Chapter 54: Second chance at love
"Interesting wife you got there, Oliver." His unexpected guest commented as he followed him into his private office after having dinner with his family. "But I get it. A woman like Sophia is exactly my type." Openly admitting his admiration with his wife.
It was clear to him that this might not be the first time that his cousin had met his wife. The way his wife and his cousin talked animatedly, it was obvious that they had some form of history.
But he did not want to give his cousin the satisfaction of rubbing that on his face by asking him any questions about their past relationship.
"How long will you be staying in town, Aaron?" He asked without looking at him as he busily poured his favorite brand of whiskey into two glasses.
No need to look, he knew that his cousin would be wearing that same smug smile on his face. The same arrogance that exuded confidence, power, and influence. The kind that said he was not beneath him, even if his position ranked lower than his.
Since he could remember, he and Aaron had been competing all their lives. From the day they were born, every accomplishment had become a testament to who was the best.
From who walked first, who uttered the first word, to who had the best grades, and who got the most medals.
It was a constant battle until he decided that he never wanted it in the first place. He had never wanted the throne, nor the crown, nor the huge responsibility.
The day he walked out of his family, they thought Aaron had finally won. He would surely be the next CEO and Mafia Don.
"Oliver! Are you just going to give up everything? Throwing away your entire future? The Morton family name?" He remembered his father’s words when he walked out of their home, carrying everything he needed in just one bag.
Just like him, Aaron also had a claim to the Morton crown since his mother was his father’s younger sister. Therefore, if Maximus didn’t produce a suitable heir, Aaron would have a right to inherit everything.
Everybody knew that if anyone would benefit from his disappearance, it was his cousin. Aaron would have a strong claim since his brother, Benjie, was still young. And in the Morton family, girls had no right to the CEO or the Don position. That eliminated Marianne from the list of contenders.
Unfortunately, women in the Morton family were often used as bargaining chips in business deals. A fate that Marianne would suffer when she came of marrying age.
"I just got back, and you seem ready to ship me off already." His cousin jokingly said as he joined him at his office, taking his offered glass.
As one of his Capos, in charge of their overseas operations, Aaron rarely traveled back home unless he had urgent matters to discuss in person. A delicate piece of information that he could not say over the phone or entrust to anyone.
Other than that, the only reason he would be here would be for personal or family purposes.
"If you have something to say, spill it, Aaron." He composedly said, not wanting his presence to affect his mood. "I don’t have all day."
But, too late, he knew that his temper was barely bubbling to the surface. A slight trigger could easily set him off. Then, all hell would break loose.
"So, touchy, My Don. I was merely making conversation." Aaron cooly said, clearly entertained by his barely contained annoyance. But the murky shadows in his eyes told him that he also had other things on his mind.
"Unless my wife is the motive of your abrupt visit, then go ahead, let’s talk about her." He sarcastically replied, putting his empty glass on the counter with a thud.
Fuck it! Get a hold of yourself.
The last thing he wanted was to lose control in front of him and give him any ammunition that he could use against him.
"Okay, fine, My Don." The mockery in his tone was subdued, but it was there. "Let’s get down to business." Aaron finished his drink and placed his glass gently on his desk. Before he took the vacant chair in front of him.
"Words on the street, someone is buying the Morton shares," Aaron said. "Moreover, there are movements lurking in the shadows. Someone wants your head on a spike."
That was not new.
Many of his competitors would do anything to snatch his slice of the market, whether it be his legitimate business or not. As long as he stayed on top, somebody would want to pull him down.
Unfortunately, the best way to take him down was to eliminate him completely.
"Is that all? Don’t tell me that you came all the way here just to tell me that." He hated it when people wasted his time on nonsense unless his cousin could supply him with more substantial evidence.
Besides, as far as he was concerned, he might not need to look far for the mastermind. Aaron could be behind all this for all he knew.
His cousin might be the one who was spreading all these rumors to destabilize his company. Then, he could also be responsible for putting a bounty on his head while disguising himself as his loyal associate.
"I know what you’re thinking. But no! As much as my family wants you at the bottom of a ditch, I’m not the one pulling all these strings." Aaron seemed to have read his thoughts.
