"Don't touch my wife so familiarly, you scum," someone snapped angrily.
Elijah's outburst had caused a still silence to descend on the crowd. Everyone turned to watch the scene.
Olivia went hot then cold. "What on earth was Elijah doing here?" She asked herself.
She barely recognised him if it weren't for his voice. She noted he appeared more buffed and attractive.
"Elijah, is that you?" She asked, unbelievably. "You look different."
Franklin stared at Elijah then wrinkled his nose. So this was Elijah, Olivia's ex husband.
He instantly felt inferior to Elijah's good looks and physique.
"Wasn't this bastard sentenced to prison? Why does he looked like he stepped out of a Hollywood magazine?" Franklin thought bitterly.
Elijah from deepened when he saw Franklin's hand was still on Olivia. "Take your hands off my wife. I won't repeat myself."
Olivia reared her head back in shock. Since when did Elijah become so assertive?
Franklin's face reddened. "Huh? How dare you speak to me in such manner. Who do you think you are?"
"I'm Elijah," Elijah declared. "Olivia's husband, and I've just been released from prison."
Whispers and snickers filled the air.
"That's Elijah. He got sent to jail for molesting Olivia's junior sister, Chloe because he inherited the family business."
"Him? He's a scoundrel. Why is he here?"
"Disgusting. He should've stayed in prison."
"He should just die."
"Poor woman. Why was she married to a trash like him?"
Olivia felt an overwhelming sense of shame at being associated with Elijah as his wife.
"Shut up," she shouted. "I'm not his wife. Don't link me with that man."
Shadow clouded Elijah's face. "Olivia, dear. I just came out of prison. Is this the welcome that I get?"
Olivia glared at him, her voice filled with disdain. "I'm no longer your wife. Don't you dare call me by my name."
Franklin's anger gave way to mischief. He draped an arm over Olivia's shoulder.
"Yes, Arthur. Let it go. Olivia is a respected and beautiful woman in Springfield city. You are undeserving of her, not after what you did."
Olivia didn't make an attempt to brush Franklin's arm away.
She wanted to shield herself from further humiliation by latching on to someone as high profile as Franklin.
Elijah, despite his improved appearance, he deliberately dressed shabbily.
His hair was disheveled and he had smears of sooth and dirt on his face and hands.
He was now an ex-convict that no one would ever take serious. These were the reaction he wanted.
Elijah was however disappointed. His wife whom he once loved and cherish still chose to disgrace him in public even after his release.
He decided to act the pathetic character.
"My beloved," he stepped forward and knelt on one knee. "I've received a presidential pardon. Believe me, I'm innocent. I didn't commit the crimes I was accused of. Give me a chance to prove myself."
Olivia clung tightly to Franklin. "Go away, Elijah. I don't know you. You're not my husband. You're a scum, a molestor and I wished you'd died."
Elijah clenched his jaws. He realized she never loved him.
Franklin stepped forward and shoved Elijah aside. "You heard her, you piece of shit. Leave her alone or do you plan to molest her same way you did to her sister?"
Elijah could feel the glares of everyone in the crowd boring into him.
He sighed. "Very well. I'm have a meeting with Mr Gregory anyways."
Franklin raised an eyebrow. "You? A meeting at Gregory & Sons? Are you insane? What's an ex-convict like you got to do with Mr Gregory. "
"Is there a problem with that?" Elijah asked, eyeing him closely.
"But of course there is," Franklin laughed. "Gregory & Sons are the top shots in Springfield city now. You don't even qualify to be their cleaner."
Everyone laughed. It was true what Franklin said. Gregory & Sons were among top five biggest companies in the country.
Getting employment as a janitor was as tougher than rolling a bolder up a mountain.
Elijah hide a smirk. "You sound as if you know Gregory & Sons better than anyone else."
"For your information, Mr Gregory is my father's best friend," Franklin announced. "And just to be clear, I've got the Smith Industries contract reserved exclusively for me."
Gasps filled the air as everyone gathered around Franklin.
"Is that true?"
"Throw in a word for me, please, Franklin."
"How did you do it?"
"Let's become partners please."
Everyone was now clamouring for Franklin's favour. Franklin reveled in the attention he was getting.
He wasn't supposed to blurt out this information. It was meant to be a secret but Franklin got carried away.
Elijah clenched his hands into fists. Why had Gregory secretly reserved a contract for Franklin without the Smith's board approval?
Olivia, seeing Franklin was becoming the center of attention, clung more tightly to him.
"Oh, Franklin. Remember I was here with you first. Don't forget me when you eventually secure the contract."
Franklin slide his hand down her back and grabbed her buttocks. "If you'll make it worth my while. I might remember you."
Elijah had had enough. "I hate to break it to you, Franklin but you're never getting that contract."
The lustful desire that filled Franklin drained away like a sink plug suddenly pulled out.
He walked up to Elijah and slapped him across the face. "You talk too much for an ex-convict. It's about time I put you in your place."
Elijah held his cheeks. "You'll regret doing that to me, Franklin. You're finished. You and your entire family."
Franklin seethed with so much anger he attempted to land another slap on Elijah, but Elijah caught his hand and retaliated with a slap of his own.
Fear gripped the heart of the onlookers. Elijah slapped Franklin Black. How dare he? Does he have a death wish?
Franklin couldn't believe his eyes. In all his years, no man dared to look him in the eye but this ex-convict hit him.
"I'll kill you," Franklin screamed, pulling out his phone. "I'll make sure I make you eat the dust and beg for your life."
Olivia became afraid. Elijah was as good as dead, yet he remained calm, as if he knew something no one else does.
Franklin yelled at his phone. "Yes, Mr Gregory? What the hell are your security personnel doing? I came to your company and what do I get? I'm here being assaulted by an ex-convict. Can you believe it? An ex-convict."
All these while, Elijah kept calm, watching, waiting.
Franklin ended the call then turned to face him. "Mr Gregory is on his way. By the time he gets here, you're as good as dead."
People began to shift away from Elijah. They believed this was the end of him.
Mr Gregory hurried out of his office. He was expecting a very important visitor today.
Arthur Smith, the newest chairman of Smith's Industries was paying him a secret visit to personally meet with the contractors that would be granted the contract.
It was a big moment for Mr Gregory. His wildest dreams was to partner with The Smith's family since he founded Gregory & Sons but it never came to reality.
Now that he was their expansion partner, he was determined not offend them in the slightest.
But now his best friend's son was being assaulted outside the entrance of his company.
Mr Gregory didn't want this commotion to paint a bad image to his secret visitor. He had to resolve it quick and fast.
His secret visitor must not witness such a messy commotion.
Just as Mr Gregory arrived, he saw Franklin raining insults on the assaulter.
His security personnel were already restraining the assaulter.
"Franklin What happened here?" Mr Gregory demanded.
"Thank goodness you came, Mr Gregory," Franklin pointed at Elijah. "This lowlife had the audacity to hit me. He even claimed I'd never secure the contract."
Mr. Gregory took a good look at Elijah. Elijah was wearing a worn out dark overcoat.
Mr Gregory recalled Arthur Smith emailing him that he would arrive in a dark overcoat to avoid attracting attention.
The moment he saw the overcoat, Mr Gregory dropped on his hands and knees and cried with a loud voice.
"Welcome, MASTER!"
Previous Chapter