The Love Of Money - S01 E23

Story 1 week ago

The Love Of Money - S01 E23

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 23

"Dammit," I picked up my phone and pulled up Helen's number. I hadn't expected her to get triggered so easily.

She left. Go ahead and do it, I texted Helen.

It was immediately read, but after a few moments of not responding, I put my phone down, sure Helen would pull through for me like she'd done every other time.

I watched the fire in the fireplace, enjoying the crackling of the wood as I waited.

A few minutes later the door opened and in came Roderick along with four other people bearing trays and carts of food. They began wordlessly setting platters of escargot, crab legs, gormet guacomole, Kobe beef, and other things in a pleasing array. They left the decorative carts near the table and lifted lids to other beautiful spreads.

"There's not enough room, so if it's alright with you, we will leave the rest right here. Would you like me to fix both of you a plate?," Roderick asked.

"No thank you. If you'd just give us some privacy, I'd appreciate it. I'll pop my head out if you need anything."

The staff retreated, as Roderick laid out the plates, wine glasses, and the five bottles of wine. He started to back away to leave as well when I stopped him.

"Hey Roderick," I said. "Does the noise carry outside this room very much?"

"No sir," Rodierick responded. "It's not soundproof, but the room is designed to allow for a fair amount of privacy.

"Okay," I said. "Just a heads up. Things might get a little loud in here. She's... a passionate woman."

He simply smiled and said, "Understood, sir." He'd clearly had similar conversations before.

Nearly ten minutes had passed when the doors burst open. "What the fuck is this?" Bobbi stormed over to me looking as she was ready to bury the phone she held in her hand directly into my skull.

"Seriously," Bobbi spat as she leaned extraordinarily close to me,

her face inches from mine. "What the fuck are you doing?"

Keep calm, Helen's voice said in my head as I repeated some of the advice she'd given me, You own the world. There's no reason to get angry when you can literally buy your way in it.

I looked up at her from my seat and said, "Sit. The fuck. Down."

Nearly an entire minute ticked by as we stared at each other. She finally huffed and took her seat once more. I sighed and then began reaching for food. "Better. Now, what's your question?"

"You turned off my phone, motherfucker. How?"

"According to my lawyers," I stated as I reached for some crab claws, "I'm the richest person in the world." I finally looked back up at her as I started cracking open a crab leg, "Bobbi, I could wipe my ass with thousand dollar bills every time I take a shit from now till the day I die and my bank account wouldn't notice. I bought Marduke. I bought the building it's in, and I'll probably buy this casino. I also bought First Patriot. Ever heard of it?"

Bobbi's eyebrows knitted together and she shook her head.

"It's a credit collection agency that has been trying to reach you for the past seven months. They bought 80% of your credit and have been trying to collect on it since. I'm in the process of collecting the other 20% of your bad debt. I also own Monarch Three and Fiscal."

Bobbi's eyes widened at that, "My..."

"Your mortgage, car note, and student loans, yeah."

"I also have solid proof that you've committed a felony." The sound of crackling felt like they were providing some sort of ominous ambience to my words as I made a little pile of cold crab meat for later. I didn't want to detract from what I was saying by eating in front of her.

"Well, my lawyers say it's more like ten felonies. They're saying you could easily spend over fifty years in prison if we pursued all of it, although they said that it would be expensive to do that."

I put down the claw cracker and wiped my hands of the juice before leaning forward and locking gazes with her. "Bobbi, I would spend millions to make sure you suffered the full weight of the

penalty for your crimes. That's how much I hate you."

"What are -"

"Shut up," I snapped. "You talk when I tell you."

For the first time since I'd known her, Bobbi was shutting up when told to do so.

"You almost got me fired. I know you got Mary fired. You cost the entire team half our bonus from last quarter. You've microwaved fish in the breakroom at least twice that I know about. You enabled Gina, and you made Gerald cry. You think I'd stop at throwing you in prison? I'd pay off every guard I can to make sure your time there was a living hell. I'd stock the account of every prisoner in there so you couldn't get a moment's rest. They would beat you. Take your stuff. Humiliate you. Maybe even worse."

"I'd also buy out the company your sister's ex husband works at. What do you think would happen if the child support suddenly dries up? Or maybe I'd buy the nursing home your grandmother lives in."

I wouldn't have followed through on any of those promises, but she made me so mad that I found myself improvising just to see how many buttons I could push. I wouldn't have let some kid starve, and I certainly wouldn't have tossed out some old lady on the streets for the sins of her granddaughter. I'm not a monster, but I didn't want her to know that.

"You'll die abused, scared, and friendless in prison. You'll be the sole cause of your family's suffering, and I'll make sure they know It."

I watched her for a long moment as she chewed on my words. Finally, I sat back in my seat and started eating on the appetizers I'd put together on my plate. I could appreciate why it was all so expensive. The food was some of the best I'd ever had in my life.

"You can speak." I said as I continued to eat without looking up at her.

Moments of silence passed with just the sound of the fire and my fork clinking against the plate. I was dying to look at her... to see if I could gauge her reaction. But I didn't dare give her the satisfaction. The ball was in her court.

"I'm sorry." She finally said after about four minutes of silence from both of us. I continued what I was doing, and another half minute passed before I heard a sob escape from her.

"I said I'm sorry," she repeated. "You don't have the right-"

My head snapped up and I glared at her as other sins came to mind that would have gotten anyone fired a long time ago,

"Remember Tony? Remember LaShonda? Remember you and me three months ago? You didn't have the right then, and you know what? Maybe I don't have the right to do this, but I'm doing it because I hate you, because it makes me feel good, and because I can."

"What do you want from me?"

I stood up, "I want you to cry. I want you to feel sorry for yourself. I want you to be scared for your freedom and the livelihood of your family." I leaned over my plate of food and placed my hands on the tabletop, "And I want you to eat the goddamn food you ordered!"

All the hatred, anger, and defiance in her eyes had fled as she stared back at me. Tears slipped free and slid down her cheeks. Her bottom lip and chin quivered, but she didn't say anything. Really, what was there to say? Finally, she looked away and began piling expensive food on her plate.

We ate in complete silence for a while. I enjoyed most of the expensive food. Almost all of it was new to me. Bobbi seemed to enjoy it as much as it was possible for someone in her position. She ate slowly and deliberately, taking small bites and doing her best to make as little noise as possible as if that would make me forget she was even here. Neither of us spoke to each other.

I did use that opportunity to really admire her though. As horrible as her personality was, Bobbi was an exquisite woman. She had fine features that gave her an elfin quality, with large, almond- shaped, light-grey eyes that always smoldered with intensity. She had flawless ivory skin and her golden brown hair fell in loose, layered curls that hung over one shoulder. She was a master of using just enough makeup to enhance her beauty without overdoing it. She had subtle curves that she displayed remarkably well in the little black dress she wore, and its plunging neckline drew my eyes to the inner slopes of her modest breasts. Each bite of food was followed up by the tip of her small pink tongue across her lips to capture any excess juices. It was all so tempting.

I dropped my fork on my plate, and the sound of it caused Bobbi to Jump in her chair.

"What do you think I should do with you?"

"What?"

I looked at her like she was an idiot. "Gina's gone, Bobbi. What the fuck do you think happened to her?"

Bobbi looked like she wasn't quite sure how to answer.