Chapter 11

Liv

I t has been a long week, and we've had no messages to any of the phones. I think Holly's ex will stay away from her now that he's had to leave the state. I gave her phone back to her at work yesterday and she surprised me when she handed it to security and they simply smashed it to pieces. Also done with a huge smile on their faces. Holly had purchased a new phone and is now happy that none of her past can contact her.

Walking into Benjamin's office, I hand him the paperwork for the contract I had printed, and he quickly scans it, signs and hands it back to me. "Send it by courier, Liv. Let's not give him any chance to say he didn't receive it. I don't like the asshole and I would rather not work with him, but it's business."

"Will do. Anything else urgently needed?" I ask.

"No. We can get back to our normal routine now."

Before Benjamin can say anything else we both look at each other. I drop the paperwork on his desk and rush out of his office, slamming the door just in time to stop Michelle Graves from trying to force entry.

"Oh, hello Miss. Graves. I don't think you are on the schedule for a meeting with Mr. Steel this morning." I use Benjamin's name to the full as I give her my best ‘innocent' look. Bustling to my desk I make out I'm looking at his daily schedule and look up at her. "Nope, no appointment. So, can I help you at all? You do seem insistent on seeing Mr. Steel, so it has to be important. Oh, I know, I'll buzz Mr. Turner." Mr. Turner is Slade and he cannot stand this woman in any shape or form, and I know he'd like to rip her a new one, given half the chance.

"No, it's okay, I need to see Benjamin."

Sighing, I give her my most patronizing look. "Sweetie, Mr. Steel is not interested in you in any way romantically. You need to stop showing up here making yourself look ridiculous. You are tarnishing your good name."

"I can see Benjamin if I want, and you can't stop me."

With that, the bitch bolts for his office door with me right behind her. She throws open the door, which has Benjamin jumping to his feet.

"Benjamin…"

"Get security, Liv. We can't have just anyone walking into the building and bursting into offices. I'll have to speak to Holly about how she got past the main desk."

"Benjamin, I need to speak to you."

This woman won't stop, and I can see Benjamin is ready to blow his fuse. Now my dilemma is do I let him or not? Before I can make that decision security rushes into the room with Slade right behind them.

"Oh, not her again. Michelle, how many times do you need telling Benjamin is not interested in you, or any business you think you can bring to us? We are going to have a restraining order placed against you if you don't leave right this minute." Slade is nearly nose-to-nose with her. Benjamin has calmed slightly but I've noticed he has his hands fisted at his sides, so he's not as calm as he's trying to portray.

"I just want to talk to him." She just won't stop and I can see this going from bad to worse at any moment.

"Look, it's more than obvious to Slade, myself, and the two security guys that Mr. Steel wants nothing to do with you. We have this on the CCTV footage and will use it against you if you don't leave now. In fact, Tony, take her out of the building and if she resists, call the cops. Mr. Steel doesn't need this bullshit. All because she wants in his pants, for goodness' sake, woman, have some pride." I realize I may have overstepped, but when Slade winks and Benjamin looks at me with amusement in his eyes I know I'm all good, so I shrug and follow the security guys out of the office, closing the door behind me.

Tony, the older one of the two security guys, winks as he speaks, "I'll take care of this Liv."

I watch as they near enough drag Michelle into the elevator. I take a seat behind my desk and blow out the frustrated breath I've been holding. Honestly, the woman is a nightmare and I'm sure we are going to have to get a court order on her to stay away. But it's not going to be good news for her father's business.

Remembering the paperwork I have to get sent to the client, I rush to Benjamin's office, tap lightly as I storm inside, grab the papers and rush right out again. Of course, I hear the two of them snicker as I make my way out, but I raise my hand and give them the finger, which has them laughing even louder.

So far, we have had no feedback on the scam we pulled on Gaz's piece of skirt. I refuse to say her name and call her anything that happens to come to mind, if I have to mention her at all. Her name is Wanda but I can't bring myself to say it, it is Witch, Warda, Wanker or any other W I can think of.

The phone on my desk rings and picking it up, I hear a laughing Holly. "You best come down to the reception desk, it seems your ex has a problem with an issue his slut is having."

"Shit…" I mumble and bustle to the elevator before calmly walking out of it and over to Holly's reception area.

"You little bitch, you put Wanda on mailing lists. She has sacks full of junk arriving at her house on a daily basis."

Holly giggles, and Stella, who is supposed to be retiring, seems to spend more time here with Holly than she should, and gives a lout snort, gaining Gaz's attention.

"Who the fuck are you?" Gaz snarls, which has both Stella and Holly, going into defensive mode.

"Stop, Gary. It's unnecessary to come here shouting and being abusive. I have no idea what you are referring to, but maybe I'm not the only one that has a beef with your woman."

Now, I'm not sure what else they have going on, but there may be another person who has an issue as Gaz closes his mouth and, after giving us all dirty looks, turns and storms out of the building.

"What did you do?" Stella asks, and both myself and Holly laugh.

"Well, we put his new woman's name down on every mailing list we could get our hands on, which was around eight hundred. So, it seems she is receiving mail from lots of different places." I maintain a straight face, right up until Stella throws her head back, laughing.

"Oh, my, oh, my, that is hilarious. Remind me never to upset you three." Stella giggles as she turns to the customer that has walked into the building and directly to the three of us.

"I'm going grocery shopping after work. Do you want to come with me and Suzie?" Holly asks.

"Yeah, I'll come, as I need a few things."

That is how I happen to be peeking around the end of an aisle looking over Holly's head, but underneath Suzie's as we watch the Witch, throwing everything she can into her cart.

"She didn't realize this was a scam then, Liv?" Suzie asks while giggling.

"Seems not," I reply and scamper to the next aisle where I peep to see what the Witch is adding now.

"Not the brightest bulb in the pack, is she?" Holly snickers.

"Far from it," Suzie adds.

I giggle, but cover my mouth when a full-blown laugh wants to escape. That is caused when I see the Witch place a lobster in her cart. Oh my, she's going to have one hell of an amount to pay when she checks out.

We continue following her around the store, popping things into our own carts as we go along. I can't believe how lucky we are being to witness what is going to be humiliating for her when she tries to claim the scam $400 at the register.

Watching as she has all the groceries through the register and packed by the young man before he places them back into the cart, and all while giving her a smile. We wait for the moment when she tries to pay.

Handing the scam to the woman on the register, we are too far away to hear what is said, but the reaction from the Witch is enough to have all three of us dart behind the nearest thing we can to stay out of sight.

Screeching and shouting ensues, and it must be fifteen minutes before she storms out of the store, leaving all the groceries packed and in the cart. The witch has the most embarrassed blush on her face, but she deserves all she had coming. Both the woman and young man looking at each other more than a little shocked, I'm sure.

I high-five Holly, who does the same to Suzie and Suzie turns to me. We all three laugh as we finish our shopping and head on home. What a day it's been, and I'm going to lock my door firmly just in case Gary tries again to come around and cause trouble.