ARLAN’S POV;
I was halfway through my cup of coffee when the news broke. The voice on the television droned on as I watched the business news.
Saraya Newman. Arrested.
The cup slipped from my fingers, and the coffee splashed across my shirt and hand, burning like hell.
“Shit!” I cursed, but the sting was nothing compared to the jolt in my chest. For a moment, all I could do was stare at the screen, my heart pounding like a war drum.
“What the hell is going on right now?” I asked as though someone else was in the room with me. “I spoke to her this morning… Ian?” Realization dawn on me. “I don’t believe that sly snake would stoop so low to do this.”
Ignoring the mess, I grabbed my phone and dialed Alex. My hand was shaking, and I hated that. Hated how easily the mere mention of her name could unsettle me. The phone rang twice before he picked up.
“Arlan.” There was something about his voice that sounded tired and frustrated when he picked up.
“What’s going on?” I demanded, not bothering with pleasantries. “Why is Saraya arrested?”
There was a pause. “How do you-”
“It’s all over the news,” I snapped. “What happened?”
“That God damn forsaken secretary!” Alex cursed out loud. “I told him to block the news, how exactly is he doing his job?”
Ignoring Alex’s rants. “Does this have anything to do with the slush funds?” I asked.
Alex sighed, the kind of exhale that grated on my nerves. “No, Arlan. The slush funds are clean. We laundered that money months ago way before Saraya came on board. There’s no connection, so you don’t have to worry about getting dragged in the mud.” He assured me.
“Fuck being dragged in the mud, Alex.” I snapped. “I don’t care what happens to me, I care more about Saraya.” I didn’t mean to say it like that. It slipped out before I could think, and I cursed under my breath. “Fuck me!” I mouthed.
Alex didn’t miss a beat. “And why should you be worried about my daughter when this have nothing to do with you?”
The question hit me like a punch to the gut, but I recovered quickly, masking my emotions with a ruffled breath. “She is my business partner and have everything to do with me. Her reputation is all of our reputation. If something happens to her, it affects us all.”
The silence that followed was heavier than I thought. Alex wasn’t stupid, and I could feel him trying to read between the lines.
“Right,” he said at last, dragging the word out in a way that made my teeth grind. “You’re very right about that.”
“What is the situation of things currently? Who reported her? Could it be…” I managed to stop myself in time before I could mention “Ian” name.
“Could it be who?” Alex asked, the tone of his voice tightened. “Is there someone you suspect could be behind all of this?”
I sighed, thankful I haven’t slipped. How would I have explained I know Ian is around when Alex haven’t mentioned it yet. “Do you think your mother has a hand in this?” I asked.
“She is not the type to ruin the business image just because we have grudges.” Arlan defended her.
“You’re right about that but who would’ve made such report?” I asked. “Do you have anyone else in mind?”
“I’m thinking of Ian, that pretentious monster came in this morning and we had a brief face off.” Alex began. “Few hours after that, Saraya is arrested for fraud.” He added.
I clenched my jaw, my mind racing. “Ian, Of course, it had to be him. The timing was too perfect or rather too calculated.” I thought.
“Hello Arlan, can you hear me?”
Alex’s words broke through my reverie. “What exactly did Ian say to you?” I asked.
Alex hesitated. “He’d said she was occupying a position that doesn’t belong to her and he had gone to put her in her place.”
“I guess he is not going to let Saraya be without a fight for what he thinks belongs to him.”
“Trust me, he won’t give in without a fight,” Alex muttered. “But I don’t think he’d stoop to dragging Saraya into his games.”
“What is your counter plan?” I asked, my patience running thin.
“I will first have to look for the evidence that ties him to be being the whistle blower.” Alex replied. “I can’t go about barking like a rabid dog without concrete evidence, it would make me look stupid. I can’t look that way in front of Saraya.”
“With isla’s backing, I don’t think it would be easy to find a speck of dust on Ian.” I pointed out. “Your mother would go high and low for him.”
“Then she would have me to contend with, Arlan, The Newman’s has never truly belonged to one person. But if my mother thinks it belongs to Ian, so do I think it belongs to Saraya.” Alex said, emphasizing on each word. “If it so happens that Ian have something to do with, then I will make him pay for the betrayal that he would wish he had never had the thought of crossing Saraya’s path.”
I ran a hand through my hair, pacing as different thoughts ran through my mind. “Ian has always ambitious, but this? Framing Saraya for fraud? It was beyond ruthless.”
“Where is she now?” I added.
“Central precinct,” Alex replied, his voice weary. “I’m here with the legal team but it’s going to be a circus trying to untangle this mess.”
“I’m coming,” I said without hesitation.
“No,” Alex said sharply. “Stay out of this, Arlan. The last thing we need is more fuel on the fire. Until we unravel the root of this, we should be very careful.”
“Alex…”
“I said no,” he snapped. “You have your own issues to deal with. Leave this to me.”
For a moment, I considered arguing, but I knew it wouldn’t get me anywhere. Alex was stubborn to a fault, especially when it came to his family. But staying out of it wasn’t an option for me, not when Saraya was involved.
“Fine,” I lied, ending the call before he could protest further. leaned back in my chair, staring at the mess on my desk. My shirt was ruined, my hand throbbed from the burn, but none of that mattered.
I changed my shirt and grabbed my keys and headed for the door. If Alex thought I was just going to sit back and let him handle this all by himself, then, he didn’t know me very well.
Ian might have started this war, but I wasn’t about to let him win.
As I slid into my car, my phone buzzed with a text. I glanced at the screen, it was a message notification from Matilda so I opened it.
Matilda: Hi Arlan, you’ve been ignoring me. I’m sorry if my confession made you uncomfortable. I called to inform you that I won the Cartier’s contract and my designs were chosen for their next collections.
I stared at the message for a moment. “Cartier contract,” I muttered to myself. Then I recalled she had made mention of it one time.
I tossed my phone to the passenger seat. Matilda’s triumph was a big deal, but I couldn’t focus on that right now, not when Saraya’s freedom hung in the balance. Still, a twinge of guilt pricked at me for brushing Matilda off.
I made a mental note. “I’d text her later.”
Turning the key in the ignition, I pulled out of the driveway and headed to the precinct.