The Son In-law's Revenge

She's not married

Epic 2

Jessy swung her legs patiently while waiting for her mother to return. As soon as she spotted the bag in Nora's hand, she rushed to grab it. "Did Grandpa Joe send this?" she asked innocently.

Nora paused, her gaze fixed on her daughter's eager expression. "Yes, sweetie, he did," she replied softly.

Jessy excitedly tore at the packaging, eventually revealing the treasure inside. "Cookies!" she exclaimed with delight. "Thank you, Mummy!"

Nora took a deep breath, forcing a polite smile. A hint of unease lingered in her eyes, though her voice remained steady. "You're welcome," she said, her apprehension masked by a practised calmness.

"Quickly, hurry up, Jessy," Nora urged, glancing at the wall clock. "We need to get going. I don't want to be late for my shift at the coffee shop."

Jessy savoured every bite of the cookies, her fingers stained with chocolate, seemingly uninterested in leaving any crumbs behind or returning home. Nora watched her daughter with a mixture of affection and worry, her mind racing with thoughts about the implications of the growing bond between Jessy and Peter.

"Keep an eye on her," Peter instructed over the phone, his gaze fixed on the computer screen as he watched Nora leave the office. The image of the little girl lingered in his mind, bringing a smile to his face.

Suddenly, his expression shifted to one of shock and concern. His heart raced as he saw Lisa Chong, his estranged girlfriend from China, enter the building. Lisa was the daughter of a highly respected Chinese chief, and Peter had dated her during his vacation in China before returning to the States without any notice.

All eyes in the reception area were fixed on Lisa as she stepped in, her elegant glass slippers clicking softly against the polished floor. Her delicate, floral perfume wafted through the air, demanding attention from everyone present.

"Hello, I'm Lisa Chong," she said softly, her hands crossed over her flat belly. "I have business with Mr. Peter Celestine. Is he available?"

The receptionist, seemingly intimidated by Lisa's commanding presence, stammered, "I'm sorry, ma'am. I don't see an appointment with Mr. Celestine scheduled."

Lisa glanced over her shoulder at the able-bodied men standing a few steps behind her before turning back to the receptionist with a polite smile. "Perhaps you could give him a call, then?"

While waiting for a response, Lisa surveyed the office, her eyes resting on the large portrait of Juris Jones on the left and his wife's picture on the right. In the center hung a striking portrait of Peter Celestine, looking confident and powerful.

"You may go in now, ma'am," the receptionist finally said, providing directions to Peter's office on the second floor.

"Thank you," Lisa exclaimed, offering a slight bow before making her way to the elevator.

Lisa's heels clicked rhythmically against the marble floor as she approached Peter's office. Upon reaching the door with his name elegantly embroidered on a placard, she knocked and entered, commanding her guards to wait outside.

Peter's face contorted with anxiety as Lisa stepped in. "Wow—wow—wow! Look who we have here! Miss Lisa Chung," he exclaimed, feigning surprise and delight. He planted a few pecks on her cheeks. "I knew there was something special about today, starting from the moment I left my house. I missed you, babe."

"Yeah, sure... Of course, you did," Lisa replied sarcastically, her voice tinged with disappointment and hurt.

Peter stammered, "You don't have to sound like that, you..."

"What happened?" Lisa interrupted, her tone harsh and demanding. "No text, no call, no goodbye? Was everything a joke to you?"

The questions hung heavily in the air as silence enveloped the room. Peter, speechless and guilt-ridden, tried to process her words. Loosening his tie, he slumped into his chair, the weight of his actions bearing down on him.

"You don't even think it's necessary to give me an explanation?!" Lisa exclaimed, annoyance bubbling to the surface. She picked up her intricately designed silver bag, ready to leave. In a desperate attempt to stop her, Peter grabbed her wrist gently.

"I'm sorry... I-I-I... I don't even have an excuse. What I did was wrong, and I apologize. I'm truly sorry," he whispered, his voice thick with remorse.

