The Beautiful Billionaire

LINDEN

“What?” Estelle noticed the look in my eyes and the uneasiness in my action.

“Will you move in with me?” Well, that was unexpected. I did not want her to stay in my house because of our security issue. My problem with Jasper wouldn’t end soon, but even so, I still wanted Estelle to be in our home, to wake up next to her, to sleep beside her, and see her smile before I closed my eyes. I wasn’t just subtle.

“You want me to-”

“Move in with me. You know, taking a big step.” I didn’t know why I suddenly felt nervous. What more if I asked her to marry me? I might collapse while proposing.

“Oh.” There was that mix of amusement and joy dancing in her eyes that my not-so-subtle invitation had a chance.

“I know we’ve been staying under the same roof, but I don’t want you to get the idea that you’re staying with me because of the security problem. No, this time is different. I’m talking about our relationship. And I know we’ve just been-”

“Stop.” She pressed a finger on my lips. “Stop so that I can say yes.”

I’d never smiled so wide my cheek hurt. “Really? I was expecting you would say maybe it’s too early that kind of stuff.”

“As long as you don’t mind my mess, and sometimes I ate and worked in bed.”

“That can be arranged. You can do that, but not after midnight.”

“So, can we go to work now?” She kissed me quickly.

“Yeah.” I hugged her again before picking up her bag on the couch. “Don’t work hard.”

“You too.” The way she held my hand, I knew she wanted to say something.

When we reached the door, Qamar was already waiting for her.

“What is it?”

“I’ll get a space in your closet, right?”

“You can have the half. I can make the room next door your closet if you want.”

“No. Just make it an adjacent room.”

“May I know why?”

“Sometimes I want to think alone, and sometimes I want privacy.”

“Okay.”

“And Gabriel.” She placed her hands on my chest as she met my gaze. “I know you’re visiting Hanslo in the prison. Just please, take care. Whatever he’s going to say, don’t let it get into your head.”

I kissed her before I let her into the car. I waved bye. Before I went to Lynx, waiting for me, I looked at her one more time. Sometimes, I had a feeling Estelle was hiding something from me. I may be overthinking it, but my instinct had never been wrong.

***

Thanks to Miller, he cut some red tape for me to be talking with Hanslo face-to-face.

“I feel special. I’m getting a lot of visitors lately.” He was in his prison uniform and handcuffed. Agent Miller was sitting in the distance since two security were with him. “I know you will come. It’s only a matter of when.”

“I’ll make sure I am the last one you see, Hanslo.” I crossed my legs as I leaned back.

“If you are here about my son. I have no idea where he is.” Prison really changed a person. Hanslo maybe still have connections, and although he didn’t have any more money, all his assets were gone, but his intel was still very valuable.

“I received his security badge card. I’m not sure if he’s still alive. Help me out to find him.”

“Don’t you think he left because he didn’t want you to find him? That’s the purpose of going off the grid. Cut him loose, Linden.”

“I can’t, and I have a feeling he told you something, but you’re not going to tell me. Why don’t you want me to find your son? Don’t you care about life?”

He breathed deeply and stole a glance at the FBI Agent. “Jasper came to ask my forgiveness for selling me out. I told him, I’ve forgiven you the day you were born. A child can’t pick where he’s born into. I did what I thought was right. I was tough on him. I did terrible things, and look where it took me. I wasn’t mad at him or my daughter.”

“Sadie is not your daughter.”

“I raised her as mine.”

“And sold her.”

“Your brother Cenric came to my life to destroy everything I built. Do you think it stopped there? I may be here, but not everyone in organized crime is happy because of what I know.”

“Just cut the shit. What are you trying to tell me?”

“Do you think Jasper made the most difficult choices when he turned me over to the FBI? No. When he came to visit me, that’s when he broke his heart. He left the job that meant so much to him. For once in his life, he had a real purpose. He made real friends without looking behind his back. He became close to his sister, but all of that is gone because of who I am and the world I left behind, and now, my son is paying the price.”

Not hiding my despair, I sagged against the chair, and I could do nothing but gape. Jasper made the sacrifice.

When I found my voice, I asked, “Why did he have to do that?”

“When the people you care about are in danger, would you sacrifice them for your life? I don’t think so. I haven’t told you this, and I know you don’t believe a word I say, but you have my gratitude for giving my son a second chance and years of good life to be a good brother to Sadie. I begged him not to do it, but he already made his choice, and even you couldn’t stop it.”

