Chapter 7: Mr Jones

Eric’s POV

I knew for a fact that I needed to prepare for this meeting today but I severely lost track of the date. Mr Jones was such a tough man to handle. Barely took no for an answer. 

What would I have told him if he had walked into the middle of that weird episode Emily and I just had?

“Gosh! Eric!! Use your damn brain!!” I was screaming internally at this point.

“He loved his daughter but he still loved the money and my father made sure he got that when he sold off his daughter to a weird young man from a rich home.”

I cleared the table in a rush and tried to make the living room feel as fresh as though no one had walked in there that day.

“Could he recognize the fact that his daughter had just been here? Maybe her perfume still hovered around?”

I kept on asking myself these questions as I panic-ran around the house tidying things up.

My thoughts were creeping up on me and it nearly became a battle.

The lavender air freshener was right by the kitchen table and I reached out to grab it like my life depended on this new scent.

For all that is worth, Mr Jones shouldn't have known that I actually filed for this divorce because I wasn't even meant to do that. I had breached the contract and that is why he was here.

“It was only just a threat” I muttered to myself as I cleaned.

But Ethan must have spilled the tea to him. 

A lawyer who can barely keep his mouth shut. What kind of people do I even have in my life?

“What's the worst he could do anyway, i shouldn't be scared of this old man, right?” I tried to convince myself to calm down, but nothing was working.

“Well, I bet he can take a casual joke today.” The house was ready to receive him. At least that was what I thought. 

Breaching any part of the contract had its consequences and I was about to face one of them. 

“Gladly I had torn the divorce papers Emily signed so I think I am off the hook for that but Mr. Jones would not let that go.”

I heard the sound of the knock on my door and positioned myself by the kitchen table to receive my guest.

My lips had parted ways to give off the usual response to let any guest come in and that was when I noticed it.

“Her scarf.” Emily’s scarf was hanging by the door handle. It must have tangled there when she stomped out of my house.

My feet acted very fast and I sprinted to get a grip of it but Mr. Jones barged in too quickly.

I froze halfway as I struggled to get a grip on my body to stand still.

“He couldn't have noticed that I was moving right?” The sight of his straight default frowned face made me wonder for a second.

“Mr Jones. Hey, my man!” I tried to keep it cool.

My right hand went up to get a high five from a 70+ old man who was likely older than my father. What was I thinking?

“Don’t you dare high-five me Eric, what on earth do you think you are doing?” This weird gesture took him aback. 

His arms folded at that moment with an even thicker frown. His voice was as sharp as he spoke, laced with anger.

Mr Jones always had a frown by default, and I can't deny that his looks often freaked me out.

“What exactly are you talking about? I was literally happy to see you and you came into my house looking angry as usual.”

“Don't play games with me, Eric. You stepped over the lines and went against what we all agreed.” he pointed straight to my face

“We agreed on something?”

I tried to act dumb and play it cool like my heart hadn't already sunk in my belly out of fear.

“Why was I even scared of this man?” I thought to myself as I stared at him standing right in front of me.

“You breached the contract Eric and you know this. Threatening her with just words was fine. 

I thought that was the idea. So what happened? Why did you then file for the divorce?”

“Uggh. Mr Jones. I just thought to make it feel a bit real, you know?”

“So I had Ethan draft a divorce letter for me and I gave it to her to sign. She was the one who took it seriously, it was all a joke man”

I walked out of his presence slowly to my living room bar to pour us each a glass of wine.

“Ethan wasn't meant to spread the news around though,” I whispered to myself.

“What did you just say?” He responded in a loud voice just to let me know that he heard me.

“Look, it wasn't meant to be that serious sir,” I said as I handed him his cup of wine.

“But she signed it Eric! She signed it, didn't she?”

“I wouldn't know, I hadn't seen her since the day she left this place.” I lied without any thought

“You mean since the day you threw her out of your house right?”

“Look. Eric. I played along with your plans and now I haven't seen my daughter again in days. I know she has to be safe.”

“But the reason I'm here is to let you know that if Emily signs those papers and it gets into the hands of any legal practitioner, you are subject to paying me my $20,000.

“In as much as I am upset with you for trying to pull such a stunt with the whole divorce thing, the consequences you would have to face will still in fact make me a happier man.” He said to me with a weird smile as he took a sip of his wine.

“Do you even care about your daughter Mr. Jones?”

“Of course, I d….”

“Not that I care but you don't seem to act like a man who has his daughter’s well-being at heart.” I interrupted him abruptly

“You have always been all about the money and you have made Emily suffer for your selfish reasons.” the veins on my neck appeared as I spoke. 

One could hear every word I uttered from the house next door. 

“Why were my emotions heightened for Emily?”

I stared at Mr. Jones as he stood still and watched me talk to him about his daughter. He couldn't say a word in return and yes it made me feel as though I had won at the moment.

“I do care about Emily, Eric.” he finally blurted out 

“But I also need to put the family's needs first. She can take care of herself. She is a grown woman.” He took a sip of his wine.

“So what are those family needs that have to come before your own children, huh? Money?”

Mr Jones froze at the harsh tone of my voice. His arms folded again, allowing me speak freely like he didn't care. 

“That's what I thought. There is nothing more important. You are just a selfish old man.”

“Right. I am. I agree with you. Being financially stable has always been a dream I had. But I was too lazy to achieve this on my own.” His weird grin appeared on his face again.

“Lucky for me, God blessed me with a few females under my control and I used that to my own advantage. So shut your filthy mouth if you have nothing else to say here.” 

“You are as crazy as your father and this isn't news to him. I have told him this directly to his face before and he barely even fights it. He accepts himself as he is.” he continued

“You are an insane spoilt human and the only reason you have my daughter is for the benefit of this agreement.”

“You know what’s funny? Your father and I built our relationship out of how ambitious we both were.”

“He craved the money and was able to get a huge amount of inheritance from his father. I craved money as well and I was able to use what I had to get what I wanted.”

“And so far, that has worked well for me.”

“You can never shame the shameless. I am a man of integrity and I can do whatever I want to do here for my benefit and that of my family”

I stood dumbfounded as I stared at the smirk he carried on his face after he said his last word. My fists clenched in anger. 

Mr Jones sure won this unintentional battle for today.

He and my dad had been friends for years but I never knew any of the information he had just spilled here.

Yet in the middle of such a heated moment, my mind wandered back to Emily’s scarf still at my door and I needed to act fast because I was only lucky all along that he hadn't seen that scarf right behind him.

“Well, I guess you won this time around Mr. Jones. I walked quickly to my door as though I was about to usher him out of my house and shoved the scarf into my right pocket before he could turn around to look at me.

“Emily wouldn't sign those papers and I will make good sure of that.”

“Good.” Mr Jones took a sip of his wine and finally had a sit.

A whole $20,000 leaving my pocket just for a mere mistake was absurd. 

I looked at him as he quickly gulped the rest of the wine in the cup and my thoughts were interrupted as I heard a loud knock on my door.

“Oh, Shit! Emily came back for her scarf too soon.”

How do I handle Emily and her dad being in my house? They are sworn enemies.

The loud knock repeated itself. This time even louder.

I braced up for this moment. Emily might have been back for her vintage belonging but I hope not.

“Come right in,” I said without any further thought. Emily and her dad sure need to kiss and make up and it might just be a good time for this.