Chapter 35: The Slap In His Office

Chapter 35: Chapter 35: The Slap In His Office

Everyone stared at Simon

His eyes were red.

He stood there, his massive body blocking their view. The barrister could not believe the fierce anger on his face. He had always known him as a friendly, loyal driver. This anger was the last thing he expected.

"Andrew," Simon said. His voice was low, but everyone in the room heard it. "Repeat what you just said. You said my boss should prove whether she is still fertile. Say it again. Look at me and say it again."

Andrew turned. He saw Simon, a driver in a white shirt, and he laughed.

"Since when did a local dog become a breed?" Andrew shouted. "Who are you? Who invited you to speak in this room? You are just a driver. A cheap jobberman that Flora picked from the street. Sit down! This is a matter for the Darwins, not for houseboys!"

Flora’s head snapped up. She wanted to speak, but Simon was already walking.

He walked closer to Andrew. One step. Two steps. Three steps.

"Simon, don’t," Flora whispered. But it was too late.

PAK!!!!

It was not a quick slap. It was a hard, heavy slap from a man who had carried heavy kilograms of weight.

The sound echoed in the room. Andrew’s head flew to the side. His cheek turned red instantly. He held his face.

"You have no right to insult my Boss," Simon said, breathing hard. "You have no right. She is Mrs. Darwin. You will respect her."

The room exploded.

The barrister was hitting the gavel. Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Contempt of court! Contempt of court!" the barrister shouted. "Stop! Stop right now or you will go to jail! I said stop! Security!"

Andrew’s eyes turned pale . He could not believe what just happened. He raised his hands. He wanted to hit Simon back. He wanted to fight.

"You... you slapped me?" Andrew shouted. "You local chauffeur slapped me? I will kill you!"

He moved forward with his hands up.

Simon did not wait. He slapped him again. Twice.

_PAK! PAK!_

Andrew fell back onto a chair. His lips were shaking. The two red marks on his cheek were clear. The barrister was shouting.

"Simon, you cannot do this,I know you are loyal to Flora, but you cannot raise hand here. If this was high court, you would be in cell now.

Then he turns to Flora,"please take your driver and go. I will handle Andrew.".

Flora angrily walked up to Simon.

"Leave now!" Flora shouted.

Her voice was not loud, but it cut through everything.

"Simon," she said, her voice breaking a little. "I said you should leave now. Leave. Now."

Simon looked at Flora. His chest was still rising and falling. He wanted to hit Andrew again. He wanted to beat him for all the times Andrew had insulted Flora. But when Flora says leave, he leaves.

"Madam... I will leave now," Simon said quietly.

"Good," Flora said. "How dare you fight in my presence. Get lost now."

Simon nodded. He looked at Andrew one last time, then turned and left the room. But he did not go far. He stood just outside the door, muttering to himself.

"Come outside if you are a man! Come and fight me,if you are man enough! I am waiting for you!" Look at you! .A lanky bird who wants to threaten everyone, one more knock from me will give you a permanent headache for decades." Simon said angrily.

Inside, Andrew was shouting like a child.

"You see? You see what she did? She brought her cheap driver to slap me! She planned it with him,to attack me! I must arrest both of them! This is assault! This woman is a tyrant!"

Flora ignored him. She completely ignored him. She did not look at Andrew. She turned to Barrister Martins as if Andrew was not even in the room.

"Barrister Martins," she said calmly, picking up her handbag. I will see you next time.Goodbye."

"Okay .....Goodbye

She started to walk out. Slowly but royal.

Behind her, Andrew was still shouting. But Flora walked out of the middle of the noise as if it were nothing. As if it were just wind.

Simon followed her immediately to the parking lot and opened the car for her. She stepped in. Simon entered, started the car, and drove off out of the premises.

Inside the car, the air was heavy. The air conditioner was on, but it was still hot.

Flora sat in the back seat. Her handbag was tight on her lap. Her face was hard. She was not looking at Simon.

