The Bad Girl: Chapter 22 - Desperation

"Ruth, get Mr. Vaughn on the line," Reina sharply asked.

It was Friday morning.

Two weeks had passed.

Reina had been anxiously struggling to contact the Yang Conglomerate Board of Directors since the Saturday of the Li nuptials.

Judging from the piles of papers and folders on top of her desk and even on the floor, an overflowing ashtray, and a trash bin full from the paper coffee cups and take out containers, Reina had been frenziedly working day and night.

It was quite typical for Reina to work her butt off and thrive on stress. However, this week had been extremely crucial.

It was not the time for her to make her office a little less cluttered nor is it a time for her to fix herself and indulge in her vanity..

She was in disarray, in mind and body. Tendrils of hair had come loose from her practical bun and her business suit was crumpled.

Two weeks was too short a time to orchestrate her counterattack.

She regretted that night with Sherwin Xu. Hell! It seemed like every night with that man was a big mistake!

As Sherwin left that fateful room at the newlywed's home, Reina hastily put her clothes on and departed after scribbling a note for Matt and Chrissie.

She did not waste time that Saturday and went straight to her father's house.

The sun was not up yet. The roads were dark.

Reina shivered as she drove on a breakneck speed back to Taipei.

She took a turn and found herself driving through the iron gates of the Yang's sprawling estate.

She killed her engine and purposely strode to the main door.

She banged the carved oak loudly.

Their old and robust butler, a very sleepy Butler Chong, greeted her.

"Where's Dad?" she brusquely asked the old man but did not wait for his answer. "He hasn't been answering the phone. I know he's here."

"Aah, Miss Reina, I don't think you should..." Butler Chong tried to tell her mistress.

Reina was quick to move and the butler had no choice but to run after her.

She hurriedly ascended the steps, her brows knitted into a frown, and headed to her father's room only to find it shut.

She stopped and tilted her head to the butler.

"Chong?" Reina opened her palm, motioning for the keys.

"Miss, I..." Butler Chong tried to protest.

"Chong..." repeated Reina in a stern voice.

The old butler hesitated and did not hand the keys. But after seeing the expression on Reina's face, he thought better of it, bowed, and left.

Reina inserted the key and twisted it to open the door, revealing a dimly lit room. She could faintly see some movements on the bed. She did not have to look closely to know what went under the sheets. Even a blind man can recognize the activity going on basing from the moans and groans elicited by the couple.

Reina rolled her eyes and entered the room quietly.

"Dad, do you know that Sherwin Xu already owns 25% of YC and acquiring somewhere around 17% more?" She blurted quite loudly. Her hands were on her waist with her right foot forward, tapping her toes.

"Reina!" Drei's voice was a mixture of reprimand and surprise as he emerged from underneath the sheets.

"Sorry to disturb you but this is way too important to put off..." she dared not continue her sentence as her eyes fell on the scantily clad woman beside her father, trying to make herself look decent.

"Connie, dear, would you excuse us?" Reina asked politely. She doesn't hate Connie but that doesn't mean she likes her, too.

Connie wrapped herself in her dressing robe she gathered from the floor and exited the room.

"Well?!" Reina was impatient to hear what her father had to say.

Drei Yang took his sweet time answering his daughter.

He sat up and leaned on the headboard and took a cig, lit it, and inhaled deeply, "I know that he owns some of our company..."

"And you did not tell me?!" Reina was furious that she forcefully kicked a chair toward a table, knocking a lamp shade and bottles of expensive essential oils, causing some to spill and fill the air.

"Reina, he's just one of our stockholders. You never cared about who owns shares of our stocks..." Drei replied, and not at all perturbed by her daughter's sudden interest in stocks.

"But that's 25%!" Reina cried out, exasperation in her voice. "Has it escaped your mind that he's a Lin?"

She leaned on the bed to meet her father's gaze, her hands clutching the sheets so hard that her knuckles turned white.

"I suggest you go see a doctor. You're showing signs of senility," Reina spoke in a slow manner, making sure every word was dripping with sarcasm.

"Calm down, Reina. Calm down," Drei leisurely puffed from his cig. There was not a single trace of tension in his graceful form.

This annoyed Reina all the more. She stood up and clenched and unclenched her fists on her sides.

"Calm down? You're asking me to calm down?!" she asked in bewilderment.

She screamed at him with her hands waving in the air. Her eyes were fiery mad as they bore through him.

"He's threatening our financial position and you're asking me to just breathe easy and smile about the whole fucking damn thing?!?!?!"

"Reina, listen," Drei's voice was cold and low, a contrast to her daughter's high pitched scream.

"Yes, I'm damn fucking calm about it because having him, as a shareholder, will boost investors' confidence in us. Infamous he may be, but Sherwin Xu is the toast of the Asian financial district," he explained in a logical manner.

Drei continued, "As for him being a Lin, he will never be able to dictate YC. May I remind you of our combined share of 35 plus the Yan's 10%?"

"There is no need to worry," he looked damned please with himself.

"I sure do hope so, Dad," Reina grumbled and went out of the room.

Reina did not feel as confident as her father was.

She had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, an indication that something was not quite right.

"Damn! I have a feeling that Sherwin has more tricks up his sleeve... So much more than what he'd let on," she thought uneasily.

She remembered her mom and called her to have lunch the next day, Sunday.

Mother and daughter were having lunch at an Italian caf, Messe. The two beautiful and sophisticated women drew attention to themselves in their smart Escada suits and Rochas eyewear.

"Okay, Raindrop, what's bothering you? You have your brows furrowed since you got here," Reina's behavior did not escape her mother's watchful eyes.

Reina's head was bowed as she continued to poke her food with her fork, "Uhm... I've been meaning to ask you..."

