chapter six

"Jamie boy is really the goat," Marco teased, hitting me right on my back. "I can't believe you really got blowed by Georgio's daughter on the first day of meeting her.

"You jerk," I hissed. "I don't even remember telling you what happened between us".

"Molto divertente," he sat down. "Have you forgotten the walls have ears?"

"And by ears, you mean checking my mails?" Enzo chipped in, the lights blazing from behind the laptop screen. "For a multimillionaire you're pretty dumb. You left your fingerprint all over my screen."

"Can you literally give me a break Enzo? Besides, we're like twin for life." he smiled sheepishly. "Your mails are my mails."

"Hmmmmmmmmmm, Enzo smirked. "Twin my foot."

"I must say I commend you as my twin. How did you even know she was gonna even be there? Or have you and James have been stalking her all these while.... Woah, I'm not surprised"

I could only just smile at him. Enzo was the brains behind finding her. He had told me that he'd received news at the office about an intern mum getting fired from her job that morning, and the girl had excused herself from work. He had asked about the company and figured it belonged to Georgio but he no longer worked there. The company was strictly under the control of the new CEO, Heather Martins who apparently was my nemesis daughter.

" It's was a tough shell to crack. I just had to be at the right place, at the right time." I sighed. "But as they say, I'm the best detective after all."

"Oh, please give me a bre-"

"I tracked her car." Enzo replied bluntly, almost like a cold whisper. "It wasn't so hard to track her down after that."

We all stared at Enzo, he made the internet seem so.... Easy.

Marco turned back to me. "But seriously man what's next?" I still can't even believe you actually let someone touch you though. It's so strange."

I smiled. I haven't come all these way just to quit now.

"Don't tell me you still haven't thought of anything yet?" Enzo added.

"Wait.... don't tell me you're still trying to kill Georgio." Marco face turned pale. Unlike me and Enzo, he always had a little soft spot for forgiveness. In fact, he was the most forgiving and jovial among us.

I smiled. "I have no intentions of killing the man, yet. I'll just have to use his daughter to lure him out."

Enzo closed his laptop. "So what are you implying James, do you think you can use her as bait?"

"Woah... I like where this is going." Marco smiled, "you mean to tell me you want to get HER to fall for you or something?" He laughed even harder, "is this some kind of romcom?"

"Fuck off," I cursed.

It made him even laugh more.

"On a serious note man, I think it's risky to just think something like this would work." He shot a mean look at Marco who appeared to be enjoying the conversation more than anything. "besides, she's not the type of girl who will just succumb to anyone, she's... she's..."

"Crazy," Marco added. "I mean, who lets a stranger drives them home?" He grinned. "I think Jamie boy got this shit under control. You know what man, I'll teach you everything you need to know about wooing a woman. I know they don't teach you that in detective school." He smacked my back again grinning. Marco was a really big flirt.

"I swear I'm going to kill you litt-"

Enzo turned more serious. "Jamie boy and taking risks. It won't be long till she finds out you're not genuine."

"Not if I pretend to be someone else," I defended.

Marco laughed again. "I'll bet a thousand dollars in team heattie boy."

"Team what?" I looked at him in astonishment and disgust.

"Team heattie boy. Or should I say, JEATHER," he burst out laughing... again.

"HEAME," Enzo chuckled.

"You two fuck off." I stiffened up. These two were just the worse kind of people when it came to jokes. They were bad and terrible.

I had met them both during college. I had to run away from my abusive foster family cause I couldn't take it anymore and had to start my own life, with my own rules. I worked as a busboy between classes to pay my fees and other things. Marco and Enzo, along with some other dudes were really prominent in college. I couldn't remember most of them but I couldn't forget Alessandro.

They were the most feared in the whole school and beyond. Marco Frederick's family was from a long line of known doctors across the whole state and even in san Marino. But for some reasons, he quit medical school and decided to study business. His dad Matteo Frederick, was in uproar cause he'd lent the school one quarter of his properties just so they teach his son with the best tech they had. Enzo Damian on the other hand, didn't have much information to share. They were so many rumours going on about him being a lost German prince, or even a Mafia's son but nobody dared to ask. He had so much aura that made people really uncomfortable around him. It was just Enzo simply being himself.

The three of us had became close while trying to solve a murder case. It was the death of Marco's roommate and the beginning of my career as a detective. I became involved as the boy was a frequent customer at the restaurant I worked with. No one was willing to get involved or say anything because they were scared but I wasn't. There's were so many twists and turns on the case but they all pointed to one person, Alessandro. But the guy literally vanished before we could draw conclusions on him. So no one knew where he was or even his whereabouts. His records were all burned from the school file and we couldn't even find him or know how he left.

"What's on your mind jamie boy. Are you thinking about your nemesis daughter again?" Marco tried mocking me.

"Hmmmm....it's getting boring now," Enzo coughed. He filled his glass with water.

Alessandro

"I was thinking about Alessandro," I confessed.

The whole room was dead silent. We had promised each other never to mention that name.

Until now

* * * * * *

I smacked my head on the steering wheel. It's been three days now and I still couldn't find that man, nor what his intentions were. I groaned recalling that day, my stomach churning. Thank God I didn't drive that car today. It would have been really hard blow to my ego.

I had enjoyed the assault and let my guard down.

I had let a common man take advantage to my vulnerability.

Of course my father's name didn't matter to me but, I worked so hard to build my own legacy and I wasn't going to throw it away because of a one night stand.

"What if he tried to blackmail you, what if he's a rival, sends your videos to the paparazzi or something, then what?" Kim words echoed in my ear.

He knew me too well. I cared about what others felt and I couldn't help it.

Your dad is a failed man... Don't disgrace your family too....

I suddenly heard my phone ring and for the first time, I felt happy to be distracted from my thoughts.

"Hello."

"Good day ma'am, please your attention is needed at the office."

"What seems to be the problem? And why can't Mr Kim handle it?"

"Ma'am, sir was the one who asked me to call you. He said he had really big news to you."

My heart raced. What could Kim have found that was really so urgent.

"Okay, I'll be there."

I got to the office as fast as my legs could carry me. This was no joke, it was something really serious and I needed to find out. I completely ignored the secretary who literally tried to give me a pleasant greeting.

"What's wrong Kim," I barged into his office. "You never call me like this. Any news?"

"Heather, I think you need to see this. It just came on the mail from the hospital this morning."

"Hospital?" I asked confused. "I hadn't gone to the hospital yet, even though Kim seriously advised I went for a checkup.

"What happened at the hospital?" I questioned him. "Don't tell me someone in here has something very serious."

"It's not that." His face looked gloomy. "it's about your dad heather, he's sick."

"Hmmmmm..."

"Is that the best you can say Heatty, your dad is seriously ill. He's been diagnosed with cerebrovascular damage." He looked even more sad. "This means he has stroke."

"Hmmmm," I stared at Kim as he spoke. "Can I be excused? I really felt it was something important ."

"How can you be like this heather, just let it go. It's been six years now. I think he's learnt enough."

"I don't think I want to talk about this right now."

"If not now, when?" He held my hands. "I know this is a lot to handle all at once but, I promise-"

"Fuck," I pulled away. "I seriously don't want to hear all these."