A Life Debt Repaid

Chapter 8

you have an issue, take it up with me. Don’t bother her.”In short, Noel already complained to Kyle.Still, Cordy was used to it—Noel had always been a specialist in playing the victim and causing rifts between everyone and Cordy.“You give yourself too much credit, Kyle Jessop. I’m just taking back what’s mine.”“Look, Cordy—you just have to tell me if you need money,” Kyle continued earnestly, ignoring her. “We may have broken up, but that doesn’t mean you can’t work at Jessop Corp. I never said anything about dismissing you. You don’t have to hurt yourself like this! Just come to work as usual, and we’ll pay you what you’re due.”Cordy inhaled sharply in turn, knowing that there was no reasoning with him. “This is the last time I tell you this, Kyle! My mother left Starstream Group to me, and Noel has no stake in it at all. Even if I don’t want it, I’d rather liquidate it and donate the shares to charity than allow a mistress’ daughter to touch it! Also, I’ll no longer work at Jessop Corp. I’ll pack my things at the time, but you can have it thrown out if you don’t like it—there’s nothing worth keeping. Last but not least, don’t try to humiliate me with money. You’d just make a fool of yourself!”With that, she hung up on him without giving him a chance to retort.Kyle was left sitting and scowling in his car.Cordy had actually cut off his call and spat in his face despite his goodwill!What makes her so confident that she could treat him like this?!Indignant, he called her again, only to have Cordy hang up on him mercilessly!Eventually, he was left shaking with rage, his fingers clenching over his phone!…As the calls from Kyle kept coming in, Cordy eventually lost it and answered her phone without looking at the screen the next time it rang, yelling, “Stop calling me if you don’t want to embarrass yourself any further!”There was only silence from the other end, and Cordy soon noticed that something was different.She quickly glanced at the screen, her heart skipping a beat when she saw the unfamiliar number.Before she could speak, a deep, alluring voice spoke from the other end. “Does that mean I should keep calling you if I want to be embarrassed?”Cordy felt her heart racing a little just then and she pursed her lips.She had never expected John Levine himself to call. She said in apology, “I’m sorry, I didn’t know it was you… and what I said wasn’t meant for you.” “So who was it for?” John raised a brow.Cordy was silent for moments before slowly saying, “I think you know, Mr. Levine.”John’s eyes narrowed, his fingers tapping his desk twice as his lips twitched. “Do you need help?”“No.” Cordy refused right then, intent on being distant. “Anyway, why did you call me, Mr. Levine?”“No reason in particular,” John replied.As Cordy frowned, he added, “I was just testing if the number Dicky gave me works.”“…I would never trick a kid,” Cordy said a little angrily.Moreover, he was the one who bought her this number. How would he not know?!“Are you free tonight?” John asked suddenly.The sudden change in subject left Cordy stunned.“Let’s have dinner together,” John said. “I’ll come to get you.”“I’m sorry, but…”“It’s to celebrate my first day at my new job.”Cordy decided then that she and John existed on different wavelengths, and that their conversation was utterly non-sequitur.“I’ll see you at six,” John finished and hung up.Cordy breathed a lengthy sigh then—there were times when John’s domineering nature could not be stopped at all.Musing to herself for a while, she eventually texted him.[I’m sorry, Mr. Levine, but I’m busy tonight and won’t be able to make it. That said, congratulations on your new job.]After she sent it, Cordy used to herself for a while and sent him an Amazon gift card as a way to congratulate him.She felt that this was a polite refusal to strangers that would not be insulting to them.On the other