She looked up to gaze at her mom, "Why didn't you tell me that Sherwin Xu co-owns Bliss?"

Jeri Stahl was surprised and suddenly felt cold, "How did you find out?"

"It doesn't matter," Reina answered a bit harshly.

"He's a secret partner. I'm sure you'd understand," Jeri explained.

"You had that secret partner since I was in my second year at ABAC!" Reina's eyebrow shot up.

"For sure, you do remember what I did to him..." she added.

"The prank, dear?" Jeri asked.

"Yes... How can you not tell me? Don't give the secrecy crap!" She threw her napkin on the plate a little forcefully and glared at her mom.

Jeri had no choice but to tell her everything.

"He specifically asked not to tell you. You were to be expelled when the rector called us. He was adamant to have you leave ABAC. I pleaded but he won't budge," she began to explain.

"Fortunately, Ruby Lin-Xu, his mother, interceded. She walked in the office and bargained with the rector. She's a trustee, you know..." She placed her napkin beside her plate.

"In exchange for your retention, Sherwin wanted 10% of YC but Drei wouldn't give it. After all, that was 10% of the YC. I offered Bliss instead. Mrs. Xu was hesitant at first. Thankfully, I was able to speak to Sherwin on the phone that day... He agreed only with the condition that you were not to be informed."

Jeri was glad that it was all out. At least, she could be free of the burden of keeping it secret from her daughter.

"Why do you ask now?" Jeri's curiosity was piqued.

It's scarce for Reina to ask about Sherwin Xu or anything about him for that matter.

"I was just wondering..." was all Reina could say. She can't tell her mother about what Sherwin was proposing.

"Wondering..." Jeri cast a knowing look. "That's why you've been grim all day? Cause you're wondering???"

"Uh-uh..." Reina failed to notice the amusement in her mother's voice.

Jeri smiled when she said, "Raindrop, I'm your mother. I know things..."

"If I remember correctly, that man was your first..." Reina cut her off before she could finish her sentence.

"Uh... Mom, I gotta go... I still have lots of stuff to do at the office..."

Reina scolded herself as she felt a blush creep up her cheeks.

"Not a subtle way to avoid the topic, dear, but I'll let you off the hook this time," Jeri's smile now turned into a full-blown grin as she watched her daughter leave.

Since then, Reina had been breaking her back trying to buy more shares from interested stockholders. However, Sherwin would always offer a more attractive option; while others held on to their shares upon learning that The Predator had a significant amount of interest in the conglomerate.

The only way out was for her to meet Sherwin head on. But as much as she is proficient in business, she knows that she's no match for The Toast of the Asian Financial District.

Reina sighed and leaned on her forearm. She's exhausted.

It was three o'clock in the afternoon, Friday.

Today was her deadline.

Reina glanced at the clock.

She was standing by the window and watched the cars speed by.
"Maybe he forgot all about it... Maybe he was just bluffing..." she hoped but somehow she knew better.

Sooner of later Sherwin Xu would come to collect.

The mobile phone's ring broke into her thoughts.

"Hey beautiful!" a male voice said on the line.

Reina's face lit up upon hearing Daniel's voice, "Honey!"

"I heard you had a couple of chaotic weeks," he told her.

"Aptly put!" Reina said and sighed.

"I also heard that you're turning into a grouch," Daniel teased her.

Reina laughed richly, "I didn't know that you favor the grapevine..."

"It wasn't grapevine. I heard it myself. I heard your growls and screams all the way to the Studio," he explained.

"I was that bad, huh?" She smiled and stuck out her tongue.

"Yup! Would dinner and relaxing massage help?" he was trying to make her feel better.

"Are you offering?" Reina smiled widely now.

Daniel responded with "I'm your slave."

"Could you be my love slave?" Reina was hoping he'd say yes.

"If you want me to..." Daniel answered thickly.

"So, when do you want me to start with my services?" the voice came from Reina's door.

Reina turned to see Daniel.

He had been standing there the whole time.

She rushed and hugged him, welcoming his soothing presence.

"It will be alright," she thought.

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Reina and Daniel had just come back from their dinner and were standing on the doorway of her condominium waiting for her to unlock the door and open it.

When it opened, she led the way while Daniel followed behind her, massaging her shoulders, easing away the tension from her body.

She was feeling relaxed and drowsy when he began to kiss her neck, sending shivers to her spine. She faced him and kissed him eagerly as they wandered through the dark room with only a few lamps on.

"I believe that Miss Yang and I still have something to discuss," Sherwin Xu's cold voice filled the room.

He was inside, sitting leisurely on the couch.

The couple was startled.

"What are you doing here? How did you get in? Where did you get the key?" Reina interrogated him.

"You know very well what I'm here for," Sherwin snapped at her. He looked at Daniel and said, "Excuse us."

Daniel searched Reina's face and when she nodded, he reluctantly left. However, he didn't really leave. He stood near the doorway, enough for him to see Reina and vice versa.

"You really hate me that much?" Reina glared at Sherwin, her arms crossed.

"I don't hate you. In fact, you have quite a bargain here: control of YC and nights and definitely days of pleasure in and out of my bed," he replied matter-of-factly, as if it was just another business deal.

"You've backed me up the wall!" Reina spoke angrily.

Sherwin shrugged his shoulders and said, "Choose the lesser evil."

He held out his hand and offered it to her.

She never made a move, seeing Daniel at the corner of her eyes.

Reina just stared at Sherwin's outstretched hand.

She took a deep breath and met Sherwin's eyes.

She had mapped out her decision tree diagram.

She had weighed the pros and cons.

She had calculated the cost over the benefits.

She had made her final decision.