Redress (gxg)

Chapter 21 "Provocation"

I kept my mouth shut since I got into the car with him, trying to ignore the palpable silence hanging between us. I admit, I felt a bit anxious about what would go down later as I didn't expect I would get to see Joffrey Morrison in this circumstance. Cliff had beat me into finding him, and now I would have to think of some improvisation to handle the situation I would be in later. 

Lauren was right. I could imagine her face on my mind saying 'I told you so' as right now, things weren't exactly going to the way I wanted it to, but I knew I could handle this, I just had to play my cards well, and try not to expose myself to Cliff and Joffrey.

"It took me months to find him..." Cliff started, bringing me to my senses, and I looked at him, "now I'm thinking what I'm gonna do to him, after his betrayal," he added grimly.

"What did he do Cliff?"

He then met my gaze, "You don't need to know about that Alexandra."

"Oh, well..." I paused as I shrugged, "it was worth a try," I added nonchalantly, causing him to cock a brow.

"You know what...I'm surprised you're handling this situation well. You're about to meet the man who you think was behind your kidnapping. Aren't you...scared?"

I plastered a small smile, "It takes a whole lot more to scare me Cliff," I said, making him return my smile.

"And that's what I like about you Alexandra. You can still keep up your composure in difficult situations, and you don't break easily, which is admirable, I must say...Unlike my son..." he trailed off as his expression slightly fell, but it was for a second when he put his stern mask on once again.

"How...is Ethan, by the way? After that news broke out, I couldn't...imagine how it must be hard for your family," I said, forcing a sympathetic look on his way, but his expression remained the same, eventually making me curious as to why he was acting like he wasn't affected that much. I was expecting him to look miserable, thinking that his son was currently in a difficult situation, and not the kind of nonchalant attitude he was showing me.

"Let's just say, he will be staying behind bars, for a while," he simply answered, "I want him to reflect on the things he had done, and maybe, in staying there, he would grow up, and be the man I want him to be."

"What do you mean Cliff? How can you do that to your son?" I questioned, trying to sound disbelieving. I wasn't surprised he could do that to Ethan though, considering what he was doing was more important than his son. 

"In the line of business we have Alexandra, there's no room for weakness and failure, and Ethan was showing just that..."

"Then what kind of business you're running Cliff? That is more important than your son's well-being," I challenged, looking straight to his eyes, unfazed, eventually earning me a snort of mockery from him.

"And why would you ask that Alexandra?"

"I'm not dumb to not notice the things you were saying about Joffrey, your son, and the line of business you have Cliff. I don't know why you were mentioning those things, but it's making me curious..."

He flashed a sadistic smirk, "If I tell you Alexandra then...I would have to silence you," he said, chuckling, trying to show like he was joking, but I knew better.

"And what makes you think I would say a word if you tell me Cliff?" I replied, and as soon as he heard it, his expression had eventually turned to a serious one, narrowing his eyes as if examining my face, while I, on the other hand, tried to keep up with a stern expression to show him I meant what I said. 

"That's a little...convincing," he simply said.

"Just try me Cliff...I promise, I won't disappoint," I said, smiling, and after carefully studying me, he then averted his gaze in front without saying anything. I didn't know what was going on his mind as I couldn't read his expression, but I knew I hit a tiny part of him, which hopefully would help me in my plan.