The Billionaire Amongst Us

CHAPTER 7

Inside Lord Harrison's estate, Kairo hurriedly changed from his royalty into a stained apron shirt.

His meeting with Lady Celesta had revealed many more secrets than he had expected. His mission now was to find the documents inside DeLancey's estate.

So he hurriedly changed into his houseboy costume and hurried out into the faint light of the large walkway. And as he looked down at his feet, he was wearing the shoes of Lord Harrison.

In his hurry, he had forgotten to pull it. Making to rush back and make a remedy, a tender voice chimed in from the corridor.

It was Evelyn, who leaned against the marble walls with arms crossed and eyes narrowed like a cat who knew the mouse had secrets.

“Well, well,” she said, one brow arched. “Isn’t it interesting that the houseboy’s wearing Lord Harrison’s slippers and strolling around with them like he owns the place?”

Kairo, in his modest linen shirt and tailored trousers, glanced down at the gold-embroidered shoes on his feet and what he felt was more regret than shame.

His first slip-up. He'll need to be more careful in the future. Of course, he cannot afford to make any mistakes now.

“Well, as our guests deem it fit to gift me generously," he replied. Grin and lazy, almost boyish. “He must’ve thought I'd look odd in it.”

Evelyn stepped closer, arms still folded. “You mean to tell me Lord Harrison has begun handing out souvenirs to house boys now? Should we also be worried about your new habit of sneaking into our guests' suites now and then?”

He laughed, a genuine, warm, and maddeningly unreadable laugh.

“Oh, that... I take great pride in running errands for my lord if that's what you mean.”

Evelyn wasn’t just getting fond of him, she was plummeting headfirst and the thought of how wrong it was, made the whole charade a thrill.

Not as if it made total sense to her but, it had been a decade since she'd experienced the thrill of doing what felt wrong, the adrenaline rush of having to look over her shoulder because the heart had chosen to nurture the wrong lover.

She’d come to the DeLancey estate chasing shadows, tracing conspiracies, but somehow stumbled into the eyes of a houseboy who shouldn’t have mattered… and yet he did. Too much.

“Tell me, Kairo,” she began, lips curling into a smirk, “I want to meet Lord Harrison tonight at the family garden. Set it up for me. You're close to him, aren't you?" Kairo glanced at her sideways. He was trying to understand what this was all about.

"Yes, I can, but considering that our guests need to rest awhile, why can't it wait till morning?"

But Evelyn was not a girl to be dissuaded easily.

"It is urgent, it can't wait." Kairo looked at her, his pulse steady, he wanted to get into some other business and couldn't afford to linger here with Evelyn, so he took the easiest way out.

"Alright then. I'll inform my lord and have him meet you at the garden." Evelyn smiled and ran her hand over his chin. "Good boy. I'll see you at the Estate soon."

And with that, she planted a kiss and strode towards the hallway. Kairo waited till she rounded the corner before he dashed towards the library, he had a document to steal and time was running out.

The library loomed at the end, tall, ancient, and always locked, except tonight. He turned the knob and it opened with a soft click. Inside, the scent of aged paper and pipe smoke curled around mahogany shelves. Kairo moved fast, his instincts sharp.

He began by scanning through the heaps of books on the cabinets, but nothing. There were ancient books, manuscripts, ledgers, and files which have been abandoned to decay.

Kairo’s fingers worked fast, removing the panel Celeste had vaguely mentioned. Behind it was the briefcase. Heavily leathered and sealed. He worked the locks which opened with a dull click. Inside it lay the documents, coated with a thick layer of dust and age, and legal signage ran the lower column.

He barely had time to breathe before voices echoed down the hallway.

Lord Delancey and Uncle Hadrian. Kairo’s heart stood still. Panicking, he glanced around. Nowhere to go.

Then he spotted a narrow crawl space behind the lower bookshelves. Barely enough to fit, but just enough. He wedged himself in, pulling the panel shut as the door creaked open.

Delancey entered first, muttering, “It's disappointing how the identity and location of the heir remain a mystery up till now, Hadrian. Is your lead this slow in tracking a kid?"

Kairo held his breath, knees twisted awkwardly, the briefcase cradled like a bomb against his chest.

"My lead gave me three days, I believe they will come up with something sooner."

"It better be fast. I can't be at peace knowing quite well that my rival's bloodline is out there, breathing and possibly plotting how to reclaim what he feels is his."

The grandfather clock struck 7:00 pm with a dull chime that seemed to echo louder than usual in Kairo’s ears.

“The will, why can't we just destroy it and get over with it?" Lord Delancey said. "That damn butler keeps moving my ledgers and I don't want the documents moved, Hadrian. I told you to keep it buried.” He neared the fireplace. Kairo didn’t breathe.

Uncle Hadrian’s voice followed, low and sharp. “Relax, no one’s touched it. No one even dares come here, except that nosy Evelyn. She’s been sniffing around again. Just like her father did before we shut him up.”

“You mean the journalist?” Delancey hissed. “Why hasn't she been silenced?”

“She is my Stepdaughter, Lancy. She’s still blood,” Hadrian snapped. “Silencing her might have consequences, and I don't like raising unnecessary dust."

Delancey poured himself a drink and downed it in three heavy gulps. “We should’ve burned everything, like we did to the Dunes.”

Kairo’s grip tightened.

“But you wanted leverage,” Hadrian reminded him coldly. “But everything is now safe.”

They sat and drank. The air grew heavy with unspoken truths.

“It's never safe if the heir is alive,” Delancey said finally, voice low. “If he’s alive... he’s watching. Waiting.”

Kairo swallowed hard. Then Delancey stood abruptly.

“I heard something.”

Kairo’s blood iced.

The old man approached the shelf, his hand grazing the wood, fingers lingering.

Then, mercifully, Hadrian called him away. “It’s just your nerves, brother.”

A long pause followed, and then the door closed. Kairo exhaled shakily, the briefcase still in his grip.

A moment passed. Then another.

Kairo sprang, using the long velvet curtain to slide across the polished floor and into a hidden side corridor. The briefcase was clutched tight to his chest.

He heard Delancey’s shout behind him, angry, and suspicious but the shadows swallowed him as he disappeared into the night.