CHAPTER TWO
1119 Words
Adriel blasted.
He pulled a visitor's chair and sat right in front of his father.
The situation had really gotten out of control.
“I’m definitely not marrying Bridget Willis for anything.”
His father crossed his arms. “I know right, she isn't the right one.
This shouldn't have gotten to this. They’re blackmailing us. If we can't find that document, we’re doomed.``
Jesus Christ.
There should be a solution to this.
Adriel had been CEO now for three years and he woke up everyday feeling like he was living the dream. He was a rich and influential man,proud of their empire and the type of employer they were. He’d sacrifice anything for the business and his family.
But allow himself to be blackmailed into marrying Bridget Willis?
No!!!
It can't work.
His father might believe it was over, but Adriel would not sit back and live his whole life with a cold, boring woman.
Adriel knew Bridget and he dozed on the three conversations he’d had it with her.
Another thing was, Adriel had no plans to get married to anyone. Never.
What the hell, he couldn't take his parents’ divorce as a teenager off his head, Adriel just knew it wasn’t for him. All three of the Crofts brothers had a terrible experience watching their mother slowly become an alcoholic and drug addict while their father workedtwelve to eighteen-hours, days he and his brothers spent partying and f*****g other women.
His mother had her cup filled the day she broke bottles and had expensive vases smashed at their Queen Avenue penthouse. The most annoying was breaking an expensive and rare painting and then placing it at the entrance of the penthouse.His father filed for divorce.
Betty Crofts was moved into an apartment a few streets away and saw her boys only on weekends. She had recovered from alcohol and drugs addiction, Adriel spoke with her a few times a month.
So, while William was building Crofts empire and bending secretaries and receptionists over his
desk, and their mother drank herself to stupor and did drugs, the three boys had emotionally been on their own.
He had no one to console him after he was in a fight with John on the playground which he’d won or explained why Tessy had passed him a note with a flower drawn on it. He didn't know what it meant, so he felt it was dumb. Or why he felt weird on the inside when he had his first kiss.
They only had each other and that made the bond between the brothers very strong. Which has made them great business partners. Keanu was theDirector of Sales and Ryan the Director of Marketing and PR.
“I think Mark needs to speak to the cops,” Adriel said, referring to their company attorney.
His father looked at him and smirked at him "I didn't raise an idiot."
“Adriel, we're talking about a damn senator. They’d laugh us out of the station,”
William said.
Yeah, he knew that. Without proof, they had no case, he was just being emotional.
“You have no idea who could’ve stolen these copies? Because those documents should be in the damn vault, Dad,” he asked, “And are you sure you had a copy at home?”
His father turned, then shook his head.
“No. I’m not really sure about the second copy. For heaven's sake It's been twenty years, Adriel! I went to MIT with that sly. I never expected him to turn the table against me in a million years. I’ve known this son of a b***h for two
decades.”
Adriel nodded.
Tomhad inherited millions from his grandfather and was looking for a long-term investment with a good return.
William was looking for a long term loan to help his hotel, he could have gone to the bank twenty years ago and borrowed
for a better rate but they wouldn’t have loaned him the full amount.
Although the two men weren’t best friends, they were both professional and successful men who’d made a sound business agreement.Crofts Hotels had appealed to him and he saw it as a good investment.
“Of course we readily have the money, but this i***t can't hold us to ransom"
his father said.
Crofts Hotels was a booming hotel business worth billions of dollars.
They had twenty hotels in eight countries around the world. As the CEO, Adriel knew about every loan, deal, and project in the organisation.
“No, we can never him. Nobody messes with the Crofts. We do not succumb to blackmailers, no matter who they are” Adriel said, grinding his teeth.
“The board won't agree to this.”
They shouldn't even find out either.
This issue could seriously destabilise them and cause a fall in their share price. He needed to find a solution as fast as possible or he may have no damn choice but to marry Bridget.
Could he even survive it? Adriel ran his hand through his dark, wavy hair, fighting the urge to punch his tempered glass table.
“Forget it, I’m definitely not marrying Bridget.”
“Twenty seventh of February, the senator will announce the engagement if we don't pay by then.”
Adriel shook his head.
He was going to find a solution to this. A number came to his head,
he was calling as soon as his father left. A private investigator who could find things out, working a little outside the law. The perfect person you wanted on your team when you were being royally screwed.
It was just going to cost him.
“Adriel, we need to be prepared for the worst, Incase things don't go our way.”
"My way, you should say because I’ll be the one saying wedding vows."
He ground his teeth.
“My lawyers will draft a prenup while I’m in Hollywood.” Adriel
said.
He was flying to Florida the next day. Ryan had been approached by a production company about filming in their hotel, but unfortunately, the
timing conflicted with a medical procedure.
He asked Adriel to go on his behalf.
The Hollywood hotel was one of his favourites, and Adrielhad mentioned wanting to be more visible around their regions now he was in the top job. He was excited he was able to get away from the snow New York City was known for in February.
He really needed a miracle to occur or else the moment he steps foot in New York, he marries the last woman he ever wants to be with…
He needed a few sexy distractions to get his bothered mind off the current situation.
- Writer
