Is this destiny?

Aiden was telling Michael about the locations and activities that are applicable for Oni's birthday celebration (considering that they have a hand in cast each), when butler announced his presence by clearing his throat.

"Master, Miss Darlene Payne is on the phone."

Aiden frowned. He does not want to talk to that woman. They are aware that Mr. and Mrs. Payne are in police custody, and the Payne family is out of money, so whatever Darlene wants, it will not be a pleasant conversation. Aiden can already hear in his head a lot of crying and asking for unreasonable things and he knows that it will spoil his mood.

Aiden got an idea: "Tell my wife. She will take the call."

"I told Madam first, she refused and told me to find you.", the butler responded in his flat tone.

Aiden looked at Michael. "You are my assistant."

Michael widened his eyes in disbelief. There is no way he is taking this one. "This is a sensitive matter and you should deal with this personally.", Michael said while walking backward out of the room.

"Thank you for your suggestions, I will leave you to your call…", Michael half-shouted from the hallway.

Aiden exhaled in frustration and looked at the butler whose one edge of the lips was slightly curved up. 'Is he enjoying my misery?', Aiden mused. "Fine. I will take the call."

Aiden stretched his neck before unmuting the phone.

"Yes?"

There was a moment of silence before Darlene realized who answered, and she started pleading: "Aiden, you need to help me, both of my parents are in jail."

Aiden was irritated. Not even a superficial pleasantry, but immediately making demands? "Miss Payne, since when are we so familiar to call each other by the first name?"

Darlene snorted and repeated with the correction: "Mr. White. You need to help…"

"I don't need to do anything, Miss Payne.", Aiden interrupted her. "Your parents are in jail. How is that my fault?"

Darlene paused when she realized the hostility in Aiden's voice. Somehow, in her mind was an image of Aiden who is smiling and his warm eyes, even though those were directed at Sarah, not at her.

She cleared her throat. "I never said that it's your fault."

"Miss Payne… You came yesterday and insulted us in our own house. Then you called the police with a ridiculous complaint about the noise. And this morning your whole family came here and asked me to help with your online trash." Aiden inhaled deeply and told himself not to lose his temper. She is not worth it. "I tolerated your insults from yesterday, I decided to ignore the fact that you got the police in my house, and I even agreed to help your family out of the scandals which are circulating online. How much more help you expect from me? Are you taking me for a fool?"

"That… of course, not.", Darlene stuttered.

"You called, and I expected to hear you telling me how much mess I need to clean up, so that I know how much money you will give me. But instead of that, you are asking me to get your parents out of jail. Let's assume that I can snap my fingers and get your parents free. How much is that worth? Is that another five million dollars each? Or should that be more because I need to erase records of their imprisonment as well?"

"That… I… Uhm…", Darlene was stupefied. When he puts it that way, he has a point. They wronged him and asked him to do things, and now she is asking for more... but this is important.

'Think, Darlene, think! I need to make him change his mind and help. How can I do that?', Darlene's brain was almost steaming while she tried to come up with something useful... and then she got an idea. She can make him see that with her parents away, he is losing as well. Yes, that will work!

She composed herself and spoke in a calm voice: "Mr. White. My parents are taken by the police. Without them at home, I don't have access to money. Only my father knows all the accounts and can make withdrawals. They said that my father is in custody without the possibility of bail. I am unable to confirm how…"

"I see…", Aiden cut her off. "You are telling me that as long as your father is in jail, you can't access the money. And he can't be bailed out. Do you know what that means?"

"What?", Darlene asked and held her breath. 

"Start packing.", Aiden said bluntly.

Darlene was confident that she didn't hear him right. "What?"

"Your apartments and the villa, belong to me. I am a generous man Miss Payne, so I will give you twenty-four hours to take your belongings and vacate the properties. Tell the staff currently serving you that as the new owner, I will pay them one month's salary, as a courtesy. But when you leave, they should leave as well. I have no need for staff who is loyal to previous masters."

With every word Aiden said, Darlene's mind was spinning faster. She was confident that this day is getting from bad to worse. It started by her father forcing her to join them to visit the White family and to apologize and ask for their help, and now her parents are in jail and she needs to move out? Is she supposed to pack her parents' things as well? That is A LOT of packing! And he said that she lost the apartments? All this is difficult to swallow.

'No, this can't be real…', Darlene told herself. 'This is a bad dream, and when I wake up, everything will be fine…'

But it's not fine. She is on the phone with Aiden White who is telling her to leave!

"What are you saying?"

Aiden grimaced from frustration. "Listen carefully: tomorrow, at six o'clock in the afternoon, my men will come to the three properties which you signed off as collateral. Anything we find in the house or the apartments will be ours. So you better start packing."

"No, this can't be real... You are playing some game, right?"

Aiden started losing his temper. He didn't want to talk to her, to begin with, and now he needs to repeat? "Did I stutter? Was I not clear? Or are you stupid?"

"There is no need to insult me."

"Exactly. I don't need to, you are doing it yourself.", Aiden said irritably. 

Darlene realized, this is it. The reality is staring at her in the face and she needs to adjust. "Please, give me more time."

"There is no more time.", Aiden said icily. Part of him was pleased that finally she is pleading, which means that she understood the situation. "Miss Payne, the contract says that by six o'clock this afternoon, I need to hear what I am going to clean up, and at that time I should also get the proof that you have sufficient funds. If you do that, you get an extension by Friday to pay for my services, otherwise, you will lose your collateral. That means… you have about one hour to provide me with the proof of your finances. If you can't, I suggest that you start packing."

Darlene felt tears swell in her eyes. "How can you be so ruthless?"

"Miss Payne, you can't play with others, and when the roles reverse you complain about the rules."

Darlene didn't get it. "Play with others? The rules? What does that mean?"

"The weak submits to the strong one, or he will be destroyed. Your behavior yesterday didn't show submission. You are paying for the consequences."

Suddenly, Darlene was hit with an idea: "Are you behind all of this?"

"Miss Payne, if you continue talking without evidence, you will join your parents when I sue you for slander. You have one hour. Either provide me with proof of money or start packing.", Aiden said distantly and ended the call.

He exhaled. Talking to women like Darlene is mentally exhausting.

Aiden decided to modify his contract with Michael, to include that his assistant needs to handle these pesky people. And this will apply to Haru's contract also!

But now, Aiden will go to the study and demand cuddles from Sarah. He needs to recharge.

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