Conundrum

Erick

“Sir, your divorce has been finalised,” Pearl informs me before placing the processed divorce documents on my desk.

“So fast?”

I know that she is efficient. She was grandfather’s PA after all, but a week is too fast even for her.

“Ma’am did not make any claims. The process was quick.”

Her words somehow bug me. Everything that has happened so far questions my conclusions about Emily. She had every opportunity to demand a large settlement, but didn’t. She could have blackmailed me for forcing the abortion tablet down her throat, but she only did that to force me to divorce her.

I shake my head, to snap out of it. It does not matter. I can finally marry the love of my life.

“I see. Where did she go?”

I am curious about this. She had not responded to any of the online curses, nor has she been spotted by any journalist since she left my mansion.

Pearl shakes her head and studies me before responding, “I don’t know, Sir.”

“Find out,”

She studies me once more, nods and leaves. I know what she is thinking.

I don’t know why, but the way Emily left really bugs me. It feels like I am missing something very important. I am even dreaming about grandfather these days.

Two months later, Dad walks in and hands me a batch of documents.

“What is this?”

“I found these in Dad’s study. Emily was telling the truth. She was drugged too that day. The old man set the whole thing up.”

My heart starts racing.

“What?”

He lets out a long sigh. “It is all there. Father paid Emily’s friends and terrified them to do it.”

I look at him in disbelief. It now makes sense why he lost it when Emily wanted us to divorce, but I don’t get his reasons. Grandfather was big on appearances and marrying a girl from the right family. Why on earth would he set me up with an orphan?

“Why?”

“That, I don’t know. He never did anything without a reason. I feel like I am missing something.”

He is right. Grandfather was scheming and ruthless in his deals. Everything he did was always for the advancement of Spencer enterprises. Many people he coerced have been pulling out of the contracts lately. We are taking a serious knock after Forrest enterprises also terminated their contracts with us.

“I will look into it.”

It is time that I get to the bottom of this. All the questions in my head are driving me crazy.

“Important things first. We are taking a huge knock, our remaining investors are concerned. Have you managed to get hold of Kanye Forrest?”

I shake my head.

“His PA tells me that he is too busy. I can’t even get him to call me.”

He frowns at that.

“I guess they don’t have confidence in us because they have always dealt with the old man. We have to strengthen our bonds with them. Their daughter’s homecoming ball t will be a good opportunity to meet them.”

I nod at that. It was my backup plan too.

Thomas walks in after dad. I know by his expression that he has something.

“Sir, about Ma’am.”

I raise my eyebrows.

“I mean Miss Emily,” he corrects himself.

“What about her?”

“The hospital records say she bled a lot. She almost died.”

I nod and dismiss him before studying the documents he left. I still kick myself for killing our child like that. Maybe that is why her departure still bugs me. Or maybe it was the look on her face when I did it and the hatred reflected in them when she left.

I shake my head, blocking out those images and massage my temples before summoning Pearl.

“Sir?”

“Don’t Sir me. You knew what grandfather did. Why?”

She looks at me dumbfounded.

“Speak!”

“I am afraid I am not certain what you are referring to, Sir.”

I let out an empty laugh. She is the only one who did not refer to Emily as the Las Vegas bride. She even tried convincing me to squash the reporters after she left. She knew the truth. I bet she is the one grandfather sent to find Emily’s friends.

“Emily and I getting drugged in Las Vegas. The drug came from you!” I yell. It is my suspicion but her reaction confirms it and pisses me off.

“Yes.”

“Yes?” I ask. I swear I will break her neck today.

“I was following Spencer senior’s orders.”

She says this like it is an unbreakable law.

“Rose almost died, damn it!”

“She was being dramatic. She would never kill herself.”

“Excuse me?”

Now I am fuming and she continues.

“It was all to get your attention, like everything she does. You fall for it always.”

Her menacing tone is really pushing my buttons. She is my distant cousin but hates Rose for some reason.

I grab her neck and squeeze. She just stares at me until I let go.

“Your beloved Rose and her whole family are cunning snakes. She will cost you everything the old man tried to build.”

“Shut the fuck up!” I roar and she does not even wince.

“You are an asshole. You treat people like trash. I quit!” she actually yells back before storming away. The nerve!

