Chapter 48 — Lies Part 2

Hunter's POV

"Come on, bud! Do you seriously believe your dad? That man's feeding you big, fat lies," Matt objected, throwing his hands in the air.

Not taking my eyes of the laptop screen I passed him the brown covered file my dad gave me on the day he announced the divorce and...she found out.

Depleting my head of all the useless matters I concentrated on the advertisement documents my marketing team prepared when the model's eyes turned into those alluring ocean-blue eyes that enthralled me under their elegance the day I first encountered them in the wedding, and her lips curved into that celestial smile I had been attempting to forget.

I shook my head blinking a couple times and inspected the image back. The model's dull brown eyes and flirty smile stared back at me.

Shutting my eyes I exhaled a heated breath. What has Ember done to me?

Ember.

Just that name alone incited a strange feeling in the left part of my chest, where an organ lay buried since that atrocious day. Yet that girl, that clumsy, naïve girl somehow ended up digging it back up with only a gaze of her ocean-blue eyes.

But only to slaughter it back.

She was no different from those I had dealt with in the past, those who turned me into the beast I am today, the impassible monster. She did it all for money. She even settled with my enemy the second she left, the very one I warned her to avoid.

"So..." Matt snapped my attention, "According to your father, Ember signed this contract of a fake matrimony before the wedding happened, aaand she has been taking money from him to keep it a secret."

I continued scrolling through documents not giving him a glance, but those words only resurrected a storm inside I had been trying to suppress with such adversity, but all was forgotten as a booming laughter filled the air in the room. My jaw tightened in warning that my dear friend failed to regard.

"Seriously, man? You fell for this crap? Even Boomer and Doser can sniff the lie in that."

I directed my gaze at him, eyes narrowed.

He put up his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. I will shut up, but did you actually see any of it with your own two eyes?"

"Yes." Closing the advertisement file I clicked on the footage from the bank, dad showed me where she went to cash out the money and turned over the screen to Matthew.

He leaned forward to watch closely, and a crease appeared between his brows. "Wait...Bro, she didn't go to the bank to cash out your dad's money that day, she went to deposit her own salary so she can build her parents a bigger bakery."

I tilted my head as a frown itched on my face. "How do you know?"

"Because I was with her. She needed my help." He shrugged.

"Why didn't she tell me?"

His face possessed a smug expression. "Ask yourself that."

I stared at him. Even though I wanted to throw him out of the window, he spoke the complete truth. I kept her at my arm's length that she couldn't share anything with me, nor did I see her doing any of those perpetrations myself. Then again I was never with her the whole time, and from my past experience, women could do anything for their interest. But...Then why those eyes that sang innocent lullabies exhibited so much hurt that day? Did she truly not know about the divorce beforehand?

Was that all a facade or...was that really a conspiracy?

"That look in your face clearly screams your bewilderment." He sighed. "Look, Hunter, I know how you feel about women because of your past, but I can tell you Ember is nothing like them. You will commit a mammoth crime if you lose her over lies, mate and," He stood up from the visitor chair, "if I lose mine because of you."

My brow creased infinitesimally.

"Liliana told me to stay away from her if I don't knock some sense into you."

"If you do not leave I will sure knock you out, Matthew."

Rolling his eyes Matt waved his hand, "See ya soon, man," and walked off.

My eyes drove back to the folder lying on the table. What if Matthew was right? What if she never betrayed me but the other way around? My hand shot forward taking a hold of the file. Turning the pages I scanned the contract paper for the twentieth time. Her signature was bold and clear. I turned over to the next page containing the transaction details. Fifty million dollars had been transferred to her account from dad's.

I agitatedly ran a hand through my hair. I had to find out the truth. Punching some digits I held the phone against my ear. After one ring it was answered.

"Olivia, send Mr. Buckley to my room, and his bank records of last five months."

I hung up not waiting for an answer and leaned back in my seat staring at the resignation letter she left. Not long after the bloated figure of Mr. Buckley appeared at the door, his cheeks red and breath short.

"Welcome, Mr. Buckley." I watched him over my steepled fingers. "Make yourself comfortable." I ushered him to the seats.

"Thank you-thank you Mr. King Jr., sir." He flopped down displaying his set of yellowish crooked teeth. "You needed something, sir?"

Straightening up I threw the file in front of him. "How much money was transferred to Ember King's account?"

"Fifty-fifty million dollars, sir," he chirped.

"How much she gave you?"

"Wh-what, sir?" He shifted in his seat, smile faltering.

