The Billionaire's Getaway Tryst

~Chapter 50~

"Ms. Maxwell?" I whispered out with panic still crippling all of my senses. Tentatively, I placed the stick against the door.

She looked up hearing that before taking a sip of red wine from a now half filled glass. "Valerie," she said and for some reason her tone was so odd. So unlike her. "I can call you that, right? I mean since I am back to being your boss and all." She wriggled her fingers in a wave.

"What are you… doing here?" I asked, ignoring her question. I gulped again because there was a tension forming in my throat. "I-I mean…" I don't know what I wanted to say so I clamped my mouth shut.

"It's okay." She smiled widely, making her hollow cheeks poke out weirdly. I could tell why she didn't smile so often. "Have a seat, please. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."

The fact that she knew I was uncomfortable was even more uncanny. The worst thing was that this time, she was the one to disregard my question.

"Come on, sit down," she insisted, holding out her hand toward the couch in front of her. I rounded the couch and sat down on it as if this whole place was wired with a bomb. "What are you doing here, Ms. Maxwell?" I repeated, this time with a more composed voice.

If the first time a person ignores your question, you assume that they didn't hear you but if it's repeated then they're either deaf or they prefer to not hear you. In Ms. Maxwell's case, I could tell that it was the latter one. "You want some?" She held out the bottle of wine for me.

I narrowed my eyes at her suspicious actions and it didn't take Sherlock Holmes to know that something was off about her.

She must have taken note of my expression because her grin widened and I sank back further in my couch. "I hope you don't mind me drinking your wine. I was so worn out that I needed something - something real. But when I opened your cabinet, it was almost empty and this bottle seemed," she paused, smacking her lips together. "It seemed appetizing."

"You still didn't answer my question." Now my fear lines were beginning to grow at a quicker pace. Her nonchalance about entering my apartment without my permission was concerning.

"You know what, Valer-" She stopped speaking when we both heard the sound of my main door closing.

For a whole second, my brain was blank but then it hit me that it was Skye and I was beyond gratified to hear his voice as well. That's when I also noticed that Ms. Maxwell was expecting him too. I felt a chill run down my spine and truth be said, it was kind of creepy. "I am sorry I am late but I-"

I turned around in my seat to see Skye standing at the doorway, looking at Ms. Maxwell with confusion. "Katherine?"

She waved at him with that same smile plastered on her face.

If Skye was taken aback then he didn't show it because his eyes quickly fell on me. "Is this some sort of your surprise?" He asked me with that same confusion but there was a small smile on his lips.

I thought the apprehension was showing on my face but apparently he didn't seem to notice it. I didn't reply to him and glanced over at Ms. Maxwell. She seemed drunk and somewhat sad with an incessant smile playing on her usually tight features. A phoney smile to hide her true intentions, maybe?

"What's going on?" I think the lack of answer was making Skye suspicious too now.

"Hi, Skye. Sit down," Ms. Maxwell finally spoke but there was a hint of command in her scratchy voice.

As if dazed, he sat down beside me. One glance at both Ms. Maxwell and I each, Skye leaned back on the couch. "Are you guys ganging up on me? To trick…" He trailed off as soon as his eyes met my fearful ones.