Chapter 219: No second chances 1

''Benita, I was waiting for a day like this to tell you something my mother always told me'' she purposefully stressed on the latter part of her sentence as she watched Benita's face turned ashen, 'people who don't have the guts to get on the ring always end up being lackeys of the ring bearers', if you think threatening me with a picture would make me leave this place. Then the joke is on you, but you are not the one I want. The one I want is the one hiding behind you doing all this disgusting works. So, make sure to tell her this, today is going to be a day full of surprises. I am done giving her second chances. Whatever happens from here forth, I get to decide that''

Benita's eyes flicked in fear as she looked at Ever. She was like someone she didn't know at all.

''I don't know what you are talking about'' she stuttered and moved backwards as Ever moved closer to her.

''Keep pretending then, but we will see who has the last laugh today'' Ever picked her phone on the table and walked out.

She went into her office and sat across Brave who had a laptop in front of him, ''how far are you with the voice recorder?''

''Elder cousin, don't worry. I got her voice very clear. I will quickly hack into her phone and connect it to the laptop. Very soon, we will be able to find out who she has been contacting and all the calls going through her phone. Here is the missing surveillance camera that you asked me to find. I must say, you have a lot of enemies in this place'' Brave said and turned the laptop towards Ever.

''Ignatius?'' Ever watched the video of Ignatius entering the guest room on the night of the incident.

''Watch further, this man is very dangerous. You shouldn't mess with him'' Brave said as he munched on some dried sultanas in Ever's office.

''He was the same person who stole my seal and entered the competition on my behalf!!''

''Yep, you are lucky you have a genius little brother like me. So, what do you plan on doing next?''

''Send an excerpt of the video to his phone''

''Okay'' Brave typed some few words on the keyboard and the video was sent.

''Now, you just need to find out how Benita got the picture of Jayden and I''

'"I already did''

''It was sent by a foreign number, the owner of the number is a French man called Antonio, a photographer but guess what? He is staying at Neo Island''

''Antonio? That seems to be the name of the guy who took out luggage into the room that day''

''Then, we have our culprit now. Wait, there is something else. She just received a message from someone''

Ever went over to Brave's side immediately to look at the message, ''who is it from?''

''Secretary Ann''

''Ann? I really underestimated her''

''Who is she?''

''Someone I should have gotten rid of earlier''

''Then, let's get rid of her together''

''Sure, I still have to get ready for the contest. I will get my assistant to bring you something to eat. Let's finish this off after the contest and expose all of them. the time of being lenient if long over'' Ever said resolutely.

''I am getting excited already elder cousin''

Last night, after taking her shower, Ever remembered to call Brave and asked for his help with what happened to her. The following day was the contest and she didn't want anyone to mess with her again, so she asked Brave to meet her at the hotel in the morning and hack into the hotel's system and find the lost file.

Brave was a hacker since their childhood and would often help them with whatever they wanted. He wanted to become a military security hacker in the future with his skills. When Ever told him about what happened, he agreed to help her out and true to his words, he has been able to fish out the first person who was messing with her.

...

Ignatius was busy preparing his ingredients for the contest when his phone buzzed. He picked it from the table and opened up the message and saw the short clip. His body stiffened as his face turned ugly. His hand quavered a little and the phone dropped to the floor.

''Ignatius, are you alright?'' Mr. Hugh asked as he prepped his ingredients. Ever also walked in at that moment.

''What are you all doing? Good morning, Mr. Hugh, good morning Ignatius''

Putting his phone away quickly, he smiled nervously and replied, ''good morning, Miss Ever''

Ever went closer to Mr. Hugh to look at his ingredients, ''whoa, these are fresh from the slaughter house, right?''

''yes, how are you preparing? We will start in an hour time'' he asked her.

''I'm on it'' Ever said and pretended not to notice Ignatius' gaze on her. To say she was surprised was an understatement. Among all the kitchen staff, he was the one she least expected. She has always been good to him, so she didn't understand why he would do something like that to her.

''Do your best, Ever. I have absolute trust in your work''

''Thanks'' Ever said and went over to her side of the kitchen. There she stared at Ignatius who seemed flustered.

....

''Ever said that to you?'' Ann asked impatiently.

''Yes, Secretary Ann, it looked like she expected something like this. She didn't look surprise''

''Okay, go and get ready for the contest. Remember, you must win this contest at all cost, I will handle the rest from here''

''Alright''

Ann banged her fist on the table after Benita left. When did Ever suddenly become smart? She couldn't have figured it out by now, right? if she knew something about it, she would have definitely come to confront her but since she hadn't done that, it means she doesn't suspect her.

Ann calmed herself down and smiled.

...

At the entrance of the hotel, the vans driving the children pulled over. The valets went forward to help the children get them and their teachers directed them towards the conference room.

Jayden stood at the door to the conference room and welcomed the children as they made their way into the big room which was already decorated to suit their taste.

''Jayden'' Ann called as she walked towards them holding a folder.

''Is there any problem?''

''Yes, this needs your signature''

''What document is this?'' Jayden took the folder and opened it. his face changed as he read its contents.

''Everyone is paying a lot of interest in today's contest, so I wanted you to formally endorse the winning and losing terms before they start. I prepared this last night''

''Come with me'' Jayden said to Ann and walked away. She followed him to his office and the got inside.

''Jayden, is there any problem?'' she asked.

''Ann, when did I say this kind of term existed?''

The smile on Ann's face disappeared, leaving an awkward silence between them.

''You decided this on your own and informed me and now you want me to sign and endorse this kind of work? Ann, if there is a misunderstanding between the kitchen staff, you as my assistant should try to make them settle it amicably or at least inform me, but you never did. You only came to me with what they decided to do. Are they the workers or the boss?''

''Jayden… I''

''Lately, I am beginning to really doubt your competence, Ann. Tell me the real reason why you are so attached to this contest? Is it because you want Ever out of this place?''

''Is nothing like that, Jayden''

''If it's not, then, can you answer this question sincerely for me? Why didn't you tell me that Ever came to New York on the day of the auctioning?''

Ann turned cold when she heard that question. ''I didn't know she came to New York''

''Is that the truth?'' Jayden asked again in a serious tone.

''Yes, that is the truth''

''Ann, I trust you and I have always been honest to you about my feelings for Ever. If I come to realise that you lied to me, there will be nothing like second chance between us. You can leave now; this paper here is useless''

''Okay, sir'' Ann left the room biting her lips. She had to do something. She couldn't be exposed right now, not when she was so close to achieving her goal.

....

Jayden sat back on his chair and thought about what Jade told her the other day. She clearly said Ever was in New York but he didn't meet her. It could only mean that she met Ann or something else happened all together. He needed to find out what happened that time.

.....

Ever stood at the reception waiting on Emma who had taken too much time to arrive with the ingredients. Everyone had already presented their ingredients for inspecting except her and they needed to pass that level before they could start the contest. She saw Emma juggling the bags as she ran into the hotel and she went and helped her.

''Sorry, Miss Ever. I had to wait for them to sort the ingredients first before I could bring them''

''Is alright, let's go and get them into their containers. I've set the table and gotten everything ready, we just need to now put these in order'' they walked hurriedly into the kitchen as they chatted.