Cheers To Comeuppance
Chapter 12

Annika

“Annika, it’s not that big of a deal,” Leon attempted to console me, albeit unsuccessfully while driving us to the restaurant for dinner. After receiving the devastating news that I had yet to accept fully, he immediately took me to a pharmacy to pick up the antibiotics for the stupid STD that my sorry-excuse-of-a-man-whore husband gave me.

“Mr. Von Doren! Are you serious right now!?” I snapped at him, staring at him in disbelief. “Do you see this!?” I asked while holding up the packet of antibiotic powder I would have to mix with juice once we made it to the restaurant. “Your skank of an ex-wife gave my husband Chlamydia, who in turn gave it to me!”

“I understand that, but at least it can easily be treated, hence why you’re holding that packet right now,” he replied with his ever so cool and calm demeanor. I was so exacerbated over this whole ordeal that I just wanted to go home and strangle Jeff to death.

“No, you don’t understand! I’ve been walking around with this nasty disease for almost a f*ucking year!” I screamed and buried my face in my hands in shame as soon as the words escaped my mouth.

“Come again?” Leon responded in shock and confusion.

“That was the last time Jeff has ever touched me. It’s been almost a year since we were intimate with one another, which means I’ve had this for almost a year and had no idea! Do you not get how humiliating this is for me!? I’m a f*ucking doctor, and I was totally unaware that I’ve been walking around with an STD!”

“Okay, calm down. I get that it might be a little embarrassing, but the bottom line is that it’s easily treatable. Let’s just get to the restaurant so that you can take it. I’m sure once you get the antibiotics in your system, you will feel more at ease, yes?” I subconsciously squeezed the packet of medicine and glared at him. Men would never understand. “Though, I’m curious to know how Sadie ended up with an STD. I’m the one who mentioned it, but I was technically joking and just talking s**t about her. From what I know, I was Sadie’s first, and I was clean. I got checked before I took her virginity. Additionally, your husband is the only other man that I know of she has been with,” Leon said while scratching his chin and making a thinking face.

“Are you saying she may have slept with someone else that you don’t know of?” I clarified.

“That, or maybe your husband did,” he retorted.

“Ugh!” I grunted in frustration when a sudden thought zapped my brain. “Wait, there’s a way to check to see if Sadie has it as well!”

“Really? How?”

“We have her medical records. And since she’s currently pregnant, Kenzie is required to perform an STD test while also conducting her pap smear. Her results should be in her file.” As I finished uttering my final words, Leon slammed on the brakes and pulled over to the side of the road unexpectedly. “What the hell!?” I shouted as the car stopped abruptly, my heart now pounding furiously in my chest.

“SADIE’S PREGNANT!?!” he shouted, and his face contorted at me with rage. My eyes dilated, and it was then I realized my mistake.

“Oh shit.”

“Annika, tell me the truth! Is Sadie really pregnant?!” I bit my bottom l*p and wanted to lie, but I knew it was already too late. I reluctantly nodded my head, and as soon I confirmed it, I could see his rage dissipate, and his expression descended into sadness.

“Mr.… Leon, are you okay?” I asked hesitantly.

“That b!tch! She told me she never wanted kids! She made me use condoms every time we had se*x, or she would stock up on the Morning-After pill. THAT LYING, TWO-TIMING we!” He screamed and unleashed his wrath on the steering wheel, punching it several times.

“LEON! STOP!” I screamed and attempted to grab his arm. He was the size of a Spartan warrior, and my hands could barely fit around his biceps. “Leon, you’re going to hurt yourself!” I cried out and tried to prevent him from hitting the steering wheel further. Amid his explosive outburst, he shoved me off with so much force that I hit the back of my head on the window and heard the deafening sound of a crack.

“AHH!”

“Annika! s**t!” I heard a car door open and slammed shut, but I had become so disoriented that I wasn’t sure what was going on. There was no doubt that I saw stars from the blunt force trauma to my head. My door was being yanked open the next thing I knew, and Leon gently pulled me out of the car. “Annika, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to push you that hard. Are you okay? Let me see,” Leon crooned, his voice full of concern and worry carved into his eyes. Even though I was a little dizzy, I could tell that he was terribly sorry for what had just happened. He tenderly cupped my cheeks and turned my head to each side to assess for obvious signs of injury.

