The Beautiful Billionaire

LINDEN

Shit!

Of all the places, why should I have to run in with my ex here? My brothers knew what she did to me and how it changed my view of relationships.

And yet, here I was, trying to play nice to her when she didn’t deserve it.

“Babe-” I turned to my right, but Estelle wasn’t beside me anymore. I was supposed to introduce her to Skyla, so my ex would know she didn’t break me, that I had moved on and had a great life. But she was gone.

“I should go and find my girlfriend.”

“Oh, the brunette? I think I saw her go to the powder room.” She smiled. “See you later, Gabe.”

I just nodded before I left her.

“Where are you going?” Beck asked me, gripping me around my arm.

“I’m checking Estelle.”

“In the restroom.” He looked at the sign at the corner.

“Yeah. The ladies room, Beck.” I suddenly became irrationally pissed off.

“Estelle isn’t there. She went to the entrance. I talked to her for a bit. And what the fuck are you doing talking to that bitch?”

“It’s a common courtesy, Beck. Why would I be bitchy when I’ve moved on and happy with someone else.”

“I call it wasting time when you should be dancing and laughing with your girlfriend. And stay the fuck away from that woman because all she brings with her is jinx and destruction.”

“Let me go and find Estelle.” I looked down at his grip, loosening around my arm.

“Good luck explaining because when I talked to her, she looked pissed.”

Fuck.

I ignored Beck. God knows how much I wanted to hide from that woman, but she seemed to know where to find me since that almost run-over incident. I was running late for my date with Estelle, and now I suddenly bumped into her again, and Estelle just walked out on me. Beck was probably right.

I went to the entrance and scanned the area. I found a few men with their partners, but I couldn’t see Estelle anywhere.

I dialed Lynx. “Where is Estelle?”

“Isn’t she supposed to be with you? Did you call her number?”

I squeezed my shut. When it came to Estelle, sometimes I turned dumb. “Call you back.”

I dialed her number, but she didn’t pick up. I typed a message instead.

LINDEN: Can’t find you in the ballroom. Where are you?”

I waited for a few seconds before I typed again.

LINDEN: Baby, call me back. I’m at the entrance.

I went to the parking lot. Lynx and other guys met me, except for Qamar.

“Where is Q?”

“I just found out Ms. Bladwyn isn’t feeling well. I guess she ate something bad. They hurriedly left in the sedan and didn’t inform everyone.”

“Call Q to send Estelle to the hospital. I need to talk to her. Estelle is not picking up. That man shouldn’t just take her alone, risking her without informing you. If he wants this job, he should follow protocol and not decide on his own.”

I got into the SUV and sent a group text to everyone that I was leaving early. As soon as the vehicle left the parking lot toward the main road, I called her number again. Maybe she put her phone in silent mode.

“Boss, Q is on the line.”

I grabbed the phone from Lynx. “Where are you? How is she?”

“She’s good, boss. We’re ten minutes to her house.”

“To her house? Who told you to take her to her house?” Lynx got my cue, telling Yue where to go.

“She said she already talked to you. That’s why I drove her home.”

I let go of a shuddering breath. “Put her on the phone.”

“Yeah?” Beck was right. She sounded pissed.

“Baby, please don’t do that again. You can’t lie to your detail. A single misinformed detail could jeopardize your safety.”

“You know the safest place on earth is your home because you trust the people inside, and you familiarize yourself with every room and exit of your house.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I wanna go home, and you can’t stop me, and because I don’t work for you. I’m not your property, and enough with men with guns. I’m terrified of it.”

“Okay. No guns. Just me and Q, and occasionally Lynx if I need him.”

“I wanna be alone for some time. I want my freedom like before. Can you do that?”

“Why did you leave the event without informing me?”

“You were busy entertaining guests.”

“And you sneaked out instead?”

She blew a breath. “It’s late, Gabriel. I’ll talk to you in the morning. Good night.”

“Estelle-” She hung up the phone. Great. “Lynx, tell them to stay at Estelle’s house for tonight. “Yue, drive us home.”

“Yes, boss.”

I untied my tux and loosened a button.

“Is everything okay, boss?”

“Yeah. I know why she left, but she’s pissed at me. I can’t reason out when she’s not in a mood.”

