“I’ve got good news for you, boss. My crew finally got something on that evil chick.”
Jake quickly sat up, bumping his head on the rail of the upper bunk. “Ow!”
“Sorry,” said Hutch with a chuckle.
“This better be worth it, Orlando. What is it?”
“Check these out,” he said and handed a large envelope to Jake.
There were photos in it showing Athena getting out of exotic cars and entering a hotel. The photos seemed to have been taken on different days as her outfits and hairdo appeared different in them.
She was also photographed with a man that Jake didn’t recognize. Some of the photos were fuzzy but he could make out Athena’s face in them, especially the ones where she was kissing the guy and he was getting handsy with her.
“So what? She has a boyfriend. What’s that got to with me?” He asked, unimpressed.
“Her boyfriend is a top
“This is James Fitch. He’s going to be your new lawyer,” Margot informed Jake during her next visit. It was five days after their secret meeting in the staff kitchen.“Hi, nice to meet you,” he greeted the sharp-looking guy.“It’s my pleasure,” said James. He was a tall, lean man who looked like a runway model instead of a lawyer.“James has never lost a case in his ten-year career,” Margot said proudly. “If there’s anyone who can do an excellent job of convincing heaven and earth of your innocence, it’s him.”James chuckled modestly. “You flatter me too much.”“It’s the truth,” she replied.“Well, I feel much better now,” Jake admitted.They got down to the nitty-gritty of their meeting and James walked Jake through the process and how his case would be presented in court. Even though they had the judge in the
“Forbes has released a new list of the wealthiest men in the world and you’re on it,” said Gregory, Jake’s PA.“I see. Which position did they put me in?”“Number 5. You’re the fifth wealthiest man in the world. I’m surprised you’re not number 1 already because you’re practically a trillionaire.”“Wipe your lips, Greg,” said Vincent, Margot’s son.Gregory scrubbed his lips with the back of his hand and then checked it. “There’s nothing there.”“Oh, really? I could have sworn I saw a track of poop on your lips from all that ass-kissing you were doing just now.”Gregory frowned. Jake didn’t find that comment funny either.“I was simply informing the boss about the accolades he’s receiving for his hard work,” said Gregory.“Well, thanks for the info. You can leave now,” said Vi
“Your bad temper will be your undoing, Jake. There are better ways to handle such situations.”“I simply did what needed to be done. I was protecting my child from your paedophile son!”“That’s what you say but it’s your word against his since he’s in no position to even speak and defend himself right now.”“There were witnesses, Margot. He even knocked out the nanny and forced his way into my daughter’s room. You should be grateful that I’m not pressing charges against him. Trust me, you don’t have enough strings to pull to get him out of jail if I report this.”“There’ll be no need for that,” Margot said calmly. “I only wish you could have reached out to me first before bashing my son brutally the way you did. He’s barely alive.”“Oh, well…”“I promise you, he’ll be on his best behaviour whe
Louisa quit her job that afternoon after her lunch with Jake. He had her driven to her hostel where she went to pack all of her things and went to stay with him at the hotel.They spent two days together before they flew to Jersey in his private jet. Louisa literally cried during the ride because it was the most iconic moment of her life.Once they arrived in the city, he rented a 3-bedroom house for her and furnished it to her taste. It became his second home because he didn’t want Louisa to live with him in his villa. He wasn’t ready to introduce her to Victoria just yet.He enrolled her in the best culinary school in the city and she thanked him all night after her first day in school. Jake felt fulfilled and he glowed with health.Athena’s case went to trial and he clinked champagne glasses with Louisa as he watched her sentencing on the news. All of her powerful friends had deserted her and she was looking like a shadow of herself a
Once Margot informed Jake of Vincent’s funeral date, he scheduled an overseas business trip for that day and sent her a bouquet with an apology note for his absence.Things pretty much went back to normal after that. He never heard from Louisa again and after her lease expired, she moved back to Minnesota having completed her culinary training.Jake gave up on getting into another romantic relationship, so instead, he dated more frequently with no strings attached.“Japan is calling again,” Gregory informed him one afternoon.“That merger is giving me ulcers,” Jake complained. “What more do they want?”“Haiko Motors reps claim that there’s a clause in the contract that gives Turner Group full control of the dealership after the third year. I’ve sent this to our legal team and they said it’s merely for the sake of a contingency. The Japanese aren’t buying it.”&ldqu
“You were wrong, boss. It wasn’t the Mendicis, it’s someone else,” Rex said smugly as he strolled into Jake’s office two weeks after the ship incident.He’d been running a covert investigation into the situation with the help of his Serbian crew.“Really? Then who was it then?”“Patrick Sawyer.”“Never heard of him.”“He was a member of The Association.”“Are you serious? How come the name doesn’t ring a bell?”“He wasn’t a top-tier member.”“I see. What’s his deal?”“He owns a chain of perfume stores across the country. He once dabbled into the shipping business back in the day but it didn’t work out for him.”“What has that got to do with me and mine? I don’t even know the guy. Why would he attack me?”“My sources say he h
“Sir, there’s someone here to see you,” said Nancy from the front desk.“Does he have an appointment?” Jake asked.“No, sir but I have already informed him that he can’t see you without an appointment.”“And?”“He has refused to leave.”“What’s his name and what does he want?”“He said his name is Orlando and he knows from the…” her voice faded away as she seemed to be speaking to someone else off the phone.“Nancy?”“Yes, sir. He said he knows from the slammer. He said you’d understand.”“Orlando from the slammer…?”“Yes, sir. That’s what he said.”“Describe him.”“He is caucasian, probably mid-thirties, tall, muscular, bald, with a pencil-thin beard and lots of tattoos on his neck and arms.”&ld
It was New Year’s Eve and Jake was in the mood for a fresh start. He didn’t want to go into another year with the emotional baggage he’d been dragging around for a few weeks now.He decided to host a small dinner at his villa with Margot as his special guest. He’d thought she would turn down his invitation but was pleasantly surprised when she agreed to show up.When she did, his butler brought her to the dining room where he was waiting for her. She was dressed in a cyan silk dress and a fur stole was draped across her shoulders.She was covered in dazzling jewellery and looked like a character from the Great Gatsby movie. He could see the suspicion in her eyes as they greeted each other but he forced himself to act cheerful and oblivious.“Thank you for accepting my invitation,” he said warmly.“Why not? I’ve been locked up in my house like a prisoner since Vincent’s death. I’m not going