Chapter 4 The Unavoidable confrontation

It's been a week or longer since Auston resumed work, he was healing fast but not completely, some who have thought he would quit and start up a business with the money he got from Eve, but the low-level clerk was in fact satisfied with his job and that was the whole point after all; flaunting himself even the slightest wasn't what he clamored for.

Once he got home that evening, he brought out his usual takeaway bag and gave it to Timmy who collected it wholeheartedly, " Sir, thank you ", he nodded with a smile and turned to leave.

" a moment sir " Timmy required.

Auston stopped and looked at him, " Any problem pal? " he said.

" No actually, it's nothing too conspicuous sir but uhm, someone came here during noon.. a luscious lady"

" And? " Auston replied attentively, " She brought a few packages, a few boxes that I helped take upstairs and asked me to give you this too, " he handed Auston a black enveloped letter.

" Did she tell you her name? " . Auston asked, collecting the letter.

" Well, I didn't actually ask but I think she's been here before, maybe once or twice... I guess ".

" Are you sure? ".

" Definitely sir ".

Auston laughed, " would you stop with the formality, we've been over this", Timmy smiled and lowered his head.

" You said the packages are upstairs right? " Auston reiterated.

Timmy nodded, " Upstairs, yes. I arranged it by the side ".

Auston licked his lower lip and pats Timmy on the back, " Good job, "the garbage man kept a smiling face as he watched Auston run up the stairs.

When Auston reached his flat, he saw heaped boxes, stacked upon one another, he smirked and brought out his door keys and unlocked it, he picked up the boxes amd swayed back, " Pfft, that's quite heavy ". He leaned down, held it well and carried it inside, he then slammed the door with the back of his leg.

After a quick refreshment, Auston sat down and started unboxing each package, it all contained from clothes, to jewelries, to shoes amd alot more goodies. Once he was done admiring everything, he brought out the letter and opened them, put his hand into the envelope and brought out two tickets to a movie premiere with a letter inside that said " We could meet up if you want ".

Auston looked at it with a faceless expression and closed it. He picked up everything and moved it to a corner, he took the envelope, carried up his bed and slid it there and right next to the envelope was the same cheque Eve gave him.

He rested his bed and sat down to complete his evening transcriptions as always.

A few days later, Auston was busy at his workplace, customers were everywhere and he sat opposite a similar collegue and they've been pecking on a keyboards for quite awhile, piles of files and documents littered the entire desk, their eyes were fixed on the moving cursor on the screen as he inputted digits, subtracted numbers and revisited deposits.

It was a mind-wracking hour for Auston as customers came in and left in their horde, his attention was everywhere at once. A few minutes went by and the lunch bell goes off and Auston shuddered. He dropped off the desk and stared into the ceiling, his fingers were jerking from unrestrained rest, his sides still hurt from the fight and his butt was numb.

" hey Auston, I'm going off to the cafeteria, are you coming or not? " Asked his coworker, she was equally stressed by the looks of her sagged eye bags.

" Nah, I can't stand eating those mashed potatoes they serve with those ugly toppings and " he pulls his inner pockets free, " I'm kinda clean at this point, so I can't get an order either".

The lady chuckled, " Get your lazy arse up, I'll get you something with the spare that I have ". She brought out her purse, " I think I still have a couple bucks though ".

Auston nodded with a smile, " Wouldn't that weigh you down?".

" Keep asking dumbass questions " She turned and started waking off, " Can you spare some Ice cream! " asked Auston, but in response got middle fingers from both hands, he fell back to his chair and laughed.

At the cafeteria Auston sat beside a window while Aliyah, his coworker sat opposite him and both ate like it was their last meal.

As they ate, Aliyah noticed how Auston was gulping down everything like he hadn't eaten for days, he looked starved and unkept as he chewed through the food with such vigor and famishment, food particles flying out through his mastication.

" Yo, calm down " she said, covering her food as she laughed, " The food isn't gonna sprint off the table . Chew then swallow, please ".

Auston shaked his head in delight, " This chicken wings hit different though, " He replied, chewing through another one without finishing the one he held.

" Yeah I get that, but you might choke yourself, Stop eating like a vacuum cleaner on steroids! You're gonna inhale the whole table, including the legs, and then you'll be stuck with a chair-shaped tumor " she said and Auston tried laughing but he coughed.

" Yelp, I knew this would happen " She brought out water and gave him, " easy now ". Auston kept coughing as though something was blocking his windpipe but after a slurps, he coughed and freed his throat.

" Oh my God " he widened bloodshot his eyes, " Damn i almost killed myself there " He took a deep breath, " Thanks Yahnie, but then again i would rather die by the wings though, they taste like homemade' you know what i mean?".

