Supreme Trader

Chapter 3 In Custody

His boss gave him a hard kick, freeing himself from Edward’s grip on his leg.

Edward, sprawling out on the frigid ground painfully, watched his boss strut away desperately. Suddenly, he felt as if he were plummeting into a deep abyss, consumed by utter darkness with no way out.

He longed for his boss to return since he was the only beacon of light to lift him out of this inferno, but he didn’t show up.

Suddenly, a glimmer caught his eyes. It was that cursed video of the naked boy gyrating before a pack of old, ugly women.

“Damn it! It was not me,” whispered Edward, his mind going blank. At the time, he didn’t know what to do.

All he wanted now was to seek solace from his girlfriend. Without any delay, he whipped out his trusty phone and decided to call his girlfriend.

But to his horror, he discovered the video had already gone viral on the internet.

“How could this be happening?” Edward murmured in a tremulous tone, “I've got to make things right with Rebecca, no matter what.”

However, his girlfriend did not answer his phone call. With a quick scroll through Rebecca's Wetalk Moments, Edward caught wind that she had returned home, as a few candid snaps of her humble abode had surfaced a few minutes before.

Summoning every ounce of his strength he had left, Edward dragged himself to his feet and began trudging towards Rebecca's place.

Her apartment was not far from the office, just a hop, skip, and jump. After a mere fifteen-minute bus ride, he was outside her apartment. However, Edward was taken aback to find that the door of her flat was left ajar.

As he stepped into the disheveled living room, Edward's heart skipped a beat. The scattered clothing strewn about the room served as a harbinger of a dire situation. Rebecca must be in grave danger. He thought there might be a burglar here.

As he crept towards the door to her bedroom, Edward could hear the faint sounds of heavy breathing within. He paused, hesitant to burst in unannounced.

Suddenly, a sultry voice pierced the silence. Edward leaned in closer, straining to make out the words.

"Come on, baby, you're so good," the woman cooed in a seductive tone, "I need more."

She was completely naked and straddling a man beneath her.

"I bet Edward's going insane right now. You can break up with him now, baby!" the man gloated, a smug grin plastered across his face.

"Stop talking about him when we’re having fun, baby!" the woman moaned in pleasure, grinding against the man like a piston.

“I guess that stupid guy doesn’t give you anything,” the man scoffed, “let me show you something really cool!”

With that, he seized her ample living rabbits and gave it a few rough squeezes before rising up to grip her waist from behind and pound into her with abandon.

Edward stood frozen at the door, his ears ringing with the sounds of betrayal.

Clenching his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white, he could feel his anger bubbling up inside him like a volcano.

"I'm going to kill you, slimy bastard!" he roared, charging into the room, "How could you do this to my girlfriend?"

But as he lunged towards the bed, the man sprang up and deftly dodged Edward’s blow. As he turned around, to his shock, Edward discovered it was James, his so-called friend, who had always been there for him.

“Well, well, well. Calm down, please, Edward,” James implored, his voice trembling, “Let me explain.”

Rebecca, in her birthday suit, quickly wrapped herself up in a quilt, her face red with embarrassment. Edward felt his rage subsiding a little bit, but the dull ache of betrayal crept over him.

"How could you do this to me, Rebecca?" his voice was shaking with anger as he glared at her crimson face, "You wouldn't even let me hold your hand. How could you do something so despicable?"

Rebecca and James remained silent as they hastily pulled on their clothes, their guilty expressions giving them away. Finally, Rebecca emerged from behind the privacy of her diaphanous pajamas, her eyes blazing with defiance.

"You don't need to question me," she spat back, a sneer curling her lip. "I warned you, Edward. A pretty woman like me can be dangerous. You just need to learn how to handle it."

Edward felt a surge of rage, but his heart was breaking at the same time.

"You're a slut!" Edward's voice dripped with fury, his eyes blazing with anger.

Rebecca didn't even flinch at his accusation. Instead, she shot back with a sneer,

"What about you, Edward? I've already seen that video."

Edward's face went beet red with embarrassment, and his anger quickly dissipated into shame.

"It was a setup," he said, his voice now cold and distant. "That nude boy in the video wasn't me. I was at the party, but only working as a waiter. That's all. Believe it or not."

Edward wasn't lying. The enigmatic middle-aged widow had simply asked him to work as a waiter at her secret parties and he had had nothing else to do with it.

He had no idea why the video had been made, and why it had appeared on his slide.

Rebecca sneered once more, relishing in the cruel words she was about to utter.

"Okay, Edward, let's call it quits. You're useless to us now," she said, her voice dripping with venom.

"What do you mean by 'useless to you'?" he asked in shock.

With a cold smile, Rebecca motioned for James to speak.

"Tell him everything, James. It's time we brought everything to light," she said.

“All right, Rebecca,” James said, taking a deep breath.

Then he said to Edward, with no slightest guilt on his face at all, 

“Actually, I'm the one who set you up, Edward.”

"What?! Why did you do this to me? You taught me everything about how to be a successful salesman before. I don't understand!" he exclaimed, his fury palpable as he demanded an explanation.

