Chapter 11

Chapter eleven 

Malcolm 

“Why are you so concerned about who I'm getting married to, Louis? Is it because she's your ex?” I asked, watching him closely.

I observed that his shoulders tensed up a notch, like a kid who’d been caught stealing chocolates, but he quickly released his muscles before looking outside, at the panoramic view of the surroundings.

My office had floor-to-ceiling windows which offered breathtaking views of the city skyline. I loved to gaze at the world from here. It felt like my ivory tower. Some days, when the weight was too heavy on my shoulders, I loved to stand there like Batman watching over the city. It's crazy, but inspiration always seemed close enough when I did that.

"I’m telling you, Uncle Malcolm, Emily isn't what you think she is……" 

“....and you think you know her too well, don't you?” I interrupted squarely.

“Of course. I mean, we've dated for a long time.” he stuttered, his hands on his hips.

“Okay. So, tell me, what happened? I heard you got engaged to her sister while you were still with her.” I asked, sitting on my table with my tablet in hand, and an interesting look on my face. 

I really wanted to know the truth. Emily would have been mine if Louis hadn't outsmarted me in college, then he left the same girl for her sister. I really wanted to know what went wrong.

“Long story, and I'm not in the mood to go down that memory lane, but just so you know, she wasn't good enough for me. Neither do I think she'll be good enough for you.” Louis answered hurriedly, and I could see that he was only trying to cover up for his infidelity, so I decided to play along. To pretend I'd let him fool me.

“I think that should be my headache, Louis, not yours. But wait, you said you know what she is, what is she?”

"That might be a bit ambiguous, but I know that she's not even your type, for crying out loud! You know how she operates. She's only after one thing: your money."

That revelation startled me, so I leaned back in my chair, and steepled my fingers together as I regarded my nephew. "But she was your type when you had no money."

Louis laughed, “Come on, Uncle, stop twisting my statement.”

“No, I'm just saying. How did things change so much between you two?” I asked again, not wanting to be direct, but hoping he got my hint.

“It really seems like you've made up your mind.” He said, changing the topic. He knew he would be shooting himself in the head if he went further.

“Nice of you to finally recognise that, Louis.” I replied, with a calm expression, and a hint of amusement dancing in my eyes. "I appreciate your concern, but I'm not sure it's your place to tell me what I should or shouldn't do. I know exactly what I'm getting into."

Louis scoffed again. "I didn't want to say this but you should know that Emily is a gold-digger, always has been. You're just blinded by your feelings. Think about all the times she lied to me. Well, you may not have known, but she's manipulative. Do you really want to go through that?"

Do I turn authoritative? I was having so much fun entertaining him that I didn't want it to end soon. He must've reveled in the thought that he was getting to me, but that was a contradiction.

“Continue,” I tersed, giving him more opportunity to display his stupidity. “I want to listen to you now.”

"You're a billionaire, Uncle,” he started again, heaving a sigh and looking as if he was bound to win this case. “I know that you're a wise man, but marrying Emily is not a smart decision. She's going to drain your business and everything you've worked so hard to achieve over the years, manipulate you into giving her whatever she wants... You're playing with fire, and I'm trying to warn you."

That was the melting point of our conversation. Instantly, my expression turned cold, and I intentionally dropped my voice to a warning tone. "I've heard enough, Louis. I appreciate your concern, but don't cross the line.”

Crap! Just then, I realised I wasn't supposed to do that. If I got mad at him, I wouldn't get the privilege of making him pay for what he did to Emily. It's best to keep him around, feed his ego like a dog, and cast him into the street after all was done, I thought. With that, my expression softened momentarily.

"Fine, but have you thought about this some more? You're not thinking clearly. What if Emily is only using you to get back at me? I don't want you to regret this," he pleaded, his voice cracking with fake emotion.

It was some deepfake shit. I knew his plan was to laugh Emily to scorn. He wasn't begging because he cared about me, it was for his selfish interest.

"Give it up, Louis. I'm sure her world doesn't revolve around you. I'll take care of myself, and Emily. She's my responsibility from now on, especially since she just survived a heartbreaking relationship with a cheating boyfriend.”

That part stung him, and he stiffened, but recoiled almost immediately. His lips flew open to speak, but I still had something to say. 

“You just focus on your own life, okay? And I'll focus on mine."

Louis nodded reluctantly, knowing he'd lost the battle. Then he stood up slowly, his eyes locked on mine. "Fine, I'll respect your decision, uncle, but I'll be watching from the back. You're family, and I'll do what family does for each other.”

“You stick to that.” I answered, with a calm demeanor that said I wasn't threatened by him. “If you will, I still have work to finish.” I said, pointing to the door.

Hesitant, he dragged himself from his position and meandered to the door, with my eyes following him closely.