I Want You Back

Six: Automotive Engineer

Angel Leffman

I am livid, and I don't know where I should vent it. How dare Sofia talk to me that way and kick me out of the office like I was no one?!

"Angel, that woman won't let us go," Elisa whined while crying.

Why do women cry over everything?

"Elisa, don't cry. You know I don't like seeing you like that. Don't give Sofia the pleasure of seeing your tears."

"She was so mean to me, Angel. She blamed me for your divorce when she killed our child."

Just remembering it makes my blood boil.

"Elisa, calm down. Those eyes shouldn't be filled with tears. I am hurt as well, but we're together now, and we'll have another chance."

"You promise? She might come between us again." She looked at me with hopeful eyes beaming with tears.

"She wouldn't if she knew what's good for her." I hugged her until she calmed down, and my secretary gave her a glass of water. "Elisa?"

"Yes, love. Have I told you how much I love being in your arms?"

I smiled at what she said. "Good to know, and I can see that you are calmer now. Now, Eli, can you tell me what you were doing in her office?"

"I told you I was in the wrong office; I thought it was yours," she said, sounding defensive. I looked at her, and I had a feeling she was lying to me, but she was too innocent for that. "Don't you believe me?"

"You should have asked the receptionist first. Our offices are the opposite of each other."

"There was no one there, and I wanted to surprise you, not give you a hard time," she said with a pout.

"Don't worry, Sofia won't ruin our happiness."

"I hope so. Can we go out? Ever since we got back together, we haven't had the chance to be alone, and I miss you."

"I love you, Elisa, but I have so many works," she pouted again, and I shook my head. I almost forgot how spoiled she was. "I want to finish everything so I don't have to stay here for long."

"But at night you can visit me at my house. You know the way by heart," she told me flirtatiously.

I admit that I miss her silliness, but I don't know why I'm having a hard time accepting her invitation.

"Alright. Wait for me."

"Okay!" She exclaimed happily, like a child being given candy. "I will prepare a night you'll never forget." She kissed me and left.

Ever since Elisa and I separated, I haven't been with any women. Not because I didn't want to, but because I swore to be loyal to her. That is why I never touched Sofia, even though she's the last woman I'll be intimate with. But who am I kidding? She's as white as snow; her skin is smooth and looks so soft. She has long, natural, silky hair and a beautiful face that doesn't need a lot of makeup.

I remember the first time I saw her wearing a swimsuit when we were in college. I thought she was the sexiest, most beautiful, and most natural woman I had ever seen. Too bad what she is inside is far from who she is.

"Sir," I came back to reality when Florence, my secretary, called me. "Mr. Harry's on the phone."

"Thank you. Pass it to me."

I'm sure he's got news about the negotiation with Let-Tech.

"Good afternoon, my good friend." He greeted me with a bright mood.

I grumbled under my breath. "I don't know what's good in the afternoon, but I'm hoping for good news from you. Did you contact Let-Tech?"

"What a foul mood you have, my friend. I told you you needed a woman. That celibacy is making you bitter."

"Harry," I said his name in warning.

He just chuckled at the other line. "I did contact them, but they told me they would be the ones to contact me as they are currently busy."

"What?! Did you tell them who we are?" I asked in disbelief.

"Of course, Angel, but they still told me that we needed to wait."

"Ha! How could they think of making me wait? I don't want anyone getting ahead of us. I want to work with that company, so make sure you insist."

"I will call them again. See you later when your temper changes. For the record, you were nicer when you were married." After he said that, Harry hung up on me, and I could only glare at the phone.

I can't risk my dad beating me with Let-Tech. And I need to go to the design department even if I don't want to because I still have responsibilities here.

I went to the place to inspect, and almost all of the employees ignored me because I never really talked to them unless it was needed. I saw Diether in his office and remembered what happened in Sofia's office.

"Diether!"

"Angel, I thought you left," he said in surprise.

"No. I wanted to finish some things."

"When will you leave again for another country?"

"I don't know, but soon. Maybe when the divorce is official."

I saw some sketches, and he realized it, so he tried to hide them.

"What? Is there anything wrong, Diether? Why are you hiding them? If you're making new designs, you can tell me so I can give you some ideas."

"Thanks, Angel, but no. I have a direct order to not show my designs to anyone."

I looked at him like he had lost his mind. "Diether, I am the designer of this company, so I'll still see that. What is happening?"

He shuffled awkwardly. "Angel, I'll tell you because before we were employees and bosses, we were friends first. Sofia appointed me as the new head of design, and I'm the new automotive director of the company."

What the hell?

"What did you say?"

"It's better if you talk to your wife—or rather, your ex-wife—about this matter. All I know is that I am now in charge of this place, and I am forbidden to show my designs to anyone before she can see them."

I barked out a laugh. "Is this a joke? When was this decision made, and I was not even consulted first?"

