Claire swallowed nervously as Arnold passed her a scalding look and then turned to her husband to stare at him too. "I'm willing to help the Oscar family on one condition," he said. "Can we hear you already?" Bryan asked impatiently. He was growing weary of the tricks the man was trying to play on them. He could already guess that he was going to say something really stupid. It was pointless wasting his time too while at it. "What's the matter? Can't you be a little patient with our guest?" Maxwell asked him with a cold voice. Bryan crossed his hands and leveled him with a stare that could have frozen him on the spot. He didn't say anything else as Arnold began to speak. "It's not going to be such an easy task trying to find who did this. I mean, they must have gone very far by now and there's little or no clues at all," he said. "We all know that, that's why I said you shouldn't stress. There's a lot of work involved and you might just be able to help," Claire said. Praying inw
Benjamin sat on the adjourning chair, they were both in his private office. Bryan hadn't been able to sleep a wink the previous night, not after all that Maxwell had said. "Have my wife for a week?" He asked out loud again and the more he said it, the less it made sense to him. How could they even think of something so absurd. And most importantly, how could grandfather Maxwell agree to it knowing all too well that Bryan was married to his granddaughter and would feel bad about such arrangements. "Calm down, Bryan, you're sounding like he's asking to have her in bed for the next week," Ben said and chuckled. He couldn't help being amused at his friend's rage. "It might as well be for all I care. How could you disrespect me like that! I have the means to teach that idiot a lesson that he won't forget in a hurry!" He snapped. Benjamin slowed him down, he raised a hand above his head and reminded him that he couldn't begin to mess with family politics. "How about you look at it this
Bryan listened to his wife's shocked silence. She began to stammer for a short while and then she sighed heavily. "What is this really for?" She asked. "There's been an invasion in the family, Claire. Why do you still have to ask why we need security?" Bryan inquired. "Bryan, I know that you're not that concerned with what happened," Clairw replied. Although Bryan could see her, he was very sure that she had to be rolling her eyes as she made that statement. "When will you realize that I don't have to fawn over everyone for you to know that I care about your family. If not for anything, but because you are my wife, I can't let any hurt come to you," he stated. "I know that, Bryan, what do you really want me to do? Do you even think I can do it?" "I just need you to sign the contract, I'll take care of the rest," Bryan replied. Claire still wasn't certain about what was going on. "What's this about? I thought grandfather Maxwell was going to handle all this," she replied. "Why
Bryan stepped out of the car and onto the familiar driveway of his family's home. It had been a few days since he last set foot in this place, and the memories that flooded his mind were far from pleasant. Left for him, Bryan wouldn't have stayed to see his Uncle too soon. But it was like a siren call, beckoning to him. He took a deep breath, bracing himself for the confrontation that was to come.As he entered the house, he was met with the sarcastic smile of his aunt, Tess. "Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in. The prodigal son returns," she said, her voice dripping with disdain. "I didn't think you'd have the nerve to show your face around here again."Bryan ignored her jibe, his eyes scanning the room for any sign of his uncle. "Where's Uncle Williams?" he asked with a cold tone. Tess snorted. "Oh, you mean the man who took you in and fed you when your own parents couldn't be bothered? The man you repaid by abandoning him and your brother? He's in the study, waiting fo
Bryan followed Uncle Williams through the garden, the scent of blooming flowers and fresh earth filling his nostrils. They reached a small clearing, where Jenkins, the old gardener, was tending to a bed of roses. Jenkins looked up, his weathered face creasing into a surprised expression.“Jenkins," Bryan called out first to the old man who had a pair of sheaves in hand and a small watering can. “Bryan?" The old man asked with wide eyes. "It's me, old man,” Bryan said warmly and chuckled. "Bryan! I hadn't expected to see you again so soon!" Jenkins exclaimed, his voice gruff but warm.Bryan smiled, feeling a sense of ease wash over him. "Jenkins! It's great to see you again. I was just in the neighborhood and thought I'd drop by."Jenkins' eyes narrowed slightly, as if sizing Bryan up. "Well, well, well. Look at you, all grown up. I remember when you were just a lad, running around the garden, getting into mischief."Uncle Williams watched the exchange with interest, a hint of a smi
Bryan felt a mix of emotions as he drove away from the Horace estate. His conversation with Jenkins had left him with more questions than answers, but he was grateful for what little sense of hope that their discussion had awakened in him. The uncertainty surrounding his brother's disappearance still lingered, but he felt a sense of determination wash over him. He was one step closer to uncovering the truth, and he was determined to find out more and at the shortest time possible. As he arrived at Ace Security Services, a sense of purpose settled in. He had arranged to meet with one of his sources, a reliable informant who had promised to provide valuable insights into the robbery that had occurred at his family's estate. Bryan's mind raced with possibilities as he entered the office. He was eager to gather any information that could lead him to Josiah.With a deep breath, he approached the reception desk and introduced himself. The receptionist greeted him warmly and led him to the
John had just named his price and showed how corrupt he really was. . "Half a million," he repeated, his voice steady.John nodded, his expression unyielding. "That's the price, Bryan. Take it or leave it."Bryan hesitated for a moment, weighing his options. But he knew he had to get his hands on that information. He pulled out his phone and opened the banking app, his fingers flying across the screen as he initiated the transfer."It's done," he said, his eyes locked on John's.John's face split into a wide smile, his eyes gleaming with greed. "Excellent," he said, his voice dripping with satisfaction.He turned to the cabinet behind his desk, his fingers rifling through the files until he found the one he was looking for. He pulled it out, a thick folder bulging with papers, and handed it to Bryan."This contains everything you need to know about Josiah," he said, his voice low and conspiratorial. "His current whereabouts, his recent deals, his associates... it's all in there."Brya
Bryan woke up with a start, his eyes blurry and his mind foggy. He was lying on a mess of papers and documents, his notes and research scattered all over the bed. He rubbed his eyes, trying to clear the haze, and sat up slowly.He looked around the room, taking in the chaos that was his workspace. Papers were scattered everywhere, some torn and crumpled, others marked up with notes and highlights. His laptop was open, the screen still glowing with the words he had been typing before he dozed off.Sighing, he swung his legs over the side of the bed, planting his feet firmly on the ground. He stood up, stretching his arms and back, and made his way to the bathroom.As he was about to move to the shower, he decided to play a call to his wife, Claire. She answered on the first ring, her voice bright and cheerful."Hey, Bryan! How's it going?""Not great," Bryan replied, his voice low and serious. "We have less than four days to find the intruder who invaded the Oscar family house."There