Never miss

Chapter Thirty-Three

‘Juliana needs to understand that I have invested in her so that she could fetch me more money. As she had already fetched me a lot from Donovan Thornfield, it is time now that she does the same with Davis. He is already apparently head over heels for her. It would be easy to get her to manipulate him and extort so much from him. If she doesn't comply, I will teach her a lesson like I always do.’

He knew it. Davis withdrew his hand from the handshake as a wave of nausea hit him at how disgusting Mr. Starkwood was.

He had suspected it right from when he partnered with them and helped them pay a supposedly high rate of debt. It was impossible for them to be so indebted to Donovan Thornfield unless there was something fishy.

He once heard the man’s thoughts but couldn't read them totally as they were interrupted back then and then, his thoughts shifted to something else.

Davis knew he only had to play along. He only needed to take some steps that would all lead to the series of events that would bring out that thoughts in Mr. Starkwood once again.

Every time he saw Theodore, the boy’s eyes were always trying to tell him something. Davis's magic ring had sharpened his senses. He picked up on slight changes in people and could analyze and deduce more proficiently now.

No matter what, he would get to the roots of this matter. However, for now, he would play along, dancing to Mr. Starkwood’s tunes.

.

They returned to the living room where they met all the other three members of the family. Juliana was also outside now but more covered.

“I hope you are not famished already, Mr. Montgomery?” She asked.

Davis shook his head. “Not at all, Mrs. Starkwood. Although, the scent of your signature herb-roasted chicken is inviting hunger in.”

“Well then, let's get to dine, shall we?”

They all headed to the dining table which was filled with a series of culinary dishes. After a short prayer, they all dived into their food.

The air was silent at first as Davis was still grappling with his new discovery. How all of his hunches came out to be correct was still a hard lump to swallow. Especially since he had to put up a straight face here.

Mrs. Starkwood broke the silence. "Mr. Montgomery," she cooed, patting his hand jovially since she sat close to him. “Are we ever going to receive an invitation to your grand wedding?”

Davis chuckled, brushing off the playful query. "Still single, Mrs. Starkwood. I am yet to find my Cinderella.”

Mr. Starwood chirped in, probably seeing this as the right time to play out his plan. “Our Juliana is single too, you see.” He laughed.

Davis glanced across the table at Juliana, feigning surprise, "Isn't she still with Donovan?"

Mr. Starkwood with his belly jiggling beneath a starched waistcoat, cleared his throat. "Ah, dear Mr. Montgomery, times change. They've been over for a day or so now."

Davis knew this already but he had to drape an astonishment facade on. “Oh, my! The last time, Donovan seemed to be so obsessed with her. Their break-up news is quite unexpected.”

“You’d be surprised, Mr. Montgomery.” Mrs. Starkwood responded to him, thinking of how much he didn't know.

Davis wondered if she was also in on this with her husband or if he was dominating over the entire family.

He turned to Juliana who offered a tight-lipped smile, uncomfortable that she was the topic of discussion and also not meeting Davis’s gaze.

“My apologies, Juliana," he said softly, wishing he could see through the icy wall she'd built around herself.

She finally looked at him but with a bland expression. When he can, he needs to read this woman’s mind; Davis noted.

She looked at him like he had no idea that she was saved and not to be pitied by that breakup. “Don’t be.” She grimly scoffed at him and then returned to eating her food.

Eat? She was basically picking on it.

Davis wanted to get more reactions from her. Oh, he almost forgot what he came there to announce. “The real reason I'm here is this – the chairman in my company has sold his shares. And you know what that means?" He cleared his throat and announced.

A flicker of interest sparkled in Juliana's eyes, briefly breaking through her facade. Perhaps, she knew deep down within herself that the outcome of her proposal wasn't his fault.

She could perhaps be finding someone reachable to put the blame on or maybe – just maybe she could be trying to protect him.

Davis was sure the latter was the case. After all, he did read her mind the other day, and she thought he looked plenty handsome.

