The entire crowd was lost for words. Why would Jacob Harrington know a wretched live-in son-in-law like Alexander?
Every jaw in the banquet was dropped as Jacob Harrington gleefully came over to the bar.
“Alexander Chase, I wasn’t sure you’d make it,” he said, as he shook his hand firmly, ignoring everyone except, including Julian.
“Jacob Harrington,” Alexander greeted with a slight bow.
“Sir Harrington, do you know this man?” Julian stammered.
“Well, not as much as I would love to. Did you come with him?” Jacob replied.
“No, I didn’t,” he answered.
“Oh, that’s too bad. Oh, about the business contract with your family, do well to tell your father to consider it a done. Just a few more I’s and T’s to be dotted and crossed, and it’s a done deal.”
“Will do just that, Sir,” Julian replied, his entire body quivering with gratification.
“Now, Alexander, would you like us to chat, here or go somewhere else?” He said to Alexander, completely ignoring Julian once more.
Alexander took a glance around, the number of green eyes piercing at him, trying to find out what was going on. Even he had not the slightest clue what was going on.
“Anywhere but here would be nice,” he replied.
“Great,” Julian said as he ushered them to the mansion’s rooftop balcony.
...
“Nice view, isn’t it?” Jacob Harrington asked. The two young men were seated on the balcony of the mansion.
“Yeah, it is, but it doesn’t answer my question of why exactly I am here. Why was I invited, why did you invite me?” Alexander asked with confidence.
Jacob took another sip of his glass. “The Blue Moon Diamond.”
“What?”
“How were you able to discern that it was a fake?”
Alexander's mind journeyed through memories of the original blue diamond dangling across his mother’s neck as she ran through the Chase Mansion courtyard. The Blue Moon Diamond was her favorite gift from his father.
“I happen to know a thing or two about the blue diamond,” Alexander replied.
“Right, I myself, I’m a strong lover of those shining rocks. I planned to buy the blue diamond from Lady Lockwood after it was gifted to her. Well, that is before you shattered it to pieces and proved it was a fake, so you have my thanks.”
“I’m glad I was of help, but there is no need to thank me.”
“Nonsense. You accomplished in mere seconds what might have taken my diamond expert team weeks to do.”
“Then I’d advise you to change your team,” Alexander replied, causing Jacob to burst into laughter.
“You are funny,” he managed to say amid his heartfelt chuckles, leaving Alexander clueless and confused. He couldn’t recall trying to be funny.
“If you say so,” Alexander replied, taking a sip of his wine glass.
“You got brains, hands, and you tell a mean joke, you are definitely a keeper,” Jacob slipped out.
“I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I don’t quite follow,” Alexander replied.
“Oh, right, I haven’t gotten to that part yet,” he said as he rearranged his composure,
“Alexander, I am a man who knows a diamond in the rough when I see one. And Alexander, you are a diamond, one I’d love to keep for myself. What do you say, Alexander? How would you like to work for me as my assistant?” He said.
Jacob Harrington's offer hit Alexander like a vocal shock wave.
“Your assistant?” Alexander restated for confirmation.
“Yes.”
“But you already have an assistant,” Alexander replied, pointing over to Silvia who had been standing a few feet away from them the entire time.
“Yes, I do, but where is the law that says a man can’t have two assistants? Besides, it wouldn’t hurt to have one with sharp wits and can still pack a punch. No offense, Silvia,” he said.
“None taken, sir,” she replied.
“So, what do you say, Alexander?”
Alexander took a long pause before opening his mouth to speak.
“Sir…”
“Please call me Jacob or Jay for short. Well, that is until you take the job and start working for me,” Jacob Harrington injected.
“Jacob, thank you for your generous offer, but I am afraid I cannot work for you.”
“What!” Jacob screamed in shock, while his assistant murmured the same word to herself.
“Are you certain of this, Alexander? Are you sure you don’t just need some time to think it over?”
“Give me all the time in the world, and my answer will remain the same,” Alexander firmly answered.
“Come on, Alexander, I thought you were smart. Don’t tell me you plan on being a live-in husband for the rest of your life,” Jacob said.
Alexander remained quiet.
“Seriously!? Why would you want that? why would anyone want that?” Jacob continued.
Alexander took another long pause before replying again.
“Three years ago, my mother was diagnosed with severe colon cancer and needed an immediate colorectal resection. I had no money to save her. She was going to die in a matter of days if nothing was done, and that was when I met Luther Lockwood who saved my life.
He offered me a deal that I married his daughter, became her husband, and in exchange, he cleared my mother’s medical expenses. He saved my life and that of my mother’s, and for that, I have decided to be the most hundred percent loving and devoted husband Seraphina could ever ask for.”
