Friends With A Prostitute

Chapter 35

"What about Lancaster Lodges?" Andrew asked. He darted his eyes around and shifted in his chair.

"There's a lot we can say about Lancaster lodges," Mr. Buckler replied, leaning back in his chair, and twirling the pen in his hand. "But first, Mr. Lancaster, I understand you're in the final stages of signing a contract with the infamous Mr. Akula?"

"Yes." Andrew answered curtly, "What does that have to do with anything?"

"It's a huge business deal, right? You'll be joining two of the most powerful business heads in the city."

"What's your point?"

"I hear also that Mr. Akula is the conservative type. He likes people who obey rules. People who don't cheat on their wives. People whose domestic affairs are in order," Mr. Buckler leaned forward and placed his elbows on the table.

"Okay, do you actually have something solid or do you plan to blackmail my client into an annulment?" Brian retorted.

"It depends." Mr. Buckler leaned back again and rotated his chair side to side a couple of time. "Andrew, you don't want this to go to court, do you? In fact, I would go as far as saying you don't want anyone to find out you can't keep your little man down."

"You won't dare!" Andrew looked at Cynthia. She glared back at him, unflinching. He wiped his forehead and shifted in his chair again.

"Don't worry. We won't have to dare anything if you keep cooperating." Mr. Buckler continued calmly. "And to answer your previous question Brian, no, blackmail isn't the only trick up my sleeve." He winked at Brian. Then turning back to Andrew, he asked, "Do you remember when you bought the estate that would become Lancaster Lodges, Andrew?"

"Shortly before our wedding. Where are you taking this, Mr. Buckler?"

"Oh, my dear. I know you have no virtues, but try to be patient. You'll see where we're going soon." Mr. Buckler opened the binder he had, took out the prenup and started leafing through it, "Andrew, I assume you're bright enough to know that in a prenup, both parties must disclose all the assets they possess. Failure to do so would mean," he stopped at one of the pages and handed it to Andrew, "that the agreement is invalid. Now, Andrew, do you see the address of Lancaster Lodges among the listed property there?"

Andrew didn't need to read the page to know that it wasn't there. He sighed, shook his head and said, "You've got it wrong, Mr. Buckler. I wasn't trying to be sneaky by not putting the lodge there. The only reason you don't see it is because I asked my lawyer to draft the prenup before I had finalized the purchase of the lodge. It wasn't mine yet when the prenup was written. That's why it's not there. I know I'm not the best human being, but I wasn't trying to lie about what I owned." He looked at Cynthia as if trying to see if she agreed that he wouldn't lie about that. She stared back at him nonchalantly. "Cynthia, I just forgot to tell my lawyer to edit the prenup after I bought the lodge. I wasn't trying to trick you into signing." He twitched his head, and, staring at her a little more intensely, said, "Come on, you can be mad at me for cheating all you want, but I wasn't trying to lie to you about what I owned." He looked almost apologetic.

When Cynthia didn't reply, he lowered his gaze to the prenup, glanced at the empty water bottle next to it, and the other items on the table. Then slowly, he slumped back into his chair, brought his palms to his face, rubbed his forehead and stared blankly at the space in front of him.