A\N: Hello dear readers,
Again, I want to thank all of you for reading and following this story. I also want to thank, very deeply, each one of you who took the time to leave a review or a comment. I read each one of them with such excitement and gratitude. They either surprised me (don't worry, it's in a good way) or made me smile genuinely. I find all this very amazing, to be able to be in touch with you, chapter after chapter.
I know the last two chapters were full of emotions (not always in a good way) but I hope I can take you on a couple more roller coaster rides in the upcoming ones.
Bonne lecture à tous et à toutes and please review. Thank you!
XXXXX
Dyson arrived at the mansion and parked his car between the charcoal classic Aston Martin DB5 and the ruby red DBS Superleggara, two of his father's favorites. There were a small collection of them; his dad had always been a die-hard fan of this iconic luxury British sports car manufacturer.
Dyson stepped out of his Mercedes-Benz convertible Roadster and looked inside the classic DB5. He remembered his teenage self being hugely excited when he once sat in the driver seat and took the legendary 007's car for a ride around town with Rainer. Only to be grounded by his father when he found out his sons had touched his precious collectible asset. Today though, he could take it anytime, and he had, once or twice.
Walking up to the house entrance, he briefly relived the day they moved into this mansion when his father needed a bigger house to meet his needs: a luxurious man cave, a bigger home office, a larger pool and a vast yard to park and store his car collection and of course, a bigger bathtub and walk-in closet for his wife's shoes and purses to keep her happy. The only thing missing was a view on a lake.
He was greeted at the lobby by the house maid to whom he nodded before walking up the stairs to the wide corridor leading to the small office at the end of the hallway. The main office was located on the main floor but the smaller one overlooked the yard and the cars. It was by far his father's preferred room.
Jack Hades was at the bar cabinet, pouring cognac into a glass. He did not see Dyson standing in the doorway right away as he was enjoying the first sip of his Louis Royer XO. That brand was actually one of the cheapest bottles Jack had in his office bar. It was only when he turned to sit in his comfy, hand-made sheepskin leather armchair that he noticed his oldest son patiently waiting for him to acknowledge his presence.
"Dyson! How long have you been standing there?"
"Not long, I was just watching you savoring your favorite brandy." Dyson responded with a smile and watched his dad walking back to the cabinet to pour another glass and offered it to him. "Thanks." He took a seat at his father's desk and a sip from the glass. "How was your trip?"
"Wonderful!" the man exclaimed as he sat comfortably in his armchair. He slowly crossed his legs, making himself even more comfortable in his own office and he continued, "How else could it be? I was there with whom I needed to be with, where I needed to be, I went to places I needed to go and saw what I needed to see." He smiled and winked at his son, showing all the wrinkles that had really set in during the last decade or so.
Dyson chuckled, "That sounds like the perfect trip."
"How is it going at the office? Your brother didn't gamble and jeopardize the company's reputation, did he?"
Dyson chuckled again, "No, I watched him" he said sarcastically. "Dad, you only left for two weeks by the way. Nothing could have had happened." He took another sip, "Talking about Rainer, he will probably have something to announce you soon." Seeing his dad inquisitive look, he added, "I'll leave that to him to do it himself."
The older man didn't insist. It was probably nothing important. Otherwise Dyson would have had already told him.
Then, Dyson asked the question, "Dad, you remember when you told me about all the difficulties you and uncle Lachlan had with the company at the beginning? I mean, I know about the audits and the Securities and Exchange Commission requests but…was there anything else beside the financial problems during that period?"
There was a moment of silence. Jack sipped on his cognac, then looked up at Dyson and stared at him. "I don't know what you are talking about son. We had problems back then and…we did what we had to do to fix it."
His father's answer did not quite satisfy him. On the contrary, it made Dyson all the more curious. He took a brief moment to carefully choose his words, "I'm talking about things or events you may have…omitted to tell me. Like when the VP…"
"Well, well! Isn't it my favorite stepson paying us a visit?" A voice cut Dyson off.
The stepson turned to the dark hair woman standing at the door. "How are you Evony? I see the two weeks of vacation got you some tan."