“Wow,” Jacob paused. Alexander's words held reason, emotions, and core values in them. “I’m sorry I had no idea. How is your mother now?” He asked sincerely.
“She passed away about a year ago, but it is thanks to him I got the chance to spend the three whole extra years with my mother, and for that, I am grateful, and will do everything to honor my part of the deal, giving it my one hundred percent. Hence why I cannot accept your job offer.”
Jacob Harrington let out a long sigh. “Okay then, if that’s your resolve, I guess there’s nothing I can do or say that would change your mind, but if you do change your mind, my offer remains on the table.”
“I will do well to remember that, Jacob.”
“I will not be holding my breath, Alexander,” Jacob jested, causing them both to laugh.
“Friend?” Jacob said, raising his glass for a cheers.
Alexander let out a smirk. Tonight was playing out not how he had pictured it to play out.
“Friends,” Alexander replied, completing the cheers.
The newly acquainted friends sat and chatted for a couple more hours.
“I’m afraid it’s time for me to head home,” Alexander said, rising to his feet.
“Already?” Jacob queried.
“I’m afraid so,” he replied.
“Okay then, here is my card. If you are ever in need of a favor, don’t hesitate to call me,” Jacob Harrington said, handing him his business card.
“Okay,” Alexander replied and collected it. “Thank you for tonight.”
“It was my pleasure,” Jacob replied, as both men shook hands.
“See you around,” Jacob said as Alexander walked off.
Alexander smiled and waved back.
After Alexander had left, Silvia couldn’t hold it in anymore. The cat-killing curiosity in her was eating her up.
“Sir, I just don’t get it. You hardly consider anyone a friend. What about him is so special?”
Jacob Harrington took a long pause before responding. He rose from his seat with his champagne glass in his hand and walked to the edge of the balcony, catching a view of Alexander leaving the mansion.
“I wasn’t sure at first, but I am now,” Jacob said, partially lost in his thoughts.
“Sure of what, Sir?” Silvia asked, still curious as a button.
“He is him?”
“He is who, Sir?” She asked again.
“Alexander Chase is the mercenary that saved my sister’s life.”
As Alexander left the banquet, “Maybe they are not all the same after all” he thought to himself about his meeting with Jacob Harrington.The sky was pitch dark, and as he walked through the Billiard Maze Avenue. It was given its name due to its numerous corners intersections and dead ends synonymous with that of a maze. Alexander could feel that he was being followed so he turned around, and his suspicions were correct. He took the next turn to the left and lost his pursuer, but just after a few seconds, he saw another one. Quickening his pace, he took the next corner and the next, but with every turn he took there was always someone tailing him from behind or by the side until he was faced with a dead end. Alexander stood firm, and looked at the shadows behind him, he counted six of them. Alexander let out a loud sigh and said;“Before we get started, do any of you gentlemen want to walk away” he said in a cold still voice. His words sent shivers down their spine. He turned aroun
The next day, Alexander woke up a bit later than usual. His wife, Seraphina, had already left for work, and Caroline, his mother-in-law, must not have slept in at the house. If she had, Alexander would have surely been woken up with a rain of curses and beatings for sleeping a second longer than four hours.Starting his daily chores, Alexander, being a live-in house husband, embarked on his routine: cleaning, sweeping, arranging the house, and cooking. Amidst his tasks, he found a note on the table with folded cash beside it. "We are out of milk, go to the store and get some," it read. It had to be from Seraphina.Alexander swiftly cleaned up and dashed to the nearest supermarket. The sky was cloudy, and as he walked, he couldn't shake off the feeling of being followed yet again. This time, he halted abruptly."Exactly how long you do plan on stalking me?" he said.Suddenly, two men merged from the shadows behind him, and in a matter of seconds, he was surrounded by seven of them.“Ou
Looking down at the world from his top corner office, Wilson Monroe, the kingpin observed the societal hierarchy in its natural order: the poor cowering in fear, those of similar status getting along, and the wealthiest vying for the top spot. Everyone seemed to find their place without much effort.“Sir, we have a situation,” his assistant Vanessa's voice came through his earpiece.“What is it?” He inquired.“We just received word that the Floating Mary K9 has capsized and been destroyed,” she reported.“What happened?” The kingpin asked, puzzled.“We're yet to confirm, but it seems like tidal waves,” Vanessa replied.“Tidal waves?” The kingpin's disbelief was evident. The Floating Mary was a top container ship for Monroe Logistics; a simple tidal wave shouldn’t have been able to take it down.“Yes, Sir,” Vanessa confirmed.“Alright, calculate our losses and contact the insurance company,” Kingpin instructed.“Copy that, Sir.”Despite the loss of the Floating Mary, Monroe Logistics st
