Liar Liar Billionaires

7. Amir and his issues

THREE DAYS LATER…

Chloe glanced at the little group hovering over their laptops, and she wondered why they decided to do their boring finances in the library. It was even more annoying that they kept talking at intervals. And it annoyed her more that they were not having a conversation that could give her a lead.

Raising the book in her hand to make it seem like she was still interested in its content, Chloe wondered how on earth Nathaniel's words of them being a family was going to work out.

On one hand, there was Lucille, who was always either doing something in her room or throwing dagger glares at her. Amir, on the other hand, could sometimes be in a corner of the house making phone calls to his women if he was not busy with work.

Gabriel, as usual, would be his quiet self. He spent most of his time in the library, while Nathaniel was always looking so serious and having one call after the other, most certainly about business.

Chloe truly could not see how them being like a family was going to help her sniff out information.

Flipping the page of the novel almost absent-mindedly, she knew it was time she employed fully the good old method of divide and conquer.

“I can tell you are distracted.”

A startled Chloe dropped the book in her hand to see that Gabriel had found a seat opposite her.

Throwing him a defeated smile, she said, “I have been reading the same page for the past ten minutes.”

“We are quite noisy, aren't we?”

Chloe nodded with a shy smile. Then, began to speak. “I know you all are businessmen, but what exactly do you do?”

"Business, of course." Chloe's brows quirked. Like she didn't know that. "We do anything that makes us number one in the country. From investments to production, even to entertainment, name it."

Now, she was getting something. “Why do you guys always want to be number one?”

Nathaniel butted in with his bass voice, “We are obsessed with being in power. That has been a drive for us since high school.”

Surprised, Chloe asked, “You’ve known each other since high school?”

“Yes,” Gabriel replied instead.

“I see. You mentioned that you would do anything to stay in power. Does that include anything, even illegal things?”

“Illegal?”

She had attracted the full attention of the men.

“Yes. I mean, a lot of rich people out there dip their hands in dirty stuff to stay in power. So…”

“We don't do that here,” Nathaniel interrupted a bit harshly. “Everything we do is purely legal .”

“Hmm.” Chloe replied and did not push it any further.

“Why the questions, though?” Amir queried.

She gave a nervous-like chuckle as she faced a gruff Amir. “I get super curious when I’m bored.”

“Know what is good for you and learn to be less curious. You are here to work, not to investigate our lives.” Amir, who she was seeing for the first time after his attempt to seduce her, sounded so pissed you would think she was the one who tried to force herself on him.

“Amir…” Nathaniel glared at him before facing Chloe. “You should not forget his words, Chloe. Learn to mind your business here. Only do what we need you to do, and there won't be any problem.”

Nodding, Chloe began to reason within her. There definitely was something up with them. Their response sort of gave that off. Too bad she was there to actually investigate. Too bad she won't be minding her business at all.

"Of course, Nathaniel. I'll be less curious,” she replied eventually.

After a long silence of awkward glances, Gabriel sighed and got up, “I don't know how you guys find it so easy to act so defensively when she just asked a simple question. And Amir… shouldn't you be apologising to Chloe for your action the other day?"

"Stay out of my business too, Gabe."Amir walked out of the room muttering.

“He is being cranky,” Gabriel explained to Chloe.

After getting up, Chloe made for the exit. She had thought of a way to provoke Amir. But her quest was stopped by a new voice that graced the room.

“Thank goodness you are all here.” The man who had just entered had the huge body and height of a bouncer, or better put, a bodyguard.

'Maybe he is their bodyguard,' she thought as she walked back a bit to observe his face. Immediately, a frown took over her temple. He looked familiar, but she couldn't place exactly where she could have met him.

“The shipment is delayed,” the man explained.

Nathaniel immediately neglected his laptop. “Why? What happened?”

“Something about some sudden search.”

“How long is this search going to last?”

“Well, this time of the year has a lot of shipments flowing in, so…” It was then that he noticed Chloe, who was listening with rapt attention.

“Who is she?”

“Oh, I forgot she was here. She is our new help.”

“Hmm…” His tiny eyes eyed her.

“I should…” She motioned at the entrance. “I should leave .”

“Wait.” Even the curiosity of Nathaniel and Gabriel was roused by the man’s command. “Have we met before?”

“Uh? No.” She shook her head vigorously. But she had recalled where she had once seen him.

“I feel like I have seen you somewhere. Like at a dangerous place.”

Chloe chuckled and waved off his statement. “Oh no. As much as I love to try new things that bring money to the table, I don't do dangerous stuff.”

She had met him at a club, and that was when she was on a mission. Her first mission. The mission that cost her a lot.

Eyeing her even more suspiciously, the tall man said, “I'll have my eyes on you until I figure out where we met.”

Chloe managed a small smile and slipped out immediately.

Recalling the situation leading to her first mission was not a good sign. But she was not ready to deal with that emotional baggage. So she chose to do what she normally did to push such drama aside.

Train.

Or rather, work out.

Practising some martial arts would make her look suspicious, so using the gym was more appropriate.

After a few minutes, she was dressed in more suitable wear and headed for the gym.

On entering the huge and well-equipped room, Chloe let out the heaviness chained within and set out to chase her frustration out of her system.

“Don't you have work to do?" Amir’s voice startled her a bit.

"I am done with everything that needs to be done." Amir nodded slowly in response. Her head tilted a bit. Chloe asked, "Do you need me to do something?”

“No.” It was a sharp response.

“Okay then…” Facing the other side where dumbbells lazily rested, Chloe could not help but swear under her breath as she recalled the video about Amir’s crimes. If only she could bash his face up for a few minutes. That would certainly be nice.

“I just don't get it.”

Chloe was surprised Amir was still around, and that element was evident in her question. “Get what?”

He pocketed his hands and stared right in her eyes. “How could you reject me? No one has ever rejected me.”

“Did you say no one? Well, sir, I am glad to be the first to break that record.” He did not respond, and Chloe took it as a chance to slip out of the conversation. “Excuse me.” She gave him a sarcastically dashing smile and made for her first stop, the treadmill.

“Too bad Nathaniel wants you…” Chloe had to pause the away in her body. “If he didn't, I would have totally made you regret what you did."

Her head swinging sideways to trace out Amir's outline, which stood tall and had its arms folded, Chloe found herself bothered by his statement.

No. Not the part where he threatened her like he was a predator and she was his prey.

It was the statement about Nathaniel. Hearing it again stirred something within her, and for a second, she wanted to turn and ask questions, but she certainly wasn't willing to entertain any more of Amir's issues.

So, like the proud woman she was, Chloe fully ignored Amir and went on with her reason for being in that room.