I took the paper containing his bank balance and scanned the digits. "As per the records, in the last couple days five million dollars were transmitted into your account." I put down the paper and steepled my fingers back observing him. "For a mediocre accountant, that's quite a huge amount to earn at once don't you think?"

All the colors drained from his face as beads of sweat began to accumulate on his forehead. "S-S-Sir, th-that was a b-bonus from m-my other c-clients," he stammered.

"Other clients?" I boomed slamming my fists on the table. "You were hired only to serve the Kings." My jaw clenched and eyes shot death glares at the shrunken man.

"I-I-I..." His posture hunched as he leaned forward clasping hands together. "Please sir, forgive me. I-I lied. Please forgive me!" he begged, his face contorting.

"Spill." My voice was low as I leaned back in the seat, icy eyes directed at him.

"Mr. Bryan King sir will kill me, sir. Please have mercy!" Fear laced his voice.

I lifted an eyebrow. "And I will spare you? That's quite highly you think of me, Mr. Buckley."

He gulped as his trembling fingers wiped the sweat off. "I-I- s-s-sir—”

"You wouldn't wanna loose that defective tongue of yours, would you? Or perhaps those faulty fingers? Those eyes..." One corner of my lips turned upward in a smirk. "How about all of the—”

"N-No, sir! I'll tell you everything! I'll tell you everything. Please have mercy, sir. Please..." The man crumbled in his seat.

"I am listening," I said observing the intricate design on a pen.

"B-Bryan, sir, t-told me to pr-prepare a contract and a fake account with Mrs. Ember King's identity."

"There was no money transferred?" My brows knitted.

"Y-Yes. There was. But to Bryan King himself. H-He is the owner of the fake account. He even b-bought the bank manager...a-and me." He looked down.

I gripped the arms of my chair as my breathing got heavier. "When did you make the marriage contract?" I gritted out.

"A couple weeks ago."

"Out." My physique shook from anger.

"Sir please, save me from Br—"

"Out!" I bellowed.

In a matter of seconds the rascal was out of my sight.

How. Could. He? Getting up I grasped whatever my hand seized and slammed it on the floor with all my might. Frantic steps from outside reached my ear and alarmed faces of Olivia and Gary emerged at the door gasping at the shattered pieces of my laptop. Grabbing the brown folder I sauntered out as the two jumped out of my way.

Someone owed me answers.

~~~

My car came to a shrieking break. I glared at the white bungalow in front. Exiting the car I strolled towards it when a puny guard dared to stand before me.

"S-Sir, I deeply apologize but you know the rules. Bryan forbids anyone to enter his private space." His eyes plead.

"Leave."

His eyes widened. "W-What, sir?"

"You are fired." I strolled inside, not giving him another glance. He knew better than to block my way.

Stepping in the parlor, I watched as he stood behind the bar pouring himself wine. Walking close I slammed the file on the counter as his widened eyes snapped up to me.

"Hunter?! You know better than to barge into my private space." His eyes went back to the file. "And what is this?"

"You very well know father for you had it made." I loomed closer.

He shifted in his place and put down the glass. "I know what it is, but why are you showing it to me?"

"Why?" My eyes hardened.

"What do you mean, son?" He turned away observing the shelf and getting himself another bottle.

"She never took money from you rather you blackmailed her into this matrimony. You-," I gritted my teeth, "-used my weakness, my hatred towards women to embellish your conspiracy. Why?" I bawled.

Turning around he slammed the bottle on the counter shattering the bottom. "To save you! I did all this to save you from the ominous grasps of women. To save you from the pain I went through when your mother left me."

"Oh father, this happened to you doesn't mean the same will happen to me. Doing this you only lost my respect for you," I whispered as disappointment took over my feature.

I turned around to leave when his phone rang. Putting it on speaker he yelled at the person at the other side. "What?"

"Sir, I got the brunette at my shooting range. Where do you want me to shoot her? Head or heart?"

I froze in my place. Turning around I eyed the phone and back at him, eyes narrowed.

He looked away ignoring my stare and waved his hand. "N-No...Leave."

My nostrils flared and jaw clenched. "If-," I started, my voice low and threatening, "-one hair on her body is harmed you will have your own son coming after you, father."

Marching out I pulled out my phone and dialed a number.

"Hey man, missed me?" Matthew chimed in from the other side.

"You were right, Matthew. Father lied to me. Everything was a lie."

Silence lingered for a second. "Well...You know now what to do."

"Yes."