As I recalled what Anthony said on the phone, chills started to crawl down my spine. I could sense that a storm was brewing.
This very night, I went to bed early. As I rocked in and out of sleep, I heard the sound of furniture knocked down onto the floor. I quickly put on my robe and went downstairs.
When I got to the stairs, all the noise just now had turned into clamors of men. There was a man caught in the middle of more than ten bodyguards.
Creak… Mrs. Eriksen came out from the room with sleepy-eyed Summer after hearing the commotion. “Mrs. Eriksen, there’s nothing to see. Get Summer back in bed.” I stopped them just in time.
It wasn’t a scene suitable for an elderly and a child.
After making sure that Summer had gone back in, I turned my head towards the floor below. The man who stood out from the bodyguards looked drained and was being sandbagged before five guards jumped on top of him and held him on the ground.
Phew! I let out a sigh of relief. I remained where I was as things might take a turn last minute. “What’s going on?” I held on to the railing and gazed down.
In the absence of Anthony, I assumed all responsibilities for the household. I had to sound undeterred and stay composed to earn the bodyguards’ respect,
Their chief walked towards me and reported, “Madam, this person intruded the villa a moment ago. We detected his intrusion and caught him in time. We’ll lock him up in the basement after this.”
“Well done.” I nodded as a gesture of recognition. It’d be better to leave the interrogation to Anthony’s henchmen since they were better versed in this area.
Once they’d gotten the green light, they trudged him towards the basement. “Sienna!” That person shouted my name out loud.
Wait a minute. Isn’t that Marcus?
“Hold on!” I immediately stopped them. “Bring that man over.”
I’d been watching the whole episode from upstairs, and all I could see was heads jostling among each other. After the man was under control, I never got to see his face since the guards pressed it down on the floor like a pancake. But this voice, Marcus’ voice, was simply too familiar.
In view of my safety, the bodyguards kept a distance between him and me. One of them tugged his chin upwards and turned his head towards me.
No way! Marcus?
I was affirmative that this man with a scruffy jawline and miserable eyes was Marcus. But was that really him?
“Release him.” I commanded. Marcus would hurt anyone but me.
The bodyguards looked at each other and hesitated. None of them released their grasp as they weren’t ready to face Anthony’s wrath if anything were to happen to me.
“Let go of him! He is my friend! If anything happened, I’ll answer for it.”
They finally gave in and retreated to the door.
I then went down the stairs to meet him. “If you want to see me, you could’ve just told me straight. There’s no need to sneak in in the middle of the night.”
“Oh, you think that I didn’t?” Marcus looked at me coldly. “It is almost a mission impossible to be able to meet Mrs. Featherstone nowadays.” My words got stuck in my throat. I then turned to one of the bodyguards and lifted my brow, signing for him to spill the truth, and his silence eventually gave it away. Well, why would Marcus lie?
Anthony must’ve been worried that someone out there may cause me harm and ordered to bar all male visitors from entering the villa.
I didn’t have a lot of male friends, and Emery could walk in anytime. I wouldn’t have noticed this new protocol.
“I’m sorry.” I apologized to Marcus and had him take a seat. “Where have you been for the past two months? You just vanished.”
“M Country.” His eyes were solemn.
“Is the White Corporation planning to expand its business overseas?” With what Marcus was capable of, it wasn’t surprising that he could augment the family business to greater heights.
He only shook his head and stared blankly at the ground. His mind was wandering elsewhere. “Camelia and the baby have gone missing.”
“What? How’s that possible? I thought she was constantly by your side?” I shot out a string of questions to confirm that I didn’t mishear anything.
That silly girl would never ditch Marcus for anything.
Between Marcus’ tightly knitted eyebrows, I saw the excruciating torment he was enduring.
It was the first time he reacted in that manner. I was worried about Camelia, but seeing Marcus’ heart wringing and was concerned about her wellbeing, I couldn’t help but feel happy for her. If Camelia could see what was happening now, she’d die with no regrets.
