The Divorced Son In Law.

Chp-5

Deigo stood before the mirror, adjusting his tie.

His eyes hardened.

Today, he would reclaim his empire.

He strode into the Blackwood Corporation, his presence commanding attention.

The corridor fell silent.

Employees avoided eye contact, their heads bowed down as he walked further in his presence, exuding dominance. Anyone would think twice before crossing his line.

Deigo had made it clear to Louis that no one questioned his authority.

He was the boss, but not for now; he is the personal assistant of Marcus.

His steps came to a halt as his eyes fell upon Sophia, and Benjamin clinging to each other, stirring rage within him.

Benjamin looked over his shoulder, noticing Deigo. He stopped turning to face Deigo fully while Sophia got the hint and turned too surprised to come face to face with her ex-husband.

“If it isn’t the church rat,” Benjamin mocked.

Deigo’s eyes were fixated on Sophia, his nose flaring with anger and despise.

Deigo didn’t want to create a scene or trigger Benjamin and Sophia into getting kicked out because it would only take a snap of his finger to have them banned anywhere near the Blackwood Corp, so he remained compassed.

Benjamin snorts at Deigo.

"What brings you to Blackwood Corporation, Deigo? Slumming it?"

Sophia snickered.

"Or perhaps you're here for a job application?" Benjamin taunted.

Deigo's expression remained stoic. He knew they were trying to push him to the wall, and it was worming.

The employees went silent, hearing Benjamin badmouth their CEO with a glint of fear in each of their eyes, knowing it wasn’t going to work well for them.

Benjamin continued, "If so, I'll make sure you don't get it. The Blackwood doesn't hire failures, and it's funny you think you will get hired in a firm as this published. Anyway, sorry to burst your bubble; you will never get a spot here. The CEO and I are very good friends, and I will make sure you don’t get the job, so to save you the trouble, I suggest you walk away and avoid getting embarrassed and disappointed."

Sophia chuckled.

Deigo's silence infuriated Benjamin.

“Friends?” Deigo scoffed, fighting the urge to chuckle.

“Yes, or do you have a problem with that?”

Deigo remains mute.

"Cat got your tongue, Deigo?" Benjamin mocked.

Deigo's smirk was subtle.

Marcus burst out from the elevator, Deigo well aware that he must have seen the scene occurring from the monitor, his face thunderous.

"Why are you harassing my assistant?" He thundered.

Benjamin’s eyes widened.

"Your assistant? You mean this...this..."

Benjamin gestured to Deigo.

"Church rat? Poor man?"

Marcus's eyes narrowed.

"Or do you have a problem with my employee?"

Sophia stepped forward.

"Mr. Blackwood, we were just discussing—"

Marcus cut her off.

"No, you were harassing my assistant, and I don’t deal with business partners that don’t have regard for my workers. In Blackwood Corp., we treat each other with respect and consideration regardless of their status."

Benjamin's face reddened.

Deigo walked to Marcus and held on to his arm, signifying that he should let it be; they shouldn't be getting into fights with them, not when they want to beat them at their own game.

They still haven’t reached the bottom of it.

Marcus didn’t seem pleased that Deigo stopped him, sending him a glare. He nodded.

“Let’s proceed to the boardroom; I don’t have time for this.”

Deigo's eyes locked onto Benjamin, who looked like he was about to rip him apart.

He smirked before walking away, tail behind Marcus.

Deigo stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor.

Was it because it’s been a while since he indulged in such a long meeting, or was it the presence of the crook and her hungry fiance that irritated him?

He felt suffocated by their irritating presence.

He walked out of the meeting room, leaving stunned faces behind. He could feel the glares and daggers Benjamin sent his way, but he didn’t care; all it took was a single order, and he would disappear like he never happened.

Sophia quickly followed, her heels clicking down the corridor.

Deigo spun around, his eyes flashing as he felt her presence.

Why did she follow him? What now does she want?

He hissed in frustration.

"What do you want, Sophia?"

Sophia's smile twisted. ”You are a sorry excuse, Deigo; I never loved you. I was blinded by your piety for you, and I also had hope that someday you’d finally live up to your potential and make money, but no, always leaching off me and my family... Cut the act, Deigo; I know you stole money from me before you left. I am not going to ask you to give it a try; don’t you worry, but you should know that no amount of effort will you make to keep this job; I will make sure you perish and come down to your knees begging me to take you back... I will rip you off any source of happiness or contentment; will make your life a living hell, Deigo." She breathes, her eyes holding so much disgust and meanness.

Deigo was stunned by her words; each word of hers was a reminder of how much of a failure he was to have broken the rules for Sophia.

Deigo's expression hardened.

"You used me, Sophia, you—-," he trails off.

.

Sophia's voice rose.

"You were just a means to an end. And when you became useless, I let you go, Deigo. You don’t belong in a world that holds so much power and wealth; your status doesn’t fit here, so I am going to give you a choice to walk away and never show your disgusting face, or do what I intend to do."

Her words cut deep.

Deigo's fists clenched.

Sophia's eyes sparkled maliciously.

“I fucking dare you, Sophia,” he says, his veins popping out in fury.

