AUDREY
“Mr. Stark,” Charles greeted politely and formally shook hands with Gabriel.
“Please have a seat, Mr. Scott.”
“Charles would do. Thank you.”
“Gabriel then.”
Both men sat across the sofa and began the conversation. Gabriel placed the binder on the center table.
“I’m glad you came here instead of meeting Audrey in the middle of the night,” Gabriel pressed earnestly. “I want this business to be done.”
“Whoa! I didn’t mean to make a wrong impression here,” Charles tried to reason. “Audrey’s father asked me—”
“I already explained that to Gabriel, Charles. It’s alright,” I interjected. I sent Gabriel a frown and shook my head.
He rolled his eyes. “Fine. Since I already have my brother arrange the papers, what’s left is Audrey and your signature,” he said to Charles. “I already have the money ready, and I will give you the check.”
“Very well. I don’t want to prolong this anyway. My uncle doesn’t even know I’m here.” Charles looked at me. “I’ll deal with him later.”
“This uncle of yours, Kennedy Scott. He’s your father’s brother, am I correct?” Gabriel asked.
“Yes, what of him?”
“What’s his business with Edward Hopkins?”
Charles glanced at me, then looked back at Gabriel. “He doesn’t really tell me everything, nor would I care about what he does. But when I came back from Berlin, Uncle proceeded to Dad's business.”
“So, you’re saying you have nothing to do with their social circle?”
Charles frowned. “What do you mean social circle?”
“Fine. What do you know about The Onyx Monkey?”
“Onyx—what?” I joined in and stared curiously at Gabriel. It was the first time I heard of such a name. “Is that a movie?”
“Onyx Monkey…” Charles whispered and sounded as if thinking. “Onyx Monkey… I think I heard of that before or maybe have seen something like it.”
“I see.” Gabriel nodded and stared into space as if in deep thought.
“Wait. Why do you ask?”
“It’s nothing,” Gabriel dismissed. “Never mind what I said—”
“Ah! I think I know,” Charles snapped. “I saw it. I remember seeing it as a brand logo. A tattoo, I guess.”
“A tattoo?” I repeated.
“Yes.” Charles looked at me. “Is this some kind of black monkey in a pentagram star? I’m not sure.”
“Yes, that’s it. Where have you seen it?” Gabriel questioned, but it sounded as if it was like a test, and he was the teacher, while Charles was the student.
“I saw it on my uncle’s back when I walked into his room one time. But what about that drawing?” Charles asked curiously.
“Look, Charles, I’ll be frank with you,” Gabriel began. “Audrey told me she trusts you, but I don’t, so if I find out that you were lying here, I’d have to ask you to stay away from Audrey—”
“Whoa, whoa!” Charles lifted his palms in surrender. “I don’t know why we’re having a conversation like this. I came out clean. I didn’t even tell my uncle I was here for the house.”
“Why would you not tell him about the house?”
Charles rolled his eyes and sighed. “Seriously? Why am I being interrogated here?”
“Just answer the question,” Gabriel demanded.
“Because he wants the house. Is there any other reason for that?” Charles’s voice raised. “Fine. I get it. You don’t like me, and you’re probably getting it wrong. Audrey is a very close friend to me—”
“Hey, you two. Stop it.” I chastised. “What’s your point here, Gabriel?” I had to ask.
“I’m asking if your friend is hiding something from you,” Gabriel answered forthrightly.
“What?” I frowned. “Gabriel, we already talked about this.”
“I’m not hiding anything,” Charles lowered his tone. “I don’t even understand where this is going to lead. I have no reason to lie.”
“Then, if that’s true, I guess you don’t know your uncle very much,” Gabriel stated.
“Because I don’t.” His eyebrows met in confusion. “It’s not like it’s a secret. He doesn’t always tell me anything.”
“His uncle wants to liquidate The Scotts Company,” I informed Gabriel, although I knew it wasn’t my information to share.
Charles heaved out an exhale. “And believe me, we’re not that really close. But you know something,” he said in realization.
Silence.
Gabriel stared back at Charles. “Let’s get this over with.” He placed the checkbook on the table, scribbled four million dollars on the blank, and then offered it to Charles. “I’m a very fair person, Charles. Now please sign the settlement papers.”