'The Fall of the Kingpin’ became the headline in every Pantheon Valley billionaire news outlet, media platform, and bulletin. The fall of the great Wilson Monroe and his multi-billion-dollar company was unprecedented and had never been seen before; it was termed the Black Swan of the century.Another unrelated news story flooded the Pantheon Valley media headlines was: Maverick Corporation's hundred-billion-dollar open contract to a construction company. Every construction-based corporation went on their toes, eager to make a move, pulling every string in thier guitar case to secure this contract. The Lockwood Family was one of them.Lady Charlotte Lockwood knew that collaborating with a company as big as Maverick's would open many doors for the entire family, increase Lockwood’s societal ranking, and elevate their family status. She called for an urgent family meeting at the Lockwood Mansion and sent out compulsory invitations to every available member of the Lockwood family, to bra
After a long first day at Maverick Cooperation, Alexander returned home in the evening. He would have stayed longer, but he had to accompany his wife to the Lockwood meeting. Entering the house, Alexander walked into a heated conversation between his wife, Seraphina, and her mother.“Alexander is a useless pauper of a husband who hasn't a single penny to his name and is of no good to you. Why wouldn’t you just divorce him? You are better offers,” her mother argued.“Mother, we've been over this. I have always had better offers, I always will, and I will always choose Alexander every single time,” Seraphina countered.“Alexander, where have you been? You were supposed to be back hours ago,” Seraphina asked.“I’m sorry, I got held up,” Alexander replied.“It’s fine, let’s go. We are already running late,” Seraphina urged.“Don’t you dare walk out on me, Alexander? You are going to divorce my daughter and allow her to marry Ethan Bishop, someone much more qualified to be her husband,” he
Every eye turned towards Seraphina. Her voice was the least expected to be heard.“Sit down, Seraphina. This is not the time for jokes,” Ariana retorted, causing the entire hall to burst into murmurs.Ariana’s words chipped away part of Seraphina’s confidence, but she remained firm.She cleared her throat and said,“I am very much aware of that, Ariana, but as Grandma said, the Lockwood family needs this contract, and unlike the spineless wimp that you are, I am willing to do what it takes to help us get it.”Alexander smirked excitedly at his wife's witty and snarky response.“How dare you talk to my wife that way?” Ezekiel, Ariana's husband, rose to his feet and yelled.Ezekiel, too, was a son-in-law of the Lockwoods, but he was the complete opposite of Alexander. He was valued and respected by the Lockwood family because he came from a relatively wealthy background. Although not nearly as wealthy as the Lockwoods, but wealthy enough to raise his voice in their meetings.“Your wife’s
Soon after, the meeting came to an end.“What the hell was that?” Seraphina screamed at Alexander as they drove home.“What the hell was what?” he replied, feigning cluelessness.“Don’t play dumb with me, Alexander. It’s bad enough I’ll be humiliated for not being able to get the contract. Now, thanks to you, I’ll be kicked out of the Lockwood family. How on earth am I supposed to explain this to my mother?” Seraphina ranted.“It’s going to be fine, trust me,” Alexander said, trying to comfort her.With instant shock, and anger written squarely on her face, she snapped, “Trust you? You want me to trust you, Alexander? Are you out of your mind? Why should I ever trust you? You’re nothing but a wretch forced on me by my father to get married to, and you expect me to trust you?”Her words were a tough pill for Alexander to swallow, but he understood that she was angry, and she had every right to be. Only he could see the full picture he was painting. It ached him that he couldn’t just ex
“Meet Ethan Bishop, Seraphina’s new husband.”Alexander could feel a sting to his every pressure point. He looked around the room until his eyes met Seraphina’s, hoping she would tell him her mother was joking, but instead;“We need to talk,” she said.That’s a phrase that has never been a good sign, anywhere in the world.Alexander followed Seraphina into their bedroom and closed the door shut behind them.Seraphina began by rubbing, locking, and intertwining her fingers in an awkward manner, making it obvious that she was about to drop a bombshell, one too heavy for her tongue to carry.“Is it true?” Alexander asked as he walked straight up to her face.“Firstly, I’m really sorry for kicking you out of the car and leaving you on the highway. I was just so angry at the time.”“I understood, apology accepted. Now answer me, Seraphina, is it true?” he asked.His voice was firm and authoritative. Seraphina had never heard him speak to her this way. She froze.“Seraphina,” he called to h