Diether raised his hands. "I don't want any trouble, man, but she's my boss and a friend as well, like you. So I'm asking you to talk to her."

I left his office and made my way to Sofia's. How does she think she is going to take my job from me?

"Do you really want to see me angry? Are you not tired of finding ways to irritate me every day?!" I angrily said as soon as I arrived in her office and found her on the phone.

"I will call you later. I have a visitor." Visitor? "No problem. We can have dinner later." Dinner? Is she talking to her family? "Okay, bye."

When the call ended, she sighed and turned to me. "What's happening? Does anybody know how to knock anymore?"

"I am not a big fan of protocols, Sofia. Why did you remove me from my job, and why give it to Diether?"

"Mm, I see that he has told you. What's the problem with him? He's a skilled engineer, and he has great ideas; plus, he's our friend, so I trust him."

"I am not talking about his skills. I know what he's capable of. I am talking about you going behind my back without even talking to me first. Do you want to get back at me by making us fight? He's my best friend, so you won't win."

She remained gracefully seated in her chair. "I'll answer all your questions. First, I have every right to do whatever I want in this company because I own it, and thanks to your kind heart, I am now the president as well." She started with so much sarcasm in her voice. "Second, I have no reason to take revenge on you, and lastly, you and Diether stopped being friends since college, and I had nothing to do with that. Do you have any other questions? Make it quick because I have so many things to do and I have plans."

"If you weren't late, you wouldn't be so busy, and that is your fault. Where were you?"

"That isn't your business."

"It is my business if it affects the company."

"I don't see any reason why it will affect the company. You were never really here, and it's perfectly fine."

There was a knock on the door, and Sara entered with a folder. "Excuse me. I didn't know you were talking to Sir Angel, ma'am."

"Don't worry about him. Just leave that here." Sofia pointed at her desk, and Sara did so before leaving.

"Isn't that the company's profit record?"

"Maybe. If you don't have anything to scream or complain about, you may leave and close the door behind you."

It bothers me how cold she was and how she showed no interest in me. Who does she think she is?

"Why did you give Diether my position as the design director?"

"Angel," she called my name in an annoyed manner and stood up before stopping at a safe distance from me. "You hate my family, and this company is more mine than yours. You have your own company, which is a direct competitor of this. You haven't created a new design in two years. Now, you asked for a divorce and gave me the position of president, and yet you still want me to let you be the design director? Don't take me for a fool because I'm not."

"You think I'll do something to the company? I am reminding you that my family's assets are also at risk if something happens to this company."

"Maybe, but you are not exactly the son who will sacrifice something for his family," Sofia said nonchalantly with a shrug.

My jaw clenched in anger. "How dare you say that? I married you, and I suffered for almost five years with you for my family."

Sofia let out a laugh and crossed her arms. "No. You did it because you knew you'd climb up the ladder in society. For your own benefit. So you don't have to argue with me and let's be honest, if Elisa had not made up such a ridiculous story, you would have left your family." This woman wants me to kill her, doesn't she? "So you see, how can I trust you?"

"You really are something." I let out sounds of disbelief and shook my head with an angry laugh.

"I know, and I am a rare gem that is hard to obtain—something that everyone wants to have."

"Your arrogance never fails to surprise me."

"After five years? Well, we never really see each other anyway. We are two strangers, Angel, but let's just be thankful that it's done now. We are free from each other. Angel, focus on your company and do what you always do in this company, and I will handle my business."

"You want to get rid of me? You're desperate. Why are you in such a hurry? Do you have a lover?"

"If that is the case, what is the problem? You have Elisa, for God knows how long since then. Now I have the right to be with anyone I want."

"Are you admitting that you cheated on me?" I asked with an emotion I couldn't quite understand.

"I won't admit to something I haven't done. I respected you, but clearly, you didn't do the same, but it's okay. I never really expected anything from you anyway."

My eyes narrowed at her. "Why would I have any sort of respect for you after all you've done to me?"

"What I did to you, of course. I forgot that I am the villain in your beautiful story."

"A person who hasn't felt love in their life makes fun of others. You are an expert at that."

"Who told you that I haven't been in love?" She asked with a raised brow, and I stared at her. "Do you know how much I sacrificed for this marriage? Of course not, because all you think about is yourself."

"You deserve that after what you've done."

"I did nothing but bring you to a room because you were drunk."

"Drunk? You drugged me, Sofa. Stop acting like a fool because it doesn't suit you. You set me up and sent Elisa the photos. Because of you, I lost..." I couldn't continue it because the most painful thing that happened to me was that I lost my child.

Sofia sent me a pitiful look. "I still can't understand how a successful businessman like you is letting yourself be manipulated like that."

"Yes, because you were able to manipulate me."