James let out a cold harrumph, his eyes filled with bitterness.

“Let’s call a spade a spade, Edward. You only got the job because of that old widow’s nepotism,” he said,

“And since then, our boss has been showering you with attention. Meanwhile, I’m left to toil away in obscurity without even a second glance from him. Your presence is a thorn in my side, blocking me from climbing the corporate ladder. It’s downright unjust to grant you a seat at the table as a small partner as long as you snag that so-called big contract.”

"You've been green with envy over me, haven't you?" he spat, his eyes locked on James's.

"I'll admit it," James sneered, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "And now, I’m glad I’ve taken you down with my perfect plan."

Edward's blood boiled at James's words, but the next thing he said made his blood run cold. "And let me tell you something, Edward. That Rebecca of yours is an absolute stunner. Her skin is as smooth as silk, and her lips, oh her lips...they're like plump, juicy cherries. It’s a shame you haven’t even held her hand once."

James let out a maniacal laugh that grated on Edward's nerves. It was too much for him to bear. With a fierce punch, he aimed for James's face.

But James, being the fitness buff he was, was quick to catch Edward's fist in his hand.

"Try again," he sneered. "I dare you. Go to hell."

Without a second thought, James's fist flew through the air and connected with Edward's face, sending him toppling to the ground. Blood oozed from the corner of his mouth as he struggled to regain his balance.

As he sat there, seething with anger, Rebecca's words cut through him like a knife.

"Go, Edward. We're through," she said, her voice as cold as ice. "I never want to see you again."

But Edward refused to give up on their love. He pleaded with her, desperation clear in his eyes.

"Rebecca, please, I still love you. I can't let you go this way. If you just promise to leave that bastard James and come back to me, I'll forgive you for everything."

Rebecca let out a haughty laugh and fixed him with a withering gaze.

"That's rich, Edward," she sneered. "Let me tell you something. I've never loved you. You're nothing but a pauper, unable to provide me with even the basic luxuries like a limo, a nice house, or a designer handbag. Face it, Edward, you could never give me what I truly deserve."

"I can work hard, Rebecca," Edward said, hoping to win her back. "I may not have been born with a silver spoon in my mouth, but I'm tenacious and I never give up on my dreams." Rebecca just rolled her eyes and scoffed at him.

"Dream all you want, Edward," she spat. "But the truth is, you're just a daydreamer. You can't even make enough money to pay for your mother's medical expenses, let alone provide for me. But James is different. He was born into a wealthy family here in Orinda, and he knows how to treat a woman right. Look at the necklace around my neck, Edward. It's worth all the tea in China. Now get lost and go to hell with your pathetic mother.”

“Stop insulting my mother,” he snarled, his anger reaching a boiling point. “Both of you will pay dearly for what you’ve done to me. Mark my words.”

"Okay, I'm waiting for your revenge, ha-ha," said James with a devilish grin. He quickly planted a kiss on Rebecca's red rosy lips, relishing the taste of her sweetness.

"It tastes good. I like your ex-girlfriend, Edward. She's perfect in every way, ha-ha," laughed James, pulling Rebecca into his strong arms.

"Beat it, Edward!" Rebecca exclaimed, rolling her eyes at him in disgust.

Edward felt powerless in the face of the two of them, so he decided to make a hasty exit. As he turned to leave, James suddenly grabbed him by the arm.

"Hold on there, Rebecca. We can't let him off the hook so easily. He broke into your house, after all. Let's call the cops and have him arrested for burglary. That way, we won't have to see him for at least three months."

"Bravo, James," exclaimed Rebecca, nodding approvingly, "You're a true mastermind."

With a swift hand, Rebecca reached for her phone and dialed the authorities. It wasn't long before two law enforcement officers barged into her apartment,

"Well, well, if it isn't James," quipped one of the officers with a little mustache, a familiar face to James. Evidently, the duo went way back.

James wasted no time, gesturing towards Edward and proclaiming,

"I've got a trespasser here. Take him in and throw him behind bars."

But Edward was quick to refute, "Hold up, officer, I'm her boyfriend. Just here to visit."

The officer looked to Rebecca for an explanation, to which she responded with cold detachment, "I'm sorry, officer, I don't know this man. He broke into my home while James and I were enjoying each other's company."

The officer's gaze hardened as he reached for his handcuffs, "I see. In that case, come with me, sir. We've got some questions for you at the station."

"No, you can't just do this to me!" bellowed Edward, his fists clenched so tightly they were turning white.

The officer glared at him, "You trying to assault me, boy? I'm a policeman, and I won't hesitate to take you down if you keep resisting."

Edward's heart pounded as he watched the officer reach for his gun. Sweat dripped down his forehead, but he knew he couldn't back down. Finally, with a deep breath, he relented,

"All right, I'll go with you. But mark my words, this isn’t over."

James smiled at this, "You did good, officer. Take him away and lock him up. Thank you."

The officer nodded, "Happy to help, James. It's all part of the job. You know I've got your back."

James flashed a grin at the officer, "I'll see you down at the pub, my friend. I owe you a drink for this one."