Billionaire's Hidden Heir

CHAPTER3

“What do you mean we’ve lost the deal?” Gabriel Kane’s booming voice echoed through the sleek conference room as he pounded his fists on the glossy surface of the conference table. Most importantly, his assistant, who was pale and shaking, did not seek the perpetrator’s eyes.

“I-I’m sorry, Mr. Kane,” the assistant stammered. “The board..They decided to go with Black Industries.”

Gabriel’s jaw locked. His hands were clutching the edges of the table with so much pressure that his knuckles had turned as pale as calcium. Adrian Black. The same name again. Gabriel had taken years in constructing his empire moving the right buttons only for it to be that Adrian comes at the very end and takes away his prepositions.

“Now, what the hell just happened? ” Gabriel’s voice was deep, controlled but dangerous at the same time. His assistant shifted in his seat slowly.

“They trust policies…. Instead said that Black was prepared to offer them a better option,” he said weakly. “He offered a better price to us in the very last moment.”

Gabriel’s eyeballs burned with malicious irritation. Adrian was no longer just a business opponent. This was becoming personal. More so every time Adrian got so close to closing a big deal, he would always lose it to Adrian. He could sense the spiraling of his reign where he notably used to be in control of everything as his muscular company he built started creeping down and a string of constantly busy Adrian was bulking on it rudely.

With his back turned to the room, he faced the window. Everything that he had worked hard towards, the city skyline was spread in front of him. He was solid on his empire but, to Adrian, there was no building without a c***k, and the c***k was there. Growing. Exposing an implosion.

“This isn’t over,” Gabriel muttered to everyone, intending no one.

His assistant felt embarrassed and stayed still, anticipating the need for instructions but Gabriel was already miles away, making a plan. Adrian Black had stuck to him long enough and it was time to do something different.

He swung around to face her, a predatory look on his face. “I want all the intel on Black Industries, I want every weakness, every failure, every secret. Get me the ‘how’ of bringing him down.”

The assistant quickly bowed and exited the room in a hurry. Gabriel stayed at the window and continued contemplating the view over the city. He had struggled for too long to allow Adrian gain the upper hand. Whatever it takes, Adrian Black is going down.

That night, Gabriel was seated in his executive office, and beneath his nose was a pile of information related to Adrian in a folder. He went through the papers, hoping to find something useful. There had to be some business plans, accounts, and biographies – anything that could be something Adrian wished no one to find out.

Gabriel hesitated, his fingers inexplicably resting on a leaf towards the end of the document. This was not some paper which pertained to the business. It was a dossier. Tess Harper.

He pushed himself closer to the screen, squinting as he scanned over the material. Adrian had stepped out with her ages ago. Now, a barrister. No indication of her linking up with Adrian in the recent past, but something told Gabriel there was more to it than that.

He had a smile within. It is human nature to hide the truth from others. And if Tess had any relations with Adrian, then Leslie might be the one who could help take down the latter.

Without wasting any time, Gabriel took out his phone and punched in a number. “I need a favor,” he said immediately after the call was connected. “I want a meeting set up with Tess Harper.”

There was silence on the line for a second before a voice came through, “Are you sure about this of you Mr. Kane? She’s clean. No dirt on her.”

Gabriel felt more determined, the corners of his lips turned up. “Oh yes, for I do. Just make it happen.”

He ended the call and reclined in his seat; this was the opening he had been looking for. Adrian had done a number on him too many times and it was now time to dish out some revenge.

Two days after that, Tess was seated at a pretty quiet café, just waiting. She was not aware of much concerning Gabriel Kane, but when he invited her for a meeting, she decided to suppress the danger for a little while. He had always been a mystery to her: she knew the rumors about him—his cutthroat business strategies, his schism with Adrian—but she couldn’t understand his desire, let's say he needed , in meeting her.

It was not surprisingly long when a sleek black car strolled round the corner and parked outside the café, and Tess glued her eyes to the sight of Gabriel emerging from it. He definitely possessed both the sharpness and the imposing figure of the staple, his sharpened suit on him completely, and his unexpressive and stern stare.

The moment he entered the café, she captured his attention and he went to her table as if he was practicing his way.”

“Tess Harper.” he said as he took his seat in front of her “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Tess let out a shout through words as she spoke as matter of fact, “What I don’t understand is what made you bring me all the way here.”

