The Billionaire Who Saved Me - Chapter 20: Chapter 20

The first thing I did when I got to the office was ask Heidi to notify all department managers and above to meet in the conference room.
After she left, I didn't rush over there myself. Instead, I double-checked the "props" I was going to use later.
I was sure Heidi would go report to Xander first and only start notifying people after getting his approval. So I didn't need to hurry.
It was better to show up once everyone was already seated. Showing up too early would make me look overeager and weak in front of subordinates.
That was one of the unspoken office rules Mason taught me last night while we were drinking.
Heidi was a spy Xander planted at my side. As long as I kept my guard up and didn't confide in her, she was still usable.
About ten minutes later, Heidi came back and immediately said, "What's the purpose of the meeting you just called?" Her cheeks were a little flushed—clearly she'd just been scolded.
"I'm supposed to check with you first, is that it?" I scoffed.
"No, not at all. I'll go notify everyone right away." Heidi rushed off again.
I couldn't help laughing to myself. That was such an obvious attempt to tattle. I couldn't tell if Heidi was just stupid or if she really didn't take me seriously.
This time, Heidi got the word out quickly. By the time I walked into the conference room, everyone was already there. Even Xander had shown up, sitting upright in his seat.
I scanned the room. Oliver was here too.
"Ms. Gordon, is this meeting so early because there's a directive from headquarters?" Xander asked, a cheerful smile stretched across his chubby face.
"No," I smiled back. Then I raised a hand to quiet the room. "I called everyone here today to clear something up, and I need you all to bear witness.
"Everyone knows I'm the one who took that elderly lady to the hospital two days ago. She's Mr. Cooke's former mother-in-law, and it was Mr. Cooke who pushed her down.
"A lot of people saw it happen. But when it came to the medical bills I covered, Mr. Cooke refused to pay me back."
The moment I finished speaking, the room erupted.
"You're lying through your teeth. When did I ever say I wouldn't pay? Mr. Knight was there yesterday too." Oliver shot up from his seat, trying to argue.
I didn't bother replying. I just opened my laptop, plugged in the flash drive, and the projector behind me lit up with the full scene that had played out in front of the hospital.
From the moment Jennifer sat on the ground wailing, all the way to the surveillance footage displayed on the hospital's electronic screen—what had almost been a successful scam ended up turning into a complete joke.
By the time the video ended, the conference room was buzzing. Everyone's eyes were on Oliver as they whispered nonstop.
"Oh my goodness, I never would've guessed Mr. Cooke's mom was that kind of person."
"There's probably a lot we don't know. Honestly, what her mother-in-law said sounds believable now."
"So that pregnant woman really is Mr. Cooke's mistress? Damn, maybe Mrs. Cooke didn't run off with another man—maybe she was murdered by Mr. Cooke."
"Watch what you say. You're not a cop. Mr. Cooke could sue you for slander."
Oliver looked pale as a sheet. I had the feeling that if the floor opened up right now, he'd dive in without hesitation.
Sure enough, without saying a word, he shoved past the people around him and made for the door. Just as he was about to step out, I called after him, "Mr. Cooke, don't you think you owe me an explanation?
"Yesterday, you promised in front of Mason that you'd pay. Then you turn around and send your mom and your cousin to pull this stunt? That's pretty low, don't you think?"
I emphasized the word "cousin", which immediately set off another round of laughter in the room.
Oliver snapped, "They were at the hospital for a prenatal checkup. It was just a coincidence they ran into you. Don't worry. I'll pay back every cent I owe. I'll go sell my house right now to cover your precious clothes. Happy now?"
At this point, things had gone too far for him to keep flattering me. His eyes were full of malice. I had no doubt Oliver wanted nothing more than to strangle me right then and there.
I pursed my lips. "Drop the victim act. Who do you think you're fooling?"
"Just you wait." Oliver's words carried a double meaning. He turned and stormed out of the conference room, slamming the door behind him.
As lousy as Oliver was, he cared deeply about saving face. I'd completely humiliated him in front of everyone. There was no doubt he hated my guts now.
And after living with him for three years, I knew exactly what kind of person he was—vindictive, never letting a slight go.
After everything I'd done to make things difficult for him the past two days, he was bound to strike back. And that was exactly what I wanted.
One couldn't catch a snake without using the right bait. If I wanted to get something on Oliver, that backstabbing bastard, I had to push him to a dead end.
Once he had nowhere else to turn, he'd come at me out of desperation. Only then would I be able to collect real evidence and settle the score for nearly beating me to death and tossing me into the ocean while I was unconscious.
After Oliver left, I stood up and announced, "That's it for today. Thank you, everyone."
Then I pulled the flash drive from the laptop and slipped it into my pocket. I turned to Heidi and ordered, "Bring the laptop. Let's head back."
I walked back to my office at a steady pace. Sitting in the executive chair with one leg crossed over the other, I was in an excellent mood.
Oliver said he was going to sell his house to pay for my clothes? Not likely. I was the one who sold off my own assets back then to buy that upscale condo. Luckily, my name was still on the deed.
Without my signature—Madeline's signature—Oliver couldn't sell the condo at all. If he really went home, there was bound to be drama. Amelia never gave money back once it was in her hands. Getting cash out of her would be harder than pulling teeth.
And I knew exactly what the Cooke family's financial situation was like. They couldn't scrape together nearly 130 thousand dollars. Oliver had promised to pay me back. I couldn't wait to see how he planned to do it.
But this time, I was wrong. Right after the lunch break, just as the afternoon shift started, Oliver walked into my office with Xander by his side.
Without saying a word, Oliver flipped the bag in his hand upside down and dumped a pile of cash onto my desk.
"Ms. Gordon, Mr. Cooke just withdrew this from the bank. It's a total of one hundred and thirty thousand dollars. One hundred and twenty-three thousand is to repay you, and the other seven thousand is for his mother-in-law's recovery expenses," Xander said.
I hadn't expected Oliver to come up with that kind of money so easily. Even with the whole pile of bills spread across my desk, I didn't feel the slightest bit happy.
I was annoyed, though I kept my expression neutral. "I'll take what Mr. Cooke owes me, but I'm not the right person to hold that lady's recovery money, am I?"
Oliver's face was still stony as he stayed silent. Xander remarked, "His mother-in-law has issues with Oliver, but she seems to get along with you. So he's asking you to pass it along for him, Ms. Gordon."
I quickly realized something was off. Something about the way I acted that day must have raised suspicion. But there was no way they could guess I was Madeline. Still, any kind of suspicion wasn't good news for me.
"I'm not getting involved. Mr. Cooke can handle his own problems. I try to be nice and end up getting dragged into mess after mess. What did I ever do to deserve this?" I shot back.
I tossed two stacks of bills back toward them with disdain and shoved the rest into my drawer. "Alright, you can go now."