The Beautiful Billionaire

ESTELLE

“Do you really think I would not find out who had been helping you with your little stunt yesterday?”

“Dad, it wasn’t a secret. And you should accept my winning. And I can’t believe I’m still the bad guy here after what you did to me. Why don’t you try opening another business? You are a good wine connoisseur. Besides, CTEC doesn’t keep you busy already?”

“Don’t act like you know anything. You’re just an overly ambitious little brat. Don’t worry, Estelle. I will be there to watch you fall.”

“You’re so out of line. Instead of being happy for what I’ve accomplished, you’re terrorizing me. You conspired with Mr. Weston to take my seat. What kind of father does that to his child? And before I started this company, you didn’t believe in my capability. Remember what you said? Go and find an 8-hour shift job to pay your bills. I sent you to a good school not to waste your time on something unreachable.” I clenched my jaw hard when I began to vibrate in anger.

“You really think you won?”

“Yes. You made me question my worth, Dad because you’ve never supported my dreams and thought I would be just like my mother, leaving you. Maybe you’re right on one thing. You really disappoint me right now.”

“Do you think you would be where you are right now if not because of me and Tyrion? Go ahead and celebrate your little victory because tomorrow, I will see who’s gonna help you get your company back on track. And I don’t think your boyfriend will make any difference.”

“I don’t have time for this. Bye, Dad.” I tossed my phone to the couch before I lifted my gaze and met Linden’s sympathetic eyes. He’d been standing there leaning against the doorjamb while listening to what I said to my father. “He’s something, isn’t he?”

“Your mom. She sounds like a good mother.”

I smiled sadly. “She is. She’s very supportive and sometimes pushy, like Mr. Braddson. That’s why I offered the CEO seat to her.”

He came to the couch and wrapped his arms around me. “You’re gonna be okay. Your father will soon realize his mistakes. It may take time, but time will heal.”

“I wish I’m optimistic like you about my father’s forgiving nature. He’s the kind of person who can never be bent and tamed.”

“Trust me. I’ve met people worse than your father. London’s father, Sadie’s, too. They’re like Commodus.”

“What do you mean?”

“Sadie’s father is-”

“A ruthless mob boss who ran an underground empire called Absolom Organizations.”

I froze to a soft woman’s familiar voice pulling me away from Linden’s arms.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“Sadie?” Linden sounded surprised. Oh, great. We were just talking about her, and now she was in the house. When he stood up, I did too, but then he went to Sadie and hugged her as if he missed her. The question was, who was she to him?

“Sorry for coming over unannounced. Nice place, by the way. It’s perfect for you.”

“Thank you. Did you come alone? Where’s Cenric?” Linden looked at the door, but no one came in.

“Introduce me first to your lady friend.” A meaningful smile appeared on Sadie’s lips.

“The woman who broke up with me via a piece of paper, this is Estelle. Estelle, this is my best friend’s wife, Sadie Greer.”

“Hello.” I suddenly felt shy. She was gorgeous in a beautiful tweed dress, and I was only in my shirt and jeans.

“Nice to finally meet the woman who thawed his cold freezing heart.” Instead of shaking the hand I offered, she hugged me tight. “Please, take care of him.”

“More like he’s taking care of me and everyone.”

“I heard that,” Linden chuckled.

“It was intentional.” She rolled her eyes at him.

“Linden?” Someone just called Linden in a very authoritarian deep voice. Then the man appeared at the door in a well-tailored suit and tie. His skin was tan, like he spent much time in the sea. Then I realized I’d seen him before-the Crypto developer.

“C.” They hugged each other in a brotherly manner.

“Nice house, brother.”

“I still love my old house.”

Cenric chuckled. “Of course you do. You can’t leave your garden behind.” Then he came to me. “Sucker-punch him if he ever misbehaves, and call the cavalry if he ever mistreats you. I’ll be the first one to break that perfect nose. Nice to meet you, Estelle.” He offered his hand.

When I gripped it, I didn’t expect he would pull and hug me. Then he whispered, “Welcome to the family, Estelle.”

“Thank you?” I was still confused about what was happening, and my reply came out as a question rather than a statement.

“Can you excuse us?” Cenric asked.

“No. You two talk in front of us,” Sadie replied as she sat on the couch to my right.

“It’s okay. I’ll go.”

“Stick around. This is a family matter, and you’re one- our newbie to our growing, messy family,” she said coolly.

Cenric sat across Linden and us. “I talked to Devin today. He had no news about Jasper. The last time he heard from him was the same day he came to you.”

“Who’s Devin? Jasper?”

“Jasper is my brother, and Devin is my former bodyguard,” Sadie said.

“Yeah, I met him at Osmium. Wait, he’s missing?” I was more shocked than confused.

“I hope not, but he left to find someone. He plans to disappear, but I have a feeling that what happened wasn’t a part of his plan,” Linden said.

“I contacted the man who helped him back in Greece. No one has seen him there. He’s in the wind.” A deep frown appeared on Cenric’s handsome face. I just realized they all looked attractive.

“I checked his credit cards and passport activities. None. As if he didn’t leave town.” Linden looked helpless. I never knew he was close to Jasper.

