Andrew and Reuben sat across from each other at a quaint, upscale bistro that was located near Sinclair Enterprises. The lunchtime crowd filled the room with a low hum of conversation, but at their table, an uneasy silence persisted between them. From the moment Reuben first saw Andrew, during their drive to the restaurant, and even now as they sat at the table, Reuben couldn’t help but notice that something was off about Andrew’s demeanour. And now that Reuben thought back to the call he had received from Andrew minutes ago, he sounded off then as well.Usually, when Andrew would invite Reuben to eat with him, the meal would just be an excuse to brag about a new deal he or his father had secured or to show off what luxury item he had purchased for himself or his family.But now, Andrew sat at the table, fidgeting with his fork and pushing his food around the plate rather than eating. His usual sharp, confident, and haughty presence was overshadowed by something that seemed to weigh
After what felt like an eternity of waiting outside the bistro, Connor and Serena finally saw Reubeb and Andrew come outside, indicating that they were done with their lunch.Throughout their lunch, they racked their brains, trying to figure out why Jason’s closest friend was having lunch with one of his enemies.“Maybe Reuben is betraying Jason?” Serena suggested. “His true loyalty could be with the Sinclairs and with Jason; he’s just there because of his money.”Connor clenched his jaw and his fist slightly tightened once the words left her lips. “That better not be it, for his own good. Everything Jason Grey has is mine, and that ginger has the wrong idea that he thinks he can take a single piece of the Grey fortune.”They watched the men shake hands and say their goodbyes, then saw Andrew get into his car and Reuben hail a taxi.Like clockwork, once Reuben got into the taxi, Connor started the engine of Serena’s car and followed him.***After a while, the taxi, and of course, Ser
Inside the prison, Jason was in his cell alone, unaware of all the plotting that was going on only a few centimeters away from him.Wylie had stepped out a while ago to, as he put it, “warm-up because the cold aura that the godfather emitted was too much for him.”The godfather had also stepped out of the cell. When he did, he seemed more upset than usual, which Jason didn’t even think was possible.Now that he thought of the godfather, he had been acting rare. Usually, he stayed on his bed, not moving, always reading a book. But sometime around noon, he started flipping the pages of his books frantically, then he stormed out of the room with a deep scowl on his face.Jason sighed. Why was he thinking of the grumpy old man so much? The prison boredom must’ve really been eating at his brain, he thought.Suddenly, the clanging of metal bars jolted him from his reverie. He looked up to see a guard standing at the entrance to his cell, keys jangling at his side."You've got another visito
“I don’t know if I’m allowed to do that, miss,” the man at the desk told Serena. His lips curled downward in a frown; he was expecting her to request something that would be exciting for him.Serena didn’t relent; instead, she flashed him a smile that ought to be on the cover of a magazine. “What? Don’t tell me that there’s a rule against taking photos here.”"Well, no, but...” the man trailed off."Exactly, so please help me out with this; it’s important,” she urged him but kept her voice sweet.The man stayed silent, thinking about his response. Even though technically there were no rules against it, he had a strange feeling that he was doing something wrong. Plus, he didn’t want to do the favour without getting something from Serena in return, but he felt like asking something from a lady like her would make him look like a jerk.Sensing that the man needed an incentive, Serena gave him one. “Do you have a pen and paper?” she asked.The man blinked, confused by her question, but he
“How have you been holding up in here?” Reuben asked genuinely."Well, the food is horrible, and I have to watch out for my own shadow, but apart from that, I’m good," Jason said in a sarcastic tone.Reuben let out a small chuckle. “There’s that optimism that I love!” he said in an equally sarcastic tone.“How are things with you? Did you find out what happened with Timothy?” Jason asked, concern clear in his voice.Reuben's expression hardened at the mention of Timothy. His eyes, which had been somewhat relaxed during their conversation, suddenly darkened with a mix of worry and anger. The faint smile he had been wearing vanished, replaced by a tense, furrowed brow. "I went to his house to check on him... He's in the hospital, Jason. Timothy's in a coma."Jason swore that he felt the blood drain from his face once the words left Reuben’s lips. He blinked in shock, trying to process the information.“A...coma,” Jason repeated.Reuben nodded. “Apparently he got into an accident the n
Jason watched Reuben exit the visiting area, a mix of determination and concern etched on his friend’s face. A short while after Reuben disappeared from view, Jason sighed deeply, ready to return to the dreary confines of his cell. But just as he turned to leave, the guard’s gruff voice stopped him in his tracks."Where do you think you’re going, Mr. Popular?" The guard's tone dripped with sarcasm.Jason frowned, glancing over his shoulder. “What do you mean? My visitor just left, so I'm going back to my cell.”The guard smirked. "Well, it looks like you’ve got another one. Guess today’s your lucky day.”Jason’s confusion only deepened. Another visitor? Who could it be? He hadn’t expected anyone else, and certainly not so soon after Reuben’s visit. His mind raced through the possibilities, but nothing made sense. He nodded to the guard, who gestured for him to stay put.Moments later, the door creaked open, and Jason’s breath caught in his throat as Connor walked in. Shock rippled thr
Connor and Serena had now returned to his apartment, and on the way there, Connor played the recording for Serena.“Reuben and Jason must be very close for him to have agreed to something as risky as being a spy,” Serena remarked as she poured herself a glass of water.“Yes, but it's too bad that their bomance will be Reuben’s downfall,” Connor said with fake pity as he shook his head. He was typing away on his laptop, drafting the email that he would send to Stefan to expose Reuben.“If everything we know about Stefan is true, then once he finds out about this, Reuben is a dead man,” Serena said as she took a seat next to Connor. There wasn't an iota of concern in her voice.“Let's hope so,” Connor added but didn't look away from his laptop or stop typing. A few seconds passed when Connor finished the email. "Done,” he said.“And you're sure that this is his personal email?”Connor asked.“Yes. I know a friend of the family, and he gave it to me,” Serena answered.“Alright then.” Conn
Meanwhile, on the Upper East Side of the city, Reuben stood outside the Sinclair mansion and knocked on the door.A few seconds later, the door creaked open to reveal a maid. “Good evening, Mr. Forester,” the maid greeted with a smile. Nearly all the staff at the Sinclair mansion were fond of Reuben.“Evening Rosie, could you let Andrew know that I'm out here waiting for him?” Rosie nodded "Yes, sir,” she nodded. “Aren't you going to come in?”Reuben was about to nod, but through the window, he saw that Christopher was sitting in the living room with Lana in his arms. Reuben shook his head in no. “I'll just wait for him out here.”Rosie gave him a soft nod, then went back into the mansion. Moments later, the door opened, revealing Andrew.“Reuben, is there a problem?” Andrew asked.Reuben nodded and let out a small sigh. "Yes, Andrew, a big problem.”“What is it?”Reuben cleared his throat, and his eyes went steely. “I don't know how to say this... It's better you come with me; let's