“Who’s in danger?” My eyes bore into his. I was dubious about how far he knew or thus could be his mind trick.

“The word around here is the Hover has an advanced computer system. Sometimes, nothing beats an old school.”

“Just get to the point, Hanslo.”

“Jasper received a package without an address, and it was clean, containing Sadie’s photo, you going to Osmium, your brothers with their wives, your two sidekicks, Sax and Kye, and your girlfriend.”

“What do you mean?” My mind raced. My jaw ticked as I shot him a glare. “Tell me, Hanslo, or I swear to God.”

“You can’t do anything that they haven’t done, Linden. I have nothing left. The only two things that I value the most are my children. Now that Jasper is gone, my daughter could be in grave danger, and her husband doesn’t know shit because he’s busy making himself rich. Do you think I’m not desperate for her protection?”

“You blamed Cenric for what you’ve done? You did this in the first place, and now Jasper and Sadie are paying the price, you piece of shit!”

“Then why are you here? You can’t help him, or every last of you, one by one, will die. How do you think Jasper would take that? Cut him loose and acknowledge that he already accepted his fate.”

“No.” I shook my head violently. “No. I’m not giving up on him. If you can stomach it, I can’t, Hanslo.”

“You don’t know this family. You don’t know this person. They fear no one, even death.” Seeing Hanslo terrified made my skin crawl. I knew what he was capable of back then. I knew he didn’t think twice about killing, but right now, after he lost everything, I saw how hopeless, powerless, and vulnerable he was.”

“Who are they? I need a name.”

“You can’t do anything. If you love your family, your brothers, the people around you, the woman carrying your child.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” My ear rang. With so much repulsion and shock, I didn’t realize I was collaring him, pushing him against the chair, until the guard locked me down, giving me my last warning. “What the fuck are you talking about, Hanslo?”

“Mr. Linden, this is your last warning.” I just pissed off a special agent and assaulted a convict.

Still assailed with a myriad of emotions, I raised my hands as everyone around was on full alert. My breathing caught, but Hanslo never left my sight or broke eye contact with him. “I’m sorry.”

I have a child? Those words kept repeating in my head. I lost my concentration. All I could think was about Estelle and my child and the danger surrounding us.

“I think we’re done here,” Special Agent said.

I turned to Special Agent Miller. “Just please, give me five minutes. I won’t do that again, and I will apologize to Hanslo if necessary.”

He glared at me, his jaw clenching. “You have five minutes, or I will detain you for assaulting a convict.”

“I’m sorry to be a spoilsport. I thought you already knew.”

My head snapped at Hanslo as I sat back down. My nerves were pretty shot. “How the-” I took a deep breath to calm down, or else I would end up in a cell next to him. “How did you know all of these?”

“I may be in prison, but I still have rights and loyal friends, but Jasper, I can’t help him. I can’t protect him anymore. He’s gone for good, Linden.” Why am I even so surprised? He shook his head, agony and regrets flashed in his eyes. “Promise me you will look after Sadie. She’s the only one I have left.”Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

With my gut churning, I asked, even though I knew his answer could devastate me further. “How do you know about Estelle?”

“She visited a doctor named Dr. Chesca, an obstetrician.” Dr. Chesca? Shit. The doctor I met in her house. I clenched my jaw hard. If he was telling the truth, then Estelle had been keeping this secret for me for weeks.

“I don’t have time, Hanslo. Who are these people?”

“He’s the youngest uncle of my wife from her mother’s side. They found out what I did to Yelena. They gave Jasper two choices, to join them, stay alive, and will not do any harm to you and the people Jasper cares about. Or he dies and every one of you, including Sadie and me. I may have a few people looking after Sadie and all the people she loves, but it won’t be enough.”

Goosebumps erupted all over my body, knowing the threat was real, resurfacing. Still, my mind went back to Estelle. Estelle was pregnant. I’m gonna be a father. How could I be so dumb and clueless?

“Name, Hanslo.”

“You don’t know you’re gonna be a father since last month?”

Last month?

I couldn’t believe she didn’t tell me about it. She had known she was having my child since last month and never told me. So this was what she had been keeping from me all this time.

Jesus Christ.

“Name, Hanslo.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t help you.”