“I’m fine, I think,” I muttered while clutching the back of my head. “It’s not bleeding or anything. Though I might have a nasty bump here in a bit,” I said and rubbed it while looking at my hand to double-check it indeed wasn’t bleeding.

“Annika, I’m so f*g sorry,” he apologized again while looking like an overgrown puppy dog groveling to its master. I felt a small lump in my throat, seeing the amount of concern in his eyes. His efforts moved me, and I honestly couldn’t remember the last time someone showed so much genuine concern for my well-being. Sure, it was Leon’s fault that I got injured, but I knew that it wasn’t on purpose. Not to mention, I had utterly blindsided him with such triggering news so carelessly.

“It’s okay. I know you didn’t mean it. The inside of the car is small, and you were fueled by hurt and anger,” I replied and reassured him that I was okay.

“I think we should go to the hospital,” he said to me and continued to massage the back of my head for me.

“No, it’s okay, really. I’m not even dizzy. Trust me, I’m a doctor, remember?” I told him firmly.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m fine. If I feel anything other than fine in a few hours, we’ll go to the hospital. But first, we should figure out what to do about your hand. And the car window,” I replied and pulled his hand towards my face to examine his knuckles. Sure enough, his hands had formed several hematomas from his brutish display against the steering wheel earlier. “Mr. Von Doren, I think it would be wise for you to attend some anger management classes,” I suggested while thoroughly inspecting his knuckles.

“Waste of money,” he replied curtly.

“You’re speaking as if you’ve already been to some.”

“That’s because I have. I don’t have anger problems, yet Sadie seems to bring out the worst in me. Hearing that she lied about not wanting to have children and is now knocked up by your husband, I couldn’t help myself,” he said and rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m sorry you had to see that side of me.”

“Trust me; I was the same way when I found out. Jeff also told me that he wanted to wait to have kids until we established our careers. Even though years had passed, he would either pull out or wear a condom as well. On the off chance he did release inside of me, he would also make me take the Morning-After pill,” I confessed with a heavy sigh.

“Hmph, I guess we were both deceived. It seems that those two are definitely made for each other,” Leon sneered and looked off to the side. It seemed like he was suppressing something and as if he were trying to control his anger from spiraling out of control again.

“Let’s drop the subject. I shouldn’t have said anything either. As a doctor, it’s not my place to disclose a patient’s medical records. But I guess I couldn’t stop my own anger from getting the best of me. I actually broke the law just now.”

“I won’t tell if you won’t,” he replied with a small chuckle. I pursed my lips and hid a small smile behind them.

“What are we going to do about your car?” I asked him to change the subject.

“Don’t worry. I’ll call my assistant, Toby, to come and get it and bring a different one to the restaurant. Let’s hail a taxi.” I nodded my head, and a few short minutes later, we were back on the road to dinner

When we got to the restaurant, I realized that it wasn’t small scale, and it was very luxurious. It was in the heart of downtown, and there seemed to be a massive line that wrapped around the ornate building.

“Ummm, I don’t know if we’ll get in. That line is ridiculously long,” I said while pointing to it.

“Annika, have you forgotten who I am?” he asked me with a playful tone of voice. He put his hand on the small of my back and led me straight through the front door. “I, Leon Von Doren, never wait in line. Especially at my own restaurant,” he winked at me as he held the door open, and we just waltzed right in. I could hear the cursing and shouting from behind us. I honestly felt a little guilty because I was certain that those people had been waiting for no less than an hour to get in and were hangry.

“Mr. Von Doren, what a pleasant surprise!” Someone in a very snappy suit came running up to us, and he gave a slight bow as he greeted us.

“Jasper, business seems to be going well,” Leon said courteously.

“Yes, sir! The business has been doing very well! As you can see, all of the tables on the common’s floor are filled to the brink. We are booked solid for the next several weeks!” the man replied with such glee and flashed a huge smile. “May I ask who this lovely young lady is?” he inquired, finally noticing me.

“This is Dr. Annika Hollands. She’s a new business client of mine, and I’m treating her to dinner,” Leon replied without any hesitation. I couldn’t help but frown a little when he said ‘business client’ without hesitation or remorse. I guess he was throwing that back at me for what I said at his office earlier. Was this what he felt when I told him the same thing?