Of course, it was only natural that he would be his first suspect. After all, he was the first one who would benefit once he was dead.
But his cousin was right, too. He had no right to judge him since he had no evidence. Besides, they might have been archrivals when they were young, but he had not seen any reason yet to doubt his loyalty.
Still, he was not letting his guard down when it came to this man, especially when his cousin was showing interest in his wife.
Damnit! Was he actually jealous?
His fingers fisted on his sides as he pictured his wife smiling at this man’s jokes. Of course, he only wanted Sophia for himself.
"Then, what the hell are you doing here?" He was almost running out of patience. He needed something, not just hearsay.
"That’s why I’m here, Oliver," Aaron steadily said, sounding serious and determined. Gone from his face was the mischievous smile. "I followed the lead in the Morton Headquarters."
Aaron inserted his hand in his pocket and produced a folded file. Then, he tossed it in his direction.
"What’s this?" He asked before unfolding the papers.
When he scanned the five-page documents, he saw a series of numbers, codes, and some corresponding amounts that ranged from thousands to hundreds of thousands.
It had amounted to more than tens of millions of dollars in the span of three years.
"Do you know who has been stealing from our company?" He asked, both angry and disappointed with himself.
For three years, the culprit had run free in his own backyard. Creating havoc in his company under his nose.
That was unacceptable.
"Well, so far, we just recently traced the source here. But we still need to investigate further to catch the actual thief." Aaron told him. "I want to report to headquarters starting tomorrow so I can look closely around for any anomalies."
Honestly, his cousin’s suggestion was a good idea. Besides being an expert with the ladies, his cousin was good at gaining people’s trust with his easy-going boy-next-door charm.
Like a snake charmer, he just had to stare his prey with those alluring eyes and say some captivating words, then he would have his next victim dancing to his tune.
"I’ll give you a week." That was the most he could allow his cousin to snoop into his business. "Better find the mole or you know the consequence." It was not a threat but a motivation.
Although he still had to find a reason to doubt his cousin’s trustworthiness, commitment, and devotion to the Morton Group, the Cartel, and to him, he was not trusting him completely either.
After all, Aaron Genairo, his cousin, could still be behind all of this.
The evening ended with him meeting with his men in the bunkhouse just at the north side of the mansion. It was slightly far from the mansion for anyone to overhear their conversations. A convenient place for a private gathering.
"Ryan, I want Aaron’s movement and access to the company monitored." He instructed his assistant to put someone on his cousin twenty-four-seven. "I want to know who he talks to, where he went, what he ate, and even when he shits."
"Where is Jacob?" He finally asked, wondering why his friend was missing from the meeting.
"I believed he went to meet with Dr. Bennett, but hasn’t returned yet," Ryan reported to him.
His friend did mention earlier that he would be stopping by the hospital, but that was hours ago.
At any rate, after discussing the rest of his plans with the men involved, he dismissed them. Then, he returned to the main house.
But it was late, as expected, he found his wife already sleeping on her side of the bed.
After taking off his clothes and changing into a pair of pajamas, he slipped into the covers but didn’t sleep immediately.
Instead, he stared at his wife, wondering if she was faking her sleep. But the even breathing and mild noise that was coming from her lips told him that she was indeed in deep slumber.
"What are you hiding from me, Sophia?" He whispered as he watched her closed eyes, her slim nose, and her slightly parted lips.
Since he had confessed that he wanted to make their marriage real, she had been avoiding him again.
Sophia literally froze when she heard his statement. And then, she made some damn excuse that she was tired and turned to her side of the bed, leaving him to take another cold shower.
Then, when he woke up, she was gone. The following days had been the same.
She always found an excuse to escape him. And he also had many reasons to stay out of her way.
Now, she looked so peaceful, he didn’t want to disturb her.
"Well, I can wait until you learn to love me." He whispered as he pulled her gently into his arms and cradled her head in between his collarbone and chest. "No matter how long it takes."
Was he actually falling in love with her?
Had he truly moved on from Amelia?
Maybe, he thought as he kissed her forehead before closing his eyes.
Perhaps, Sophia was indeed his second chance at love. His heart swelled at the possibility before darkness eventually consumed him, lulling him into a dreamless and peaceful night.
