Destined

Chapter 12 ~ The Stocks

"I was consolidating the reports for your presentation to the next board meeting when I came across these documents. I may be wrong or just paranoid, but I do believe there's something going on beyond the naked eye can see."

He gave him the subject documents and he went through them silently. The further he read, the more tense he become.

"How long has this been going on?" He asked as calmly as he could. Panicking won't help him now. He needs to have his wits about him to deal with this.

"I still have to check for accuracy. What I have right now is for the past 6 months. If it started beyond that, then I think they have already penetrated."

"I want you to work on this as far back as the time of Carlos' death. If it went farther than that, then go as far back as Markos' or even before that."

"Right away, sir," he said getting on his feet.

"And James," he said when he was about to open the door, "treat this as class A confidential."

"I understand, sir. Yes." He assured him before finally walking out of the door.

He knew he can trust James. In fact, he trust him with his life. He just couldn't take the chance if this information leaking out before he's ready to do so. He just want him to be more careful in guarding it.

After 2 days of non-stop digging, James was able to present the whole scenario. A number of their shares of stocks have been traded on the stock market everyday. The board, including himself, just assumed that a lot of investors were considering them as a relatively good long term investment. But for the last couple years, a record number has been bought by 3 companies and only one of them was legally registered and existing.

The other 2 were illegally parking the stocks in the account of the registered owner of both companies, a fake owner's name at that. But until now, James cannot dig a single information about the name.

His gut-feel was telling him those shares were going because someone was getting ready to take them over.

How could this have happened without him knowing? Seemed like the same gut-feel has failed him after Carlos' death. He has concentrated so much on Yuri, he didn't even allow himself to mourn for his death. And look what it caused him? Them?

He had his lawyer-friend and one of the company's lawyer, the one he trusted the most and who has known him since he was born, practically hauled out from their beds tonight to discuss the situation.

Now that they have the names to work on, it wouldn't be long now. Hopefully, they will be able to expose them before the next board meeting.

They have to act fast or stand the chance of losing their group of companies, some of which were even older than their ancient home. If it hadn't been for James, he would still be walking like a blind man that he was.

The worst thing is that, he wasn't able to spend time with Kayla as was his promise. How can he make her fall in love with him and convince her to remain in Greece permanently? He has to find a way somehow.

What worried him now was the report he had gotten yesterday from Nicoli and Istvan, the body guards assigned to Kayla and Yuri respectively. They took turns in sending him daily reports with videos and pictures of the activities of the 2 most important people in his life right now. For the past weeks, they have done usually the same things - shopping with his mama, working in the garden, swimming in the pool or in the lake behind their home, playing hide-and-seek indoor or outdoor which makes everyone, including the house staff giggling at their antics, and disturbing the cook and messing the entire kitchen in the process.

But yesterday's report made his blood boiled. Demetrius has conveniently included himself in their activities the entire day. What made it worst for him is the fact that Kayla was enjoying his company. That will have to stop, now.

That bastard should have known better than to try and take what was his. He will not allow that to happen, not now, not ever.

If he had to take Kayla wherever he goes, he was prepared to do so. He will have to talk to him tomorrow. If he will continue to defy him, he has no other choice. Kayla has to understand.

It was already close to 3:00 a.m. He got up to get ready for bed. He mapped out his plan while he stood in the shower. He has to slightly change his game plan if need be.

He slipped in the bed and drew her to him, spooning her. He inhaled in her scent and immediately felt lighter. She is becoming his rainbow after the storm, his home.

Home. He never understood the term before. He can hardly identify a house from a home. But since Kayla came into his life, he knew she is home. He has never felt the excitement to go home. Even if they haven't talked the past weeks, just seeing her and holding her like this make all the craziness that he has to deal with right now become bearable.

Tomorrow, he promised. Tomorrow will be different. He will make sure of that.