Eavesdrop
1142 Words
There was a black limousine parked outside with his name card on the top.
The moment Aidan stepped out of the airport after leaving the little girl at the airport security office, he saw it. His mind was still on the girl with the wide brown eyes who had called him daddy. He felt like he knew her from somewhere. The question was, from where?
His attention was soon gotten by the man standing next to the limousine. He was older, a man in his early sixties, dressed in a black suit. His eyes landed on Aidan Cromwell. Aidan recognized the butler. He furrowed his brow in annoyance. If the butler was here, then his day was about to be ruined.
The butler approached him. "Master Aidan," he said with a slight bow, "I am here to escort you back to the Cromwell estate. Your presence has been urgently requested."
Aidan kept a straight face as memories filled his mind. He remembered being younger, kneeling on the cold floor of the Cromwell mansion. He had thrown away his pride. His mother was dying and he came to beg for help. The butler had been standing at the corner of the room, just watching.
He thought that his father would help him. After all, his father claimed to have loved his mother. He called her his little sunflower. But instead, the rest of the Cromwell Family had looked at him with disgust. His father had watched him like he was a stranger and then he whispered something to the butler. The butler nodded and immediately ordered servants to beat Aidan up and kick him out of the house.
That had been one of the many terrible days in his life. He would never forget.
"I have no interest in anything that the Cormwell family wants from me. I’m never going to return to that house." Aidan said.
The butler swallowed. He was in a tough position. If he doesn't bring back Aidan, he will get into trouble with the head of the family. "Master Aidan, your father and the rest of the Cromwell family deeply regret what happened in the past. You have brought great honor to our name. We wish to make amends. The family believes that the Emeralds Group should be handed over—"
"Handed over? Tell me a better joke," Aidan cut him off. "The Emeralds Group belonged to my mother. It's rightfully mine. It was stolen from her by the Cromwell family. This is a return of what was never theirs to begin with."
The butler’s face went white. "Master Aidan, please reconsider. Your father—"
"As far as I'm concerned, my father is dead. He never acknowledged me so, I have no father. Go back and tell them I’m not interested in their games." Aidan said, leaving no room for argument.
He walked away, following Brenton to the car that was provided by the military to take him home. They had given him a house as well. But first, he had to go to Maisie's family house and get her back.
The butler watched Aidan go. He quickly took out his phone and called a number. "Mr. Rex, it’s urgent. We need your help to bring him back," he said, "Yes, by any means necessary."
***
Inside the car, Aidan leaned back and closed his eyes as they drove away from the airport. Seeing the butler had brought back memories that he wanted to bury.
Five years ago, when his mother's health became worse, he went to the Cormwell estate to beg for their help. After his father kicked him out, he had no other choice but to go to his wife's family, the West. He had borrowed $500,000 from Maisie’s father to save the one person who had ever truly loved him.
But he was too late. His mother passed away before he even reached her bedside. He remembered standing in the hospital room, holding onto her lifeless hand. She wouldn't have died if his father and the Cornwells hadn't taken Emerald's Group from his mother.
Because of it, they couldn't afford to pay for healthcare and her health declined until she died. Aidan blamed his father. He was the reason his mother died. The grief had hit him hard. At that moment, he swore to make himself into a man his mother would be proud of and a man who was worthy of Maisie’s love.
His mother’s death pushed him to join the military. It was the drive he needed to become the youngest five-star general in the world. Now, he had achieved everything he set out to do.
It was time that he returned to the city and the life he left behind. It was time to reclaim all that he had lost. It was time to build the family he had always dreamed of.
The car pulled to a stop outside the West family mansion. Aidan stepped out of the car as Brenton opened the door. He had very few memories of the house since he stayed for only a short while.
He walked to the main entrance. As he grabbed the door handle and opened the door just a bit, the sound of voices caught his attention. He paused. His instincts told him to stay put. It was almost always right. That was how he survived getting shot at a mission in Afghanistan.
"I’ve already prepared the forged documents," a voice said. Aidan recognized it to be Maisie's mother, Shanice. "The death certificate for Aidan Cromwell should arrive soon. Once we have it, Maisie will be declared a widow and can finally be free of him."
Aidan felt anger rise in him but he clenched his hands into fists and stayed silent. Did they want to fake his death? He opened the door a little more to hear better.
"And she’ll be free to marry Chris." This was another person. It was most definitely Maisie's father. "Chris is a far better match. The West name will regain its former glory and Ivory Group will be secure under his management.”
Aidan saw red. They wanted to make Maisie marry another man? And for what? To prosper their company? He wasn't going to let that happen.
As he was about to enter, he heard an unfamiliar voice, "This will work out perfectly. Once Maisie is mine, I will make Ivory Group flourish under my control. Aidan will be nothing but a bad memory for this family."
That was Chris. That was the man they wanted to marry his wife to. He couldn't take it anymore. He took a deep breath and walked into the house.
As he entered the room, Aidan froze. Right in front of him, with Maisie's parents was one person he had never expected to see in the house.
- Writer
