Chapter Two

People chase money with all the time they can give. No matter what it takes, no matter how they do it. It is the same for everyone, isn't it? Money and time were the most important things Ender Gray’s parents told him to watch and handle well. One would say he grew up with those two as the foundation of his life and future.

Ender Gray Ayutthaya’s family comes from a long line of business people. Word in the business world has it that the family came from one of the oldest mafia clans in the continent. They had and still have the iron hand when it comes to implementing their rules and regulations within their company structure. Perhaps it is true but for a very long time, the Ayutthaya has not confirmed or denied association with any criminal organization.

However, as far as Ender knows, his family is as innocent as one whose crimes are not known yet. In any case, he stood by his grandfather’s golden rule. Order. It is a must within the family. A given. A person, a place, an event all have a place. Even producing an heir for the family business has been put in that so called order. Thus, he was going to get married to a business partner’s daughter.

Everything should be in their right places. Love has nothing to do with what I do. Ender wouldn't know that concept anyway no matter how many times his best friend would ask him if he found the one.

Whatever that is.

Today, Ender Gray would be finalizing his ventures for this month in another city far from where he lives, and after that, he’s off to see the family of his future bride. Things over there should be a done deal and he would be back home with his wife after the wedding. He hoped to leave as soon as possible and not catch the town festival reasoning he didn’t have time for it.

"We're here, Sir Ender," his driver, Graham, announced as he stopped the car in front of the hotel where Ender will be meeting one of the people he conducts business with. Jacob Williams.

He gave the driver a nod before he gathered his jacket and left the car. Two bodyguards followed him close by as he headed towards the main doors. Upon reaching the restaurant where he was meeting Jacob, his guards were immediately intercepted and forbidden to get inside.

"It's fine," Ender told them. They were stoic and as they were, nodding at him and standing firm by the door. He continued on and found the person he was meeting, smirking as he watched Ender walk his way.

Ender didn't put his jacket on and kept it hanging on his arm, folded. He gave Jacob a poker face as he took the seat across his without bothering to be invited.

"I didn't think you would actually let your bodyguards stay outside," Jacob said with an amused tone in his voice. He tried to hide it but he should know by now how Ender likes to read people and how good he is at it.

"And I didn't think you would risk not getting into business with me by doing such move against me," Ender said to Jacob as a waiter walked towards their table with a tray holding a bottle of wine.

"Who said I risked it?" Jacob stated, being bold and confident he was. "I simply wanted to see you without your underlings hanging about. They say they're your right and left hands. I wanted to meet and talk to Ender as himself."

How stupid.

"What's the difference? They won't be in the business talk anyway?" Jacob added.

"I'm the one who decides that. They're my men." Ender let the waiter pour their drinks. He added, “the deal is off, Williams."

"What?" Jacob said, disbelieving what the other just told him. "We haven't even discussed a thing yet."

"I don't have time to discuss anything any further once I have seen what's ahead of me," Ender said flatly. "You didn't trust me enough to let my guards in. Second, you wasted my time coming here empty handed. I told you to bring the code breaker."

"I did," Jacob said excitedly. The code breaker is the person Ender had been looking for to work for him but only Williams knew who he was and where he was. He promised to bring him in exchange for getting business in one of his territories. Jacob gave an order to the person behind him and a young man in his early twenties revealed himself from behind the large pillar behind our table. Ender snorted quietly as Vincent DeLune met his eyes.

"See?" Jacob said to him, seemingly proud of himself for what he's got. "Now do you have the contract?"

There was a reason why Ender had this recruit or rather retrieval, of this code breaker, done in this manner. It's because he knew how Jacob does business. He was the one who caught and kept Vincent not knowing the guy works for Ender. He was damn good with keeping prisoners. For the price on his code breaker's head of which others were willing to pay as well, Jacob would be able to get himself out of debt which he made possible.

The Ayutthaya needs Vincent in the company. As an asset, it's the same as losing money or time if they let Jacob sell him to another buyer. So Ender devised a plan to get his code breaker without paying a dime.

"I do have a contract," Ender told Jacob. He took out a piece of folded paper from his shirt's pocket and handed it to him. William’s face turned red in anger as he read the contents of the letter.

"It says right there that if you stop me from taking the code breaker, free of charge, you'll have to face the Blue Dragons. And I know how much they like you there," Ender said blankly. The Blue Dragons is another group with a base in China. Williams has a huge beef with them and for someone who knows where he operates, Ender had the leverage.

"You are one sneaky bastard," Williams spat as his eyes twitched. He grabbed his wine glass and drank the contents in one go before he motioned his men to do something.

A smirk painted Ender’s face.

"I wouldn't do what you think you're going to do, Williams. Those two outside may be my hands but..." Ender paused as he stood up and grabbed a fork from the table. In a millisecond, a thud was heard and William’s head security was lying on the floor with blood oozing from his throat.

"If you didn't want to draw attention and risk getting located by the Blue Dragons, you should have acted accordingly," Ender spoke as he put his jacket on. He could feel his anger exploding from under his eyes. Williams wasn't going to attack him right after one of his men fell that easily.

"This isn't over, Ayutthaya," Willaims hissed.

"Said every person who lost to something... or someone," Ender told Jacob. The latter is a coward, hiding behind his organization. He was only coming out to meet Ender personally because he needed the money and a new place to operate his more or less disgusting way of business. Human trafficking. Drugs. Other than that, he would have stayed hidden.

Jacob’s men outside got into the restaurant and stood on either side of him as Ender turned around. Ender left before they followed him, what happened at the restaurant being just another day. Now he was off to another one. His wedding preparations.