Gabriel’s gaze swept over her face as he brushed over the issue at hand. “You deal with celebrities, business man. You must have come across things that people do not want to be publicized.”

Tess frowned. “I am not following. Mr. Kane.”

Gabriel sat up as if sensing the seriousness of the issue at hand — “I require a few facts. Regarding Adrian Black.”

Tess felt a sudden jolt to her stomach as the name flashed upon her lips. Of unspeakable. Well at least she should have guessed that it had to do with this person. Most likely him.

“I don’t do research on people, I just don’t,” Tess managed to say as she bridged on the edge of a thin line of composure.

Gabriel didn’t miss a beat. “I’m not asking you to betray anyone. I’m asking you to help me level the playing field.”

Tess shook her head. “If you think I’m going to help you go after Adrian—”

“I know about Leo,” Gabriel interrupted, his voice soft but lethal.

Tess still had her heart racing in her chest. That name loomed over them like a sword in a sheath. It was clear that Gabriel would not let lies lie forever.

He looked at Tess. He smiled faintly when he felt her reacting. “I know your son, Tess. I know Adrian does not. It made Tess's mouth dry.

Her palms turned into concrete fists beneath the table. " What do you need?"

Gabriel's eyes sparked. “I want Adrian to fall down. And I have a feeling, you want it as well.”

Tess stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor. “This meeting is over.”

Gabriel remained seated, looking unperturbed. “Are you serious, Tess? Adrian has enemies everywhere. They will come to you and Leo anyway. If you assist me in this respect—I can guarantee your safety,” he said.

Tess turned her head to the side and spoke in low tones thanks to the restrictions on the height of her voice. “I do not want your help.”

She faced the entrance and stepped out of the café in a rush, her body feeling scorched from all the blood rushing to her head. All along that path She could feel Gabriel's gaze bounding into her body.

Tonight, it was impossible for Tess to fall asleep. Gabriel’s words played back to the caverns of her mind like a frustrating song on repeat. I know you know Leo.

What exactly does he mean by that? How was he aware of it? And even more importantly, what purpose would that information serve if she did not comply with him?

A buzzing sound from her phone on the nightstand cut through her thoughts like a hot knife through butter. She picked it up, thinking it was yet another unknown text from a few minutes ago.

However, this time, it turned out to be a text message sent from Adrian.

“I know you are purposely being secretive. That conversation will take place and it will have to be now.”

Adrian was getting closer to understanding the truth. It was now bad that Gabriel had come into the picture as well. The net was tightening around her, she had no way of slipping into the institution's ever-bleeding wrath.

She raised herself from the bed and sat still for a few moments, her gaze turned to the screen. This was something she was able to shut down before but not anymore.

There weren’t even two seconds of silence before she sent him her reply. “See you at the office at nine tomorrow. We’ll discuss more.”

She dropped the phone and even though she wanted to compose herself, it was to no avail. It was starting to fall apart. And she was clueless on how to prevent it.

When her head cleared, Tess reached the office in the morning, angry stomach cramps. She could not tell how this particular discussion with Adrian was going to play out, but one thing she knew: I can’t do this to him again. Not after all that.

As soon as she plopped down on the chair, she felt her cell vibrate again. Another message.

“Oh, wouldn’t you wish? Too bad, you should have taken the deal. Now you’re in the game, like it or not.”

Tess felt ice in her blood. She had no idea whose number it was, but she was sure who the sender was.

That is Gabriel Kane.

Her heart raced ferociously as the message opened up before her. This guy was not trying to scare her. He knew it all. And now he was coming for her.

Adrian stepped inside the office having conquered the door to her office. He did have a facial expression.

“I am sorry. We must talk. That is, you and I,” were the words he struggled to say, should say, yet his words were taut and hoarse.

Feeling excited, Tess got up. “Adrian, I—”

But Adrian’s phone vibrated against his chest, cutting off her thoughts. He looked at it and lost all color in his face.

“What is it?” Tess asked, her anxiety level rising and making her stomach do a somersault.

Adrian’s gaze turned sharp and attentive. “It’s Leo.”

Tess’s heart seemed to fail as she went still. “Excuse me, what?”

Adrian pressed his phone into her hand while lifting it. On the screen was Leo — standing alone and outside their house.

Tess was devastated. All she could think about Leo was in danger and was being watched at that very moment.