Ryan wore a mocking smile on his face as he flaunted the file with him in the air. "Looking forthis, woman?" He asked, taunting her with it. "Is this why you stayed back late today at the office, huh?"
Aunt Elsie's eyes sparkled in recognition, and that of shock too. She had almost gone crazy looking for it all day in the office -how did it manage to get to Ryan's grip?
Aunt Elsie stood frozen in the doorway, her mind racing with questions. How did Mr. Lerman gotten the file? Had Herzl given it to him, or had he taken it himself? And what did he plan to do with it?
Was he trying to blackmail her again -or taunt her for as long as he can, just like he's doing at the moment? Aunt Elsie felt a surge of anger and fear course through her body. What was she going to do to this man who seemed bold enough to dare her path?
She stared at Herzl, seeing the confused look on his face as his gaze traveled between the two adults. Aunt Elsie knew she had a long way to go with Ryan, and it'll be improperto argue out words before the kid.
"Go to your room, son!" She ordered Herzl, though her voice was calm and soft despite the anger that surged through her vein. "I want to have a word or two with him!"
"Sure, auntie." Herzl replied without batting an eyelid as he raced towards the stairs. ""and please be nice to him. He's a good guy." He added before climbing the stairs.
Aunt Elsie watched him go off sight before trying to take a step forward, towards Ryan, but was stopped abruptly before she even gets the chance to lift her leg from
the ground. "Don't...!" He ordered, his voice laced with command and venom. "Don't you dare take a step forward!"
Ryan smiled, a twisted grin that sent a shiver down her spine. "What I want..."He said slowly. "...is for you to leave the company, woman. You're not wanted here anymore."
Aunt Elsie felt her heart sink, but was quick to conceal her emotion with a smirk on her face. "I should leave the company, eh?" She blurted out, repeating his words. "And you think I'll listen to you? You think I'm that pathetic and weak to go down without a fight?
Aunt Elsie froze in place, startled by the tone of his voice. He sounded different than he had before, more threatening and dangerous. She was starting to feel afraid, but she tried to stay calm. She had to think of a way to get out ofthis situation. "What do you want?" she asked, her voice shaking slightly.
Ryan smiled, a twisted grin that sent a shiver down her spine. "What I want..."He said slowly. "...is for you to leave the company, woman. You're not wanted here anymore."
Ryan's smirk faltered slightly, as if he had not expected her response. "I think you're in no position to fight, woman!" He said, his tone confident. "You're at a disadvantage and you know it. If you try to fight back, it will only make things worse for you. So why don't you just give up and leave quietly?"
"Leave quietly, isn't it?" She repeated mockingly, a sad smile on her face. "What do you mean by that?"
"Everything!" He blurted out. "When I say everything; I mean, all you've managed to covet in the short period of time -all of it. Don't even think otherwise because this is a fight you can never win!"
Aunt Elsie gritted her teeth, feeling her anger boil up inside of her. She was not about to back down, not without a fight -she wasn't ready to lose anything; not even a tiny bit of it.
"I'm not going anywhere." She said fiercely. "I'm not ready to leave anything -and not to you among every other person! Dream on, boy, if you think I'll!"
Ryan's expression turned to one of irritation, clearly not used to being challenged. "Listen here," he said, his voice hardening. "I'm not asking you, I'm telling you. You will leave the company, and you will do it without making a fuss. Do you understand?"
Aunt Elsie felt a surge of defiance course through her body. She was not about to let this man tell her what to do. "No, I don't understand." She said, her voice steady and defiant. "And I'm not going to listen to you. Who are you to teach me what to do anyway? And how dare you challenge me like this?"
Ryan's face turned red with anger. "Because I know all of your hidden plans -even if others aren't aware; I am!" He yelled, his voice loud and filled with rage. "I can't let you ruin things more than it is now!"
Aunt Elsie was shaking in fury, but she remained resolute. "I don't understand what you mean by hidden plans, boy!" She told him in reply, her eyes saying otherwise. "I'm only running the company due to Ciara's absence -how does that ruin things?"
Ryan sighed, tired of arguing words with her. This wasn't the reason he had come here in the first place -he had something else in mind! Taking back Ciara's company from this foxy woman, just as he had managed to snatched it back, wasn't the next in list for him; he still had a long way to go before that.
"I'm not here to argue with you, Elsie," he said, his voice softer now. "I have another matter to discuss with you. It's about something else entirely, something more important than the future of this company."
Aunt Elsie was confused. What could be more important than the future of Ciara's company? It was the only thing that she had to worry about now. "What could that be?" she asked, a hint of curiosity in her voice.
"Aside to the Lerman's company -there is something else in your possession which has always been mine to start with!" He began, threading his words slowly, just to pique Aunt Elsie's curiosity the more.
"I don't get you, boy!" She blurted out in frustration. "Speak at once and stop beating around the bush!"
"Herzl! I'm here to take Herzl because he is mine!" He dropped the bombshell, a smirk on his face as he watched Aunt Elsie's shocked reaction. "I'm here to take my son with me..."
Aunt Elsie was stunned. She had not expected this at all. She had thought that Ryan was here to discuss the future of the company, not to take her son away from her. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice trembling. "How can you claim that Herzl is yours?"
Ryan's smirk widened. He could see the panic and fear in her eyes, and it made him feel powerful. "Because Herzl is my son, and I am his father." he said, triumphantly.