Donna bowed her head slightly with her eyes closed and in a low voice, she said to Cheryl. “And you were? You got to have him for yourself in the end.”
“Hmm, not quite.” Cheryl leaned in forward and placed her hands on the desk, drawing Donna’s attention to herself as she spoke with a half smile on her face. “It has come to my knowledge that you have a trump card to get Jeremy running back to you.”
Donna frowned in confusion, opened her eyes, and lifted her head. “What trump card?”
“The one thing I can never be able to give him.” she sighed and leaned back against the chair but never took her eyes off Donna. “I know you two had been very intimate over the course of your engagement, so intimate that it had sprouted a life inside of you.”
Donna fidgeted and loosened her arm which she had folded. Her attention was now on Cheryl fully and she kept her eyes on her.
“But you were also stupid enough to choose to keep the pregnancy of the man who broke off your engagement suddenly, and without any sort of excuse.”
“What are you talking about?” Donna asked. Her voice shook and sweat broke out on her forehead.
Cheryl smirked. “Your daughter, Donna, whose child is that? Who is her father? It’s Jeremy, isn’t it?”
Donna managed a smile to throw her off balance. “You’re just speculating.”
But Cheryl went on. “What were you planning on doing with her? Come back and show the child to Jeremy and the Xiu household so that they take you back. Are you that desperate to be with Jeremy?”
“Desperate?” Donna forced a chuckle. “If I was desperate to be with him, then I would have done something about it three years ago.”
“Jeremy knows of the child, does he not? That is why he is trying to get you back, isn’t it?!” she choked on her words, feeling her eyes well up with tears as her heart ached.
“Enough of your nonsense Cheryl!” she slammed her fist on the desk and shot up to her feet. “My daughter is my daughter, not yours, not Jeremy’s, not anyone’s! if your husband is out of control, I suggest you put him on a leash!”
Cheryl looked undisturbed. “She is just about the right age, if she isn’t Jeremy’s child, then whose child is she? It would mean that you were having an affair with another man even while you were with Jeremy. My God, Donna, you really are shameless!”
“Out of my office Cheryl, this minute. Get out of my sight!”
“My god Donna, you should relax a bit, you make it look like I have just threatened you.” Cheryl chuckled and crossed her arms. “Or your daughter’s life.”
Donna slammed her palms on the desk and leaned forward. “You would never even dare, Cheryl. Now get the fuck out of my office!”
The door swung open and the two ladies turned their attention to see Keith standing in the doorway. Cheryl swallowed in fear and Donna’s facial expression relaxed a bit, she leaned off the table and stood straight. “Mr. Preston.”
His face showed no expression and his attention remained on Cheryl who stared at him like she had just seen her death coming. He took a step into the office and shut the door behind him, then with a calm voice, addressed Donna.
“Donna, call security to come up.”
Donna placed a hand on the phone but didn’t pick it up just yet. “Security for what reason, Mr. Preston?”
His gaze shifted to her and he sent her the iciest stare. “Call security to come up.”
She swallowed and without further delay, pick up the phone and put it to her ear as she dialed the number. His attention returned to Cheryl as he watched her stand slowly and take her bag.
“I will take my leave now, perhaps at another time Miss. Brooks.”
“You.” he pointed to her, stopping her from moving, then shoved his other hand into his pocket. “What brought you here?”
Cheryl shrugged her shoulders, not quite sure what to reply to him. “Personal matters?”
He chuckled. “Personal matters brought you, Cheryl Xiu, all the way to Ortho Speare and into the office of Donna Brooks, the woman the whole of Hontari has been made to know, by your actions, shares bad blood with you?”
“Well,” she replied, trying not to show that he frightened her. “What can I say? It’s personal.”
A loud knock came on the door and Keith smirked, knowing it was the security men, he pulled open the door to allow them in and two hefty men stepped into the office.
“Morning Mr. Preston.” they both greeted before turning in Donna’s direction. “You called, Miss Brooks?”
“See that woman standing over there?” he addressed the security men, pointing in Cheryl’s direction. “Pick her up, and throw her out the building, like you would an old and irritating used toy.”
The men exchanged glances briefly then nodded and made their way toward Cheryl who tried to back away from them.
“Keith, stop this now,” she said. “I said I was already leaving, there is no need to do this.” she struggled as they grabbed her by the arm. She could not fight them off because they were several times stronger and larger than her. “You cannot do this to me!”
He leaned towards her so that their faces almost touched. “Oh, but I can, Mrs. Xiu. And I’m doing it.” he then straightened himself, and in a sarcastic tone, added. “And don’t worry, this is also personal.”
“Keith…!”
“I will watch from the window over there.” he pointed as he addressed the security men. “And if I do not see you throwing her out in the way I had described, then don’t bother walking back into the building. Ever.”
They nodded in understanding and grabbed Cheryl by both arms, one man on either side of her.
“Keith!” she screamed as they practically lifted her. “Keith! Stop this! Tell them to stop, right now!”
Donna watched in silence as they dragged Cheryl away and amid her screams and protest, Keith just watched. When they were out of the office, he shut the door and turned back to face Donna. He shoved both hands into his pockets, and let out a soft breath as his eyes went up to the ceiling and his tongue ran across his upper teeth.
“What did she come here for?” he asked without looking at her.
“She had some questions…” her voice shook.
“What questions, Donna? What questions?”
It was obvious he was impatient, and was struggling to keep his anger at bay. He bowed his head and kept his attention focused on the floor. Donna watched his feet tap against the tiles.
“Don’t make me ask again, Donna. What did she come here for?”
Donna didn’t want him to know that she had some history with Jeremy, telling him the reason she had come here would expose that side of her she had hidden. “It is quite personal... Mr. Preston.”
“Right.” he lifted his gaze to her and she felt a chill climb up her spine. “Just another secret, right Donna?”
“Mr. Preston…” she tried to speak but he held up a finger to stop her.
“First it was your hidden man, a husband hmm? Then it was your daughter, which nobody knew existed. And now, I wonder what it is this time, Donna.”
“The only secret I have kept from you Mr. Preston is the fact that I have a daughter. I don’t have a husband,” she paused and swallowed. “I never had.”
“Hmm…” he turned away from her toward his office, twisted the doorknob, and pushed the door in. “Now, how can I believe that, Donna?”