After an extended discontinuance, Marcus spoke again. “About a year ago, the GW Group sent someone to White Corporation, hoping to engage in equity financing. In return, they would help us penetrate the overseas market, and we could utilize their AI technology unconditionally. I wanted to win Anthony so badly back then and said yes to their proposal instantly. When I went deeper into the details, only did I become aware of GW Group’s malign intentions. I had to give them 51% of White Corporation’s shares in exchange for their AI technology. In other words, they would gain absolute control over the company. That’s basically selling the company out, no? I had a change of heart there and then, and we parted on bad terms. Later on, Camelia and my boy were gone. The airline’s record showed that they were last on a flight to M Country.”
“It’s the GW Group again.” The thought of them gave me goosebumps. If Anthony had been more adamant with Sean back then, I’d be the one missing now.
Marcus’ head was still hanging low. “I’ve been searching for them in M Country for the past two weeks but to no avail. I wonder how they’re doing now…”
I was lost for words. The GW group must’ve kidnapped Camelia and her child as leverage. It was just a matter of time till they get in touch with Marcus. And by then, Marcus could only yield to them.
What Anthony said was true. The GW group was callous and brutal.
Seeing how Marcus was mentally disheveled, I decided to let him mull over a bit. I got up and went to the kitchen.
“Have some water. You have to take good care of yourself in order to get them back.” I handed him the cup.
Instead of taking a sip, he plonked it on the table and grabbed my wrist in a flash. I quickly waved my other hand towards the bodyguards to show them that it was alright.
“Sienna.” Marcus looked earnestly at me in despair. “I’ve never ever begged you for anything. Could you help me out this time?”
“Yes, Marcus. I’ll send someone to look for them. Camelia is just like a sister to me. If the situation permits, I’ll look for them myself!” I’d do anything for Camelia, my bestie.
Marcus seemed disappointed with my offer and turned his head away. “That’s not what I’m talking about.”
“Then, what do you want?” Right, Marcus could obtain a bigger search team with a phone call and needn’t come here personally. It must’ve been something else for him to risk his life. The bodyguards almost locked him up in the basement, assuming that he was a hitman.
What exactly did he want?
After some time, he gave out a pitiful gaze and uttered a few words with his chapped lips. “From what I know, Anthony is trying to strike a deal with the GW group.”
A week later, the Featherstone Corporation announced that its subsidiary in Dartan had gained 18% of Eisen Corporation’s shares through a swap transaction via an intermediary. As a result, it had successfully acquired Eisen Corporation by withholding more than 50% of its shares.
Scores of investment organizations brought a suit against Featherstone Corporation in Dartan, saying that Anthony intentionally manipulated the stocks and wanted compensation for their financial damages from this hedge fund. While the government was dismissing the case, Anthony was already back in K City.
He was back home an hour later.
“What a victorious return, Mr. Featherstone.” I welcomed him with open arms.
He reciprocated with a long hug in front of Summer.
After he gave Summer her present, Mrs. Eriksen took her aside to unbox it.
Anthony and I finally got to sit down and caught up a bit after two weeks.
“Hey, the international media put out news about you being thoroughly ravenous, and your actions had caused suicides of those who’d lost their fortune in the share market. It seems like they’re going to bring you to court on the issue of equity transactions too. They won’t let you get away with what you’ve done.” I teased him using the news I read on Facebook.
He appeared unruffled and turned around to embrace me. While he habitually fiddled with my hand, he talked about this project that involved tens of billions. “Just let them do as they please. It’s not the first time something like this has happened, anyway. It’s funny how those who’ve pocketed so much profit from it are jealous. But what can they do? They can’t sue me in Dartan, and their charges against me in M Country were dismissed. At the end of the day, they achieved nothing but embarrassed themselves. I’m not interested in stopping them from their foolish acts.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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