Always next to you

Chapter Fourteen

JONAS

"Did he talk yet?" I asked as my other phone vibrated in my pocket.

"It doesn't look like he will boss," he answered.

I could hear the person moaning in pain in the background of the call. What was wrong with that piece of shit? He cost us a lot of money and now he was playing tough guy?

This was taking too long. I waited three hours for a lead and from the vibration of my actual phone in my pocket, my mother was just as curious.

"Let's try a different approach. Give him food and water, then treat his wounds. I'll meet you guys after work today,"

"Yes sir,"

I ended the call and pulled up my other phone to see my mother's name on the screen. We barely had a mother-and-son relationship, so I have always saved her number as Eleanor Callisto.

Reluctantly, I answered the phone, knowing I had no information to share with her.

"Why haven't you come to see me?" She asked immediately. I picked up.

"I don't have anything new, but you should get a lead by tomorrow,"

"Look at you talking about work. Have you forgotten I'm your mother?"

My brows furrowed in confusion. What was she getting at? It has been at least two years since she called herself my mother and I never agreed. If I was being honest, I raised myself.

The things I couldn't learn from my father before he passed, Jessi taught me. Thanks to her guidance, I became something other than a brutal machine for my family. Sadly, I could not get rid of my family because I was the sole heir to my father's empire.

"I'll text your assistant when I have the lead you need," I say and pull the phone away to hang up when she yells.

"Jonas, wait!" I put the phone back to my ear.

"I was wondering if you've been eating well. You've been working so much lately. If it's too hard, you can always quit and come back home,"

"I don't remember calling to complain, Mrs Callisto,"

I addressed her formally too when we spoke. It was the only way to avoid hating her.

"A friend of mine has a daughter visiting the city this weekend. She wants to have dinner with you,"

So that's what she was playing at. It wasn't the first time she had done something like this, but it surprised me every time. There was nothing more to be said, so I hung up immediately and sank into my seat.

A sharp pain stung my chest, causing me to squeeze my shirt there. The pain was so strong that it pushed tears to my eyelid. I fought the tears, reminding myself that I was at work and there was a meeting in less than five minutes.

I did as my therapist instructed when I was younger. Take deep breaths and count to three. I closed my eyes and counted slowly.

One two three.

One two three.

One two three.

I opened my eyes to see Oliver's face staring right at me. I wasn't thinking of him when I closed my eyes. Why was I hallucinating again? After a few seconds, he was still there blinking at me in confusion. I realised he was real.

When did he come inside the office and why was so close to my desk staring at me?

"What the hell are you doing here?" I nearly shouted.