One Wild Night



"You will go in first. I will wait outside the door," Tom suggested and Lucy looked at him with a puzzled frown.

"Why? What am I supposed to say to her?" Lucy asked as the elevator door opened and they stepped out.

"Why? Because I'm not letting her attitude towards my girlfriend slide. If I do nothing, it's going to make her think it's okay to walk up to you and say whatever she likes. If I show up in her office instead of inviting her to mine, it's going to make everyone realize something is wrong, and it will pass a message to them all that no one is allowed to mess with you. Go in there and say whatever you like to get a ride out of her. I want her to say something she's not supposed to," Tom insisted, and Lucy sighed as they stopped outside the door.

At times like this the difference between her and Tom seemed so obvious. Where she would rather ignore somethings, Tom would rather be petty.

"Don't you think this will refelect badly on me and put me on the bad books of the others?" Lucy asked, and Tom shook his head.

"You don't need to be on their good book. You are my girlfriend, Lucy. If they can't respect you, I want them to be scared of messing with you," Tom assured her as he raised her hand to his lips.

"It's best we go in together," Lucy said as she linked her hands with Tom's and opened the door.

Cora's teammates who were all gathered together looking at something Cora was showing them all turned to the door when it opened, and Cora froze when she saw Lucy walk in with Tom behind her.

In the short while since she became closely acquainted with Tom, not once had she seen his eyes look so cold and unfriendly. She knew without a doubt that Lucy had said something to him.

"Good morning, sir! Good morning, ma'am," her teammates all called out to the couple respectfully while Tom fixed his gaze on Cora.

Cora's frozen face twisted in a stiff smile as she gazed at Tom, "Good morning, sir. Good morning, Director Perry."

Lucy beamed a smile at Cora, "Good morning, director Anderson. I thought I should check out your office as you did mine yesterday, and I invited him to join me. I thought you would like that," she said pleasantly, and Cora's teammates remained where they stood around Cora, not sure what was going on and whether or not they should return to their desks.

Tom didn't respond to the greetings, "I have no interest in your office. I believe you know why we are here?" Tom asked Cora without taking another step into the office.

Cora looked from Tom to Lucy, and Lucy gave her a nonchalant shrug.

"Do you want to come into my office so we can speak privately?" Cora offered as she rubbed her sweaty palms down her pants.

"I didn't realize you cared about privacy. I don't see any reason why I should respect yours by talking to you in your office when you didn't respect mine," Tom said coldly.

Cora's teammates looked from Cora to Tom, and then started heading for the door but Tom's gaze moved from Cora to them, "I didn't say anyone could leave," he said briskly before returning his attention to Cora.

"I learnt you are very curious about our relationship. I believe you have questions for me. Go on," Tom said, jerking his head towards Cora for her to speak.

Cora looked down at her feet in embarrassment, "I'm sorry, sir."

"What for?" Tom asked with a raised brow.

"I shouldn't have said anything to Director Perry," Cora said quietly, and Tom shook his head.

"What did you say to her?" Tom asked, and Cora shook her head unable to bring herself to repeat everything she had said, especially not in the presence of her teammates.

"Do you love your job?" Tom asked, and Cora bobbed her head.

"Do you want to keep your job?" Tom asked again, and this time Cora looked up at him.

"If you do, I suggest you repeat everything you said to her right now. And you better not leave out a detail," Tom said, and Cora glanced at Lucy who looked away from her immediately.

"I don't have all day, Miss Anderson. And do not think losing your job is the worst I can do to you. Ask the staff who was fired for badmouthing Lucy the last time. She is yet to get another job," Tom threatened, and Lucy turned to look at him, surprised by that piece of information.

Tears gathered in Cora's eyes and her lips wobbled as she told Tom about her conversation with Lucy.

"I'm sorry," she said when she was done.

"Do you know what you should be sorry for? You should be sorry for being interested in my personal business. A business for which I did not employ you. But most of all, you should be sorry for thinking you could mess with my girlfriend and not have to deal with me," Tom said coldly.

"It will never happen again," Cora promised without meeting their gaze, and Tom shook his head.

"I believe it won't. I want the name and details of whoever sent you the picture," Tom said and Cora's head snapped up.

"Sir…"

"You can provide me with it, or hand in your resignation letter. I expect it to be on Lucy's desk within the next hour, or I will assume you are no longer a staff of I-Global," Tom said and turned to leave with Lucy.

He hesitated with his hand on the doorknob as he turned to her, "And just so you know, handing in your resignation letter won't stop me from going after your friend either," Tom said before opening the door but Lucy did not step out with him.

She gave him a nod to wait outside so she could speak to Cora, and once Tom had shut the door behind him, Lucy turned to Cora.

"I must say I'm disappointed by your reaction. I thought you were more gutsy than this. Why do you look so shaken now?" Lucy asked with a raised brow, ignoring Cora's teammates who moved away to their various desks, and pretended not to pay attention to what was going on.

"All I want is to have a peaceful relationship with Tom. One without drama. One in which things like this doesn't have to take place within the company. I don't know why you keep getting on my nerves, but I do hope this will be the last time this happens. It will be a shame for the company to lose a competent director like you," Lucy said, and without waiting for a response she walked away to join Tom.

"Are you okay?" Tom asked, and Lucy gave him a nod.

"What you said in there, is it true? About the lady you fired the last time (chapter 229)," Lucy asked, and Tom shrugged.

"Someone like her doesn't deserve to work amongst other people. I don't like getting involved in other people's life, but when they decide to mess with me or mine, they leave me no choice," Tom said, and Lucy sighed.

