"So I never really knew you. God, I really tried to
Blindsided, addicted
Felt we could really do this, But really I was foolish
Hindsight, it's obvious"
~-~-~
It had been eight months since I married Chelsea, and she was a month into her third trimester.
She had put on weight everywhere, but it didn't make her too ugly. If she looked fat even after the delivery, I'd have to look for alternatives. The doctor kept me updated regarding our baby boy. He was healthy so far.
"Lara, prepare a room for the baby," I told her while eating breakfast.
"Yes, sir." She smiled.
At work, Chris came over to me with his laptop. I had hired him as my PA after Mathew. "Mr.Xander... It seems like one of your bank accounts has frozen..."
I knitted my brows together, "What? How did that happen?"
"We're working on it, sir... I'll meet with Mr.Tennison from the bank. It will be fixed in 24 hours."
"Get it done quickly." I dismissed him and continued working.
***
After spending two hours in the gym, I headed home to find Chelsea on the couch with a book. "Welcome back," she smiled at me.
"Where's Lara?"
"Left a couple of minutes ago. Something urgent popped up. She said she informed your PA."
I undid my tie and went up to my room to take a shower. When I got out, Chelsea was waiting on the bed.
"Um... Can we go somewhere?"
"What?" I squinted.
"Like a movie or-"
"No."
"But-"
"Stop arguing with me," I glared and put on my clothes.
Today, things had been pretty annoying with the frozen bank account. The last thing I wanted was to put up with Chelsea's tantrums for the rest of my evening.
"We haven't gone anywhere after getting married..." She whispered.
The conversation was starting to get on my nerves.
"I only get to leave the house when you have some event... At least take me for a movie!"
I didn't reply.
"Leo, come on-"
I slapped her.
Never did I imagine that I'd have to physically hurt her, but it had to be done.
"Don't fucking call me that."
She held the side of her face that glowed red. Tears pricked her eyes as she looked up at me, there was a mix of fear and rage in them.
"You're a stripper, and you'll always remain that. You're nothing more to me. Consider yourself lucky for getting to stay in this house, and that's only because I like fucking you! Don't make me go over this again, Chelsea. I swear to God, you're insufferable!" I clenched my fist in her face
"I- I'm sleeping downstairs..." She mumbled and got up to leave.
I grabbed her arm, "You are sleeping in my bed, next to me, like it or not."
She stared at my eyes, terrified, and gulped, "Let me go... Please... You're hurting me..." Her voice cracked.
When I left her arm, she quietly got under the sheets and closed her eyes. I turned off the lights and climbed in next to her. She flinched away when I touched her.
"Chelsea," I warned.
She didn't resist anymore and I ran my hand up her sweater to caress the bump on her stomach. "Two more months," I said, kissing her neck.
"Will you love the baby?" Chelsea asked out of the blue.
"I'll prepare my son to take care of my empire."
"That doesn't answer my question," she glanced at me from over her shoulder.
"You're making me mad again."
"Will you love the baby or not, Leonardo?"
"Fucking shut up, Chelsea." I turned my back against her.
After a few long moments of silence, she spoke up again, just to annoy me further. "One day you'll lose everything. Nobody will be under you and you'll be struggling to survive. You'll have no help, no money, and no power. I hope I live to see that day."
I turned to glare at her, "You're breathing now only because you're carrying my child."
***
When I reached Xander Corp in the morning, there was a commotion inside. My employees stepped apart as I approached them.
"Mr.Xander, sir..." Chris ran over to me from the crowd.
"Why the hell is everyone walking around so casually? I don't pay them for free." I glared at the peering crowd.
"S-sir... There's a problem... Mr.Campbell is waiting in your room."
"Don't tell me it's that frozen bank account again," I sighed.
"Well, sir... It's just that all your personal and business ones have been frozen. Even the company's..."
"What?"
I walked over to the elevator with Chris hurrying behind me.
"I talked to the officials, sir, and they said that someone could be behind it... But the banks can't process any more of our transactions."
"Well, file a complaint. Talk to the police and catch the criminal."
"It's not so easy, sir... I think you should hear what Mr.Campbell has to say."
The elevator opened and I walked over to my room. Jeffrey Campbell, my company lawyer, got up on seeing me. "Mr.Xander, I think Chris might have told you about the situation that we're in."
"Why can't the cops catch the criminal?" I asked him.
"They are trying to, but he or she seems to be a professional. There is absolutely no trace of how the freeze happened. I came to meet you because I don't think this criminal will stop with bank accounts. He could aim for all your shares."
His words made me think for a while.
"I'll transfer everything to Mr.Choi for the time being."
Mr.Choi was an intelligent Japanese man who had been my business partner ever since I started the company. He held 13% of Xander Corp and I owned around 37% of his company. He was among the very few men that I trusted with my money.
"Yes, I was going to suggest that. Chris has already sent him an email regarding the issue. We wanted your approval to draw out a contract."
"Do it immediately," I told Chris. He nodded and jogged out of my room.
When I was left alone with Jeffrey, he switched to a more serious tone, "Who could have done this, Mr.Xander?"