“Women will only be pissed if you forget anniversaries, special occasions like their birthdays, if you cheat, or out of jealousy.”

I called Kye.

“Just got home. The posts remained untouched. It looks like he never went there unless he maybe kept some stash somewhere in their old house?”

“Cenric bought the house years ago. And I doubt he would ever sneak in. I’ll check out if he purchased a property recently.”

“Anything else, brother?”

“Thank you.” I second thought of asking him a favor. “Can you put the phone to Sax?”

“Of course.”

“Brother, miss me?”

I rolled my eyes, which I didn’t do often. “Sax, can you do something for me?”

He laughed. Of course, he did. “Do you really have to ask me?”

“It’s personal.”

“Oh, boy. Are you and the beautiful billionaire okay?”

“That’s what I want to ask you about.”

“No, I won’t do it.”

“You didn’t even know what favor I’m asking, asshole.” I groanediooooooooooooooookl.

“Fine.”

“I want you to follow Skyla Davis.”

“Why that name sounds familiar?”

“She’s my ex.”

“Well, shit! Why? What did I miss? Isn’t she the woman who broke my heart?”Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“How did you know about her?” I was surprised he knew about it.

“Well, we, your brothers, talk gossip when you’re not around.”

“You should not make it a habit. Fine time to read books about investments instead, asshole.”

He barked out, laughing. I thought he would damage my eardrum. “Fine. I’ll give you better than following her. I can check her background within seven years.”

“That would be great. If you’ll be busy, give it to Kye discreetly.”

“What made you wanna check her out?”

“We bumped into each other twice, and I don’t call it a coincidence. She even gave me her number. Whatever she’s after, I wanna find out. Just be careful, Sax.”

“Thanks for the heads up, brother.”

“One more thing. Don’t do it at Osmium. I don’t want to use our resources for personal favor.”

“Got it.”

I arrived home. Lynx went ahead to open the door and the rest to check the backdoor and the monitor in the control room.

I was typing a message to Estelle when Lynx came with a white envelope in my name.

“LINDEN. The penmanship doesn’t look familiar,” I told Lynx before I tore it open. It was a white bond paper with a one-line computerized message. “Stop looking for him.”

Lynx and I stared at each other briefly before he pulled his extra handgun and gave it to me, “I’ll talk to the guard.” Then he talked to his comm. “We have a breach.”

On full alert, I checked the magazine before I went inside my house. The living room seemed untouched. No furniture had been moved or broken windows. With adrenaline rushing, I went upstairs toward the hallway, opened my bedroom, and checked for traps and windows. The bathroom windows were locked.

I walked out, locking the door behind me. I met Yue in the hallway.

“Clear,” Yue declared.

“I’ll check my office.” I went down.

Lynx walked in my direction. “They’re checking the footage. Raj said no one entered the gate since we left. The alarm didn’t go off. No movement in the monitor. How did someone come in undetected?”

“Unless he knows what he’s doing.”

“I thought only a few heads knew your house.” Lynx followed me to my office.

“That’s what I thought.” I took a picture of the keypad on the lock. “Yue, can you bring me a plaster? I need a clear one.”

I dialed Qamar.

“Boss?”

“I have a breach in my house. Keep Estelle close. Don’t let her out of your sight until I figure out who came into my home.”

“Copy, boss.”

I took the tape from Yue. Before I applied it to the keypad, I checked if it was dusted or wiped out. There was still a fingerprint. Either it was mine or the intruder’s. I put the plaster on it, took it out, and checked for the print.

“It looks like mine.” I entered the password. Before I opened the door, Yue and Lynx were on my side. Even Estelle never checked me out in the office or asked me to come. She respected my privacy, I guessed.

I sighed as I couldn’t find anything unusual. “I’ll be fine. Check the video for the last five hours.”

Lynx left, locking the door behind him. I took off my jacket and placed it on the chair. When you had The Hover as your resource, it was only a matter of time before finding the culprit. I went to my desk and turned on my computer to scan the fingerprint I had gathered.

I took my biometric scanner and connected it to my pc. The scan began. It didn’t last one minute. The result came out.

“Shit.” I went out of my office and went to the control room. They were still playing the video in fast-forward motion.

“Did you find anything, boss?” Yue asked.

“Yeah.”

“Who’s fingerprint you found?”

“Mine.”