Chapter 47: One step to the truth

Xavier ran his hands through his head as he held the phone to his ear. Rachael had called him a total of five times and his stupid self had been busy, ramming into another woman. He was worried, very worried. How could he be so foolish, so drunk that he couldn't stop Claudia?

"Fuck" he cursed when she didn't pick. The reason she had called must have been so critical that she did it incessantly over 5 times.

He dialed Williams's number instead. "Williams" Xavier called out the moment the call was answered.

"Yes boss"

"Where is Rachael, why isn't she picking up my calls?"

"I'll tell her to call you as soon as possible"

"Is she okay?"

"Yes she is boss" he assured him, but Xavier still felt something was wrong.

"Immediately you get off this call, tell her to call me" he cut the call.

He felt angry again and stormed upstairs. He barged into his room where he saw Claudia still seated on his bed.

"What are you still doing here?". He barked at her. "You are fully dressed. I don't see what's stopping you from leaving"

She stood up reluctantly from the bed. "Xavier" she spoke softly, placing her hand on his chest. "I'm sorry." She begged, but the stern look on Xavier's face remained.

"Leave now this minute," he ordered in a deadly whisper.

"Fine I'll go, but you don't trust me. When your girlfriend is a liar."

"What nonsense are you trying to say?" he withdrew away from her hold when her caress became too intimate.

"I overhead Magnus talking with the father of her child. They said..."

"Wait" he cut her short. "What did you just say?"

"Oh," she faked Astonishment. "You didn't know?"

"Know what?" Xavier was already impatient.

"That she has a kid with another man. For God knows, she might even be married"

Xavier's heart stopped for a second. Claudia was all things, but not a liar.

"If you don't believe me, why don't you call your darling Rachael and ask her yourself." She yanked her bag from the bed and left.

Xavier sat on the bed. His mouth felt parched. He didn't know how true this was but still felt the ache in his heart. Was that the reason she went to Miami and wouldn't tell him?

He dialed Jerry's number while he inwardly prayed it was all false.

"Boss," Jerry said at the other end.

"Jerry. Has Rachael made any strange movement in Miami?"

"I don't think so... Oh," he suddenly remembered. "We all saw her with Ralph Caden a couple of days ago"

"Ralph?" Xavier was taken aback. "What business does she have with him?"

"I don't know, but probably she came to meet with him and his kid"

"Ralph has a kid?"

"We were all surprised. He has managed to hide her all these years"

"Jerry"

"Yes Boss"

"I need you to find out everything about the relationship Rachael has with Ralph and I need every detail okay?"

"Yes boss"

Xavier ended the call and hurled the phone onto the bed. If what Claudia said was true and if Ralph was the suspected baby daddy, then Xavier's life was done. He loved Rachael so much to lose her to someone like Ralph.


Ralph had been part of a Magnus confraternity, a couple of years back. His family; Caden allied with the Alfonso's family and in most cases were considered as one confraternity. Until, Ralph's father betrayed, the capo of the Alfonsos which caused both confraternities to separate. Ralph had always been in the picture, hardly noticed, but who wouldn't remember the only son of Eduardo Caden?

His phone ringing by his side snapped him out of his thoughts. It was Rachael. He wanted to answer and ask her if she was okay, but he felt too angry at her and himself. He felt angry at her for lying to him. Having a kid was such a big deal, yet she kept it a secret. He was angry at himself for ever believing any woman could love him genuinely.

*****
"Ok, it is official. Boss wants more information about her relationship with Ralph" Jerry told the rest. Peter had his eyes transfixed on a book while Jude seemed too busy on his phone.

Their room was just after Rachael's room. The reason for that was to protect her in case something happens. But they weren't supposed to let her know. Everything they did was low-key.

"You told her about Ralph?" Jude looked at him with a displeased look on his face. "Those two are too good together. Now they are going to bloody separate"

"He asked if we've seen her with anybody lately. Was I supposed to lie to him?"

"Well at least we have something to do, rather than snooping around like lost puppies" peter closed the book in his hands as he spoke.

"You call protecting, snooping?" Jerry asked.

"It's not my kind of thing. Boss should have told her about us to make it less weird. She can fucking report us to the police for harassment" Jude said

"If we are swift with our jobs, she won't find out anything. Boss wasn't dumb when he sent three of us to look after her without her knowing. He must have his reason" Peter said

"Or he is just being overprotective" Jerry suggested

"What man isn't?"

"He doesn't want her fucking around in Miami," Jude said. Jerry laughed, but peter didn't. He already had his eyes back on his book.

"Whichever way it is, it's our job," Peter said with his eyes still on the book.

"I bet if boss finds out she has a kid for Ralph, he will tell all of us to leave her here and return without her". Jude said.

"Come on, get serious. There is no way that kid belongs to the both of them" Peter pointed out.

"I don't care about that. All I care about is my paycheck at the end of the month" He settled his back on the bed and heaved a sigh.

Suddenly the door opened and Williams barged in. The three of them stood up alarmed, but soon settled back down when they realized it was just William.

His face held panic as he spoke. "Rachael is missing"