"I wouldn't be talking with you if I knew the answer," I scoffed.
He leaned back on the chair and sighed.
***
In the afternoon, I had an online meeting with Mr.Choi regarding the contract. After the freeze gets lifted, I'd be able to terminate the contract and retrieve my shares. It was a dangerous game, but since I had known Mr.Choi for ten years, he was my last resort.
The cops came over to talk in the evening and I told them everything. They informed me that they would work hard to find the criminal but I doubted it. If they had worked hard enough, he would have been caught by now.
I was beyond frustrated when I received an email from Mr.Choi in the evening. There was a hyperlink stating the contract and I clicked it. The file was downloaded in seconds.
But when I opened it, the same file that Chris had sent him popped up on my screen. I wondered whether he made any corrections but I found none.
This was strange.
He had no reason to send back the same file.
In the blink of an eye, my laptop went black.
No matter what I did, it didn't turn on anymore.
Chris knocked on my door right then, "Sir! The freeze on the company accounts has been lifted!" He grinned.
"And the criminal?"
"The police are still looking for him because he's yet to unfreeze your private account. I'll do something about it."
I nodded, "And get this laptop looked at. It's not turning on."
"Yes, sir." He took it, "Shall I send a replacement right now?"
"No, this one has important files. I need it back. Make sure no one tries to go through the documents. I'll head home early, send it there." He nodded.
***
It was 7 pm and I was going through my phone in the kitchen while Chelsea was on the living room couch watching television.
"Turn it down, Chelsea."
She didn't reply and the volume stayed high. I walked over with my glass of scotch to find her asleep. There was a faint red mark on her cheek, the exact spot where I had slapped her.
I sat beside Chelsea and took the remote from her hand. This seemed to wake her up. "Finally, some peace." I turned off the TV and threw my arm around her shoulder.
"Did Trent take you to the doctor?"
"Yeah..." she mumbled.
"And?"
"Everything is fine."
"Good." I took a sip from my glass.
"Why are you here early?" She asked me. "Unimportant things at work," I replied, leaning in to nuzzle against her neck, "It's been a long time since you gave me head."
"I- I can't kneel like this..." She stuttered when I bit her.
"You can lay down now and I'll fuck your mouth."
Chelsea gulped at my words. After keeping my glass on the table, I held the side of her face while kissing her neck. She whimpered when I touched her cheek while avoiding my gaze.
"Does it hurt?"
"Yeah..."
"You shouldn't have made me mad." I kissed her again, "Lay down-"
We were interrupted by the doorbell. "Whoever it is, send them away, Lara."
"Yes, sir," she replied from the kitchen.
"Hah..." Chelsea gasped when I buried my head in her cleavage. I was about to unbutton her sweater when I heard someone clear their throat behind me.
"Mr.Campbell insisted on meeting you, sir..." Lara appeared behind him.
"I'll talk to you tomorrow, Jeffrey. You can leave now."
"It's you who'll have to leave, Mr.Xander."
I snapped my head towards him, "What?"
"You have no right to this property anymore. It belongs to Mr.Choi."
"What the hell are you talking about?" I thundered.
He calmly sat on the opposite couch and loosened his tie, "I don't know how it happened but the contract has been terminated-"
"Of course, the freeze was lifted. Chris terminated the contract."
"The contract got terminated before the freeze lifted, Mr.Xander."
"What?"
"Yes. It has been erased from Chris's system. It has been erased from the company files and Mr.Choi claims to never have heard of it."
"The hell?"
"That's not all, Mr.Xander. All shares of your company, 100% of them, belong to Mr.Choi now. He even withdrew your 37% shares from his firm"
"That's impossible," I clenched my fist.
"I agree but it looks like there is someone out there who is capable of doing these impossible things. I came here after talking with the cops. You'll have to leave this property in an hour, or they'll have to forcefully kick you out... And your wife..." He glanced at Chelsea.
"Did you call Mr.Choi?"
"Multiple times. He isn't picking up. I've tried all means necessary to retrieve your company."
I scoffed, "The police investigated Mr.Choi?"
"They can't."
"Why not?"
"He owns everything that once belonged to you. There's no evidence against him. To be honest, I think he personally asked the cops to remove you from this house."
"When this place was built, I used just a portion of the company funds to build it. I can buy this place with my money."
"Mr.Xander, your private account is still frozen. This means that you can't use any of your credit cards. All your property has gone to Mr.Choi. The people who worked for you are under him. It's almost as if you never owned anything in the first place. I realize that it's absurd but that's how things are. You can take necessary IDs and leave the house."
I stared at him for a long time.
This was fucking insane.
But I couldn't panic.
"How can I undo this crap?"
"As the company's legal advisor, I can't help you." He smiled.
The asshole fucking smiled.
"There's certainly something you could do, Jeffrey."
"Mr.Xander, we've always been on professional terms. I work for the company, not for you. I can't help you in any way."
"Do we... Do we just go?" Chelsea turned to me.
I got up and went downstairs to the garage.
Xander Corp was mine and mine alone.
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Lyrics: Moral of the Story by Ashe
Last Edited - 20/01/24