Lisa's eyes welled up with tears. "I came all the way from China to see you. Do you even understand what that means? I love you, Peter. I needed an explanation of why you left without a word. For years, I've been broken, unable to get the thought of you out of my head."

"Shh... You're here now," Peter whispered, silencing her with a finger to her lips. "You don't have to be sad or complain anymore. You're safe with me. We can start over again. I'll have my PA arrange the best hotel for you to s—"

"Hotel? Eww! I'm not staying in a hotel, I won't," Lisa interrupted, disgusted at the idea.

"If not a hotel, then where?" Peter asked, confusion clouding his features.

"Are you seriously going to keep me in a hotel when you have a house?" Lisa questioned incredulously. "Now I know how much you lov—"

"That's fine," Peter interjected, clearly becoming agitated. "You can stay at my house. I'm currently at my family's house, but I'll have my driver take you there. I'll be back in a week."

Lisa's presence was beginning to grate on Peter's nerves, and he struggled to maintain his composure. He glared at Lisa as she seemed lost in her thoughts.

"What if I come with you?" Lisa suggested, oblivious to Peter's discomfort. "I mean, we'll be getting married soon, right? So, there's no need to hide me from your parents."

Peter raised an eyebrow, shaking his head in disagreement. "That's not happening," he whispered harshly. "You are not coming to my parents' house."

Lisa took a deep breath, accepting defeat. "Fine... How long will you be there?"

"Two days," Peter replied curtly.

With a nod, Lisa grabbed her bag. "Where's your PA?" she demanded, standing up from her seat. Peter placed a call to his driver.

"He'll be here soon," he informed her.

A brown-skinned man entered the office, car keys in hand, and gave a slight bow as he greeted Peter and Lisa, who eyed him irritably.

"Take her to the guest house," Peter instructed, pointing at Lisa.

"Don't touch my bag. I'll manage myself," Lisa snapped rudely, pulling her bag away from the driver. He nodded and left the room, Lisa and her guard following closely behind.

Peter stood speechless as he watched them leave. His heart raced as he pondered the lies he would tell Lisa to distance himself from the situation. Overwhelmed by the mess he had created, he awaited his driver's return to take him home.

Peter couldn't bring himself to leave the bathtub. He sank deeper into the tepid water, the lavender-scented bath oil failing to soothe his racing thoughts. The events of the day weighed heavily on his mind, and he longed to remain submerged until his head cooled off.

Suddenly, his phone buzzed, and he reluctantly stepped out of the tub, the wet floor now a mess from his dripping body. Drying his hands on his robe, he picked up the call. "Ethan," he whispered in a husky tone. "Speak."

"She's a single mom and works part-time in a coffee shop," Ethan muttered.

Confused, Peter asked, "Who on earth are you talking about?"

"Nora, sir."

At the mention of her name, Peter felt a sharp pain in his chest, which subsided as quickly as it had come. "Oh, that's interesting. What about the place where she lives?" he inquired, his curiosity piqued.

"Not sure yet, sir, but I'll keep you updated." After a brief exchange, they ended the call, leaving Peter more troubled than before. "If she's a single mom, then who's the father of her child?"

He recalled their first encounter – her radiant smile, her charming dimple, and her elegance. He had offered her a ride after she missed the bus for an interview, unaware that she would soon be working at his company. She looked stunning in her grey suit, like a model... "I could have just made her my mistress then," he whispered subconsciously.

Shaking his head, he mumbled, "What? What did I just say? Enough daydreaming, Peter. You need to wake up." He slapped his face in an attempt to snap out of his reverie.

As he changed into his pyjamas, his phone beeped, displaying a message from Lisa:

There's no food in this house, no one to clean my room. Eww! It's so crazy here. Gosh! I think I'll be needing a maid by tomorrow. Trust you to provide one. Love you!

Exasperated, Peter muttered angrily, "A maid? How am I going to find one? I told you to stay at the hotel, but you refused. God, she's such a pest! She's going to force me back to that house. But who will be the maid?" He threw himself onto the bed, his frustration mounting.