"Thank you for noticing Dyson. I worked hard to get this exact tone. And to answer your question, I am the happiest woman right now as I've recently become Mrs. Jack Hades Thornwood and went on the most memorable honeymoon in Monaco." Evony said with her trademark smile. A wicked one. One that always seemed to bear certain malice.
She walked over to her husband, sat on his laps and leaned in to give him a long, long kiss.
Dyson looked away. He didn't need to witness this intimate moment between his dad and his new wife. But it was no surprise Dyson had to see that given it was Evony. She wouldn't even give a damn if the Pope was in the room.
Every gesture the woman did, every word the woman said seemed to have a wicked purpose. Astonishingly, she didn't even try to hide it. Well known for her sarcasm, she had always cleverly communicated her intentions.
And those intentions, Dyson saw them since day one, when Jack introduced her to him and Rainer three years ago. His father had had introduced to them two or three women who were seriously mad about the idea of becoming the new Mrs. Thornwood, but they had all ended up disappointed. His father never kept those women in his life more than a year. It may had been because he needed some challenge. He had found that with Evony. However, Jack had made her wait this long because he wanted her to prove that she wanted him more than his money, and power. But nobody would ever deny that she was in for the money, and power. His father included.
Maybe it was the same vibe he got from his brother's new lady. Her smile, her eyes were telling him something, hiding some sort of malice. She could be the perfect evil in disguise. More perfect, and more evil than his step-mother.
Dyson couldn't let that feeling go. Moreover, the discussion they had at the table the other night only confirmed his suspicions on her real intentions. He had no proof of any bad intention from her part and he couldn't really explain anything either, but she had way to much interest in Morpheus firm. And she was being too insistent in her tone, which he didn't quite like. But asking questions about his family business did not automatically make her questionable. No, it was how intense she became. He felt the answers he gave and the way he responded had roused her rage that almost made her loose self-control. Her cheeks had flushed with ire and her eyes had glowed with, what he could have had sworn, blue lightning toward him.
Dyson was the kind of person who would go straight to the point so he could seal the deal without wasting to much of his time. Thus, he didn't talk much in general if it was to say anything important, but he was very observant. And he had observed her. All night. And he didn't like what he had seen of her, what he had heard from her and how he had felt about her.
However, as much as he distrusted her, that woman had managed to put a doubt in his mind about his family's business. And about his father. Now, he needed to find out about the accuracy and veracity of his father's words, about some specific events.
Dyson got up, cleared his throat to remind his presence to Jack and Evony. "I'll leave you two to enjoy the rest of the day alone. I have to run some errands anyway." He put his empty glass on the desk, "Dad, I'll see you at the office."
As he left the mansion and got into his car, he couldn't shake off the feeling that his father was hiding something from him.
xxxxx
The man stood by the window, staring through at the lights of the Spanish founded old city, once captured by the British before being returned on to Spain in 1763 with the Treaty of Paris.
Holding an old-fashioned glass in his hand and a cigar in the other, he contemplated the view. A view he had accustomed himself to the past few years.
He puffed on his cigar, hold the smoke in his mouth longer than he usually did, then blew it out, mixing the smoke with fresh air coming in through the opened window. Then, he took a sip of his rum.
He sighed.
And he remembered.
He remembered he had wanted to do this for over twenty years; be able to blow the smoke of the country's finest cigar and sip at the country's finest rum without the feeling of guilt. A burden he had carried over from his successful career to his semi-retirement. A feeling that had plagued him for twenty-two years. He remembered he had attempted to ignore it, then, to suppress it. It had all failed. He had even tried to escape it by moving to this country, to this city and start a new life eight years ago. The feeling wouldn't leave him.
His action back then, or lack of action thereof thanks to his cowardice, had led to fatal consequences. But instead of repentance, he had accepted the hush-money, in the form of a promotion. Of many promotions. A curse in disguise he had probably deserved, as just when he had thought he could get over these heavy feelings of shame and guilt after all these years, that he could finally turn the page, the past had come catching up on him.
He turned and looked at the laptop sitting on the executive wood desk in cherry cobblestone, displaying the unexpected and unwanted email.
Or maybe, admittedly, it was expected. It should have been.
