Chapter 67

JACOB POV

“Let’s find out,” I said, answering the call. “This is Jacob.”

“Mr. Jacob,” a voice said, smooth and confident. “I’ve got the contract file you requested.”

I froze, my mind racing. The contract file. The missing piece. The one thing that could tie everything together.

“Where is the contract file?” I demanded.

The voice chuckled. “Let’s just say it wasn't easy to sneak the file out of the office but I did it. You’ll get the file soon enough. Consider it… a Christmas gift.”

The line went dead.

I stared at the phone, a slow, wicked smile spreading across my face. “Well, well,” I murmured. “It seems the game just got a lot more interesting.”

Daniel looked at me, confused. “What happened? Who was it?”

“One of my men who knows more than they’re letting on,” I said, slipping the phone back into my pocket. “But don’t worry, Daniel. We’ll figure this out. And when we do…”

I didn’t finish the sentence. I didn’t have to. The look in my eyes said it all.

The Morales family thought they could outsmart me. They thought they could frame me, trap my son, and ruin my plans. But they underestimated me.

This wasn’t over.

MAX POV

"Mom! Mom, where are you?" I yelled as I slammed the door shut behind me. My heart was racing, not from exhaustion but from sheer excitement.

The house was quiet except for the faint clinking of dishes from the kitchen. I tossed my bag onto the floor and called out again, louder this time.

"I'm here, Max!" came her voice, calm but tinged with curiosity. "What’s all the shouting about?"

I didn’t wait for her to come to me. I dashed into the kitchen, almost slipping on the polished tiles.

She was standing by the sink, wiping her hands on a dish towel, her expression now shifting to concern as she saw the look on my face.

"Max, what is it? Why are you so worked up?"

"Mom, you won’t believe this," I said, grinning ear to ear. My voice was shaking, my words tumbling over each other. "We’re right, Mom. We’re rich!"

Her brow furrowed. "What are you talking about?" she asked, stepping closer.

Before I could answer, I heard footsteps behind me. Turning, I saw my sister, Anya, standing at the entrance of the living room. She had her arms crossed, her long braid hanging over one shoulder.

"What’s going on here?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Max, why are you yelling? Did you win a prize or something?"

I laughed, unable to contain my excitement. "Better than a prize, Anya! We’re rich. Do you hear me? Rich!"

Anya tilted her head, skepticism all over her face. "Rich? How? What are you even talking about? You’re not making any sense."

"Max, stop dancing around it and tell us what’s going on," my mother said, her voice firm now.

I held up a hand, still catching my breath. "Okay, okay. I’ll show you." I reached into my bag and pulled out a sleek black folder. "Here," I said, thrusting it toward Anya. "Read this, and you’ll understand."

She took the file from me, her movements cautious. Opening it, her eyes scanned the pages quickly, her lips moving as she read. It didn’t take long for her to reach the part I knew would shock her. Her eyes widened, and then she gasped.

"Max! What...what is this?" she stammered, holding the file tighter.

"What is it?" my mother asked, stepping closer to peer over Anya’s shoulder.

Anya’s voice rose, her words coming out in a rush. "Mom, there are figures here…huge figures! Max, is this real?"

"It’s real," I said, nodding proudly.

My mother leaned in, her eyes scanning the bold numbers on the page. Her hand flew to her mouth. "Max," she whispered, her voice trembling. "This is...unbelievable. Where did this come from?"

"Max, explain yourself!" Anya demanded, her voice rising.

I held up my hands, signaling for them to calm down. "I’ll explain everything," I said, pacing the room now.

"It started last week when I called the plumber to fix the pipes. Seeing the state of this house…it pushed me over the edge.

I couldn’t let us keep living like this, and yes I know I have money but I needed more… more money."

"Go on," my mother urged, her eyes never leaving me.

I stopped pacing and turned to face them. "I’ve been working on a deal at the office…a huge contract. The kind that could change lives.

I saw an opportunity, and I took it. I funneled some of the company’s money into my account and made my move before anyone else could."

Anya’s jaw dropped. "You what? Max, that’s...that’s illegal!"

"Relax," I said, waving off her concerns. "It’s not like they’ll notice. The company’s swimming in cash. Besides, I'm the senior manager and it was a calculated risk. And guess what? It paid off."

My mother looked at me, her face a mix of awe and concern. "So, what does this mean for us now?"

"It means," I said, stepping closer to her, "that you can finally take that vacation you’ve always dreamed of. I’m talking first-class flights, five-star hotels…the works. You deserve it, Mom."

Her eyes filled with tears, and she reached out to hold my hand. "Max, I don’t know what to say. This is...it’s nice and a sweet thought."

"Say you’re happy," I replied, smiling. "That’s all I need to hear."

Anya, still clutching the file, shook her head. "I can’t believe this. You actually pulled it off. You’ve always been a risk-taker, but this..." She trailed off, staring at the numbers again.

Before I could respond, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out, glancing at the screen. It was one of my men from work. "I need to take this," I said, stepping into the hallway.

"Max, don’t keep us in suspense!" Anya called after me, but I ignored her, answering the call.

"Yeah?" I said over the phone, keeping my voice low as I turned around to see who was around but it was just my mother and sister at the other edge of the house.