Chapter 39 CHAPTER 39
Xavier’s POV
Karl was my friend from childhood, but now he doubled as my financial adviser. He was the only one I could trust with my secrets, who knew everything I owned. He trusted me with his secrets too, and we had a sworn loyalty to each other.
We were hanging out in a bar. He had requested that we needed to discuss urgently, so we used it as an opportunity to hang out. Lights danced in our eyes, bass thrummed and girls wiggled around. I took a sip of my cup and dropped it with a thud.
“You don’t look happy, Karl," I said, my voice rising over the commotion in the background.
“I don’t have good news,” he said, easing the notch of his tie against his neck. He worked with the SEC from 8am till 5pm, and from 8pm, he worked as my financial analyst. "Someone is sniffing around the shell companies.”
I raised a brow and took my drink again.
“Someone?”
“Roman Reign,” he said.
I chuckled. “What gave us out?”
He shrugged.
“You know what to do, Karl,” I said, watching a lady in a red dress. She had been making seductive glances at me, but I wasn't interested. Yet I found myself looking at her again.
“Already done that,” he said. “It’ll require some money -”
“You know money is not an issue, Karl,” I said, facing him.
“And discretion. I’m not comfortable with this new alliance with Roman. It could put our operations in danger.”
I knew he was concerned about his dirty dealings coming to light as a member of the SEC. “I’ll be more careful, Karl. I promise.”
I thought of the time, many years ago, when Karl had successfully helped me move a large sum of money from my step father’s account. I had been so impressed and frightened.
“This is just a small lump,” he had said.
“What if we get caught?”
He’d laughed. “No one can catch me.”
And then the lumps got bigger and bigger, and soon we needed a place to keep the money. That was the birth of our first shell company, and then the second and the third. By the time we were done, Trent Moon was in debt.
I smiled at Karl. He was good, and he had only gotten better over the years.
The screen of my phone flashed and I looked at it. It was my mum again. Her calls had been incessant all evening. I tapped the screen twice and it locked. She didn’t know of any of my operations yet. I couldn’t trust her after betraying the memory of my late father by marrying his boss.
“You keep glancing at her,” Karl said, pulling me away from my thoughts.
I looked at the girl. She was now seated a few feet beside me and sipping a drink. “My eyes wander, Karl. I was lost in thought.”
I pushed the stool and rose up. “Let’s do this another time. I have something to do at home.”
When I saw a strange car parked in the house, I knew we had a guest. I always tried to avoid people, so I headed for the back door. My mum was standing there, waiting for me. She looked upset and relieved.
“I’ve been trying to get through to you all evening,” she said.
I stepped in. “Good evening, mum. I was out with Karl.”
She let out a frustrated grunt. She didn’t really like Karl. She thought he was teaching me a lot of bad stuff when we were teenagers, and she wasn’t wrong. “Karl is engaged,” she said, walking after me. “All I get is rumors about my son.”
I wanted to tell her that she should stop listening but I decided otherwise.
She held my arm. “Flora Dover is here," she said, beaming. “She’s been waiting for you all evening.” Her smile faltered a little. “You don’t keep a lady waiting like that.”
I stopped. “What do you want from me, mum?”
“Meet her. The Dovers are a very influential family in New York, and Flora is quite pretty and single.” She dropped her voice. “She is also looking for a husband."
I inhaled deeply. “I’m not interested, mum.”
She hit me tenderly on my arm. “How do you know? You haven’t even met her yet.”
“I’m not looking for a wife, mum.” I started walking away but she pulled me back.
“Meet her, Xavi. Give this a chance. Don’t you hear the rumors? I am tired of it all.”
“Mum-”
“Just meet her. You don’t even have to marry her. You can start dating her. I’m a joke to my friends. Please, Xavi.”
I sighed and turned towards the sitting room. Flora Dover was a petite brunette and she seemed very shy to see me. She was wearing a simple pair of jeans and a pain black top, with her hair held back in a slick bun. She looked so out of place in our living room.
“I’m sorry for the inconveniences, “ I said to her, without sitting down. “My mother can be a lot.”
She smiled shyly and avoided my eyes. “It’s alright. She kept me company. I wasn’t bored at all.”
I nodded. “I hope you don’t mind her company throughout your visit then? I am very occupied this evening.”
She blinked.
“I’ll love to spend some time with you another time.”
“I -”
“Enjoy your evening.”
I turned around and took the stairs to my bedroom. Mum accosted me on the way again. "I met her,” I said, moving past her and pushing my way into my room.
She followed suit. “Xavier! I won't let you disgrace everything I have ever tried to build here. What is this? You want the rumors to continue?”
I sighed. “What rumors, mum?”
“That you are sleeping with your step sister!” she said under her breath. “That -”
“It’s true, mum,” I said, stopping her. “It’s Evelyn I want.”
I plopped on the bed and closed my eyes.