Chapter 47 - The Billionaire Triplets Take New York

The music started slowly with just a few notes announcing the beginning of Beethoven’s Ode to Joy. The simple melody became more complex as notes overlapped and weaved a new organic pattern but always maintaining the integrity of the piece.

Conversation lulled as everyone turned their attention to the piano where Ava and Alexis sat side-by-side playing together. Silas stood beaming with pride as the pair swayed to the music smiles of pure joy on their faces as they reveled in their own world.

The audience listened in awe as the music became playful, soulful, energetic and serious as the mood of the players vacillated. It was as if the music had become a living, breathing thing and they were captivated. Only those who heard Ava or Alexis play before were prepared but hearing them together added complexity very few equipped to witness. When the pair finished the crowd erupted into applause.

Ava jerked in surprise blushing at the audience’s reception. Smiling Silas offered his hand helping her to her feet and holding her close. He kissed her temple whispering, “You are amazing!”

“Marvelous!” Jenna’s voice exclaimed as the applause dissipated. “But I expected no less from a Carlisle.”

A gasp traveled through the crowd. The rivalry between the Prescotts and Carlisles was the stuff of modern legend. There wasn’t a single person who didn’t know or recognize the name. The name hung in the air as they suddenly recalled the younger Carlisle daughter: Avalynn, who had been an acclaimed music prodigy before she disappeared. Rumors said she was disowned for shaming the family. Was it because she carried on a tryst with Silas Prescott? It explained how the children had been conceived.

“You think you can wander in here seducing men and sleeping your way into an easy life? How shameless can you get?” Jenna sneered listening to the whispers traveling through the crowd with pride.

“Is that true?”

“She doesn’t look like that kind of person.”

“Look how she’s dressed. Has she no shame?”

“And those children? Who are they kidding trying to look like real Prescott heirs?”

Jenna smiled. Perhaps this reveal was better than her original plan. The crowd would chase Ava out the door and she would finally stand by Silas’s side where she belonged. There was nothing either of them could do about it.

“You think you’re so smart, don’t you?” Jenna’s voice suddenly announced through the hall.

“Pardon?” Ava’s voice answered.

Confused the crowd turned to see a large screen had suddenly appeared beside the piano. The lights dimmed further revealing a projected video. It was recorded from an odd angle but the figures in it were all too clear. Jenna and Ava stood facing one another with the former clearly the aggressor.

“Well, you’re not. Silas is never going to marry you.”

“That isn’t your decision.”

“Is that right? Haven’t you gotten bold. I already destroyed you once you think I can’t do it again?”

“I—I don’t understand.”

“Who do you think gave your sister the drugs she used ten years ago?”

Ava’s gaze went wide at a loss for words.

“Pour Marilynn was so upset because her little sister just wouldn’t disappear so I gave her some tablets and told her to put them in your drink. Then all she had to do was pay some busboy to sleep with you, snap a few pictures and you’d be gone forever. But apparently she can’t follow simple instructions because here you are. I don’t know how you ended up in bed with Silas but you and your little spawn have no place here.”

“Why? Why would you do that? I was nothing to you.”

“Exactly, you are nothing. And playing with the lives of nobodies like you is the privilege of people like me. I’m untouchable. I can do whatever I want, whenever I want and nobody can stop me.”

Ava grimaced.

“I’m the one who belongs by Silas’s side,” Jenna stepped forward getting in her face but Ava held her ground. “I have Richard wrapped around my finger. I say jump and my puppet asks how high? And once I go to him crying about how you seduced poor Silas to entrap him you’re little tryst will be over. Silas will be with me. You and your little gutter trash will be back on the streets…only this time I’m going to make sure none of you are heard from again. So you go on and have your fun because in a few more days it’s all going to come crashing down.”

Jenna stepped forward intentionally shoving her shoulder and made Ava stumble back.

“W-What is—” Jenna stuttered as the video paused.

“Who was calling who shameless?” Alexis demanded standing next to her mother arms crossed in front of her chest. “So playing with people’s lives is fun for you is it? Well pictures say a thousand words, don’t they?”

“Why you little…”

“What? Don’t like our little movie?” Alexis smiled sweetly. “How about this?”

The projected image flipped showing an image of Jenna parading down the hall in lingerie with a wine bottle and glasses in hand. She quietly knocked on a door before entering.

“Trying to enter a man’s bedroom on the dead of night knowing he’s already engaged, seems pretty shameless to me,” Alexis said. “By the way you forgot something. But don’t worry we found it. Didn’t we?”

“Yep!” Theo appeared holding up the wine bottle still in its plastic bag and setting it on the piano where it had been hidden. “I got it right here.”

“We were concerned about how it may affect one’s health so we had it tested, didn’t we?” Alexis said.

“Sure did,” Sean emerged from behind the screen holding up the lab results their aunt had delivered to them. The same page was displayed on the screen for everyone as he read. “According to these lab results someone put a large dose of Ecstasy in this bottle. We also have fingerprints taken off the bottle. According to the lab they are most likely from one person. How much you want to bet they are yours, Miss Ryker?”

“So drugging our mom wasn’t enough?” Alexis asked. “You were also going to drug our dad too?”

“Why you…you little…”

“Better be careful, this isn’t some secluded hallway…we have an audience now. And it sounds like they are turning on you,” Alexis smiled.

Jenna hesitated listening to the whispers the crowd didn’t try to conceal, “Do you think that’s true?”

“And she called Ava shameless.”

