Chapter 167 You Must Leave Him
When the plane landed, Courtney turned her phone back on and saw that she had a missed call. After glancing at the number, she searched through her contacts and dialed Addie’s number.
“Courtney! Are you back?” Addie’s excited voice came through the phone the moment he picked up.
Soon after, she asked, “Do you think you can find Vivian Shepherd from SG’s phone number?”
Since Vivian shot Courtney down during the audit team’s first visit to the hotel, Courtney was unable to follow along for the remainder of the inspection and did not manage to get Vivian’s contact details.
“Vivian Shepherd?” Taken aback, he paused for a brief moment before answering. “It should be on the agreement. I’ll go take a look.”
The cab had just gotten off the airport highway when a text from Addie came.
After comparing the phone numbers, the light in Courtney’s eyes dimmed. Turning off her phone, she simply shut her eyes and did not bother with that missed call from before.
The call was from Mikayla, and the reason for the call was obvious.
Moreover, she also had a strong feeling that Mikayla was going to call again.
By the time Courtney arrived at her apartment, it was already sometime in the afternoon. She took a shower and was in a rather good mood. Humming along to a song, she began tidying up the house as she had plans to have the two children over to stay for the weekend.
Before she could finish cleaning, however, Mikayla called.
“Hello. Who is this?” Courtney intentionally asked.
“It’s me, Vivian.”
Her voice sounded cold unlike the kind appearance she had when they drank together the other day.
Courtney kept her composure. “Is there a problem?”
“Do you have time? I want to talk.”
“Last I checked, I wasn’t the person in charge of the collaboration between SG Travel Group and Sunhill Hotel. I think you have the wrong person.”
“It’s not about the collaboration. This is a personal matter.”
“What personal matters do we have between us?”
“Courtney.” Mikayla was getting impatient, but she suppressed her temper. “Don’t act like you don’t know anything. Do you think you can stay by Alex’s side as long as you avoid me?”
Those words almost made Courtney laugh.
She used to think that Vivian was a woman of high status, but seeing how desperate she was now after a slight push made her realize that Alexander was right—Vivian was just a spoiled and pompous young lady from a wealthy family.
The two agreed to meet up at a coffee shop on Pinnacle Road. It was three in the afternoon—just in time for afternoon tea—but there were more waiters than customers in the shop. Glancing over the menu, however, Courtney knew the reason for the lack of business right away—a cup of Americano cost a thousand six hundred and ninety.
“Don’t worry about it. It’s my treat.”
Mikayla’s voice sounded from across her.
“I can afford this much.” Courtney closed the menu and smiled at the waiter. “A glass of plain water please.”
Frowning, a look of astonishment flashed before Mikayla’s eyes.
The waiter hesitated as he looked over at Mikayla.
“Give her a glass of water,” she ordered with a stiff expression on her face.
She probably thought it was humiliating that Courtney had just ordered a glass of water at a place like that.
Calmly, Courtney added, “I just don’t think this conversation will last over a cup of coffee.”
“Do you hate seeing me that much?” Mikayla eyed her. “So, you do know about my relationship with Alex?”
“He says you’re his younger sister.”
“He said that?” Mikayla scoffed. “It seems like I’ve overestimated you. Did you really take his words at face value?”
“Aren’t you?” Courtney looked over at her calmly.
“To speak with responsibility, I’m his rightful fiancée. Since you’re not interested in idle chit-chat, I’ll just be upfront with you. The love Alex and I share is not something your few short months of relationship with him can replace. It might have been possible if I hadn’t returned, but I’m back now. If you’re smart, you’ll leave on your own and not embarrass yourself.”
“Responsibility?” Courtney grew serious. “Were you being responsible when you broke off the engagement and married a French man? After you got divorced, did you think your previous engagement would still be valid? That would mean that feelings and relationships are all just a game to you, isn’t it? Is Alexander a backup plan to you?”
“Watch your words.” Mikayla’s expression changed in an instant. “Backup plan? I’ve never thought of him that way. Did you say that in front of him?”
“I thought you were confident. Will my words threaten your position in his life?” Courtney was finding the whole situation rather funny. “You didn’t want him at first, but now that you do, everyone else should just give way? Even if I do give way, don’t you think you should ask him what he thinks?”
“I just need you to leave. It doesn’t matter what he thinks. He will come back to me.”
After hearing that, Courtney was convinced that she had overestimated Mikayla. She used to think that Mikayla was a high-class woman, but now it became clear that she was just a brazen fool.
Suddenly, Courtney’s phone started to ring. She took a look at the incoming call, then turned to Mikayla and said, “Let me answer this before you continue.”
Mikayla almost burst with anger.
Picking up the call in front of her, Courtney answered, “Grandpa.”
“Nothing much. I plan on bringing the kids over to stay at my place over the weekend. I’ll pick them up on Friday night.”
“Sure, we’ll have dinner together. Alex can’t make it. The project in Kyoto is still underway. He might only have time after the next couple of days.”
During Courtney’s phone call, the look on Mikayla’s face only grew worse.
When the call ended, Courtney looked back up at her and informed, “I have to leave soon. If you still have something to say, you better make it quick.”
“You…” Mikayla seethed. “You must leave Alex. I’m warning you.”
“Sorry to say this, but I have to go now.” Courtney stood up. “Just a friendly reminder; the next time you ask someone out to talk about these things, remember to bring money or something of equivalent value. Don’t be a leech.”
Feeling light-hearted, she grabbed her bag and left the booth.
Behind her, Mikayla spat, “I thought you were a person of principle, but you’re also in it for the money. Just tell me how much you want.”
Courtney’s steps came to a halt, but she did not turn back around. “You’re quite capable in your work. I used to wonder why you left Alex for a man with no backbone, but I think I understand now. There is something seriously wrong with your brain.”
Despite Courtney having made herself very clear, Mikayla still did not put two and two together. The afternoon tea that day gave Courtney the feeling that she had gone overboard with the mental preparation she made beforehand.
Meanwhile, Mikayla was quivering in anger. In all her life, she had never been so humiliated before. Without saying another word, her eyes turned red as she watched Courtney leave.
From beside her, a cinereous silhouette walked past and sat down in front of her. “Are you okay?”
The woman’s voice was sweet and caring. Suppressing the stinging feeling in her nose, Mikayla looked up and snapped, “I’m fine. Who are you? Don’t you have your own table?”
The woman did not answer her. With a smirk, she asked, “Do you know why Courtney is so confident and unrelenting in front of you?”
At that moment, Mikayla became dumbfounded.