Mother and father are already on their seats when I board our private jet. We should be in Hawaii in less than an hour. We will be at least three hours early. Maybe I will get a chance to speak to Kanye before the ball.

“Where is Pearl?” Father asks when the flight attendant informs us that we will be taking off.

“She quit.”

“What? What happened?” Mother asks.

I tell them and they exchange uncomfortable looks.

“What is it?”

“You need to make amends with Pearl. She is the only one who can shed light into a lot of things Father did.”

“No way. She is an arrogant fool and does not know her place!”

“We are losing money. She is very competent and family. We need her and her skills,” Father insists, making me frown.

“You are not telling me something.”

Father sighs and hands me a handful of documents.

“Grandfather was investigating the Millers?”

I am shocked and Father nods.

“This is why Pearl said those things about Rose. It looks like the Millers have been screwing us all along.”

I shake my head, refusing to believe it.

“No. This can’t be true.”

I signed most of these contracts. Rose is the one I dealt with. We bypassed a lot of legal processes because I owed Rose for marrying another woman instead of her.

“It is all there, Son. I did not tell you about yesterday because I wanted our legal department to confirm. The Millers played us. They are the only ones who will profit from anything we make going forward. Not only are we losing money, they will acquire fifty percent of our company if we end any of these contracts.”

My hands shake at the betrayal. We have been bleeding out millions since grandfather died. How can Rose do this to me?

My question is answered when I open a file Father hands me.

Rose has been playing me all along. Not only has she made us lose money, she has also been sleeping around with my rival.

“I am sorry, son. We should have given Emily benefit of the doubt. We should have treated her better.”

“Oh please. She was a gold-digger and low life. That is regardless of whether she was drugged or not” Mother objects, but my head is spinning. I killed my own child for a cunning snake.

“Let’s just restore our relationship with the Forrest’s and we can deal with the Millers after,” Father suggests.

I am still in a daze when we land in Hawaii.

The Forrest’s are clearly way above us in wealth and status. Now I wish I joined grandfather every year when he came to visit. I would have made connections with some wealthy heirs.

“I bet that his majesty will be in attendance,” I hear the maids chat as they get the hall ready.

Mother and Father exchange impressed looks.

“Of course. He would never miss it when Miss Akela is around.”

They giggle.

“I think our island is going to have a queen soon,” another one suggests before they giggle.

“It looks like the Prince has his eye on the Forrest’s daughter,” father concludes what we heard as we stroll outside, hoping to catch a glimpse of Kanye or any of the Forrest members.

“But she is still single. Erick can still sweep her off her feet,” Mother suggests. “It will be very good for our family and will teach the treacherous Millers a lesson,” she adds.

She has a point. Marrying the Forrest princess would be a jackpot.

We are still at that when I catch a glimpse of a familiar silhouette. She has her back on us and watering flowers but I can recognise her anywhere.

“Emily?”

She turns around but does not look surprised to see us. Her t-shirt and shorts are all dusty and wet, yet she looks so damn sexy. I could not keep my hands off her no matter how much I despised her. Maybe I can coax her to be my mistress. That is better than being a gardener.

“The Las Vegas slut!” Mother sneers while I knock on her side. She know the truth now.

“No wonder the Forrest’s cut ties with us. What did you tell them, whore?” Mother adds, but that does not make sense. Why would the Forrest’s listen to a gardener?

“What are you doing here, Emily?” I ask when she completely ignores mother. Something is different about her.

“None of your business,” she hisses. The hatred I saw on her eyes the last time is much worse now.

I grab her arm when she turns to leave. I owe her an apology.

“I would not do that if I were you,” a cold domineering voice says. We turn to find Mr Forrest glaring at us.

I let go of Emily’s arm and bow my head in respect. This man is a legend.

“Forgive me, Sir.”

He ignores me and my parents when we greet and focus on Emily, who looks mad as hell.

“Are you okay?”

Emily nods while I study the interaction between them.

“Okay. You need to get ready.”

She nods again and leaves.

I am opening my mouth to speak when the old man turns around and follows Emily inside.

“Don’t tell me that the slut is now the old man’s mistress!” Mother exclaims and I am lost for words. The tenderness between them was unmistakable. She is a gold-digger after all.