Chapter 50
Laura followed her back to the big living room and everyone is gathered round the room following her with their eyes as she join them. Nicholas's mother stepped forward and positioned herself in front of Laura with folded arms
"Have you seen your room? How is it?" She asked with a smile on her face but her attitude clearly says otherwise about her question
"I don't think we have that kind of relationship for you to ask me those questions" Laura retorted and turned her face to see Nicholas standing a little away from his mother.
She hasn't seen him after they left the hospital and he has not been coming to the company too. The person she place to tail him even tells her he did not go anywhere else apart from Ella's house.
She looked away from him back to his mother who looks upset at her reply
"What? Do you have something else to say?" She asked before pushing her out of the way and walk further into the room
Her aunt, who greeted her earlier came to her again and tried to talk but Laura kept her replies short and avoid answering the unnecessary questions.
Chris came down from her room and joined her, there, she introduced him to everyone formally
"My husband, Chris" she simply said. Everyone here is either from her father's side or stepmother's family.
Since her mother death, most of her family that work in the company suddenly quit and those who are still there hold insignificant positions.
"Why are you telling me to keep quiet? I need to talk some sense into her" Laura heard a noise from another part of the room and turned around to see what it is about.
Sharon, Nicholas's mother also turned to see what the noise is about and saw her younger brother shouting and arguing with his wife.
The man soon matched towards Laura fuming and stopped in front of her like he is going to bounce on her. Chris step in front of her immediately to protect her and make her move backwards
"You! How dare you!" He screamed but his wife held him back telling him to calm down.
Laura told Chris she is okay and told him to move away while she address the issue.
"Who are you?" She asked sternly sizing him up. She is not sure who exactly he is but she knows he is one of Sharon's family members.
"Who am I? What a stupid question. You let your husband dismiss me from my office and ask who I am" he yelled yet again but Laura kept a straight and nonchalant face not bothered with his noise
"Like I said, who exactly are you?" She asked again and the man was livid with anger then he tried to hit her but his sister quickly intervene and stopped him
"Get yourself together!" Sharon yelled at his brother and let his wife pull him away from Laura
"Laura, what do you think you are doing? How can you say you don't know my brother?" She said visibly annoyed but tries to keep her cool and scold her on behalf of her brother.
"Your brother? Do I have to know him, when we don't have any relation with each other" she said provocatively
"Laura don't push it!" She flared and calm herself again trying to maintain her composure
"You are just someone my father slept with when he was bored, who do you think you are?" She also shouted back and Chris had to stop her. He put a hand over her shoulders and caress her gently to calm down.
Nicholas also step forward to stop the looming fight, Laura never respect his mother and the both of them has always stay out of each other's way and standing here in the same place is definitely not going to be peaceful. He knows his mum is annoying but he wouldn't let Laura insult her in his presence
"Laura that's enough" he told her and pull his mother towards himself
"Mom, let's not have this drama today okay" he said. Sharon hissed silently and sighed in anger, she won't let Laura ruin her day
The househelp came to call everyone to the table to eat and that was able to stop the tension and they all retreat to the dinning hall.
The people present are two of Sharon's brothers and one of her sister with their spouse with one of Laura's aunt from her father's side and her died uncle's son who is also managing the bakery with Nicholas and Sharon and a few ones she doesn't know.
Everyone settled down at their various seat with Sharon taking her father's position, the other maids come out with various food and start to serve everyone.
Nicholas helped his mother to select some of the food she loves and she smiled gratefully feeling proud of her filial son.
"Laura, I came to the office to see you a few days ago but your secretary didn't allow me in your office" her aunt who has been trying to talk to her said breaking the silent across the room.
Laura looked up from her plate as she is just moving her spoon on the plate without eating the food served.
She knows that her aunt definitely needs her help with something and that's why she has been trying to talk to her since she came.
"Is there a problem?" She responded and continue to play with her food while Chris took an excuse to leave to the restroom.
"You see, your uncle made a little mistake with the business funds and he really wants to talk to you about it but before he could you got him arrested for business fraud" she explained and stood up from her feet with a sober look acting like she is about to cry.
