Chapter Eight—Dirt??

Chapter Eight—Dirt??

The house was even in more of a mess than what Justin expected. The stench of vodka, whiskey and his devastation all filled the room as he strode in quietly. He didn’t realize it till now, how sparse his apartment was. A once loving home, filled with warmth and vigor now a mere shadow of its own self.

The reverie of Gianna crossed through his mind again. How they would argue about the furniture placements, and his clear disdain for her figurine collections which she wanted over the fireplace. He gulped hard, craving liquor just thinking about it.

The meeting with his lawyers went smoothly. A hundred million dollars was drafted out from his company funds, as he solely intended on not letting it go. Gianna was smart, more than what he gave her credit for but he was a man who knew when to not back down—He missed her, even though he wanted to deny, but his quest to acquire Lawson Z Corp for himself was stronger.

Just as he strode into the kitchen his phone buzzed, a call from his private investigator hired to keep tabs on his ex wife. She slapped him the last time they met, his watchful eye was going to be more discreet as he learned his lesson.

“Yes?” He murmured over the phone, racking the refrigerator for a half drunk bottle of wine he was sure he kept in last night.

“Well I tailed her just as you asked and uhhh….”

“Uhhh what?” Justin frowned.

“I found basically nothing boss,” the investigator murmured, treading carefully so as not to get fired, “It’s like she disappeared and reappeared from nowhere. I checked flight records, house purchases and so many other things—-Gianna Santiago—

“Lawson.” Justin corrected, bitterly, “She goes by Lawson now.”

“Ohh sorry then…Gianna Santiago is literally like a ghost now boss. But I’m on to a lead, if it eventually cracks we might actually get the upper hand.”

“The upper hand??” Justin’s frown creased even deeper, “I told you to get information about what my ex wife has been up to for the past three years, not dig up some dirt on her??”

“Ohh I thou—-

“You’re fired.” Justin said shortly as he hung up. Another sigh left him as he poured the chilled wine into his glass.

Eight days, Eight days since the return of his wife and he could already feel her presence changing him. He could’ve needed the dirt about to be dug on her, a form of blackmail of the sort, the upper hand according to his investigator and for some reason he wasn’t going to.

Soft. He was going soft, rubbing his temple gently he reached for his phone to call his investigator back, “Spill….”

“Aiden Cumberman”

“Who??”

“Your ex wife’s new boyfriend.”

The wine in Justin’s mouth went bitter as his frown morphed into a deep scowl, “What?”

“I think if I tail Aiden Cumberman, her boyfriend and associate, there’s a possibility we can get some dirt on her. It’s perfect to get yourself out of the million dollar restraining order sir.”

Justin went silent for a minute as he racked through his mind. Then he remembered him, the strange man who spoke up to him at the conference room. That was her boyfriend? He thought, surely Gianna could do better than that.

He was better than Aiden Cumberman, or whatever his name was, in every way and every aspect. Three years later and his ex wife’s taste in men had clearly changed, less refined.

*********

Gianna stifled a yawn as she stepped out of bed the next morning, slowly she strode towards the bathroom not before stepping onto a piece of metal by the doorway. She winced loudly, crouching to the ground to check on the object when her eyes suddenly turned to a dark gloom.

It was her wedding ring. A reminder of why she was the way she is now, why relationships and love was such a flawed phenomenon. It was a reminder of a mistake, one which should’ve never happened. Most of all, it was a reminder as to why she needed to crush Justin Santiago.

Aiden already laid out the perfect plan. Bait him off with the restraining order which she was sure she was going to sign, whilst simultaneously planting a mole in his company. For a man as smart as himself, he wasn’t quick to notice how she’d already turned his most trusted secretary to her side.

Justin was unlikeable, his employees hated him, she had sources to gather intel from and who better than to crack in his system, if not for his own underpaid secretary herself. It was only a matter of time before he was pushed into ruins.

She flippantly threw thre ring across the room and into a corner, just then she heard the opening of her door. Her ears pinged, her eyes narrowed, as there was only two people who had a passkey to her apartment. The housekeeper who was responsible for cleaning and Aiden himself.

The housekeeper wasn’t due to arrive until thirty minutes later, but then again she was probably making an early arrival to get started. Gianna’s defensive state subsided a little, as she shrugged and stepped into the bathroom.

Thirty minutes later she was set for work, clad in a pinstripe work suit and her hair all out in its full glory. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, beautiful, poised and ready to be a boss. Unlike the housewife she was years ago, she found confidence in herself unlike no other.

Quickly she walked out of her room, adjusting her watch as she reached the kitchen to the sound of pans stirring, “Oh Melanie I’ll be missing break—

“Good morning Miss Lawson,” The housekeeper, middle aged with a smile on her face, “Mr Lawson is here to see you.”

Gianna froze, her head shot up with a question, “Mr who??”

“Mr Lawson?? Your husband??”

Gianna gasped, “Melanie what did you—-

Slowly she turned around at the oncoming footsteps of someone, just as she suspected, her throat went dry just hearing his voice, “Good morning Gianna.”

Justin Santiago, her ex husband, was in her home!