153

Alex watched as his mother cried and he couldn't take it anymore... he walked to where his jacket was and picked it up with his phone and keys. He didn't want to be around her anymore because her tears felt like fake tears to him... "Alex!" Michelle said and held his arm when he was about to walk past her, but the cold look Alex had in his eyes made her let go of his arm. She could only turn and look at him as he walked out of his office and when he finally left she broke down... Olivia and Patrick, who were seated, immediately stood up when they saw Alex walk out of his office with a deep frown on his face... he said nothing to them but simply headed for his private elevator... they both exchanged confused looks because Michelle was still in his office... "What do you think happened?" Olivia asked Patrick the same question he had on his mind. "Let me go check on her," he said, and Olivia nodded. Patrick left and headed to Alex's office... he knocked on the door once before pushing the door open slowly... Michelle was seated on the couch in Alex's office... her back turned to him. "Are you alright, ma'am?" He asked in a low voice but didn't get a response from Michelle... She sat there quietly... her shoulders trembling a little before it finally stopped. Patrick didn't say a word and just stood there. He had no idea the conversation she had with Alex, but with the look Alex had on his face when he left his office, he was pretty sure the conversation wasn't a pleasant one. It was the first time he had seen Michelle so silent... she was oddly calm, and it made him cautious so he wouldn't get on her nerves... Michelle stood up slowly and took her handkerchief out of her bag... she wiped her eyes slowly before she finally turned to look at Patrick, who was standing behind her, with a concerned look on his face. Did he hear the conversation between them? She doubted it... Patrick immediately noticed how red and swollen Michelle's eyes were... "I'm fine," she said and let out a deep sigh. "Is Alex still here?" she asked, and Patrick shook his head. "No, he left a few minutes ago, ma'am." Michelle nodded. "I should get going, too." Patrick followed her out of Alex's office, where Olivia was still standing in the same spot. Her eyes met with Patrick's before they travelled to Michelle, who looked pale... she managed to get to the elevator with Patrick following her and helping her press the button of the elevator... "I can go on my own for here," Michelle said but stopped in her tracks. She turned to look at Patrick and wanted to ask about Alex's health and if he was doing fine now, but she decided not to... she simply sighed deeply and walked into the elevator... Patrick's eyes were filled with curiosity as he watched her go... "I don't think she is fine," Olivia said to Patrick when he came back, and he nodded. he thought the same, too. "This isn't like any of their fights. It seems more serious than everyone they had." Olivia leaned closer and whispered, "It looks like she cried too. I can't believe it." Patrick couldn't believe it also... what had happened to Michelle in such a short time that made her this way. Did she meet up with someone? What happened to Michelle Graham? He was curious to know... ____________________________ ___________________________ Michelle walked slowly through the lobby of the Graham Group. One of the directors who was speaking to a few of his employees saw her and immediately waved everyone off so he could speak to Michelle and get on her good side. He had a smile on his face as he approached Michelle, whose mind had completely trailed off and didn't even notice him approaching. He planned to ask Michelle out to dinner at his house so he could introduce his daughter to Michelle, and maybe they could have some sort of family alliance... His daughter would be the perfect daughter-in-law for the Graham family. He thought that would be just perfect... "Mrs Graham," Mr Franco called out to Michelle, who seemed like she was in a daze, but she didn't even hear or answer him till he tapped her arm to get her attention. Michelle stopped in her tracks and sighed deeply as he turned to look at Mr Franco. She didn't want to talk to him anymore and wanted to only go home and lie down after the talk she had with Alex, and she didn't want to especially talk to Mr Franco, who had been finding any means to speak to her even though she kept declining all his invitations... How could she ever forget this crazy board of directors who wanted to take Alex out because they thought he was too young to run the company? Yet Alex had proven all of them wrong and excelled beyond all their expectations, and now they wanted to have lunch or dinner with her. "what do you want?" Michelle said to him coldly, and the smile on Mr Franco's face immediately dwindled when he saw the mood that Michelle was in, but he wasn't going to give up so easily when he already had a set goal... "I'm sorry for stopping you. You seem to be in a hurry. You must be busy lately because you kept declining the dinner invitations my wife sent you, " Mr Franco said, and Michelle just stared at him, looming more uninterested than ever... "We are having a small get-together this weekend, and I was wondering if you could make it. My daughter just finished her master's degree, and we are having a little celebration for her..." he went on and on, and Michelle couldn't take it anymore... "I don't think there will be any need for me to come to your daughter's celebration, Franco ... and I want you to be aware that Alex has someone he wishes to marry and your beloved daughter will never be an option for my son, so I think you should find someone else for her or perhaps let her chose who she wants herself" Michelle said and walked away without waiting for a response from Mr Franco who looked completely taken aback by what Michelle had said to him at the middle of the lobby. It felt like a huge slap on his face... he needed a few more seconds before he finally turned and walked away too, a deep frown on his face as he did ...