Just then Sophia burst into sobs, her body shuddering as she wailed, “Somebody help, help me please,” she cried out.

Deigo’s eyes narrowed in confusion before he knew it. Benjamin and the other members of the meeting walked out in concern.

She ran towards Benjamin. “He tried to assault me. He is a monster!" She cried out clutching Benjamin’s hands.

Deigo's face darkened.

“He what!?” Benjamin launches at Deigo, cutting him off guard.

He tried throwing punches at Deigo, but he missed. Deigo held him by the neck, tackling him to the ground, and he was on top.

Marcus interrupted, peeling Deigo off of Benjamin before he disfigured his face.

“Calm down, man,” he muttered to Deigo’s hearing.

Deigo is too enraged and irritated.

“I want them out of here,” he mumbled back before walking away, leaving Marcus to deal with them.

Marcus burst into Deigo's office, slamming the door.

Deigo is attracted by the large wall to the ceiling glass that allows him to see the landscape of the city, his hands dipped in the pocket of his slacks and thousands of thoughts running through his head.

Sophia’s words got to him as he recalled how she had fired at him like he was beneath her, even though her thoughts have her believing that, regardless, no human deserves to be treated like crap.

"Deigo, what's going on?" Marcus demanded cutting him out of his train of thought.

Deigo looked up from his shoulder, his jawline hardening, his nose flaring, his expression grim.

"Sophia's pushing her luck," Deigo said.

Marcus paced around the room.

"That's exactly what I'm talking about. You're letting her get to you. She doesn’t fucking deserve a tiny bit of your attention, anger precisely. You need to make her see that she is nothing, never was and never will be." Marcus growled out in frustration, trying to make his friend understand, but who was he kidding?

It felt almost impossible to do that.

Deigo's eyes narrowed.

"She’s not getting to me." He protested even though he knew deep down he was, which fuelled his annoyance even more.

Marcus stopped in front of Deigo.

“Fuck you, man! You can’t fucking lie to me; I know you better than anyone, and if there is any crap bothering you, I’d know, so don’t try to argue; it’s not going to work.” He hisses in frustration.

Deigo shrugs.

"Fine. If you want to deal with them all at once, then do it. But if not, stick to the plan. Lay low, you had me on this; don’t mess things up for us; if we are going to get to this, then let’s do it accordingly before the whole plan goes down the drail."

Deigo's jaw clenched.

"I've had enough of hiding; I want to ruin them so badly, but I can’t. It is fucking angers me," he hisses in frustration.

Marcus's voice rose.

"Think about the consequences! You're not just risking yourself but the company. You will be meeting the board of supernaturals five months from now—" He paused.

Deigo's gaze locked onto Marcus as he reminded him of the mission he had next. He had almost forgotten that he had to gather enough information about the INFERNO, and so far he had nothing to give; he had lost focus on the main mission and believed he was in love.

"I know what I'm doing."

Marcus sighed.

"Remember, Deigo, I'm trying to help you."

Deigo nodded.

“You can do this, whatever this is... You meant to keep your past aside and focus on what we have in hand,” Marcus advises, to which he nods.

Marcus lets out a sigh, rubbing on his temples. Exhaustion is evident in his tune.

“Sorry Man… for losing my cool. It's just...my father's been messing up big time; he is at it yet again, and it’s fucking frustrating.” He sneered his jawline tightening.

Deigo's eyes narrowed. "What's going on? What did he do now?” He questions knowing that Marcus’s father was a fucked up greedy man that never seems to have enough.

Marcus took a deep breath.

"He gambled Rachel away." He drops.

Deigo's face darkened, shock evident in his tune.

He has always known Marcus’s father to be ignorant, but he never expected him to go this far; it was absurd.

"What?" He snapped.

Marcus's voice cracked. “And Rachel doesn’t even know about it... I had her moved to one of the penthouses before he got to her. He sold her to...” he paused.

“Yes?” Deigo urges him to go on and let him know who Rachel was sold to.

“Darius Franklin,” he announces.

Franklin?

Benjamin Darius Franklin.

Fucking Benjamin’s father.

"That's why I want Rachel to move in with you. She's not safe. Please do this one favor for me. I don’t even want her finding out about the situation; don’t know how to break the news to her."

Deigo felt a surge of rage mixed with a hint of protectiveness. It reminded him of the day he had saved her in the club and how attractive he found her.

Making him curse under his breath.

"Go on."

Marcus's eyes pleaded.

"Deigo, I know you are the only one who can protect her. I trust you with her."

Deigo's hands balled into a fist, his anger directed at her father for selling her off like she was a piece of an item.

"Continue."

Marcus's words spilled out.

"Father's debts are crippling. He's losing everything. Rachel's the last pawn; she still believes he would change, and the only reason he is like this is because of Mum, and she’s trying to be there for him."

Deigo's anger boiled.

"I'll take care of it," Deigo growled.

Marcus's face contorted. “Leave my father to me; just focus on my babysitting; I will handle him myself,” he says, knowing Deigo’s anger could get in the way and he may end up killing his father, which Rachel won’t find funny.

"Please, Deigo. Keep Rachel safe."

Deigo's expression softened.

"I promise, Marcus."