"Uncle?" Laura chuckled at how ridiculous that sounds to her and push the plate away from herself then pull the water to herself
"So what about it?" She asked
"You can't let him go to jail for that little mistake him made. You know I have always supported you and your mother before she died" Laura banged the table at the mention of her mother.
"Little mistake! Your husband squandered a hundred million dollars and you call that a little mistake" she snapped pissed off and her aunt keep quiet and sat back on her seat thinking of another way to convince her not to send her husband to jail.
Sharon continue to eat as if she didn't hear any of their conversation and when she had eaten to her satisfaction, she asked the help to get her some soup instead and complained about the food as usual.
"Laura, you should hand over the shares with you soon" she started lowly without raising her head up but Laura also did not flinch and reply her in like manner
"And why is that?" She questioned
"Those did not belong to you, you have kept them with you for long and it's time you give them back" Sharon said more firmly this time and her words made Laura laugh.
"What an hypocrite!" She said between her laughter and Nicholas who is sitting next to his mother could sense a fight heating up
Sharon looked towards Laura in annoyance wishing she could move closer and slap her face right there but held herself back.
She has planned everything for a long time now and wouldn't let a little girl ruin everything she has worked for.
It was her father's misfortune to have slept with her that fateful day and when she got pregnant, she made him take responsibility with a threat to reveal things to his wife which he quickly did so he won't hurt his wife.
Since the past two weeks, Sharon's brothers and sister has visited her to inform her of the changes in the company and how Laura has start to command and wage power over their office and the subsidiary companies they hold.
She was so angry at them for being so foolish to do such stupid things that gave Laura the excuse to lay them off but even more furious with Laura for trying to trample on her authority now that she is married.
After she gained authority as her father's wife, the first thing she did is threat her useless father to make her sign some documents that will secure her place and that of her son and family.
The foolish girl was naive enough to sign those without questions and gave her easy access but none did she know that the mad man made a condition with the documents and that is, Nicholas can only have full access to his shares only when he gets married and work to attain a high position in the company with Laura's consent to his performance.
As if that wasn't annoying enough, he refused to let her take any position in any of the companies but her families can.
Sharon agreed without any choice and after that, he disappeared to God knows where giving her the full authority to everything. She controls the people she placed to work among the board of directors and have her own share of everything in the company.
"Are you refusing to give them to the rightful owner?" Sharon asked again and Laura nodded
"I see you are growing wings now that you are married, do you really want to go against me?"
"You think too much of yourself" Laura mocked and continued
"I let you do as you please because I don't want to have anything to do with you or anyone here but you are now overstepping your boundary" everyone at the table gasped and wait for Sharon's response, they talk among each other lowly wondering what kind of confidence as come upon Laura all of a sudden
"Mom, can you please not mind this and just let things go" Nicholas interfere, he knows his mother is referring to the shares he will own after getting married but he doesn't think that should belong to him since the business is not his father's.
"You shut your mouth!" Sharon flare up and stood up to Laura, she walks to her and hit the table in front of her angrily
"Who do you think you are!" She yelled
"Who do you also think you are?" Laura retorted and sood up to her but said in a more calm voice.
The rest of them looked on excepting a fight to ensue between the two of them but just then Chris returned and stepped in between them
"Miss Sharon, you should stop" he said protectively
"Miss? I am your mother-in-law" she screamed at him livid, sh can't believe they both have the gut to annoy her so much
"You don't deserve that tittle" Chris said with authority in his voice then he turns to everyone on the table
"If anyone has a problem with their dismissal, let's meet in court then" he told them before grabbing Laura's hand and pulled her out of the room.
The both of them got out of the house and made their way towards their car while Sharon's voice trail behind them.
Immediately they got into the car, Laura impatiently asked him if he is able to get what she asked and Chris bought out something wrapped inside a nylon from his pocket
"I don't know if this will be enough but I got her hair and brush" he answered. Laura hugged him gratefully and took the nylon from him
"Should we go and check it out now?" Laura asked and he nodded yes.
"Thank you" she said again and he drove away to get the items checked and tested.