“Well just look how she’s dressed. That slit is so high you can practically see everything.”

“And that fur…doesn’t she know how faux pas that is?”

Jenna’s face reddened. Her mind swirled trying to find a way to turn this around. She couldn’t lose to toddlers.

“Uh-oh, Jenna,” Theo smirked, “looks like the Puppet has something to say to you.”

Jenna’s gaze widened and she whirled around to see Richard had separated from the crowd. He stared at her his expression hard to read: shock, disappointment, anger, shame…Jenna bit her lip.

“I have Richard wrapped around my finger. I say jump and my puppet asks how high? And once I go to him crying about how you seduced poor Silas to entrap him you’re little tryst will be over. Silas will be with me. You and your little gutter trash will be back on the streets…only this time I’m going to make sure none of you are heard from again. So you go on and have your fun because in a few more days it’s all going to come crashing down.”

The video replayed her speech much to the pair’s shame. Theo snickered elbowing his brother. Sean smiled enjoying how both parties reddened and squirmed. He had no pity for either Jenna or their grandfather who hadn’t made a favorable impression on the triplets.

“…Dad.”

“You dare call me that!” Richard bellowed. “How many lies have you told me? Sneaking behind my back you conniving little…”

“…Dad I.”

“You tried to drug my son? Is there no line you won’t cross? No lengths you wouldn’t go?”

“But…”

“Out of my sight! Out of my sight right now!” Richard ordered. “And never show your face to me again! Get Out!”

Jenna backed away. She had never been afraid of him before. He never turned his anger on her before. Now she was shaking. She glanced at the crowd desperate for support but all looked at her with disapproving stares. Jenna looked to Silas hoping for his pity.

Silas didn’t even glance in her direction. His complete attention was on the woman in his arms. From the moment the video played Ava had gone still and pale. He held her close soothing her frayed nerves. So concerned with her wellbeing Silas almost missed the triplet’s announcement about the bottle but he heard Alexis’s bold declaration clearly. She called him dad. Show or not it was the first time any of his children called him dad.

Finding no support anywhere Jenna finally fled. No one paid her further mind as they watched the kids swarm around their parents comforting their mother. It was a sweet and tender scene and many began to see Silas in a completely different light.

* * *

Jenna screamed as she stormed out of the manor and headed to her car. They would all pay. Every last one of them would be sorry once she told her dad about her humiliation. This wasn’t the last they heard from her.

“Don’t be too disappointed, Jenna,” Alexis said forcing her to turn and face the trio who slipped out of the ballroom to follow once they were certain their mother was all right. “We’re just out of your league.”

“What do you want?” she sneered at them.

“We wanted to see you off,” Theo smirked. “We’d hate to be called rude hosts.”

“You think this is over?” Jenna laughed. “Just you wait until my father hears about this.”

“Oh, I think he’ll be far too busy,” Sean said looking at his phone. “It seems someone leaked all sorts of confidential documents on the internet and now the FBI is investigating his business for fraud. They’ve frozen all of Ryker Holding’s assets. He’s going to be very busy for some time.”

“Looks like daddy let a wolf into the hen house,” Alexis said. “Oh…and if you think you can use your little nest eggs you stowed away in Switzerland and the Caymans…I’d reconsider.”

“Yeah, looks like someone emptied every single one of your accounts,” Sean seconded. “Account balances zero. But UNICEF, Kids in Need and Direct Relief thank you for your donations. Hey, it’s only money, right?”

Jenna’s mouth dropped open as she hurriedly pulled out her phone. There was no way the kids were right. It was a bluff, it had to be. But when she called up one of her accounts it read zero.

“W-What? H-How?”

“You really shouldn’t leave your phone lying around with a master hacker around,” Alexis said.

“Why you…”

“And it looks like the FBI just issued warrants for your father and your arrest,” Sean announced. “What are you still doing here? Shouldn’t you be running?”

Jenna hesitated before spinning around and rushing toward her car. The tires squealed loudly as she drove off. The trio high-fived as they watched her leave.

“So, case closed?” Theo asked.

“Keep an eye on her for now,” Alexis said.

“No worries. Unless the FBI is completely incompetent they’ll have her in a day,” Sean said. “I programmed her phone to ping anytime it’s within range of a tower so tracking her will be easy.”

“Nice.” Theo laughed.

“I’ll say,” Alexis agreed. “Wouldn’t you say so too, Mister Prescott?”

She turned and her brothers followed her example to see their grandfather had trailed them, or perhaps he wanted to see Jenna off himself. He stood now staring at the three as if seeing them for the first time.

“Is—Is everything you said true?” he asked.

“Yes it’s true,” Alexis said, “and as for as how we found out…exactly as I said. One should be careful where they leave any device with sensitive information laying around while an expert hacker roams around without a leash.”

“You are capable of that?” Richard could only stare. “So everything else was just an act?”

“Hey, we’re only ten-years-old,” Theo shrugged, “we are entitled to enjoy our youth, you know?”

“One thing we won’t tolerate is anyone who disrespects or hurts our mother,” Alexis added. “After taking Carlisle down, the Ryker’s were easy. You’re just lucky our dad loves her or we’d take down the Prescotts too.”

Theo and Sean nodded agreement.

“Come on guys. We’d better get back to the party before we’re missed,” Alexis said taking her brother’s arms. “Oh…and one more thing. Next time you want to have a staring contest with someone make sure they can actually see you because you look ridiculous otherwise.”

Theo chuckled as they walked past their grandfather, “Later, old man.”