"It means," Davis continued, savoring the look on her face. “your proposal can be resubmitted. The new chairman isn't vegan, thankfully."

Mr. Starkwood, as usual, reacted first. "I always knew you had Juliana's best interests at heart, Davis!" he boomed, a tad too eagerly.

Davis felt a prickle of irritation at the man's coerced joviality. "She's a brilliant woman, Mr. Starkwood," he replied smoothly, "deserves to be taken care of."

And deserved to be protected from you; he added in his mind. One of the many things he loathed was greedy people who liked to extort others.

With this superpower and a chance at the wealth that he had been gifted, he would work towards bringing such people down. He would start with the Avalons and then, the Starkwoods.

“And since you clearly think so," Mr. Starkwood's eyes gleamed with a disconcerting glint at his reply, "and you're both single…"

Davis knew from the beginning where he was driving at. The man wasn't wasting time to execute his plans and set things in place. He would be shocked at what would hit him.

Juliana protested, her irritation evident. “DAD!”

Of course, she wouldn't like this. Davis interjected, keen to steer the conversation away from the uncomfortable territory. He wouldn't want to make her uncomfortable.

“Well, on a less weighty note," he began, turning to Mrs. Starkwood. “I can tell you one of the stories of me traveling.” He said.

He knew how keen on gossip the woman was. Excitedly, “That is a great idea!” She squealed.

Davis launched into a tale of his recent visit to Amazon. Soon, the atmosphere was filled with laughter from Mrs. Starkwood and small smiles from Theodore.

Later, after a sumptuous dessert, it was time to leave. Davis’s one mission right now was to read the kid’s mind and probably, Juliana’s.

“Thank you for always looking out for us, Mr. Montgomery.” Mr. Starkwood gave him a hug and a friendly Pat on the back.

How the man could be harboring such detrimental thoughts toward him and still smile and speak highly of him only irked Davis’s the more. The minds of humans were so blemished that it almost seemed like a curse, to have access to them.

Davis made sure to place his left palm on the man’s back. Although short, he was able to hear, ‘I’m winning.’

You’d think you were, old man; Davis internally smirked. I’d let you believe that you were.

He turned to Mrs. Starkwood and gave her a hug but he could not touch her since she was female. “I hope you drop by soon, Mr. Montgomery. I want to hear more of your stories.”

“For you, I definitely will, Mrs. Starkwood. I see my mother in you.” Davis chuckled.

Juliana didn't stand to send him off, hence, reading her mind was out of the question. Only Theodore was left now. Davis approached the lanky younger brother.

This time, instead of a casual wave, he offered his hand for a shake. The boy’s skepticism was apparent but after glancing at his mother, he finally took Davis’s hand.

As their fingers brushed, Davis focused, hoping to catch a glimpse of the boy's thoughts.

‘I was a good boy, wasn't I? Will I get punished? I don't understand why this man is talking to me and won't leave me be. He will get me in trouble’.

The mind of the boy was chaotic. How old was he? He couldn't be more than twelve, Davis thought. Davis couldn't listen any longer. He let go of the boy, his expression hardening.

Hell, it was so fucking hard to smile now. “I will take my leave now.” He said and walked out before the crazy Mr. Starkwood could have offered to escort him out.

Once he got to Silas, “I’m fuming.” Davis said, breathless.

“Did something go wrong, sir?” Silas asked as he maneuvered the car out of the estate.

Davis met Silas’s gaze through the rear mirror. “I carried out an experiment, Silas, and I do not like the outcome.”

“Why, sir? It didn't go as you planned?”

“No, Silas. That's the most frustrating element about it. It went just as I predicted. I never miss.”

Silas chuckled, oblivious to how unsettled Davis was. “That’s right, sir. You are like a sorcerer. Things go just as you predict and nothing ever seems to miss your eyes.”

Davis glanced down at his ring. It was all thanks to this silver magic ring.