The Billionaire's Bet

Chapter 50: To my hated beloved

To you, the woman who I loved dearly and yet you hated me, but why beloved, why?

Evanly

I must have passed out after crying myself dry to the bone. I woke on the floor with birds chirping outside, it was morning? I passed out till morning? The floor was hard and cold, my body felt like it had just went through a grinder. I groaned as I picked myself up. I went straight to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. A feeling of emptiness came over me as my eyes focused on my reflection.

I've changed so much...I can't even recognize myself. My eyes had eye bags beaneth them. My hair was a mess of curved up strands mixed with straight hair. My face looked pale and tired. I looked disheveled. I look exhausted. I look like I'm done with life. My eyes, my glasses, I haven't worn glasses in so long that my vision had began adapting to the light but I admit it did hurt and still does.

"I think I have spare glasses in my drawer...", I whispered as I reached for the drawer beaneth the sink. I knelt down and opened it. The drawer was filled with medication, I pushed them aside and there at the far back of the drawer, a black, leather glass case. I gently pulled it out as if trying not to damage it. I stood up and opened the case. There, my spare glasses layed, still brand new and untouched. I took them out and wore them. As soon as they reached my eyes, my vision brightened and became more clear. The feeling was reliefing. I looked in the mirror once more and there I was, my old self smiling back at me.

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Meanwhile...

Devon

These past few months have been a bure of endless meetings, conference meetings, interviews and meeting rich, powerful man who could make a huge impact on my company with just a lift of a finger. I was doing well for the most part it was quite and peaceful but the thought of her never left my mind, no matter how I tried and so I embraced it with uncertainty, not letting myself dwell into her too much.

Today marked the day Julian would return from his three month long trip to the Bahamas, which should've ended apparently 2 months ago but he hasn't come home since then. Mom was fed up with his behaviour of disappearing and appearing out of nowhere.

A few months ago when I arrived in Italy, I immediately continued my investigation which led me to a much more deeper hole that I hadn't expected. It involved far worse things I had imagined. There countless lawsuits against him regarding fraud, stealing countless millions of dollars from various businesses and woman around the world. It looked as though he had been doing this for quite a while but how did he manage to escape the police's attention. This man was really something else, something sinister in nature and no one acknowledged it.

I was in my laboratory, that I used to pitch my ideas and build electronics. No one entered this layer except for Danzel, Julian and I. This Laboratory was filled with all my findings, all my documents, blue prints and inventions. Computers were occupying the desks, along side laptops, mechanical tools and safety equipment for in case a fire breaks out during one of my failures.

I was deep in my work, trying to install the motherboard into my VR headsets. I wore my sweat pants and sneakers. I hadn't gone to the office that day, since Julian was coming back, I dreaded coming there and seeing him again. Just as I finished burning in the steel, a knock came from the doors, I looked up saw him. Fuck! Why did he have to come here first? Can't he give me a break?

I stopped what I was doing and he entered, wearing a full grey suit, a black tie and he had his hair in a man bun. He had a menacing look on his face. I felt repulsed as I looked at him. He walked over to me with his hands behind his back.

"Devon, my son. It is so great to see you", he smirked, his brown eyes cold as as ice.

"What are you doing here?", my mood tensed up. I took off my gloves and set them aside as I eyed him cautiously.

"Why are you so up tight? So serious?", he chuckled, "I'm only here to deliver some work and I need it done within a week", from behind his back he pulled out a file and suddenly his playful demeanour changed to one of coldness, it was as if the air had been sucked out of the room. I stepped back.

"What is this?", I asked as I took the file. I opened it and found a few pictures of a man, who looked to be in his thirties if not twenties. I saw the name written beaneth the pictures, as my eyes scanned, they suddenly fell upon a written in big bold red letters.

"KIDNAP"

I recoiled and took a closer look.

"Kidnap? You want me, to kidnap this man?!"

"Yes. This man, Petro Huvann is a 32 year old man, who works an office job and a few months back he took out a loan of $20,000 and he hasn't payed back, nor is he planning to, so I need you to kidnap him, bring him to me and...well, you know the rest", he glared at me.

"No! Dad, I have never kidnapped anyone, nor am I planning to! How can you ask me to do such a thing!? Huh?", I shoved the file into his arms and walked over to my laptop. I knew Julian would do something like this. Fuck! What am I going to do!?

I began walking away, then suddenly felt a strong grip on my neck, before I could sum up what was happening, Julian suddenly pulled me back with great force.

"What the fuck are you doing!?", he held me by my collar and whispered into my ear.

"If you don't do this I will make you regret it. Your mother's life is at stake here. Need I tell you what I promised to do if you disobey me?", he growled. I knew better not to protest, if I did, then what would become of my mother? I had no choice.

I fell silent for a moment before pushing him away and fixing my shirt. I looked up at him angrily, my blood boiling and my thoughts ready to spill out but I composed myself.

"Fine but this, this is the last fucking time you ask me to do such a thing"

"I'll send some of my men to assist you, tomorrow"

Julian glared at me for a moment then walked out of the lab.
As soon as the door closed, grabbed the chair beside me and flung it towards the door.

"Fuck!"

To be continued...