Chapter ninety one
Oliver
“I tracked him to Pasadena before I lost him. He hasn't been caught on any surveillance cameras since then, nor has his spawn. I swear, the man knows how to hide just as he knows how to show off.” Ethan sighed and leaned back into his chair.
“I told you before. There's no use tracking Alberto when he obviously doesn't want to be found. Besides, he's of no use. Now that I know where to look, I just have to find the who and why they're targeting Kang Chemicals.” I said for the millionth times, but my thick headed cousin doesn't seem to listen.
He's the most frustrated that he couldn't find Alberto.
“And I'm saying it again. Tracking him is s personal challenge. I don't like failing. Mkt finding him is failure and I'm not about to use that term in my career. I'm not going to stop until I find him.”
His eyes lightened up with determination and I sighed. I know that look quite well. It meant he'll do it regardless of what anyone says. There was no use talking to him, he wouldn't listen.
“We hear you, Ethan, but you strayed off topic again.” Xavier shifted in his seat and rubbed his temple.
“I'm sorry, sir. Please continue.” Ethan said, feigning his apologetic look.
The three of us were perched in Xavier's home office. He'd called us for an ‘emergency’ about an hour ago, but I'm yet to see what was so urgent about his discussion. Ethan seem to think the same.
Xavier heard about an estate that's up for sale and wanted to purchase it. It used to belong to Alberto, but ever since he disappeared, more of his properties have been going up on sales. Most of his and his son's properties went to the government after his disappearance. Because he'd obtain them illegally.
This particular estate Xavier was going on about used to belong to a member of the Cosa Nostra. But Alberto couldn't do anything useful with the acres of land except build a ridiculously big house. The house was filled with so many expensive and too flashy, making it lack class, just like it owner.
The remaining space has been sitting untouched since he moved there.
“The estate is in a good location. If we secure it, with my real estate contacts, Ethan's impeccable security skills, and Oliver's resources, we could make something big out of it. We would be unstoppable.”
Xavier's eyes glistened the way they do when he's found a great business idea no one could talk him out of.
“We're already unstoppable. Why do we need an estate that used to belong to the Castillos. Oliver already has his company. We already fucked him over. What more do we need?” Ethan rolled his eyes.
Xavier ignored him and turned to me.
“What do you think, Oliver? This is good business, right?”
“I think Alberto is a bad omen. He's cursed. Come on, it's pretty obvious with how fast his business went downhill and now he's losing his house. What if the evil enchantress curse us too. We’ll turn into beast–” Ethan pitched in again.
“I was asking Oliver.” Xavier cut in and glared at him before he could dive into more cartoon rubbish.
“Since when do you watch cartoon? You're a grown man, for god's sake.” I chuckled and rolled my eyes.
“So you knew I was talking about a cartoon? Which means you've watched it.” Ethan smirked.
I shook my head. I knew he was talking about ‘Beauty and the Beast’ because I walked in on the girls watching the movie few days ago. Dallas offered to narrate the storyline to me but I was too distracted by her to focus on what she was saying. I only picked up a few words.
“Guys!” Xavier called, a silent warning in his tone. Yeah. We went off topic again.
“It's a good idea, Xavier. And we should definitely consider owning the estate.” I said sincerely. I could already name about ten things we could do with the enormous space.
“And while we're on the subject, Ethan, why the hell is it taking so long to install a new security system at Jenna's house? I replaced her team with yours so the results would be faster but it's already been days.”
And my patience kept thinning out as the days became longer. I couldn't stand the sight of her in my house. I was starting to reconsider my decision of agreeing to our contract in the first place. It's only been a few days, but it felt like decades. And no one in the house seem thrilled about the new arrangements.
“These things take a lot of time to do. You need to exercise patience.”
“It's been four days. I'm running out of patience. I want her out of my house.”
“Why did you bring her into your house in the first place? Can't you find a hotel for her or something else?” Xavier asked.
