A Cookie for the Big Boy

Chapter sixteen

Nikolaos's PoV

I already know where her grandparents live. Perks of being rich. As soon as the jet landed I took a cab and drove to her grandparent's house. I smile widely at the homey atmosphere in this town. It feels so familiar, although I've never been out of New York before.

I knock three times and wait patiently for them to open up. The guys are checking into the closest hotel here, because even if we don't find her here, she must be somewhere. I just can't get over the fact that she left. All we wanted her to do was help us. And there she goes, selling her expensive golden watch and flees. We are the good ones. Why doesn't she understands that?

"Can I help you, young man." A beautiful elder lady greets me. I smile at her and let my charm do what's necessary.
"Good evening, ma'am. My name is Nikolaos Darmetir." She looks me up and down, deep in thoughts.

"Darmetir? Niki? Oh my god. How are you? Come in, come in." She says and opens the door for me. Did I miss something? I've never seen that person in my life, yet she calls me by my nickname.
"You know me, ma'am?" I ask as I step in. She nods and leads me into the kitchen.

I take a seat and frown at her confused. She smiles at me.
"Do you want something to drink?" She asks me and I shake my head.
"No thank you ma'am, I don't plan on staying too long." I answer. I wait for her to take a seat in front of me. She looks at me for a while before answering.

"Oh, that's a shame. When you were a baby, you loved to sleep here." She says. What?
"I did?" I ask in disbelief. Did she do drugs or something?
"Of course you don't remember. You were a baby. I used to take care of you when your parents couldn't." She says.

"Hold on a second. I lived here?" I thought I was born and raised in New York.
"Yes you did. Your parents moved away when you were around two. They wanted you to grow up with the business." She tells me. Oh, so she knows about the business. How? What the heck is going on here?

"You know about the business?" I ask her.
"About the partnership? Yes. After your parents left they all grew apart. Everybody but my daughter and her husband moved to New York because they wanted their kids to grow up with the business." I remember that. I had no free time. Only business.

My father kept giving me strict orders. He didn't want me to go to a public school or to talk to other kids than Leonard and Sean. They told me about the partnership when I was around ten. I always had to study. Leonard's and Sean's parents were way cooler. They let them go to a public school while I grew up isolated and alone. I was a grumpy child, but I could've had it worse.

"And months after you guys moved away my daughter got pregnant. We were so happy and everything went well." She tells me and I smile.
"But one night, months after my granddaughter was born, they died in a car accident. I swore myself that I'd take care of my granddaughter and I did. The only thing that girl has from her parents is a golden wrist watch, we gave her." The watch? Holy fuck.

"Where is your granddaughter now?" I ask politely.
"Oh you'd like her. She's in Chicago, living her dream." She smiles at me. I almost snorted. Her dream? In that shoe box? I doubt that.
"Oh I already met her, ma'am." I say, feeling no need to lie anymore.
"You did?" Her eyes widen.

"I did." After that I told her the whole story, except the little incidents in my penthouse. She almost fainted, but didn't.
"Oh my god. I may have an idea who the thief could be." She says and my eyes widen.
"Who could it be?" I ask.

"Lucia's uncle, Ivan." She says and I look at her confused. What?
"What makes you think that?" I ask.
"He knew about the business. He is the brother of Lucia's father. He's always had a hard life and suffered back in Russia. One time Lucia's father invited him to their wedding and after the ceremony I saw them having a huge argument. I think he promised his brother half of the business or something. But when he married my daughter, he automatically gave that part to her." She tells me.

"Where is he now?" I ask.
"He must be here in Utah. After the accident he never left. But I don't know where exactly he lives, I'm sorry." She says.
"You helped us more than I expected. There's no reason to be sorry." I tell her and put my hand on her shoulder.
"Do you have any idea where Lucia is?" I ask her and she shakes her head.

"I could call her." She suggests and I shake my head.
"That would be way too suspicious. Please just tell us when she calls. Here is my number. I better go now." I tell her as I stand up.
"Alright. But make sure to find my granddaughter and please take care of her. That girl doesn't have it easy. I can't believe she'd sell her watch just to get away from you." She says.

"Trust me, I wasn't exactly the perfect gentleman to her." I chuckle.
"That's fine, she needs some challenge in her life." She smiles at me. I nod and kiss her cheek goodbye. She hugs me and let's go seconds later.

As I step in the cab again I call my manager. He picks up at the first ring.
"Good evening, sir." He greets me.
"Gerald, I need you to do me a favour." I tell him.
"What is it?"

"I need you to find a golden wrist watch, that has just been sold yesterday. I want you to look in every jewellery shop in Chicago. And if you find one, ask the seller if it's from Lucia Brooke." I tell him and hang up.