My Perfect Lady

Jim too, though thoughtful, was excited. As impossible as it sounded, but he and Miya had one connection in common.

That was the most unexpected of all!

He grinned.

"Well, they weren"t actually colleagues, just business partners for a while," he said, remembering the whole story, "but I think it happened somewhere around 2004 as well. I had turned eighteen and had just joined the financial department of the Hunter Corporation. Father had been looking for investing in a publishing house, one that had a daily newspaper and magazine, at least. Obviously, he wanted to lay his roots in every industry possible. I"m not sure of the details, but I think Mr. Freeman came to him. We were the biggest company in the country, after all. And the Chairman thought it was a good deal because of his wife, Meera. She did adverts and doc.u.mentaries. It was good publicity. She directed under the pen name Toby, right?"

Miya nodded profusely, her expression curious, clearly urging him to continue.

Jim smirked.

"Yeah, so that was that. Father obviously got them to reveal their books to us, and I remember going through their financials personally. The company could barely break even. Um… break even, Miya, is when the profits and costs equalize in a business."

Miya rolled her eyes.

"I know," she said.

Jim raised his brows.

"You do?"

"Of course! I read crime fiction a lot, but my son has unusual interests. I have read basic economics and accounts because of him," Miya told him nonchalantly.

Jim was astounded. What?

What!

Ben?! But he was five! History, he could understand. But accounts, and economics?! And really, this woman… why the f*** was she cleaning toilets then?!

Miya looked at him with slight impatience, whereas Jim gulped. As much as he wanted to shove an IQ test under both his wife and Ben"s noses, he was forced to continue the previous story. He made a mental note, though, to actually test their education some day.

Jim shrugged.

"Hm… so, like I said. The business could barely break-even. And the Chairman took a liking to Jonathan Freeman. The couple made quite a few visits to the Hunter estate back then. I think father was planning out on being the third partner in their company. But then, some time later, I just heard that they died. I myself was out of the country, and still learning. Overloaded with work. So I didn"t pay much attention. It was just another deal down the drain, after all."

Miya frowned at the words. She really didn"t know how business actually worked. But she knew businessmen cared about profit the most. That was her question.

"The company didn"t shut down. Why did the Chairman withdraw his investment?"

Jim shrugged.

"Yes, but the family was wiped out. The company was inherited by some sc.u.mbag, and my father had no interest in him. Initially, I heard that the daughter had survived. I remember meeting Rebecca once, at a party of sorts, I think. I knew she was no good. But father put her into that sc.u.mbag"s custody, and said he"d support the company, till the daughter was ready to take over. A few days later though, the Chairman was told that she died of drug overdose and so he let the company fall."

It was almost as if Jim had heard his own words. In fact, he had just recalled that tiny detail! Well, of course! That was why Simon Hunter had abandoned the deal! Rebecca Storm had been declared dead. But, then…

Miya herself had jolted from the chair.

"But that"s not true!" she cried out loud, "Becky told me she got into drugs, and that one day, when she was stoned, her uncle – the person you keep referring to as sc.u.mbag – got the company signed in his own name. But she"s alive!"

Jim"s brain was working fast. He rolled his eyes at the wife"s banter, and carelessly hissed a "Of course she is." It felt like he wanted to tell her to stay quiet for a while, though.

Miya"s entire body trembled from the revelation. Becky had been cheated out of everything! She shook from the urge of telling Jimmy everything that Becky had told her. The young master, though, was lost in careful thought.

It was a while after he spoke.

"I"m guessing Rebecca was sent away to this country after she signed the papers?" he asked.

Miya nodded rigorously.

"And she"s been here ever since?"

Miya nodded again.

"What a pathetic fool."

Miya was instantly outraged at the words. She was about to rebel, when Jim spoke out again.

"I bet she doesn"t even know she"s publicly been declared dead back at home. And 20 million dollars I"d put at stake, to say she"s still on drugs."

"No!" Miya"s defence was automatic, "She told me she came clean years ago!"

Jim gave the gullible wife a sarcastic laugh.

"And you believe her?"

"But –"

"Miya, this woman hasn"t fought back for thirteen years. Why? If she came clean, why hasn"t it occurred to her to get back what"s hers? Let me tell you something about us rich kids. We"re never without contacts."

"But I told you she was an outcast!"

"Okay, then how"s this? She smoked like a f***ing pot last night, and is still out cold –"

"You took 45 yourself! Don"t be a hypocrite! That does not make you a drug addict!"

"Let me finish! She"s been out cold since last night. They were cigarettes, not sedatives. Unless of course, while you were all asleep, she got up at night and took a dose or two of marijuana. Or whatever the h.e.l.l she takes. I have my man there. I could get him to take a blood specimen and get it tested right now. But it"s none of my f***ing concern, Miya. Use your brain."

Miya fell quiet.

Despite herself, her eyes brimmed with tears. The young master made sense. Yet, she didn"t want to accept it.

Rebecca never lied to her! That was their code!

When Jim had finally made his point, and was about to take a satisfied breath, he saw Miya"s face. And he immediately wanted to bang his head on the floor. Or throw himself into the waves, for that matter!

The missus was crying!

Or was about to. But what did it matter?!

He saw the despair that spread on her face. It was as if she had been betrayed to no end. And just when he thought the tears would fall, Jim immediately freaked out.

"Miya," he said hurriedly, "Look at me dear."

Miya"s eyes were fiery when she looked up, her gaze sharp. Tears brimmed in her eyes, but she looked very angry.

"I"m not your dear," she said furiously, "And take me back to the library. I need to kick Becky"s sorry a.s.s!"

Okay…

Jim was speechless.

It was a case of a student turned master it seemed. Rebecca"s student had outshone her skills, and was going to come after her master now.

Jim sighed. His next words were soft.

"Don"t be so violent, Miya" he tried to explain, "Like you said, you knew her for a month, thirteen years ago. That"s a long time. People make their own choices. They change."

"But she lied to me!"

"She played mentor to you once. Maybe she was just afraid to disappoint you."

It was those words that hit Miya hard, and she remembered Becky"s question, the one she had asked her at last. "Do you look down on your elder sis," she had said.

Miya couldn"t control the turmoil of emotions anymore.

The tears finally fell.

Jim"s soul almost left his body when he saw her, and his heart jumped out of his mouth. The wires in his brain short-circuited one by one, and his entire being froze.

His logical self sprang back into action, and yelled in alarm, "Crying! There"s a woman near you, crying! Call an ambulance! A fire brigade! Run, boy, run!"

Miya held her face in her hands, as the very breath was knocked out of Jim. Her sobs worsened, and he sat beside her, gawking like an absolute idiot.

He was bad with women, yes.

But at consoling crying women?

He was simply horrible.