He set his glasses down and shut his laptop. Guess we're no more discussing real estate.
“Aunt Regina insisted she stayed with him. Apparently, she was too scared to be alone in a hotel as she was still reeling from the trauma of having her home broken into.” Ethan answered and rolled his eyes.
“Sounds sketchy to me.” Xavier mumbled.
“I know right. Mum and Regina wouldn't shut up about how good it is that they're now living together.”
“We're not living together. She'll be gone in two days, or less if you would just hurry up with her home system already.” I glared at Ethan.
“Trust me, Oliver, you've been played. You're already living together. I don't know how true her home invasion was, but it's been used as a ploy to get her to move in with you.” He added.
“True,” Xavier nodded. “When Brenda first moved in, it was because a fire broke out in her apartment. Father deemed the environment wasn't ‘safe’ for her anymore. He insisted she stayed with me for a few days. It's almost three years now.”
My eyes darted between the both of them, a frown etched on my forehead. There's no way mum would play me like that. Right? She knew how much I hated having people in my personal space. She wouldn't trick me into doing something I don't like.
But the more I tried to convince myself of it, the more sense it made. It sound exactly like what mum would do just to get me to do her bidding.
My fist clenched tightly beside me as the realization dawned on me. She fucking tricked me. And I fell for it.
“I assume your girlfriend isn't okay with having your fiancee in the same house she's in.” Xavier drawled.
No, she wasn't. But she put her discomfort aside because I told her how important speaking with Jenna's father is to me. She isn't okay because of me.
I've been so blinded by my goal to find the mastermind that I ignored the subtle signs of Dallas's discomfort. The anger slowly rising in me turned to regret and morphed back to anger, but this time I was mad at myself. Mad for allowing myself get tricked without realizing sooner. Mad for agreeing to it in the first place. Mad at myself for everything.
“I mean I get why you got engaged to Jenna. Regina was quite controlling about who you end up with, but what I don't get is why you're still engaged to her when you're clearly in love with Dallas.” Ethan said.
“I never said I was in love with Dallas.”
I wasn't in love with her. I was madly obsessed with her. What I felt for her was so much more than love. The feeling that's currently heavy on my chest is definitely not love.
“Oh please,” Xavier rolled his eyes. “I'm not agreeing with Ethan's words that you're ‘in love with her’, I don't believe in that shit. But everyone who has been in the same space with you guys would know you're crazy about her. You would do anything for her. You look ready to kill anyone who causes a slight discomfort to her. When she's around, she's the only person you seem to focus on. It's like nothing exist when she's with you.”
“That's what love is, Nimrod.” Ethan said. “I've never seen you look at someone the way you look at her, Oliver. Like she's everything to you.”
“She is everything to me.” I muttered.
“I don't know much about feelings and women like Ethan does, I'm only speaking based on facts here. You can't afford to lose Dallas. You even got over your touch allergy because of her. You clearly want her in your life.” Xavier said.
“She is in my life.” I arched an eyebrow.
“Not for long.” He muttered before turning to Ethan. “Help me out here, please.”
“What? I'm the only single man here. You know about relationships more than I do. It's your forte.”
Xavier glared at him and he sighed.
“Alright,” he sighed and turned to me. “Dearest cousin, what Xavier is trying to say is that you can't have a girlfriend and a fiancee. You have to let one of them go. All of us in this room know that you can't let go of Dallas. You have to break off your engagement to Jenna. Women don't like to share.”
“No one is sharing me. You all know how things are with Jenna and I.”
“Yes yes, we get it. But Dallas won't. Not for long. I understand why you're with Jenna, but until you're ready to forgive yourself, you risk losing the woman you truly love.”
I leaned back into the chair, letting his words sink in. I understood the sentiment behind it, but I couldn't bring myself to ponder more about it. Dad's wish for me, mum's perstering, Dallas. Everything ran into my head.
I need to fulfill my responsibility without losing either of them. And I know just what I need to do.