Prehalia's Demons(Completed) I #Wattys2019

13 I MADNESS

A week passes by in a blur for Leonardo Sanchez. As snobby as it may sound, it's actually pretty boring to be a billionaire. You do the same things everyday: you get up, you spend your day pretending to like people that have questionable occupations and then you either go to a fancy meeting with all the other rich mobsters and continue on with the pretend show or you just relax at home.

Today, happily for Leo, is the second type of a day. He had a stressful business meeting with a big financial company that didn't seem to be content with Sanchez' supervision, which caused him mild annoyance, but by the evening he took care of it, which in the world of affairs would be deemed rather quick. Today's events are another example that only strengthens Leonardo's ways and what he has always believed in: money equals quiet.

Throwing himself in the fancy armchain that has a view of the dying sun, he grins sweetly and takes a sip from his wine glass.

He looks at his watch. It's 8:30 pm which means that Aldevado has another 3 and a half hours to call or he will most definitely cease to exist. Leonardo hopes that the older man knows him well enough after all the time they've worked together.

What is unsettling is that up until this moment, Sanchez has always received a call from Aldevado by the third day of the week but it's already the weekend after the arrangements. For the first time the young man thinks that he might need to find another person to do the job.

Just when he's about to doze off on his armchair, he receives a message on his phone. It's from a restricted number.

Aldevado didn't care enough to hide his number, which leads Leonardo to believe that it's someone else. All tensed up, Sanchez presses the open button and his eyes twitch in surprise.

Today, unlike last week, he's wearing a black suit which he skillfully loosens up the tie of, as his nostrills flare in another wave of annoyance.

With a now raging headache, he rereads the news:

Christiano Aldevado was killed yesterday by an unknown shooter. I asked Boss what happened and he denied having any participation. He also seemed oblivious to your request about Keelian Samuels. I would guess that it never even got to him.

Aldevado? Murdered? Leonardo throws the phone on the arm chair and putting a hand over his eyes, he lets his body shudder with laughter.

"Murdered my ass." Sipping on his wine again, he grabs the phone and dials Mr. Lawrence's number.

The line crackles to life in mere seconds.

"How can I help you, sir."

A smirk appears on Leonardo's lips. Jim Lawrence is as sharp as always.

"Jim, look up someone to replace Aldevado."

"I'm sorry, but can I ask why? Mr. Aldevado seemed to be doing a good job up until now." The old man can't conceal his utter surprise.

Sanchez doesn't bother to hide a weak laugh that sounds more like a bark. "The guy killed himself out of fear and his boss masked it as murder. I just received a message from a restricted number. I guess the higher ups didn't approve of the mission and knowing me, Aldevado preffered to finish himself on his own."

"I see, sir."

"Mr. Lawrence?"

"Yes, sir."

There's a sudden silence on the line, as Leonardo tries to formulate the words as nice as possible, but ends up blurting the first thing on his mind. "I think I've become a really bad guy."