Page 105 of Game of Revenge
I looked into Richard’s eyes one more time. He put on a brave act, but it was terror I saw in his gaze. And his fear brought me peace. I turned around to leave.
“Oh, before I forget” I added as I turned around. “A little souvenir from Mathias.”
I removed the small diamond from my pockets and threw it at him. Richard painfully bent to pick up the diamond that fell right at his feet. His hand was shacking, under the intrigued gaze of the guard.
Richard started to breath heavily as he looked at the shiny stone in silence. I turned back around and left the room, as I heard the guard and Richard struggle for possession of the stone. I had given that gem to him for payment, with the condition that he pry it from Richard’s hands, and he gladly took the deal.
As soon as I made it to the parking lot, I checked my phone. Nothing. She hadn’t answered my calls or my texts. I took a deep breath to avoid the panic that threatened to consume me at the thought of losing her. I was quickly losing hope. But I wouldn’t stop fighting.
Chapter 51
Amelia
I'm told to be patient. I'm told to give you space, to give you time. But I don't know how to do that when you are in every breath I take, in every step I make.
Amelia, you are the best thing to have ever happened in my life. Answer me, text me, give me something, anything.
It was five days before I could finally meet with Nicholas face to face. He came to meet me at the Airbnb. The woman next door stopped watering her plants for a minute, admiring Nicholas's height and his muscular build, appreciating his custom-made blue suit that flattered his broad shoulders, and his pitch-black hair and brown eyes. Nicholas was a Greek god—quite literally, as his father's family was from Greece. His square jaw and Mediterranean tanned skin used to cause uproar among the girls at school.
I had been the lucky one he had set his eyes on at the time. We had dated for barely two months when Richard made us break up because Nicholas’s family was nouveau riche, his grandfather having made a fortune in the real estate business. Richard only wanted to establish himself within the old-school rich of California. We had remained friends since, and while our breakup really had been of our own accord when we realized we were much better as friends, Nicholas hated Richard.
Nicholas had, of course, done well after that, becoming a highly coveted attorney, and he was now progressing to manage the family empire. He was one of the most sought-after bachelors in California, enjoying his single life more than most. He reminded me of Alejandro, I realized—similar features, similar drive.
Although, no one could match the fire that Alejandro lit inside me.
Nicholas gave me the hug I desperately needed. I saw him glance in my neighbor's direction. The woman almost fell in her bushes. I rolled my eyes with a smirk.
“I’m so happy to see you,” he said as he hugged me.
“Me too!” I said as we walked in the apartment, and I closed the door behind him. “I don’t know how I would deal with all of this without you.”
I had rented a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment, and it was just the right size to feel airy. I loved the beach theme and the light-blue and green colors. They reminded me of Alejandro’s beach house.
“Why are you not staying in the house?” he asked.
We proceeded to the living room, and I invited Nicholas to sit next to me.
“I had intended to move to New York this week,” I explained, “and I didn’t want to be near Richard. He is the reason I got kidnapped in the first place.”
“What do you mean?” He frowned.
“I, uh…I don’t want to talk about it, to be honest.”
“Well, okay, that’s fine. But things are different now. That man will be in prison probably for the rest of his days because he killed someone. The house is yours. Your mom bought it with him before her death.”
“Are we sure he didn’t kill her?”
That had been the most important question for me—the one that had haunted my dreams that past week. Now that I knew Richard would stop at nothing for money, I wondered.
“I am still investigating, but it really does seem like it was an unfortunate drunk driving incident, in which the drunk driver who hit her car also died. Nothing seems to indicate that Richard lied about that. I think, if it was him, he would have made sure to take your shares beforehand as opposed to holding them for you after the fact. It seems like they had intended to move to the US, but then the accident happened. That would explain why your mom was an owner of the house as well.”
“I see. I still can’t believe this is happening.” I ran my fingers through my hair. “I know I should be happy, but I’m disturbed, confused, and angry at him—and at myself.”
“I know,” he said, taking my hand in his, “but it will all be different now. You have your independence, and you can focus on running YOUR company.”
“I know. You’re right. I still can’t believe this is happening. But to be honest, it feels so right. Like part of me must have known this was my destiny.”
We talked for another couple of hours, as he was helping prepare me for what was to come. Chloe joined us as well for a few hours, providing me with support and to help me gather my thoughts into concise arguments. If I wanted justice, I would need to roll up my sleeves and be involved, go to court, take this to the very end. I had also called a special board meeting at Hotel Estrellas. I was quite scared. I had to look a lot stronger than I felt, earn the trust of some directors and shareholders while being suspicious of every single one of them. I had no way of knowing if any of them were Richard’s accomplices, but it was very likely. I felt better with Nicholas by my side. I opted for a simple black dress with a black vest. I wanted to look professional and ready to get straight to business.