“Oh, well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Doctor! My name is Jasper, and I’m the general manager of this establishment!” He introduced himself with utmost pride.

“The pleasure is all mine, Jasper,” I replied with a smile and shook his hand firmly.

“Mr. Von Doren, you’re usual room?” Jasper asked him. Leon nodded, and we were led to a private room via a private elevator on the third floor. I saw that it was the only room on the entire floor, and it even had its own resolute chefs.

“Oh wow, this is amazing,” I gasped at the lavish decorations as we walked in.

“This room is reserved solely for Mr. Von Doren and his VIP guests. It’s never occupied. Dr. Hollands, if you’re ever in the area, even without Sir, you may come in whenever you like. It’s exceedingly rare that Sir brings a guest.”

“Sir?” I questioned the sudden title change.

“Ah, yes, my apologies. Not only am I the G.M. here, but I also serve Sir at home. When in public, I must maintain my professionalism; however, since we’re in private at this moment, I have to refer to him as Sir.”

“So, you’re also a butler. Is that what you’re saying?”

“Oh, no, Sir has a butler that works full-time at home. I manage the household’s kitchen during the day and come here at night. Since the restaurant is only open for dinner, I don’t have to work many hours. Sir has entrusted me with this establishment, so I must make sure the business runs smoothly. Speaking of, I should get back down before someone starts a fire. Sir. Dr. Hollands.” He bowed his head and scurried back into the elevator, leaving just Leon and me.

“Don’t mind his eagerness to please. Jasper has been with me for a decade. He’s a great kitchen manager at home, which is why I wanted him to run the restaurant,” Leon mentioned as he led me to the table. I saw the chefs firing up the grill and a bottle of wine being chilled at the table.

“Wow, it’s almost like they knew we would be coming here,” I said while surveying the room as I took my seat. It was nice to know that chivalry isn’t dead as Leon pulled out my chair for me and slid it back in as I sat down. He was the perfect gentleman.

“Well, they saw us walking in,” he replied.

“Huh?” Leon gestured behind him, and I saw a T.V. that displayed a clear view of the entrance.

“Oh, well, that makes a lot of sense now,” I said sarcastically. “If you’re the only one who uses this room, what do these guys do if you don’t come by?” I wondered out of curiosity.

“They help downstairs if absolutely necessary. Or they just chill up here and relax. The chefs get paid either way,” Leon replied with a shrug as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

“Must be nice to be paid to do nothing,” I couldn’t help but snicker at his words. I may be a billionaire heiress, but I still built my business from the ground up.

“They do plenty during the day getting the restaurant prepped for dinner. They’re my private chefs and some of the best in the world. Even Bobby Flay couldn’t compare to these guys. I hand-selected them by going to various restaurants over the years and recruiting them to my service.”

“Wow, what a way to brag. The rest of us peasants can’t compare to the likes of you,” I sneered and huffed in a joking manner.

“Says the Young Lady of the Silverton family,” he whispered in my ear. His breath tickled me and made my skin crawl, but not in a bad way. The goosebumps he set off throughout my entire body made my cheeks burn and my lower body suddenly became warm. His actions were almost seductive. He put some space between us and pulled out the bottle of wine, pouring us each a glass.

“Oh, is there a way that I can get a glass of apple juice or apple cider?”

“You can get anything you want,” he replied and snapped his finger. A server came over instantly.

“Sir, what can I get you?” he asked.

“Bring my guest a glass of apple juice, and make sure that it’s chilled. Also, have the chefs prepare the seven-course dinner for us,” Leon directed.

“Perfect, Sir.” The server bowed and retreated.

“What’s the seven-course dinner?” I asked him. Since we didn’t have any menus in front of us, I was anxious to know.

“It’s a surprise,” he answered. “It’s the restaurant’s best-selling item. You’ll love it.”

“And if I don’t?” I c****d a brow at him due to his unwavering self-confidence.

“Then I’ll have to owe you.”

“Owe me what?”

“Whatever you want?”

“Hmmm … I’ll have to hold you to that, Mr. Von Doren,” I said with a wry smile.

“It’s Leon. And you can hold me anytime you want.” I sucked in a breath at his words as my face flushed red. I stared at him in shock, but he showed no signs of realizing the implications of what he said to me. Was he hinting at me and trying to court me?