Jaime was no fool, and from the few words the two had just exchanged, he had understood that Alfredo knew he was a fake.
And he had asked his secretary to find the real “Jaime” in private.
It was no wonder Alfredo returned that ungodly day, looking at him with a complicated look, and even when he mentioned Luis, he didn’t move a bit.
He had thought before that he had used the same trick too many times and that Alfredo wasn’t eating it anymore, but now Jaime realized that he already knew he was a phony.
The fact that he cried and missed Luis only stirred disgust in Alfredo’s heart.
He was like a clown, putting on a show in front of Alfredo, when in reality he had long since been made aware of all his thoughts.
Jaime’s face was frightened and embarrassed as it strung together everything that had happened over the past few days.
He was treated with disrespect by his secretary, who openly and secretly ridiculed him. Little by little, the projects he was in charge of in the company were handed over to Pedro, and little by little, power was taken out of his hands.
He thought that Alfredo was angry with him and had bought something to please him.
But it turned out that they were already thinking of asking him to make room for his own grandson.
Jaime, with a pang of anger in his heart, red-eyed and staring at the door, didn’t dare go through the front door, and sneaked out of the Seco family.
This coming and going went surprisingly unnoticed.
He left in anger, without hearing Alfredo’s next words.
Alfredo discussed the company’s affairs with his secretary and, after a moment of silence, said to him:
-With regard to Jaime. After all, I have raised him for so many years, and if even a pet can develop feelings, let alone a living human being.
The secretary nodded.
-Indeed, she has given her heart and soul to him and has been kind enough to educate him.
Alfredo sighed.
-When the boy is found, you will have the lawyer come and I will make a will. Most of the shares of Grupo Seco will go to the boy and a part to Pedro. As for Jaime, I’ll leave him enough money, some contacts, and as long as he’s capable, he won’t be too bad off for the rest of his life.
The secretary’s lips twitched and he whispered:
-Sir, you are too kind.
If I were him, I would not have been so kind to that impostor and would have expelled him from the Seco family, nor would I be willing to leave him any patrimonial resources.
-After all, I also considered him my closest relative,” Alfredo let out a sigh.
After so many years of affection, it was not easy to make his feelings disappear. If Jaime had not behaved badly in the last few years and worn him down, maybe they would have left him some shares of Grupo Seco.
But not now, Jaime could not stay in Grupo Seco. He was ambitious and narrow-minded, like a snake in the grass, and if he was allowed to stay, his own grandson would have a hard time.
-I’m getting old and when that boy comes back, I’m leaving the Dry Group. You have to assist him and make sure he can get back on his feet.
Alfredo had worked for the company all his life and the time had come to retire from the center of power and, like Sergio, retire in leisure.
Unfortunately, he did not have a grandson as competitive and frugal as Umberto.
Alfredo rubbed his chin and reflected that when the boy returned, he should have a good contact with Umberto and learn something back.
***
Jaime walked away from the Seco family with a somber look on his face, he didn’t want to go to the office either, and wandered aimlessly through the streets. All he could think about was Alfredo’s conversation with his secretary.
That brother of his is now in Sogen City!
At the thought, a wave of panic ran through Jaime’s mind and his fingers began to tighten as he gripped the steering wheel.
He really regretted putting the boy on a long-distance bus back then. If he had known, he should have been more ruthless and had the boy killed.
Now that the horse was down, and Alfredo knew who he was, he had to do something, he couldn’t just wait for death.
Jaime knew that everything he had now was given to him by the Seco family and that without them he was nothing.
Pulling the car to the side of the road, Jaime again directed his people to pass them a photo of Luis Seco and asked them to look for someone in Sogen City who looked like the photo.
Since they had not approached this man at the time, he had to get to him first and then get rid of him in advance.
A single day without finding someone would give him enough time to prepare better.
Jaime’s eyes glittered with sadness as he tidied up the matter.
There was one more thing he had to do now.
The Pomar family couldn’t compete with the Seco family, but they were a well-known family in Sogen City.
As long as Angelina was with him, Alfredo would have to think twice before kicking him out the Seco family’s door.
With that in mind, Jaime headed straight for the Pomar family’s company.
Angelina was at work and was surprised to receive a call from Jaime.
He had been harassing her and her family since she backed out of her marriage, but nothing had happened in the last few days and Angelina thought he had changed his mind.
She hadn’t expected him to come back now.
Her eyes were impatient and she simply hung up the phone.
Jaime was persistent and, after several calls, Angelina was about to disconnect him when suddenly a text message came in.
-If you don’t want your parents’ reputation to suffer anything bad, come to the company’s door immediately and we’ll talk about it.
When she saw the text message, Angelina became furious and laughed.
Jaime’s condescending tone made it seem like it was all her family’s fault, that he had the nerve to harass her when it was obvious that he was the one who hid her in the first place and approached her with bad intentions.
After a few minutes of reflection, Angelina stood up, her delicate face condensed and unapproachable.
If he wanted to talk to her, then they would talk. She would like to see what Jaime wanted to do this time.
Half unprepared, she pulled a tape recorder out of a drawer, opened it and slipped it into her purse. Then she waved to her assistant and headed for the office door.
From a distance, she saw Jaime’s car parked there.
Angelina’s eyes flashed with disgust. She used to have some good feelings for him, but after so many days of being harassed by him, she now had nothing but disgust for him.
No wonder he was entangled with that bad woman Yolanda, they were the same!
She went ahead and knocked on the car window.
The window rolled down and Jaime’s somewhat somber face was exposed as he looked at her and nodded.
-Get in.
Angelina scoffed:
-I wouldn’t dare get in your car in case you have evil intentions and want to kidnap me to threaten my parents into submission.
Jaime gritted his teeth.
Angelina used to be pure and sweet, she even spoke and acted properly, but now she had become very eloquent and aggressive.
He blamed it on Umberto’s partner. What exactly had they said to Angelina to make her attitude change so much?
Jaime repressed the anger in his heart, not wanting her to think badly of him, and said patiently:
-I’ll go wherever you want.
Angelina raised an eyebrow at his words and pointed to the cafeteria next to the office.
-Go there, it’s crowded and safe.
Jaime obeyed and got out of the car, ready to go with her.
Angelina didn’t even give him that chance, she walked extra fast, as if avoiding the plague, and keeping more than a meter away from Jaime no matter how much she hurried him.
Jaime held back as the veins at the corners of his forehead sped up.
The two entered the coffee and sat across from each other. Angelina said impatiently:
-What do you mean? Say it quickly, I have to work later. I’m very busy and I don’t have time to be with you.
Jaime’s fists clenched as he heard this and thought about his current situation.
-I still want to talk to you about our marriage. I think we got along well before, and the Seco family and the Pomar family are perfect for each other, would you like to reconsider?
Angelina didn’t wait for his words to fall before she waved her hand.
-I’ve thought it through, I don’t think we’re right for each other. I think you and Yolanda have gotten along well before. Go talk to her about the engagement, she’ll probably be happy.
-Angelina, don’t go overboard.
Yolanda was in a situation where no one with a clear head wanted anything to do with her, especially Jaime, who was at a very sensitive stage.
When Angelina said this, Jaime thought he heard that she was with Yolanda all the time and that he only deserved to be with her.
That only frayed Jaime’s nerves, stoking the inferiority complex in him, and his face made a couple of grimaces as he spoke.
Angelina looked at him with a puzzled expression, why was this man so angry all of a sudden? She had said similar things before and she had never seen him so angry, what was going on here?