"If only you gave yourself a chance to know me, you'd know that I can never do what you're accusing me of. What's the point of talking about it now? We are done so you can go back to your fairy tale with your dream princess, and I'll live my life far away from you two. There, everyone's happy."

"You don't even seem to care about the damage you've done for five years."

"Angel, use your brain a little, will you? First, I never forced you to marry me. I did not point a gun at your head and threaten you. Nothing. You decided to get married, and I agreed. What did I get from this marriage? Because you and your family benefited more. I didn't need anything. Our business grew more, yes, but we can do that without you and your family."

"We both benefited from it, Sofia. Don't act like the victim."

"I am not playing the victim. I accept my mistake by accepting this marriage, but the benefits we got were not necessarily made by your family. Whatever you did was for your family and not us."

"And about your family, we barely talked in college. You lived in your bubble where there's only her and football. You don't see us. You ignored your friends. You did not mingle with anyone, and you were always at a party. How would I know if you're going to that party or not? I did not give you anything that night. Besides, I never saw you until you entered the balcony."

"You are obsessed with me; everyone is. You met me first, and you couldn't accept that when I met Elisa, I chose her and not you."

"Obsessed? Angel, please. You were admired because of your body, your game, and the way you party, but not me. That never mattered to me. I admired your intelligence and I liked how you were as a student. Your designs and ideas are what drove me to beat you. But to say that I am obsessed with you? That is far from the truth, Angel. I have my own life, and you weren't in it."

"Do you expect me to believe that you're just a good samaritan and my girlfriend is the evil witch?"

"Believe whatever you want to believe. I just want you to use that head and remember what really happened that night—that I never did what you're accusing me of."

"You did more than just what you said." My anger is eating me up just saying it.

"If you want to believe that, then I can't do anything, but think, what would I gain from doing that? How would I know your schedule when we barely talked? Think, Angel."

"I want you to disappear from Elisa and my life, Sofia."

"You are the one who came here. You wanted a divorce, and I gave it to you. You wanted me to leave your house, and I did. Do you want to be with your girlfriend? Be my guest. I'm even telling you that you can stay in your company and I'll stay in mine, and you got mad. Your girlfriend came to my office, and I'm the bad guy in the story."

"That was a mistake and you treated her wrongly. After we lost what we love most because of you."

"Yes, she loves so many things. Truth it, many years have passed and she has not changed, but you still haven't seen past what she's showing you."

"You want to talk badly of her in front of me? Of course, you do, but I won't give you the pleasure."

"I don't need to talk bad about her because she's bad herself. I know her and you just don't know it."

"No one knows her more than me, and she will always be greater than you in every way."

Sofia shrugged her shoulders. "Okay, that is your opinion. I wish you the best, but Angel, if you don't want me in your life, stay away from mine. Take your luggage and travel the world or do your business, but don't cross my space."

"I am not in your space, I leave everything in its place."

"When are you leaving?"

"I know you're excited for me to leave, but I don't want your family to think that I just left you like that. Your dad won't like the idea that I named you president because you haven't told him, right?"

"I am in charge of my family, Angel. You don't need to bother yourself with them. Just do what you have to do so you can leave my company."

"Our company, Sofia," I corrected her before my eyes found the folder. "If you think I stole from the company or did something wrong, you are free to check my account statement."

"No need for now."

I wonder when she stopped caring about that.

"You were more tolerable when we were married." I pointed out.

I remember when she first came in the hour and she tried to get us along. She was more talkative and enthusiastic. We were just ignoring each other to avoid arguments but now look at her challenging me.

"Well, we just needed to tolerate each other. Like you said, the acting is over."

"I can accompany you this evening to tell your father about our decision. I know it's a bit hard," She looks at me in wonder and amusement. "What? Is it hard to believe that I'm being kind? I am not doing this for you, but because I feel obligated to do so."

"Don't feel obligated. Like I said, I will handle my family. Besides, I have a plan this evening that has nothing to do with my family."

"But it's Thursday today and you always have dinner with your family. If they are not with you, who are you meeting?"

"Angel, are you hearing yourself?" She took a deep breath and went back to her seat. "You ask more about what I've been doing the past few days than the last five years we've been married."

"I don't care whatever you do as long as it won't affect me. That's what concerns me."

"And how would I tell my dad that you are the competitor of the company?" I tensed because that is what bothered me as well. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. I did not do so for four years, I won't do it now. If that's all, close the door behind you."

Is she pushing me out of her office again?

"I want to see Diether's design because this is still my company." I couldn't help but insist.

"Of course you will, but in the next meeting with the other shareholders."

"Sofia!" I shouted her name in anger. She's really testing my patience.

"Angel, the well-being of my company is important to me, therefore, I cannot show our designs to our competitor, so don't insist. Goodbye."

I left her office with my blood boiling in anger. I swear one day, I'll just end up killing her.