Second Chances Read Free

hearing her name, Robert’s assistant had announced his agenda was full for at least two weeks. Matthew could not wait that long...Arthur’s face was unreadable.
    “I thought so. Colin!”
    The young man poked his head out from behind a door and grinned.
    “Yes? Hey Maya, it’s good to see you, what are you doing here?”
    “Hello, Colin.”
    Her friend was the first person she was glad to see and she smiled at him sweetly.
    “Colin, call Lucy and tell her I’m coming up to see my father.”
    That was unexpected. Arthur turned to Maya, who tried to hide her surprise behind a mask of indifference.
    “Don’t get all worked up, I’m just returning the favor after your “help” with that idiot outside. I hope you have a good reason to want to see him; I am not in mood for another round of your Finnegan versus Pendleton contest. And take that thing off, it’s ugly.”
    Gratitude vanished under the patronizing tone. Maya shrugged her shoulders, and punched the elevator’s button. She was not going to complain if Arthur thought he had to pay some inexistent debt, but in no way she was going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her smile and bow. What a prat!
    She pitied the poor girl outside, until she recalled the venomous glance the so-called Emily had shot her and the disdain in her voice after Arthur hinted she was the new flavor of the month. Arthur’s conquests were generally as vain as he was. Birds of a feather…
    The elevator stopped on the third floor. The place hadn’t changed that much. The first door they passed by still opened onto the conference room; the second one onto the library.
    With Christmas coming, the tall windows were not enough to light the corridor even at midday, so the already switch-on lamps were adding some golden gleam to the mahogany furniture and the rich colors on the walls. The sight brought a smile, quickly dismissed. The last door was Robert’s office.

Chapter 3
     
    Robert didn’t look up when he heard the door. Maya used the extra seconds to check on him.
    He was still fit, with maybe a little more grey in his hair, and more wrinkles on his forehead and around the eyes.
    “Arthur, didn’t I tell you already not to interrupt me when…”
    “Good morning, Robert.”
    His steel-blue eyes shot up and the middle-aged man leaned back in his chair. Maya could imagine him very well with a crown on his head, comfortably installed on a throne, signing an innocent person’s death warrant with a back flip of his hand. He refused to acknowledge her polite greeting and turned to his son.
    “What is she doing here?”
    Maya took one step forward.
    “Robert, I’ve come to talk to you about the freezing of the Gerald Finnegan Foundation account…I don’t know why you did that, but there is this boy, Matthew, he needs an operation and—”
    She stopped talking as soon as he raised one hand.
    “I’m not interested in your tragic tales. I am Gerald’s executor and when the banker reported illicit financial trading to me, I had no choice but to freeze the account. Blame your pitiful managing if your protégé is suffering the consequences now, not me.”
    “What illicit operations?”
    Her godfather shook his head in amusement at her genuinely surprised tone.
    “I suggest you ask your sister. Now if we are done here…”
    “Robert, please…”
    “You’re a sweet girl, Maya, but you are misguided. I hope you’ll come back to your senses before your sister corrupts you completely. Good day.”
    She wanted to insist but Robert had already returned his full attention to his work. Unwanted tears burned her eyes. He was so unfair…
    “I can’t believe you’re so heartless! He is just a kid! He is going to die if he is not operated soon, and the Foundation was created for people like him. People, Robert, not pieces of paper to discard as casualties in your ridiculous crusade against my sister!”
    “Enough. Arthur, show her out.”
    The dutiful son she had momentarily