Twisted

PIECES OF THE PUZZLE

CHAPTER THREE: PIECES OF THE PUZZLE

It was mid afternoon when I got home. My mum was already waiting for me on the porch. s**t!! I'm extremely late. She's going to kill me.

“Were you planning on escaping with my money? Or didn't you get the money?” She asked but I couldn't bring myself to tell her I didn't do it. At least I got enough money for her. I handed her the check. Her eyes bulged when she saw the amount written on the check.

“I knew Jared would give a lot of money but I did not expect this much.” She commented, grinning like a Cheshire cat. I scrunched my nose thinking deeply, ignoring my mother in her bubble of excitement. Jared….. My mother actually set me up with that old disgusting man who's way older than my father. It was then it clicked. The man last night was very young. It was definitely not Jared. I must have entered the wrong room. But then if it wasn't Jared, who could that handsome stranger be?

“Elaine” My mother called sternly, bringing me back from my thoughts.

“I believe Jared was extremely pleased with your service that he offered you this large amount of money. You can go in and have your lunch after you've cleaned up the garage. I'm going to cash the check.” She said and walked away leaving me to my thoughts again.

Why would a stranger give me a five hundred million dollars cheque? That amount of money would be enough to save my step father's business from bankruptcy and also help expand the business. Why would he give me when I did nothing for him? He must be extravagantly rich to just give out such an amount to a random stranger just like that. I need to find him not because of the money... but because I need to know why a complete stranger had shown me more kindness in one night than my own mother had shown me in years.

************************************************

Adrian

“Get me the summary of the meeting with Mr Neil in the next thirty minutes”. I said to my secretary then I headed for my office. I've had a long day and yet I still can't get the image of that drunk lady from my mind. There was something about her eyes… something that refused to leave my mind. Pushing the thought from my head, I loosened my tie and sat down at my desk scanning the details my private investigator gave me earlier today.

Morgan Automobile Company

Founder: Richard Morgan.

Status: Sold three months after the founder's death.

Purchaser: Jeff Parker, CEO of JP Holdings.

I nodded my head deep in thought, three months….

I flipped to the next page:

“Widow Evelyn Morgan remarried Jeff Parker three months after Richard Morgan's death.”

I leaned back in my chair, staring at the report.

Three months.

Richard hadn't even been gone long enough for the dust to settle.

The timeline was too neat.

Richard dies.

The company is sold.

Evelyn remarries Jeff.

All within three months.

Coincidence?

I don't believe in coincidences.

Richard Morgan hadn't just invested in my first company. He had believed in me when no one else did. I owe it to him to uncover the truth.

***********************************************

Elaine

I let out a deep sigh and headed towards the garage with slow, reluctant steps. The moment I pushed the door open, a thick layer of dust greeted me. Cobwebs clung to the corners, old cartons were piled carelessly against the walls, and Jeff's expensive cars occupied most of the space.

"Of course," I muttered bitterly. "Why wouldn't I be the one to clean all this?"

I picked up a broom and got to work. My mind, however, refused to focus on the task before me. Instead, it kept drifting back to the stranger.

His gray eyes...

His calm voice...

The way he had simply wished me goodnight and walked away.

No man had ever looked at me the way he did. There was no lust in his eyes, no mockery, no pity. It was as though he saw me as... human.

A lump formed in my throat.

For years, I had convinced myself that kindness only existed in books and fairy tales. Yet, a complete stranger had shown me more respect in one night than I had received in my own home since my father mysteriously died.

Who was he?

The question echoed endlessly in my mind.

Just then, the sound of tyres screeching outside the gate snapped me back to reality.

I frowned.

Mom wasn't supposed to be back so soon.

Curiosity got the better of me.

Leaving the broom against the wall, I quietly walked towards the front door and peeked through the slightly opened curtains.

Mom stormed out of the car, her face twisted with rage. The cheque she'd been clutching earlier was crumpled tightly in her hand.

Jeff hurried after her.

"What do you mean they refused to process it?" he demanded.

"They said the cheque has to be verified by the issuer!" Mom shouted.

Jeff snatched the cheque from her hands and stared at it.

"Five hundred million dollars..." he whispered, almost unable to believe his eyes.

"I don't care what they have to verify," Mom snapped. "Find Jared. If this cheque is real, I want every single cent. And if I find out that slimy bastard played me I will have his balls on a platter.”

My heart skipped a beat.

If they tried to find Jared...

They would discover he wasn't the man who gave me the cheque.

And when that happened...

Everything would fall apart.