Should We Just Keep Driving? [Zarry Stylik AU]©️

Chapter 24

Three months later

Zayn clicked and clicked on the pen in his hand. He was hyper-focused on the landscape outside his window. Sitting back on his chair, his mind twitched and turned thinking about the future.

It had been trickier than he thought. It had been more challenging than he expected. Keeping it, all together and not falling apart. Keeping his head above not water and not drowning after all.

The first can reach Singapore, the product hit the streets and the result was a wave of money coming his way. Louis dropped the first result dramatically: A big red box, with a ribbon on it, right on his desk and with a card wishing him a Happy Birthday.

Inside, perfectly stacked, in colourful rubber bands, marked the beginning of an adventure that would prove too much for him. It was enough to buy a small country.

"Holy shit..."

Was the only thing that came out of his mouth when he saw it. Zayn just stared at the money, not knowing what to do it with. It stayed in his office, inside one of the cupboards for days.

The second time was just as shocking, with two more big boxes with pretty ribbons sitting on his desk and wishing him happy birthday again.

And so it was with the third and fourth time.

Louis found them funny, but Zayn thought it was in bad taste.

"You're no fun," Louis responded, pulling on the bow, and then pulling the lid open. "It's a joke."

"I don't like it," Zayn answered looking at the money perfectly placed inside the box. It made him want to vomit. "Besides, it draws attention to all these boxes."

"I'm not doing a wire transfer, mate," Louis responded. "It trips the system and soon enough we'll have eyes on us."

"I don't want any more boxes," Zayn demanded. "Take them away."

Louis rolled his eyes and let out a heavy sigh.

"Here's a little bit of 'criminal 101' If you put the money in a bank account it allows for wandering eyes to look at what you have and where it's coming from. This money is not taxed, mate and it's not clean. From there to be traced to me is a small step. Hence, we use cash, and you can...I don't know, keep it under your mattress, for all I care. Thought you were smarter than this."

"I don't like the boxes gimmick is too flashy. Don't think people haven't noticed them being delivered here."

"Since when do you care what people say, Zayn?"

"Since we started working together."

Louis looked at him for a moment and, at the last minute, added another comment.

"Your sister is way more relaxed than you."

"My sister is not here,"

"You know any person, with some inch of mind and reason, would let Doniya deal with this." Louis underlined. "However, here you are..."

"It's my chair. My company. My decision."

"Zayn: the sacrificial lamb."

"Can we get back to the topic? No more boxes."

"Okay, fine," Louis responded, with a shrug. "You want it as a boring ass check. Fine. Boring it is, then-"

"No," Zayn rushed. "We can have it in cash. Just don't send me fucking boxes. Send them to the bank or something."

"You want to send dirty money to the bank?"

"Sure. To Innov's account."

"Are you dumb?" Louis asked with a raised eyebrow. "If you must have it in a bank, it should not be a British bank, Zayn. This is the type of money to keep in your Cayman Islands bank or a  Swiss bank. Safe. Away from prying eyes. You're not this dumb!"