"Isn't that too harsh? I mean I understand that she was wrong. But life is hard enough already and frustrating her efforts to get another job is only going to make her life tougher. You are bullying her," Lucy said and Tom shook his head.

"She tried to bully you first. She should know what it feels like to be bullied," Tom said and Lucy embraced him.

"Thanks. I know you're doing all this for me, but I don't want you to be so ruthless. I won't be okay knowing someone out there is having a tough time because they wronged me," Lucy said and Tom shook his head as he pulled away.

"You're too soft. They know it that's why they mess with you."

"And you're too hard," Lucy said with a small smile.

"That's why no one would dare to mess with me," Tom said confidently.

"Apart from me?" Lucy asked with a grin, and Tom smiled.

"Sure. You're the only one allowed to," Tom said as he planted a quick kiss on her lips before leading her away.

Once they got to the parking lot, Lucy got into the driver's seat of her car while Tom took the passenger seat.

"I guess we are headed to the same lab we went the last time, right?" Lucy asked, and Tom gave her a nod.

"Yeah. Do you remember the direction?" He asked, and she flashed him a smile.

"Sure. You can relax," Lucy assured him as she started the car and drove out of the company.

Tom turned to the side as he watched her with interest while she drove.

After she had driven in silence for some time, Lucy turned to look at him briefly, "Why are you staring?"

"I'm trying to figure out what you're thinking," Tom confessed.

"What I'm thinking about what?" Lucy asked curiously.

"About anything. What's on your mind right now?" Tom asked, and Lucy hesitated for a moment.

"Please tell me," Tom pleaded.

Lucy sighed, "I'm just wondering if you're happy. I mean, I know the situation might not be ideal and all that. But I also know you've always wanted a kid…"

"With you," Tom reminded her.

"Still, I'm just curious to know how you really feel about this whole situation," Lucy said, and Tom nodded.

"You can ask me," Tom pointed out.

"Will you be honest with me about your feelings?" Lucy asked, and he nodded.

"Yes. As long as you're honest with me about yours, Tom promised.

"Sure," Lucy said with a nod, "Let's talk after dropping it off at the lab," Lucy said, and they filled the time with other discussions.

After they had dropped it off, on their way back, Lucy parked the car by the roadside, at a comfortable spot where they could talk.

"So, go on and tell me. How do you feel? How did you feel when she told you about it? And when you saw the kid? Dawn, right?" She asked, and Tom nodded.

Tom took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "At first I didn't believe it. I couldn't believe it. I'm not careless. I always use a condom…"

"Sorry. Can I ask how you both met?" Lucy asked, and Tom pinched his nose.

"We met at the poolside of the hotel on the night it was opened. I was in need of female company. She joined me on my table and we flirted for some time over a few glasses of drinks which ended with us going up to her room. I left before she woke up, and didn't see her again until she showed up at the club," Tom summarized.

"I guess you both did not discuss any personal details?" Lucy asked thoughtfully and Tom shook his head.

"We didn't. Besides, my identity was still pretty much hidden at the time, and she would never have known who I was had I not revealed my identity," Tom said, and Lucy smiled wryly.

"I suppose it's my fault she found you," she said but Tom said nothing.

"Tell me how you really feel," Lucy said as she held Tom's gaze.

"A part of me hopes it's not true. But another part of me wishes it's true," Tom confessed, and Lucy nodded.

"I suppose the part of you that hopes it's not true wishes so because of me?" Lucy asked knowingly.

"Both parts wishes so because of you," Tom said and she raised a brow.

"How? Why?" She asked in confusion.

"I wish it's not true because I don't want to lose you. I don't want you to run away because you don't want to be involved in my child's life. I also wish it's true because I hope that maybe your love for me will be stronger than whatever fear you have. And that maybe if you see we don't have a choice in this matter and I truly have a daughter, you won't mind being a part of both our lives. That way I could find a way to live with you not wanting to birth any," Tom said honestly, and Lucy felt tears gather in her eyes.

"Can you not think about me for a moment, Tom? If I wasn't in the picture how would you feel about this?" Lucy asked and Tom shook his head.

"I can't not think about you for a moment. You're in the picture, Lucy. I want you in the picture," Tom said softly, making her heart skip a beat.

Lucy swallowed, "Would you be so upset and confused about all of this if I wasn't in your life? Wouldn't you be happy to be a father despite the situation?" Lucy asked again and Tom let out a deep breath.

"She is beautiful, Lucy. And for a moment yesterday, I was happy thinking about the possibility of being her father. I would really love to be a father, Lucy," Tom said quietly and two fat drops of tears rolled down Lucy's cheeks.

Lucy's throat felt very tight, and she forced a smile when Tom thumbed away her tears, "I know you will make a really good father," Lucy said softly.

"Will you tell me how you truly feel about all this?" Tom asked, and Lucy drew in a shaky breath.

"I'm scared," she confessed.

"Of what?" Tom asked, taking both her hands in his.

"Of losing you. I'm scared of everything. What if this lady wants you? What if this poses another problem for us? What if you have to marry her? Harry said she is wealthy and from a solid background. What if..."

"Stop making up these scenarios, Lucy. Have I ever given you a reason to think I'm incapable of making my own decisions? You can't lose me. At least not to anyone. And you should know that what Kimberly wants does not matter to me. What you want matters most. All I want is to be a father to Dawn if she is mine. And I would want you to be involved. All that matters here is what we both want," Tom said simply.