POV: Raphael
“Fine!
If you feel I’m such a bully, then why are you with me, why not break up with me already?!” I asked her furiously, glaring dangerously at her. To think that I’m looking out for her and she dares to call me a bully, yelling at me and calling me names.
Her mom is the reason they are being bullied by their father always. He knows her secret and he’s using it to bully her and threaten her. If she tells her girls the truth, then they will be free from his attacks because their mother would have nothing to fear anymore and she would fight for her inheritance and face him head.
“Come on, what are you waiting for?
Leave if you want to, I fucking dare you!” I yelled back at her, walking out on her and heading back to my car. I thought she would not respond to me, but I heard the sound of her footsteps behind me and I knew she would not let me have the last word.
“You are so arrogant and proud, Raphael. You don’t think of anyone but yourself. You must think that I have no choice but to put up with your nasty attitude, don’t you?
Well, I’m calling your bluff, asshole. It’s over between us, I’m done with you!
I will find your money and pay you off and thats it!
I’m done!
I’m so fucking done!” she yelled at me as I got into the car and drove off, ignoring her. She’s so stupid and annoying!
“I’ll see how long she can live without me!” I thought to myself as I drove to the company. It’s Monday, and I’ve been away all weekend and all morning. It’s time for me to catch up on work stuff. Gramps wanted me to stay off the phone all weekend and I tried to keep it simple and stress-free all weekend, but now I have to get back to work fully.
I have two important matters to attend to. First I need to handle Mr Austin and his wife. They used the company to collect over a hundred and fifty million dollars in loans from the bank and he withdrew a very high amount from the company too, he practically rendered the company bankrupt. And for what?
What could he gain from destroying the company that he stole with his brutality and force?
I’ve got confirmation that the company is sinking in debt. Before I left, I asked Carl to trace the money and find out where it was hidden. I made sure he knew how important it was to find that money before it became untraceable. That money must not be transferred to a foreign account.
I need it reversed and returned back to the company’s accounts before it goes international. It’s weird how I still wish to help Victoria and her family after she just told me that she is done with me. How could I still care after she broke up with me?
“Welcome back, boss. It’s good to have you back.” Carl lets out excitedly as I get out of my car.
“It’s good to be back, Carl. Tell me what’s new, what did I miss?” I asked him, smirking at him. He laughed at my enthusiasm, matching my energy. We are always on the same page, we totally understand each other.
“Did you find the money?” I asked him the moment we got into my office.
“yes boss, I found it. But I have not been able to move it back to the company.” He responded calmly.
“Why, I told you we need to reverse it before he knows we are looking into his affairs. What’s the delay, where is the money?” I asked urgently.
“It’s with Carlos Gonzalez,” he responded grimly, his face distorted with a deep frown.
“What are you saying?” I asked him in surprise. I don’t want to believe that it’s the same Carlos Gonzalez I know about. What business does he have with Austin, how did Austin get involved with a ruthless drug and ammunition dealer,?
“What’s the connection, what business are they involved in?” I asked him anxiously, my curiosity piqued.
“I have no idea what they are into, I just traced the money to Carlos, and I found out that your uncle Reynold also transferred the same amount to him on the same day.” He told me. I totally forgot about Uncle Reynold, I asked Carl to distract Uncle Reynold and make sure he didn’t leave his house on time that Saturday morning.
I wanted to break into his office and find anything that could link him to Mr Austin and his company. I wanted to do this before we left for the weekend, but Gramps wanted me there earlier, so I left early to pick up Victoria. I couldn’t do the job like I intended, so I asked Carl to get it done.
“Did you at least find out what they are smuggling this time and when it’s coming in?” I asked him. But he didn’t have a good response to all my questions. It seems like he had his hands full this weekend. I would have been pissed that he was not giving me the answers I want, but who could blame the guy. He has been so busy all weekend, watching Victoria’s family and keeping a close eye on the company.
“I need to go into Uncle Reynold’s home office myself. I need to see all this for myself and find out the deal they have with Carlos. Make arrangements for me to sneak in there tonight. And get Carlos Gonzalez on the phone, tell him I’m on my way to see him privately.” I instructed Carl.
Normally, no one calls Gonzalez for impromptu visits like this. But he cannot say no to the man who made him the mafia lord. I helped him take out his rival and made him the mafia Lord, so he owes me. We had a fallout some months back when I intercepted his container smuggling underage girls for prostitution.
I couldn’t turn the other way and let him go ahead with his business. That is why we fell apart, he refused to let me know about his business and he wouldn’t come close to me or my business either. But I’m willing to bury the past and move on because I need to know what he’s smuggling for my uncle and Victoria’s father.
“What brings you here, Raphael?
Did you come to rat me out to the cops again, do you want to betray me and sell me out to the feds, again?” he asked furiously, glaring at me. I smirked at him, ignoring his yells and name-calling. I walked over to his bar and poured us both dome drinks, proposing a truce.
He smiled in approval, accepting the drink and gulping it down before pulling me in for a bear hug, laughing excitedly. We spent the whole afternoon talking about work and I found out many things from him, including the fact that he is just about to open a new strip club in town.
“Would you like to invest in my nightclub, I could fix you on the deal and you could make twice your investment in one month,” he coaxed me, sounding convincing.
“No, Carlos. I don’t want to be an investor in your nightclub, I want to be your partner. I don’t want to have a spot on your investor’s list. I want a seat at the round table. Make it happen!” I told him fiercely, using the tone he understands best.
“God, I’ve missed you, man!
I mean, who else would dare to speak to me in that tone?” He teases me, laughing at his own joke. I smiled along with him, thinking to myself that he was such an idiot. I’m only trying to earn his trust again and gain access to his computer. Once I’m in there, I’ll find out what they are all planning to do with so much money.