The Billionaire’s Pawn

STRIKER

Linus Vanderford was too paranoid for his own good that he now looked like the head of the cartel instead of a successful businessman.

“I wanna see Mr. Vanderford.” I met his butler at the entrance.

“Of course, sir. Come in. He’s in the study.”

“Thank you.” I went to study with Linden.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

“Is this extra security for you, or there’s a threat against him?”

“I don’t know, but if he pissed off his daughter, I’m sure he pissed off a lot of people, too.”

I knocked on the door. The goon who tackled London before opened the door. “I’d like to talk to Sir Linus.”

“Alone,” he said in one word, eyeing Linden, but with the look on his face, he could bang his head against mine in anger.

“Of course.”

“I’ll be in the car.” Linden stayed back and gripped my shoulder as his sign that he got my back.

I entered the office. To my surprise, he was not alone. He was with a man around his age but didn’t look familiar.

“Striker, come in. Have a seat.”

“Thank you.”

“Let me know if you need anything.” The man stood up and shook his hand. Then he nodded at me.

I made the same gesture.

When the door shut behind us, I waited for him to start.

“London resigned.”

“I gave her two weeks. And today is the last day.” He didn’t even show her remorse. He was even proud of what he’d done. Prick.

“Why did she do that? She started LH from scratch. She wouldn’t just hand it to someone she doesn’t trust unless there’s something at stake here.”

“She also left the house.”

I leaned back. My jaw ached as I clenched so hard. He saw the anger on my face, and I didn’t even try hard to hide it. “What is it that you want, Linus?”

“You only have been with your father for a few days. You have already influenced him in so many ways. You got the director’s seat.”

“Because I have no other intentions than be his son, and Moses wants me there. Dad is more than okay with the idea of me working at the Hover. That’s why I gave him a chance, and he hasn’t let me down since.”

“I didn’t mean to involve London.”

“But she’s the sacrificial lamb, as she said. And those many ways, including me finding out about your spy.” I crossed my legs. “I’m still wondering why you went to great lengths to do that. You used your only daughter. You used me for what-to save your own skin? Haven’t you thought that if it’s your time, you can’t run away from it?”

He looked away as guilt and fear flashed on his face.

“What are you scared of, Linus? You have billions, but it looks like your money can’t protect you from your forthcoming.”

“Your father is the only person who can end all of this, but he resisted helping me, even though I offered to sell a share at Vanderford Group. I paid a huge amount for those evils, but it wasn’t enough. I have to pay them two million dollars a month. I’ve been doing it for almost three years. If I only missed a day, they sent me pictures of my daughter.”

“What happened to the woman?”

He was shocked that I knew.

“Yes, I know. Moses told me what happened behind my wife’s kidnapping.”

He looked distraught. “She died of childbirth.”

“Jesus. I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Because I chose the child over her.” He swallowed the pain and guilt, but it didn’t give him the right to mistreat my wife.

“What happened to the child?”

“He died in my arms just an hour after his mother.”

“Jesus.”

“My decision, the hardest decision I ever made in my life, has been haunting me for years. I decided to save my son over the woman that I ever loved. Her brother and the people who work for them have been hunting me because of my decision. They couldn’t accept that because they had this mentality that I was an outsider and that I never had the right, that she wasn’t my wife.”

For the first time, I saw his pain. I felt his struggles, and I connected to his sufferings. I had never seen him this troubled, even when he found out his daughter had been kidnapped.

“Why did London break up with me? What did you do?”

“I told her I would fire her and take everything she has if she would not give me what I want from you.”

“If you want my father’s protection, you shouldn’t have used her. You shouldn’t have spied on my father’s company, and then what? Blackmail him? Sell to his rivals if he won’t give you what you want. Did you also pay someone to sabotage my father’s jet just to get his attention?”

He neither confirmed nor denied it, but I figured out the answer immediately.

“For the love of God. Who are you, Linus? What happened to you? What are you gonna do next? Shoot me at the back of my head if my father won’t still help you. Honestly, I don’t know what kind of man you’ve become. You want peace but won’t make the sacrifice.”

“Your daughter is innocent. She has nothing to do with this. You should have just approached me and not targeted the people I care about.”

“She loves you.”

“Love me?” I snorted. “She wants to divorce me, Linus. We’re getting a divorce next week. You ruined her life and the legacy she built because you are weak. You hide behind your daughter’s skirt. You disgust me.” I rose from the seat and pointed at him. “You’re gonna die alone because of your pride and selfishness. When I first met you, I admired you. I saw how you raised and cared for your child, but I can only see a weak and pathetic man before me right now.”

“I love my daughter, Striker.”

“I guess everyone shows how much they love their children in different ways-tough love, eh? I don’t see that in you anymore. All I see is how much you love yourself.” I turned away from him. I couldn’t look at him again without feeling sick.

“Striker!”

I stopped. “Because you’re my wife’s father, I’ll try my best.” I stormed out of his house because I despised that face.

Linden saw me first. “What now?”

“Drive the car.” I threw my keys at him.

He caught them with a grin. Once we were out of his property, I took a huge breath and leaned back.

“What’s with the stupid grin?”

I laughed out loud. “God, calling him weak and pathetic feels so good.”

Linden joined. Our laughs boomed in my car.

“I told him you hide behind your daughter’s skirt.” I laughed so hard that tears filled my eyes.

“That feels good, huh?”

I shook my head in amusement. “You have no idea.”

“I can’t believe we are laughing at your father-in-law. So, what’s your plan.”

I picked up my phone and typed a message to my lawyer in caps.

PUT EVERYTHING ON HOLD.