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Chapter 37: He's Here

OLIVIA

It was disturbing.

Seeing Arthur just eating his steak in peace, while I'm poking on my tuna because I couldn't eat in worry. Ever since the food came, Arthur just kept asking me questions which I didn't know the answer to. It felt like an interview, but the one doing the talking hates me and I just know I won't get the job. It felt like that.

"That's gonna get cold, kid. You better start eating," he insisted as he drank his water.

I tried to calm myself down as I took the first bite of my food. Delicious, by the way. But I found it hard to swallow. I found everything hard to swallow right now, even the air. Still, I tried hard to relax. I kept chewing as I immersed myself in thought.

Arthur's a threat, to me at least, because he knows my secret- I don't have any solid proof against the Harrisons. If he reveals that to Judah, everything will be over. But he promised he wouldn't tell. Even though I don't want to, I have no choice but to trust him on that. And if I do get on his good side, who knows? Maybe he can even be my confidant.

But I'm probably just aiming too high.

"Alright then." I finally managed to compose myself, "Let's have a deal, Arthur."

"A deal?"

I nodded, "Yes. You know my secret and you promise you won't tell Judah."

"Unless I see fit, yeah," he took another bite of his steak.

"Alright. I can only trust you on that. But you have to help me from now on."

"Excuse me?" he paused.

"You said so yourself. I'm a tremendous help to Kingston and Judah."

"Well, I didn't say tremendous but-"

"Well, I am. So, if you choose to reveal that secret of mine, you'll be taking away what has become one of Kingston's greatest assets."

He scoffed, "Ha. Aren't you overestimating yourself?"

"Five business contracts, two partnerships, and the first community center all in four months. You were saying?"

And he just started at me with dead eyes before shrugging.

I continued, "You need to help me from now on to make sure a day doesn't come where you need to use your card against me. Help me succeed."

He put down his utensils and crossed his arms, "Or what?"

Damn, he's unbreakable. Better put my mafia face on. I've practiced it when I began my work at Kingston, for breaking those stuck-ups.

I leaned in, elbows on the table, "Or Kingston fails and Judah's reputation goes down the drain. Everything he worked hard on would disappear once I'm chased out of Kingston and people find out I'm from the Harrisons. And it will be on you."- I leaned back, slowly releasing a breath of relief- "So?"

Arthur paused for a moment while staring at me with a blank face. There was no way to tell what he was thinking. But in just a few seconds, his face relaxed.

He sighed, "Fine. I'll help you. Whatever. Anyway, I got nothing better to do while waiting to expose you." He ended his sentence with a smirk, to which I only glared at. At least he agreed. That's enough to put me at ease for now.

"Shake on it," I demanded, reaching out my hand.

He looked at me in disgust and disbelief, "Ugh. What are you, four?"

"Don't make me make you pinky swear, Arthur."

"Dear god..." he groaned before forcefully taking my hand, making a loud sound, and shaking it.