Chapter 3 Three

Chapter 3

Vincent's POV

I clutched her hard, my hands not leaving her as I clenched my teeth. I was going to kill that mother fucker.

" You don't have to be here you know...I understand that you should be..." She was beginning to say, her voice shaky as she tried to control the tears I knew were about to leave her eyes.

" Don't say anything. I understand. I don't want you crying. I'm right here"

My hands patted her head gently, comforting the tears that now slid down her face.

" I'm so tired. I....my body hurts and my head aches. I can't do this anymore" she whispered, voice broken.

Fuck.

My body seemed to mingle with hers as I held on tighter, scared to let go and disappoint her.

I had known her for so long, I had... kissed her.

She was my best friend's sister, this attraction, this protectiveness I felt, I should not be feeling it. It was wrong.

But I knew I would rather die than not watch that wretched Cole writh in pains.

" Look I'm fine now, you can go okay? I don't want to keep you here for you long and I know you have to go see my brother anyways"

" Are you sure you are fine?" I asked again.

She hummed.

" I will just get some rest. Seeing Cole today...it threw me off a bit. Thank you for being here. I'm fine now"

I nodded softly, watching her climb into the bed, eyes not closing but at least not crying.

If seeing that jerk made her cry, then I will make sure she never has to see him again.

The moment I left the room, I placed a call through to my bodyguard.

" Marshal. The man that just left the estate, get him for me and keep him tied up in the ware house. I will come down there immediately after I see Edmond" I said to him, the vulnerability that I held in my voice when I talked to her now vanished.

The don Vito's office glared at me like a sour patch, the previous owner, astra's father, now lying six feet under.

I knew I would find Edmond here. It was easy to predict his movements because he worked like a clock work.

And I was right. He was hunched over documents, tie in a frenzy across the room, his blazer sprawled on the chair as he raised a few papers to the light, worry etched in every crevice of his face.

This was not good.

" Are you okay bro? You look a bit pale?" I called, startling him.

The fear seemed to melt form his  eyes when he saw I was the one.

" I had a meeting with the stock members. Dad was owing the mortis group Vincent. I don't know how he could keep this away from me! I am going through every file and I don't know why I could not note the large embezzlement funds that passed through my desk. Fuck. I'm such a goddamn failure "

He sank into his feet, hands curled up in his hair.

I had known this man all my life, but this was the first time he looked...utterly defeated.

I took a small sigh inwardly, expression still calm, hands in pocket as I stared at him.

" So how much debt are we talking about here?"

He did not look up, but I could feel the air in the room tense up.

" 1.3 billion dollars..both in assets and funds. "

The words that he uttered seemed to scare him too, as though he had just finally come to terms with how much of a debt this company was coming into.

I sucked in a breath.

" Damn. That is a lot of money. But what about the assets in sans Francisco? And the ember franchise? If you can sell that off to pay off the debt then you can always rebuild..it will be a major loss for the company but at least it can still be controlled." I advised.

Like me, he got up, unbuttoning his watcha and setting it on the table, propping himself up.

He handed me a few papers.

" Dad sold them two years ago without my knowledge. Along with seven other of our very valuable asset. The only thing of relevance that we have to pay off this debt now is the company itself and even at that we will still be owing them 10 million dollars fund.

So even selling the company won't be enough to cover the costs"

I was puzzled.

" I knew your father. He was not a careless man. There is no way he would have made such a careless mistake. What did he use the money for? And the mortis group? They are basically your sworn enemy..your father would have never asked them for a loan. You know we don't mess with the mortis"

Just like me, he did not seem to have a clue too, his face crest fallen the more he stared at me.

" I mean...they offered a solution though" he finally whispered after what felt like immense silence.

I did not like where this was going. I hated that I could feel the bad news before it even left his mouth.

" And what is it?" I managed to ask.

He ran his hands through his hair in frustration.

" Well you know the mortis eldest son, kael. He is searching for a brief and he met with Astra a few years back and I think he picked a fancy of her." He stopped.

No. I did not want him to say it..fuck. No.

" He wants her hand in marriage to clear the entire debt" he bolted it out.

First the earth reeled and then next, it stilled, so fucking still I could feel the cold from the north pole blowing through the office and shoving a few papers to take flight.

" You can't do that..I will pay the debt off for you. Astra, look she does not deserve to be forced into something like that. And if it's about the money you know my company can pay it off without a second glance.

You don't have to involve a marriage plan into all of this"

I was trying so desperately to not sound suspicious. How could I talk to him without him knowing I had a thing for his sister and she getting married to someone that was not me would break me undoubtedly?

But he shurgged.

" I mean I have been thinking about it since it was proferred to me. It does not sound like a bad idea you know?Astra...you know how she is. She makes such bad decisions when it comes to men. And kael is such a good man and he comes from a decent family too. I ran a background check on him yesterday.

No model relationship scandal whatsoever. I can't help but think that maybe this might be a good thing for Astra after all. And plus, the connection that comes with such an alliance. I need people like the mortis family on my side to establish my hold on the company.

It's a win win if you ask me."

The more he spoke the more sure he sounded and the more I could feel my perfection slipping out of my hands until all that was left was that nagging feeling of hate and anger.

Fuck.