anyone as annoying as themselves to suit each other too.

Ben didn't quite agree, but they were better off together, so he left them alone.

Adults were troublesome.

During the course of the next few days, Hunter manor was busier than ever once again. Most of the activities were inside and hushed, and everyone was rushing about to get things in order. Rebecca's takeover had been planned out to be hostile, and the Chairman was busy with the details of another merger. Jimmy too had flown overseas in order to head a collaboration with another prestigious firm in Country M. In the meantime, Ben had been going to school and adjusting well to even the older boys around.

Miya too, had jumped into action.

She had decided to sort out her own mess so that she didn't land others unnecessarily into trouble. She had Jim's backup, which was reassuring now and actually dared her to get back into field and face things head on. She was feeling reckless, and without Jim around, there was next to no one to restrain her. She was in control of her wits though, and she had planned out elaborately to get rid of one hurdle after another.

Ben's future swam before her eyes, and she could see it as clear as daylight. Finally, like any normal child, her boy had started going to school. He didn't have to roam around in a nomad life because of her and his background. She didn't want to put any of it at risk, and for that she decided to remove the very first obstacle in her path.

She needed an update on Tao.

The doctors had seemed hopeful when she had last met the man three months before. For the first time in fifteen years, he had shown a slight movement in his index finger. The doctors had said there was a chance he could recover.

She still didn't know what to feel about that piece of news.

But for now, she needed the man back and in his full sense. Tao was a bridge to most of her ugly memories, and she had kept him alive to have him look her in the eye one day and cower at who she had been these past years. But that wasn't all. She wasn't callous enough to stake Ben's future for that wicked man.

She needed him because he was also the last straw that could save her from her choice of revenge in the past.

Miya had been supported by someone from the shadows all these years. This person had never appeared before her, but since the beginning, from her escape from that mental health facility to her coming back to this city ten years later, this person had assisted her through it all, from the sidelines, even if it had put her through hell more times than one.

She didn't know if this person was a man or woman. But now, he was looking for a girl.

And only Tao knew where to find her.

Years ago, he had been the one to sell off the girl, nonetheless.

And his act had caught up with her now, and if the person didn't find this girl, Miya'd be the one to pay.

Time was running out.

She had already received her first warning.