Page 100 of Game of Revenge
Chapter 48
Amelia
We need to talk. You left last night without a word. Please call me back.
Amelia, this is far from over. I need to hear from you. I need to see you.
The next morning, when I turned my phone back on, I had close to a hundred missed calls and a slew of messages. The first person I called back was Martha. In tears, she told me that Richard was furious that I just walked out of the dinner without so much as an apology, but the worst was that, early in the morning, the cops had shown up to the house with a warrant for Richard’s arrest.
He was accused of murder, among other crimes. It was all over the news already.
I acted as shocked as I could. Part of my shock was honest. I didn’t imagine it would happen so fast. I couldn’t help but feel a bit of sadness for Richard, even if I knew he deserved everything that was coming his way.
George had also called and texted to ask where I was and tell me about what had happened. Alejandro had texted me, asking that we meet, but as tempted as I was, there was no point in answering him. I did call my friends back. I did not want them to worry about me, but I felt like, now that Richard was behind bars, and Alejandro hopefully had made Mathias happy, maybe I could tell them what had really happened. But I wanted to wait until what surely was going to be turmoil calmed down. I wanted to be sure this was over. We planned to meet for dinner later in the week. I reassured them that I was safe but explained that I just needed to be alone for a while.
The call I did not expect was the one from Steve Dressler, the chairman of Hotel Estrellas. According to his voicemail, he wanted to discuss a very serious matter in light of Richard’s arrest.
When I called him back, I got his secretary, but when I said my name, it was clear that she was given orders to insist that I find time to meet Steve for coffee with utmost urgency.
I couldn’t think of what could possibly concern me, but I agreed to meet him for coffee the same day. I put on a pair of jeans with a white shirt and a gray blazer, trying for business casual. The rare times I had seen Steve, he was always in a suit, and I felt like I had to dress a bit more formal so as to not look like a child next to him.
When I arrived at the coffee shop, Steve was already there, seated in a corner on the only two-person sofa by a decorative fireplace. I was concerned the place was too loud, but once I got to Steve, I realized he had picked a spot that was a bit sheltered from all the noise. He got up to shake my hand and offered me a seat.
Steve was a tall man of average build, who always wore tailored suits, and his blue suit that morning was no exception. He had a bit of a long but rectangular face, his all-white hair rightly shaped on his head, with thin lips and a straight nose, giving him a serious look.
“Thank you for meeting me on such short notice, Amelia, and I am really sorry for disturbing you like this. I know you went through a horrible situation, and you just got home. And now you have to deal with your stepfather’s arrest. I am so sorry for everything you are going through.”
“Thank you,” I managed to say. Steve seemed very honest and candidly concerned about my well-being. “Richard’s arrest was a shock, and I am not sure what happened,” I lied.
“From the sound of it, he got involved in a pretty messy situation with some gang in Mexico, but there is a video of him taking part in a robbery and killing a man in cold blood. I just can't believe this is happening. You think you know someone—I’m sorry,” he said, stopping himself. “I know he is family.”
“Don’t worry, Steve. Richard and I really did not have the best relationship.”
“Really?” he asked, a bit surprised. “That wasn’t my impression.”
“Richard is a con artist, Steve, and he needed the world to see him as the hero who took care of poor me, so that's what he portrayed. And I played the game well.”
Steve didn’t just look confused; he looked concerned, his face turning white, his forehead getting a bit sweaty.
“Oh boy.”
“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
“Uh, well…I don’t really know how to say this. I came here because…well…since Richard is in prison, as you can understand, he can’t remain our CEO, and he will lose his shares in the company.”
“I get that. You have to protect the business, even if it’s mostly his.”
“His? Uh, this is starting to be concerning…"
Steve took a second to think before continuing. “Richard only owns fifteen percent of Hotel Estrellas, Amelia. There are moral clauses in the shareholder agreement, and in his employment agreement, and since you have both a right of first offer and a right of first refusal as the majority owner, we can’t sell them to anyone unless you don’t want them. But more importantly, his power of attorney should be revoked, and the management of your interest returned to you, unless you decide to appoint someone else.”
“I don’t understand. I…I have no interest in the company.”
“You do, Amelia. Your mother left you her shares. Richard was, of course, appointed by the court as your representative, but when you turned eighteen, you gave him the power to manage your shares and represent your interest in the company, didn’t you?”
“Is this meant to be a joke?” Nothing he said was making any sense.
“No,” he hesitated, the truth only too obvious. “You didn’t know, did you?”