Charles shook his head and signed the papers Gabriel and Coulson arranged themselves and pressed his thumb mark on the form. He passed the article to me, and I also signed on.
“Congrats, Audrey. You got your house back.” Charles smiled at me and turned his gaze to Gabriel. “I guess you can trust me now?” Charles said to Gabriel.
Gabriel closed the binder and gave it to me. “Not quite, but I have a few more questions.” He crossed his legs and leaned on the couch.
“Good. I have questions too. What do you know about my uncle?” Charles asked seriously.
“No, not him,” Gabriel said. “But I know a lot about your father.”
GABRIEL
I wouldn’t want to do this revelation thing before a potential enemy, but I have to admit that Charles Scott’s eyes don’t lie. He seemed like someone who had been trapped in the middle of a tragic family drama. The Garner twins found nothing about him but a man who lived happily with his mother in Germany. He came back a few years later to inherit his father’s properties that his uncle had an interest in.
I barraged him with questions because I shouldn’t let my guard down. But Duke and Dylan were never wrong—that’s how good they were. When they told me Charles Scott seemed to be innocent in his family’s affairs, they must be right. Maybe I was only pissed because I knew he liked Audrey. He wanted what was mine, and the only thing he should do was stop hoping.
“I have been investigating this case for as long as I can remember, Charles, and I found things I’m not sure you want to hear,” I said.
“I’m ready. It’s not like I’m not expecting the worst. I know my father wasn’t a good man when I found out he wanted to marry a girl my age, and she’s my friend’s sister.” He looked at Audrey and sent her a small smile of assurance. “I’m Samuel’s friend too.” He set his eyes back at me. “Now, if you tell me that this has something to do with Sam’s death, I won’t back out.”
“How can you say that when I’m not even saying anything yet?” Maybe he wasn’t as innocent as I think he was—but that’s good. It means he bears information.
“I’m not blind. I know when something’s going on. My uncle is hiding something from me.”
“Did you find anything?” I queried.
“I hear rumors, but it’s ridiculous because I don’t think it actually exists.”
“Where did you hear that?”
“People talk. Not directly.”
“So, what did you hear?”
“He’s into gambling. It made sense when I found out he was using the company’s funds, but he denied ever taking cash from his own stake, though the actual balance sheets had withdrawals. Well, I don’t have proof to attest that this is true.” He shrugged, looking at Audrey and me.
“It is true, Charles,” I revealed. “And I know where to find their creephole.”
He frowned. “You do?”
“Your father and Edward Hopkins were the ones who started it. They need the mansion because they want to use it as their official gambling and prostitution house. It’s a very private home where no one would see their dirty deeds. Audrey knew this. She saw it herself.”
Charles shifted his gaze to her. “Audrey, why didn’t you say or do anything?”
She lowered her face in disgrace. “I didn’t know what was going on back then. I was scared, but if I could, I’d want to make it right.”
Charles rushed his fingers over his scalp. “God. This is probably why we’re losing millions. We don’t know where it is going. Well, I know one. The fund used for the mansion,” he said directly to me. “Now he wants to liquidate the company using this loss that he made himself.”
“Still, we need proof,” I pointed out.
“I can ask my secretary to send me the balance sheet and the withdrawal for the house. I can’t believe I trusted him—especially about the house. I wanted to help him, I had to admit. I’m sorry.”
“I knew you didn’t let me down, Charles. You’re here to give it back.” Audrey patted his shoulder and smiled at him. “I had faith.”
“Because it’s yours, and I know how important it is to you,” he murmured.
“But I wouldn’t be able to get it back because of Gabriel.” My angel looked at me and smiled fondly.
“And he will kill me when he finds out about this. God!” Charles shook his head. “I’m really sorry about everything.”
“About the balance sheet,” I opened up and asked, “Can we expect that you’d confide this to us?”
“I want to know what he's up to either, but you have to tell me what you know first. About my father, my uncle—everything.”
“No. The balance sheet first,” I negotiated. “I have to make sure you won’t betray us—at least for Audrey.”
He looked at me dismayed and exhaled. “You can use this against me. Why would I betray you? And I’m doing this for myself.” He drew out his phone and made a call. “Lara… Send me the balance sheet we worked on last week. Yes, in my personal email, please. I need it right now.” He hung up. “Now, let’s wait.”