Trapped By Freedom

Unwanted Invitations

Alexander Costello

"Sir... your mother is calling again."

Spencer, my personal assistant, said cautiously as he stood a safe distance away from my desk, as though I were a lion preparing to pounce.

This was the fifth time Mum had called today.

I'd ignored every single one.

Apparently, she wasn't planning to give up anytime soon.

I gestured for Spencer to hand me the phone before signaling for him to leave the office.

The moment the door closed behind him, I answered the call.

"Mum, why are you calling my business line? This number is strictly for important business calls."

"Well, dear son," she replied dramatically, "this is important too, especially since you've been avoiding my calls for the past two weeks. That's hardly fair, don't you think? You only speak to your father and grandfather these days. Have you decided you don't care about your mother anymore?"

There she goes again.

Making herself sound like the victim.

"You're fine, Mum. Dad updates me every day. I've simply been busy with work."

"Oh? So work also stopped you from replying to my messages?"

I sighed.

"I saw your messages."

"So you saw them and still chose not to reply?"

"What exactly did you expect me to say?" I asked. "You're inviting me to a twenty-first birthday party. I don't have time for that."

"Alexander Costello," she warned. "You'll be there by six o'clock tomorrow evening, and that's final."

I leaned back in my chair.

"Mum, this is ridiculous. Why would I attend a birthday party for someone I've never met? Besides, the Smiths are Grandpa's business partners, not mine."

"They're wonderful people," she replied patiently. "George Smith will be stepping down soon, and I'd like you to meet him properly. You may even end up working directly with his son in the future."

I already knew where this conversation was heading.

"I know all of Grandpa's business partners."

"Then what's the problem?"

"The problem," I replied, "is that every time one of your business partners has a daughter, you suddenly remember I exist."

Silence.

Bingo

"You think I'm trying to set you up again, don't you?" she asked.

"I know you are."

She laughed softly.

"I simply want you to attend the party."

"I'll think about it."

"No," she corrected. "You'll attend."

"I'll let you know."

Before she could continue arguing, I ended the call.

Peace.

At last.

I returned my attention to my laptop.

Rows of financial records filled the screen.

Someone had been transferring company funds into a private account.

It wasn't a mistake.

It was deliberate.

The transactions had been happening for weeks, and whoever was responsible knew exactly how to hide them.

Unfortunately for them...

I'd noticed.

I leaned closer to the screen, comparing the figures one last time. The amounts were small enough to avoid raising suspicion, but frequent enough to add up to a significant loss. Whoever was behind it wasn't careless. They were patient.

My phone vibrated again.

Mum.

Of course.

The moment I answered, I spoke before she had the chance.

"Mum, before you say anything... if this is another attempt to introduce me to someone's granddaughter, save yourself the effort."

There was a brief pause.

"Who told you I wanted to introduce you to anyone?"

"You don't need to tell me. I know you."

"I just want you to meet the Smith family properly."

"I already know who they are."

"I mean personally."

"I'll do that another day."

"Alexander—"

"I have work to do."

I ended the call again.

I couldn't help shaking my head.

Marriage wasn't anywhere on my list of priorities.

I was young, successful, and focused on expanding the company.

Relationships only complicated things.

As for marriage...

That could wait.

A knock sounded on the office door.

"Come in."

Spencer stepped inside.

"Sir, Mr. Norman is here."

I frowned.

"There wasn't an appointment scheduled for today."

"He said it's urgent."

I closed my laptop.

"Did he say what it's about?"

"No, sir. But judging from what he said... I think it has something to do with the missing company funds."

I slowly looked up at Spencer.

"How does Mr. Norman know about that?"

His confidence immediately disappeared.

"I... I may have mentioned it."

I stood.

"You did what?"

"I thought—"

"That's exactly the problem."

He lowered his head.

"You thought."

I walked around my desk until I was standing in front of him.

"The company's internal investigation is confidential."

"Yes, sir."

"So why would you discuss it with Mr. Norman?"

"I... I'm sorry, sir."

I rubbed my temples.

Norman had always seen me as competition.

The last thing he needed was information about my company's problems.

I let out a slow breath.

What was done was done.

There was no point dwelling on it now.

"Fine."

"Tell him I'll see him."

Spencer nodded quickly.

"And Spencer..."

"Yes, sir?"

"Next time, keep company matters inside this company."

"Understood, sir."

He hurried out of my office.

I walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the city. Cars crawled along the busy streets below while towering buildings stretched across the skyline.

To everyone else, the city looked calm.

To me, it looked full of opportunities... and people willing to do anything for money.

I picked up the file containing the fraudulent transactions.

Someone inside my company had betrayed my trust.

And I intended to find out exactly who it was.