Sadie looked away with a deep breath as if she had some ideas of what was going on, while I could barely comprehend, as if they were talking in riddles.

“It’s gonna be okay. I can’t guarantee you when, but Jasper seems to be a tough guy.” I put my hand on top of hers and squeezed it.

She smiled sadly at me. “He is. I hope he’s okay somewhere.” She then looked at Linden. “Are you sure his contact didn’t give him an assignment?”

“No. The FBI is never involved.”

I ping-ponged my gaze between them while I was entirely lost.

“Good. You both are here.” Moses just came into the living room. Then Striker and another big tall man like Linden joined, making the room seemingly small for all of us. I could feel the tension rising, which seemed crucial for everyone.

“I can’t wait for the updates. I came by as soon as I got some free time. What’s going on?” The big guy asked before he found me and smiled.

I smiled back timidly.

“Nice crib. I almost get lost on the way.” Sax just walked in. Then Kye.

What the hell is going on?

“Do you have any news, boss?” Linden asked Moses.

“Not at this moment. I’m still collecting intel. It looks like he didn’t make it to any of his posts. That’s the reliable information I have. I’m sorry, honey,” Moses said and turned to Sadie.

“I can go dig up, see his old post in Canada,” Kye suggested.

“Go ahead. Use every resource you can get,” Linden told him.

“What can I do?” Striker asked.

“Be with your wife. We got it covered,” Linden told Striker, then he looked at Beck. “You shouldn’t have come.”

“I didn’t like that guy. Sadie knows that, but he changed and has proven his loyalty to you. I’m here to help if you need me.”

“Be with Maeve, and don’t leave your ranch. I have a feeling this is bigger than Jasper. I don’t know, but I feel it in my gut.”

“You might be right. Did he mention who asked about him?” The big guy asked.

“No, but I’d never seen him so anxious. You know Jasper, he can be cocky, but he can be a good leader and follower, but that day, I felt goosebumps all over me.”

Now I just did and rubbed my arms to let go of that feeling.

Sadie wiped her tears, and everyone saw that. “I will pay a huge amount just to find my brother.”

“That won’t be necessary. I have all available resources at their disposal. We will find him sooner,” Moses guaranteed her.

“I’ll contact Terzo.” Terzo? The tattood Terzo?

“Why?” Sax questioned him, receiving all the attention at him.

“He might have some information,” Linden replied.

“What can he possibly have that the Hover can’t gather when they have every piece of advanced computer equipment available that every agency dreams of.”

“Contra to what you believe, it won’t run alone, Sax. We need human resources to make it work. You can gather data online feeds and access every traffic camera and CCTV, but you need people to do the same in remote areas where there are no cameras and internet. Terzo is a mafia and good at finding people. He had connections everywhere in Italy and some other countries.” A mafia?

I swallowed hard. I just shook hands, laughed, and got drunk with him, and I had no idea he was a mafia.

“That bastard.” Sax flared his nose. I didn’t know Terzo was, but he looked resourceful.

“I think we got it all wrong. Jasper didn’t leave the country. He’s here all this time. His source is in the country. We just didn’t know who yet.” Linden picked up his phone and dialed. While waiting, he gripped my knee and mouthed if I was okay. I just nodded because, honestly, I was a little bit overwhelmed.

“I want you to run facial rec from three days ago. Search for Finnigan Morin, Canadian. He could be blond buzz cut, six-two. Call me as soon as you get a hit. Thank you.”

Who are these people? All I knew was they were wealthy, but I felt like I didn’t exist when they were around.

“What if he was taken by my father’s old associates?” Sadie found her voice again.

“What made you say that, baby?” Cenric asked his wife.

“He went to see Hanslo before he left.” Everyone shared looks.

“That’s worth checking out. I’ll go talk to Hanslo.” Sax raised his hand to volunteer.

Sadie nodded. “Tell her Charmaine says hi so that he will talk to you.”

***

I was still in a shocking state when Linden joined me in bed.

“Hey. You’re still up.”

“I realize I don’t know you at all.”

“What do you mean?” He joined me inside the blanket and pulled me closer to him.

“You have Moses Braddson as a second father, billionaire best friends, Striker and Cenric. You have men who would come when you’re in trouble. People come to you when they need your help. You know who reminds me of you?” I turned my head at him.

“Who?”

“You’re like a Batman of Gotham City.”

He laughed. The bed shook, and so was my body. “He’s pretty cool, though.”

I turned my back on him. I couldn’t allow him to see that I was getting worried. What they talked about earlier made me think that his line of work was dangerous, gathering and trading secrets and nothing that they couldn’t find, and it always involved risking and saving lives.

Now I’d come to the conclusion that I didn’t think I wanted to raise my child alone. I couldn’t do that.

“But he also gets hurt. He’s vulnerable when he’s with the people he cares about. I don’t want you to get hurt, Gabriel.”

I felt him freeze for a moment before he hugged me tight from behind. “Hey. Nothing’s going to happen to me. I promise.”

“You don’t know that. I kind of searched who Hanslo is. What he did before. Then you mentioned Terzo. I didn’t know he was a mafia until you discussed him earlier. God, I was laughing with him without knowing who he was.”

“Now you know why you’re here.”

“Am I in danger?”

“Everyone I care about is.”