The Devil's Good Girl-Chapter 234: Alicia

"As much as possible, I want it to work with little to no risk. Impossible, but well, there won’t be harm to try, right?"

For a moment, Fil couldn’t say a word after hearing all of that from Michael. She still believed he was working in that huge international investment company. Hence, she believed investing in products was probably his job. But then again, she knew that company. That company mainly invests in real estate and other already huge businesses.

"Michael, how did you make your supervisor approve of investing in such a device?" she asked quietly. "It’s not like this is first in the market. Though, I think it’s probably one of the best by far."

"Fil, why do you always ask for the strangest things?" he returned in disbelief. "I’m giving you something cool, and that’s what you’re going to ask me?"

"You’re giving it to me?"

"What do you think I’m doing?"

"Gloating? Or asking for my insight?" Fil blinked as she refocused her attention on the device. "I thought you were going to ask for my help with this product’s presentation."

"Did you miss the part where I said it’s already in the market?"

"I didn’t, but you also said this prototype is the upgraded version. If the initial version is already being sold, it’s obvious that you needed another presentation for why you should launch this version and why the consumer needs to buy it."

Michael sighed sharply, resting his arms against the edge of the table. "Just take the damn thing and say thank you."

"Thank you." Fil pursed her lips, biting her tongue to stop herself from saying anything further.

"I can’t believe you," he grumbled. "You don’t want it, do you?"

"It’s not like I don’t want it or like it. But more like... I feel weird," she confessed hesitatingly. "I feel weird, not because it’s from you, but I generally feel weird when other people give me something without asking me about what they want in return."

"Is that what you think when Kenzo gives you something?"

"Kenzo always tells me what he needs first before giving me something."

"That asshole really doesn’t know how to get a lady," Michael quietly grumbled, thinking that was Kenzo’s way to ’woo’ her. Obviously, Fil didn’t see it that way. "How about that other lady you put out a limb for?" freēwēbnovel.com

"Elise doesn’t ask me for anything in return, but I somehow return the favor without telling her."

"You’re one pitiful creature." Michael shook his head while continuously clicking his tongue. "If you’re thinking of returning the favor, then I’ll take it."

"What is it?"

"I’ll release this clip to the public."

"What?" Fil almost gasped. "But if you do, it would destroy them. Although not completely, it’ll still hurt both Hale Construction and Arkwright Corporation."

Another sigh escaped him as he pushed himself away, reaching for the piles of documents and then taking out a small photo tucked underneath the papers. He then carefully slid the photo on the table to her.

"What is it this time?" she asked as she picked up the photo. Fil squinted her eyes, staring at the younger Michael and another young lady beside him. They didn’t resemble each other, but their smiles and the vibe from the photo gave her the impression they had a good relationship.

"Alicia."

"Huh?"

"That’s her name," he said, jerking his chin at the photo in her hand. "She’s my sister."

Fil furrowed her brows. "I know you have siblings. Is she the closest to you?"

"She’s my only sibling. She’s my adoptive sister."

Huh?

"When I was a kid, I used to be very sick," he explained. "The doctors told me I only had a few years to live. So my parents, just like any other parents, they did what they could to keep me alive. You can say they did what wealthy and desperate individuals would do to keep their son alive."

The creases on her forehead deepened, listening to him attentively. This was the first time she had heard this. This was not the story she knew about him or the story he told everybody else.

"I had this rare condition and to top it all off, I had a very rare organ type. My parents went high and low to find me a match and then... they found her." Bitterness shone in his eyes as he recalled a distant memory. "To make the story short, they adopted her for the sole reason of keeping me alive. The surgery went well, and I got to live because of her. But just like many wealthy people, they just tossed her aside after using her. They returned her to the orphanage where they got her and then nothing."

"My parents lived their lives having only one child while Alicia continued to struggle to live every day." Michael forced a smile. Guilt, anger, and pain were evident in his eyes. "We kept in touch, though. When I fully recovered, I tried to support her and give her half of what was in my name. I lived because of her and it’s only right for her to enjoy the life I get to enjoy. But she doesn’t want it."

"She told me she appreciates it, but she is doing better. She never spent a dime of what I sent her. Sometimes, she would even send them back. No matter what I say, she wouldn’t listen to me." His eyes softened as he slowly cast his eyes down to hide his frustrations. "And to be honest, I didn’t have the heart to say anything when she told me she found a high-paying job that could sustain her studies. She was so proud of it... until she’s no longer proud of it."

For some reason, Fil’s heart thudded upon hearing his last sentence. She watched Michael look up at her as he continued.

"Fil, do you know what it feels like to listen to someone’s voice while telling you their plans for the future? Or when they talk about a milestone? Their tone is usually full of hope and excitement. Alicia is exactly that until one evening... she called, terrified," His voice lowered but still clear. "She told me if something happened to her, these people are the culprits. That’s the last time I heard anything from her."

"What?"

Michael shrugged. "Marcus, Vincent, Shanaiah. Those are the names she mentioned. Destroying them isn’t the only thing I’ll do. I’ll make them confess where they hid Alicia’s body."