Simon was driving. His hands were tight on the steering wheel. He was still breathing hard.

For two minutes, nobody spoke. Only the sound of the car engine could be heard.

Then Flora broke the silence.

"Simon, stop the car," she said.

Simon slowed down and parked by the side of the road. He turned off the engine and looked down. He knew what was coming.

"Look at me," Flora said.

Simon raised his head and looked at her in the mirror.

"Who gave you the right to fight in my presence?" Flora asked. Her voice was low and cold. "Who? I am asking you, Simon. Who gave you permission to raise your hand inside a court?"

Simon opened his mouth, but Flora raised her hand.

"Do not speak. Listen to me," she said. Simon, I employed you as my driver, not my defender. Your actions today was totally unaccepted, you disrespected me in the presence of everyone"

"Am sorry, Madam," Simon said quietly.

" Why did you make me look like a woman who hires thugs? Do you know what Andrew will say now? He will say I brought a thug to fight him. He will say Flora Darwin cannot speak for herself, so she brings her driver to beat people. Is that what you want people to say about me?"

"No, Madam. I never wanted that," Simon said.

"You embarrassed me, Simon. In front of Barrister Martins. You have no right to fight in my presence. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Madam."

"And do not ever repeat that act again," Flora continued, her voice shaking. "If you ever do it again, I will terminate your job. I swear to God, Simon, I will sack you. I will give you your letter that same day. I don’t care how loyal you are to me, Do you hear me?"

Simon felt his heart drop. The word ’terminate’ hit him hard.

"Yes, Madam, I hear you," he said.

Flora softened a little, but only a little. She sighed.

"Simon, you think you helped me, but you did not," she said. "You could have harmed Andrew. You are very strong. What if you had broken his nose? What if he had fallen and hit his head? What if Martin had involved the police? Then what? You would go to jail. Is that what you want?"

"No, Madam."

"Your anger could affect his health, and it could affect your own future. That man can take you to the police. He can say you tried to kill him. Do you have money for a court case?"

Simon kept quiet.

"I want to deal with Andrew in my own way. My own way, Simon. I do not need help from anyone, not even from you. I have fought bigger battles than Andrew. I fought when Darwin’s family said I would never live with Maya. I fought when Darwin died and they said I killed him. I did not need anyone to slap people for me. I have my strength. I have my God. And I have the law. Let me fight my own fight."

The car was silent again.

Simon bowed his head. "I am sorry, Madam. I am very sorry. Please forgive me. I lost my temper. He was insulting you. He said you should prove whether you are still fertile. I... I could not hold it. I am sorry. It will never happen again."

Flora looked at him for a long time. Then she nodded.

"Start the car. Let’s go home."

Simon started the car. "Thank you, Madam."

He was driving, his face full of apology. But inside his mind, it was different.

Inside his mind, Simon was smiling.

He was replaying the slap. _PAK!_ The way Andrew’s head turned. The way his cheek turned red. The way he fell onto the chair. Everyone ignores his poor guts because he was a Darwin. But Simon had slapped him like a small boy.

He was happy. Deep in his heart, he was happy he had slapped Andrew. And he knew Andrew would never forget that slap in a hurry. Never.

He would apologize with his mouth, but his heart was satisfied.

Simon looked at Flora through the rearview mirror.

Even when she is angry, she looked cute. Her lips were tight and her eyes were sharp, but her face still had the softness he had admired.She was trying to be hard, but Simon knew her too well.

Behind all this hardness, she will miss me,he thought.

He would be traveling on Tuesday. He had not told her how long he would be away. She would not say it, but he knew she would feel his absence. The house would be too quiet without him. Who would open the car door for her?

He wondered what he could do to cheer her up and make her smile before he left.

He drove slowly, thinking.

Then an idea came to his mind. A simple idea.

He smiled to himself.

In fact, this act would make her happy and surprised. She would not expect it. She would laugh, and her anger would melt.

He tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

"Flora," he said softly looking at her in the mirror, "I have something for you, before I travel."