Eyes Don't Lie | Charles Leclerc

Part 45| Poisoned Family Tree

June 24th, 2023

Narrator POV, Somewhere in Monte Carlo

William St. Dua sat in a dark bar, a half empty glass of whiskey in his hand, his eyes bloodshot and tired. The bar was nearly empty, minus a few local customers. He hadn't slept properly in days, not since things had escalated beyond his control. He knew this meeting was inevitable, but it didn't make it any easier.

Across from him sat Tony, a man who was purely bad news. Dressed in a black suit, Tony looked out of place in the dingy bar, but the cold look in his eyes made it clear he belonged wherever he wanted to be. He had a cruel smirk on his lips as he sipped his drink, his eyes never leaving William's.

"So, William," Tony began, his voice smooth but with an edge that made William's skin crawl, "you know why I'm here."

William swallowed hard. He nodded but couldn't bring himself to speak just yet. His mind raced back to the beginning, how all of this had spiraled out of control. It had started years ago, back when Aria's mother had left him.

William had always had a temper, but his drinking had made it worse. His wife had had enough and took Aria, leaving him alone with his addiction. That was when the loans started. At first, it was just a little money to get by, but as the years went on, his drinking worsened, and the debt grew. He had turned to people like Tony, the kind of people who didn't take kindly to unpaid debts.

For years, he had scraped by, paying off what he could, but the interest piled up faster than he could manage. The small loans turned into a mountain of debt, one he couldn't hope to pay off. Until Aria.

Tony watched him, amused by the nervous energy William was giving off. "You've been behind on payments for a long time now, William. My patience is wearing thin."

"I...I know," William stammered, finally finding his voice. "But I've got a plan. I'm working on it."

Tony leaned back, raising an eyebrow. "Oh? And what's this miraculous plan of yours?"

William hesitated, glancing around the bar as if someone might overhear. He lowered his voice, leaning in slightly. "My daughter...she's a model here in Monaco. Been making good money. But it's not just that," he said. "She's been dating someone...someone big."

Tony's smirk widened. "You have a daughter??? Go on."

"Charles Leclerc," William said. "Formula One driver. He's got money, and lots of it. I figure...if I can push Aria to get a little more involved in his finances...or if I can get her to slip me something, I'll be able to pay off what I owe. No one will have to know."

Tony laughed darkly, shaking his head. "Leclerc you say...? So, your big plan is to blackmail your own daughter? Use her relationship to pay off your debts?"

William winced at the bluntness of it, but he nodded. "I don't have any other choice. I've already tried...tried everything else."

"And how's that going?

"She's not handing over any money. She...she doesn't know about my plan. But I'll make her do it."

Tony's smirk disappeared, and he leaned in closer, his tone turning icy. "She doesn't know? William, do you think I have time for games? You owe me a fortune. I don't care how you get the money, but you better get it fast. Or there will be consequences."

"I will," William said quickly, his voice trembling. "I will. I just need more time."

Tony's eyes narrowed. "Time?" he repeated slowly. "William, you've had years to fix this mess. I'm done giving you more time."