Aliyah couldn't help but chuckle, " Yeah, I guess it does "she replied, soaking on her juice from a straw.

They sat there for a few minutes until the lunch break was overdue, Aliyah paid up and they both stood to leave only for the manager to step in, he looked excited, it was more of an impure smiley face.

Mr. Denzel wasn't easily swayed by anything but seeing a smile on his face left the two workers mesmerized and almost spooked.

He came up to Auston, ignoring Aliyah's presence entirely, Aliyah signed Auston to catch up with her at the office, he nodded slightly as Mr. Denzel puts his hand around the man's neck and took him outside for a brief conversation.

They went outside the bank and Mr. Denzel points him to a plush car that sat under the scorching sun, " You know who that is? " Asked Mr. Denzel.

Auston glared at the car, he has no friends with such money, he knew no one with such money unless it was his uncle but the grumpy old man was too occupied with selling his inheritance and wouldn't bother coming to see him whatsoever, so he shook his head and said " No, I've never seen that car before, is it a client? ".

" No, that's someone else actually, someone important " Replied Mr. Denzel, " She's a well-heeled, privileged, flush nobility, the daughter of this entire shtick...

" You mean the bank? " Auston asked

" Of course I mean the bank! " He replied sharply, " Look kid, I don't know what troubles you've caused with someone as promising as her but whatever it is, do not get me involved ".

" What do you mean sir? " Replied Auston, his eyes still fixed on the car but he couldn't see through tinted windows and windshield.

" Let me break it down in lane man's terms aight, her father own a significant stake in at least five to ten major global banks, he has tens of billions of dollars in liquid assets spread across various accounts, the man owns a substantial portfolio of ultra-luxury properties worldwide and a lot more to that ".

" Okay " Replied Auston, he wasn't even paying attention to start with.

" He is a financial global powerhouse, a trillionaire, if that makes any sense to you, so please in God's name, don't get me or my team involved in any skirmish " He nudged Austom forward, " Now go off and go find out why she's calling you ".

The young man nodded and simply walked out. When he reached the car, the heat emitting from body made him close his eyes halfway, he reached down and knocked on the door and the owner lowered the driver's window that was at the right-hand side.

" Hop in! " said the lady, the lady being Eve as Auston couldn't see the face because of the sun rays and the heat, but he most definitely recognized that voice wherever he heard it.

He looked back and Mr. Denzel was still standing there like a clown trying to scare a child, his lips were stretched out to the very corners of his mouth, he was stiff and looked timid for some reason.

Not trying to upset his boss, Auston went round the car, opened the door and entered the passenger's seat.

The smell compressing in the Car made him sneeze multiple times in a row, he leaned down and looked out through the window, " You really had to bring yourself to my workplace? ". He asked unwaveringly.

" Yeah, technically it's also my father's company " She said, adjusting her seatbelt " but so you know, I'm not here to flaunt myself or do anything stupid, I'm just here to see you ". Eve replied, her eyes fixed on Auston but the young man wasn't having any of it, he was transfixed to a spot, he couldn't even turn his neck and look at her.

" Ma'am, we don't have anything in common, not the wealth, not the merits nor the stress-free lifestyle, " he said, " You've acknowledged me enough, okay, thanks for gifts, the tickets " he stammered, " and, and whatever you'd bring again when i get homd but that's that, we don't share anything else, we never did and never will... so please, just give me a breathing space ".

" But I kinda like you though, you helped me...

" Yes I did!, because I am not a coward, i couldn't stand and watch a lady get jumped and did nothing, but now it kinda seems my help is being used to taunt me and it's unacceptable ". Auston urged and he was starting breathing nervously.

Eve heaved, " How about I pick you up from work tonight, we could discuss this over at restaurant or something...

" No thanks, I'm good ". Auston replied immediately, " I wouldn't be closing early too, today's Friday, so yeah a lot of work awaits me".

" I'll wait, I promise ".

" Like I give a fuck about that ", he muttered, opening and exiting the car.

" I'll be waiting! " she cried out but the door slams close in her face.

Mr. Denzel was still standing there too, he could tell that Auston's mood had changed, the man he had escorted outside was now matching towards him with a tight fist, a sweaty face and mean countenance.

" So what did she say? " he asked but Auston simply ignored him and walked pass.

" Umm, okay " He frowned, " what's up with him ". He asked himself, Eve's car roared which startled the old man and she slowly moved back into the freeway while Mr. Denzel stood, waving at her as though she would noticed but she didn't, sad reality.