Then, he turned back to the window, puffed once more on his cigar, blew the smoke, took another sip of his drink, and went back, deep into his reflection.
xxxxx
The joke made Kenzi laughed hard, but it didn't seem to have had any effect on Bo at all. Bo hadn't moved an inch since they sat their bum on the couch fifteen minutes ago.
Kenzi turned her eyes away from the TV and looked at her friend. "What's wrong Bo? You have been pretty quiet and looked agitated all weekend."
Bo sighed, "It's already Monday night, and I haven't heard from Lauren since…since that morning. I left her a zillion of messages and texts."
"Hmm" Kenzi thought of the best thing to say. She didn't find any. "Maybe she's called and you missed it." She suggested.
"Nope! No missed call. None from Lauren's phone number or from any other unknown number. Nothing."
"Oh." Kenzi took a few seconds to think again and with a serious tone in her voice she said, "Maybe she met Fade…you know, Cupid's evil twin."
"What? Who? What are you talking about?" Bo asked with a confused look on her face.
"Maybe the interest is beginning to fade, that the spark isn't there anymore…and she's ghosting you?" Kenzi explained her theory, all the while, expecting a strong reaction from her friend.
"What! NO!" her hands raised on each side of her face as if it was the biggest non-sense she had heard in her life. "WHO would want to ghost me? Lauren has no reason to do that! That morning she left with the biggest smile on her face. She looked happy and cheerful and…in love!"
"Well…actually Bo, that was YOU! Look, I know it's a big blow to you and your giant succubus ego…but there is no other explanation for her to go radio silence on you like this."
"That's just impossible Kenz! There was something special between us. We had something…we had such…chemistry. I wasn't looking then, but I found her. That night…that night, we found each other." Bo emptied her wine glass in one long swallow. "There is no way I'm going to just pretend nothing happened between us. She's not going to just vanish on me like this. I...I don't get it at all! I need some explanation."
"If you say so Bo. But just so you know I'm not going over there again, look for her and try to talk her into…"
"Talk her into what? Where…over there?" Bo cut her off, and asked a little confused.
"Oh…Uh...you need more wine?" Kenzi got up, realizing she had said too much, and fled to the kitchen.
"Yes. Actually, I'll need the whole bottle."
xxxxx
How could you be so heartless?
How can you even live with yourself? Doing this to me?
Why?
I let down my guard, my walls, and let you in.
I let you in because you made me want to try to open up after all these years. To open up to YOU. Open up about my sad past as I relived it. I did so in the hope to finally turn the page and start a new chapter…with you.
With you in it.
Oh…how foolish have I been?!
You were so hard to resist to. I tried hard to. But hard wasn't enough. You had that something, something so powerful you could almost control people's mind and feelings with. You were so good, so convincing. I felt so powerless in your presence, under your bewitching gaze.
I was stupid, I fell for it. I gave in.
I had no clue. I didn't see what was coming at all.
I knew I was taking another chance at love, at life. I was aware it was a risk. I was still willing to give it a shot.
...I did not expect to feel so much pain...so early on.
I was probably just one of those. One of many others. A toy you desire, acquire, play with, and throw away for the next best thing that comes along. Or, you keep for when you feel like playing with again, when you're bored. Or worse, for when there is no better option?
I didn't see who it was from the back. But it was nobody I wanted to see. Tall, athletic built with neck length dark wavy hair. Was he an old flame? Or a secret lover? Or was he just a one night?...Actually, I don't care, I don't want to know.
But I saw you, so clearly, doing what you did.
My heart is crushed, and I'm still so sick to my stomach. I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't need any of that. Words cannot describe how I feel right now.
I've been hurt before but, in my entire life, nothing compares to what you've done. Nothing.
And no! I will not tolerate that you continue to make a fool of me. I will stay away from you as far as I can. It won't be easy to get over this, to forget the special connection, and strong feelings I had developed toward you as it felt so real, so palpable. So hard to believe it wasn't. But from now on I will focus on my other priorities. It will help. I will go back to my life…my life before you.
I will turn the page once again. But this time, I will lock the doors to my heart. Forever.
And you, Bo Dennis, I have nothing else to say to you and want nothing to do with you again.
EVER.