Chapter 2
Half an hour later, a clucking hen and a fierce-looking stray cat were delivered right to my door.
I decked out the hen in Alexander's entire stash of limited-edition luxury watches, layering them on until it looked like a walking jewelry display.
Then I grabbed his favorite handcrafted silk tie.
I looped it around the cat's neck, turning it into a stylish leash.
With the blinged-out hen tucked under one arm and the cat strutting beside me on its silk leash, I marched straight into Alexander's company.
"Where can I find your Mr. Grant?" I inquired.
The receptionist looked up, her eyes going wide as saucers.
"M-Mrs. Grant, Mr. Grant is in a meeting right now," she stammered.
I headed straight for the conference room, gave the door a light knock, then pushed it open and strode right in.
"Sorry to barge in, everyone. Could you put the meeting on hold? I've got something urgent to discuss with Mr. Grant," I said, with a polite smile on my face.
Upon seeing what I was holding, the attendees stifled their laughter.
Alexander, sitting at the head of the table, looked as if he'd just sucked on a lemon.
The meeting was put on hold, and everyone quickly filed out of the conference room.
Before Alexander could shut the door and explode, Emily sauntered in, swaying her hips, carrying two cups of coffee.
"Mr. Grant, you... AHHH!!!" Before she could finish, the hen in my arms wriggled free, flapped its wings vigorously, and charged straight at Emily.
Feathers went flying everywhere.
I let out a soft chuckle. "Well, looks like she finally ran into her own kind. No wonder she's so hyped."
Emily was scared half to death by the unexpected attack. The coffee spilled all over her clothes.
She screamed, flailing her arms as she tried to swat the hen off her.
The hen got smacked hard to the floor, letting out a blood-curdling squawk.
Several of the watches on it fell off, and their dials shattered upon impact.
Alexander finally snapped and shot up from his seat. "Vivian! What the heck are you up to?
"Can't you cause enough chaos at home? Now you've come to my office to make a spectacle of yourself!
"Get these damn animals out of here, right now!"
I looked at him with the most innocent face I could muster.
I feigned cluelessness. "Animals? What are you talking about?
"Alexander, this is the special pet I went out of my way to find for you."
I gave the silk tie leash a little shake, and the cat arched its back, looking wary and alert.
I mocked, "Heard you've got a thing for wildcats these days.
"So I went all the way out to the countryside and found you a genuine stray.
"One hundred percent wild—guaranteed.
"Make sure you take good care of it. I'll be dropping by to inspect."
With that, I shoved the silk tie leash into Alexander's hands.
Then I picked up the hen, which was struggling to get up under the weight of the watches.
I gave Emily a frosty stare—she looked a total mess, coffee stains and all.
I said, voice icy, "Ms. Lane, is this how you handle things? So clumsy!
"This hen is my brand-new darling. If you mess it up, you'll be in big trouble!"
Emily finally managed to pull herself together after that scare.
She looked absolutely pale, kept apologizing over and over, her voice shaking with nerves.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Grant! I swear I didn't mean to... I..."
That was when Alexander finally realized—the hen was decked out in his entire collection of luxury watches.
And as he glanced at the cat leash in his hand, it hit him: it was actually his favorite custom-made silk tie.
His tone shot up, furious and on the edge. "Vivian! Have you completely lost it?
"Bringing a couple of animals into my office to cause chaos is bad enough!
"But you went and ruined my watches! My tie! You just trashed them like they were nothing?
"Those are all priceless collector's pieces!"
His voice was shaking with rage.
"Seriously, tell me—why do you keep wrecking my stuff over and over?"
I held the hen, cool as ice, staring straight at him.
"Just taking a page out of your book, Alexander," I said, voice steady and sharp.
I paused, cutting a look at Emily. "Didn't you just toss the necklace I spent millions on to your little pet?"
Alexander was left speechless, staring at me in utter disbelief.
He said, his face full of shock, "All this over a necklace?
"You smashed my antiques, and now you're trashing my watches and tie?"
He looked completely worn out and totally baffled.
"I already told you! It was a reward for Emily!
"Come on, it's just a damn necklace!
"Whatever, I'll buy you ten, twenty—hell, even pricier ones if that's what you want!"
Settling into the main seat, I couldn't help but feel a growing sense of glee as I took in Alexander's extremely displeased expression.
"Don't stop now. Keep on giving. I've been scratching my head over what to do with all the precious stuff in your room," I quipped.
My eyes dropped to a document splayed out on the table—the investment contract with Kenton Company.
I tapped it with my finger. "This one looks great. How about giving this away next time?"