Harold raised Emily’s chin with a hand and looked into her eyes. “My dear, don’t be afraid. If you don’t know the father of your baby, I can be one.”
Gaping, Emily gazed at Harold. The stranger stared back at her without blinking. He seemed serious. But how could he do that? They were practically strangers! Why did he offer her to be the father of her baby?
As if he could read her mind, Harold said further, “I’ll marry you, so your baby will be mine. None will dare to ask you anything. As my wife, everyone will think it’s normal for you to get pregnant and give birth to my children.” He even grinned. “Jimmy, my personal doctor, even thought I was the father of the baby.”
She shook her head and then bent it a little because she couldn’t look at h
She took a deep breath and shook her head. “Harold, it’s not love. You—”But he stopped her by placing a finger to her lips. “No, my dear, it’s love. I’m a cold-hearted man. Some even doubt I have a heart.” He chuckled and shrugged. “I don’t blame them because sometimes I even think they’re right.”“No, it’s not true.” She shook her head and squeezed his hand. “You’re not cold-hearted. You’re so kind and nice.”This time, he laughed aloud until his head bent backward. “Oh, Emily! You’re the second person to tell me that.”“She is the first?”Harold nodded. “Yes.”
“About him with a woman.” She gulped. “I couldn’t see the woman’s face, but it’s clear it was him. He was with another woman.”Harold frowned to hear it. “With a woman? What do you mean?”Emily let out a sigh. “You know, he and the woman slept together.”“Ah, an affair. Okay, did you show him the video?”“I did.” She nodded.“And?” He raised his eyebrow.“He denied it was him. He said it was a made up video.”Harold crossed his arms over his chest. “Did you believe him?”
A huge table was prepared already. Arturo sat on the right while Al was on Arturo’s right. Jacob sat in Arturo’s prior position, at the head of the table. It was symbolic as they already knew the leader’s replacement, starting from Jacob’s failed wedding day.The Ames family (Al’s cousins and uncles) sat at a different table. Despite being the same blood, Arturo never considered them too high because he saw and acknowledged people based on their competence, not by blood. It was a trait that made Arturo highly respected by ten families who were under his leadership.On the primary table, other than Jacob, Arturo, Al, the head of ten families sat there. The Gold Cleaner comprised people from various countries, but they already lived in the capital of their country here and left their original nationalities. They shook han
Warning: violent scene. Please proceed with precautions for readers sensitive to violent scenes.“Now, about influence.” Arturo glared at Lewis. “Who can deny Jacob’s influence as one of the youngest billionaires in the country?” He stared at the rest.“Yeah, you’re right,” Lewis reluctantly admitted. “Jacob’s influence is solid here.”“See?” Arturo grinned. His body was less tense than before. “I’ll tell you the last reason I selected him.”Some leaders stared at Arturo. The rest of them even bent his body a little as they were curious.“Did you know we once kidnapped his old man?” Arturo said.
Arturo went home first, but Jacob and Al continued their talk. Both of them sat in the living room of the Gold Cleaner’s headquarters with a glass of wine for each of them.“Have you found anything about Emily?” Jacob asked as Al was the one in charge to find news about Emily.“Nothing,” the younger man said. “It’s as if she vanished into the air. It’s weird that I already sent our men to nearby cities and towns. None of them reports anything yet.”Jacob blew his breath and shook his head. “Where is she …?”“Bro, you can find someone else. I know you don’t need more money.”“You know me better,” Jacob said
“I’m curious about something.” Al stared at Jacob.“Hmm?”“How could you build your business from scratch? I mean you told me you got a loan from Amy to pay the ransom. It means you didn’t have money to start your business, right?”“Right.” Jacob nodded and leaned his back on the couch again. “It’s like a dream when I think about it now.” He closed his eyes. “I thought all’s gone when my father died ….”“Sorry, Bro. No need to tell me if it’s too hurtful.”Sighing, Jacob shook his head. “It’s okay. I told your old man years ago before I joined the Gold Cleaner, you know.”
Both of them were quiet for a while because they thought about Arturo and his love for his late wife. Then Al let out a long sigh.“What?” Jacob asked.“I don’t want to be like my old man, you know.”“Why?”“Too serious with a woman, even after she died.” Al shook his head as he remembered his late mother. “It’s too intense. As if I would give too much power to a woman for the rest of my life, even after her death.”“But you see your father. He’s happy with his choice.”Al shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe, but I think it’s a torture to love someone so deep, to be hurt so
Three months later, a designer was busy preparing a newborn room in Harold’s house. The ob-gyn Emily visited already checked the pregnancy through the USG (ultrasonography) to find she was carrying twins: a boy and a girl.So, knowing that she would have twins, Emily already prepared the name for her babies: Jason and Mia Brooke. Jason was a name similar to Jacob, while Mia was a shortened version name from hers.Each time she went to the ob-gyn, Harold was always with her, treating her as if she were his wife. That’s why the doctor and nurses thought Harold was truly Emily’s husband, but for some reasons, maybe the mother-to-be wanted to maintain her last name instead of using her husband’s.One night, Emily missed Jacob so much until she sobbed. Harold, whose room was connected
They didn’t explore Santorini further because they were too busy with each other. A week passed swiftly, and they only spent most of their time in the hotel room.She giggled and shook her head. “What should we tell Mom and Dad if they asked what we did on our honeymoon?”“They won’t ask because they once were young too.” He chuckled.“But we must bring some souvenirs for them and also for the children. I also want to buy something for Pauline. You, too, should buy something for Al.”He closed his eyes, pretending to let out a sigh, but then he opened his eyes again and grinned. “Fine! Let’s hunt for the gifts!”Later, Nikos drove them to Fira, the capital of S
They finished the ceremonies, and some guests already left because they would have a wedding reception at Hoffner’s Hotel. Jacob booked the hotel for the reception, and Samuel gave him a special price.They met with Samuel and Amy’s children: Shane, Melanie, Sammy, and Vivi. Later, the children played with Jason and Mia.Amy hugged her distant cousin. “Congratulations on your wedding.”“Thanks, Amy.” Then she whispered, “At first I was insecure with you since I knew Jacob still loved you. But now, I know he already got over it.”Amy shook her head and smiled. “He didn’t have any feelings left for me.” Then she whispered, “Look how he stares at you? It’s the sign of a man who loves h
The musician played the hymn “Amazing Grace”. It was the sign for the wedding ceremony to begin.Elsa nodded at Mia. “It’s your time, sweetheart.”The little one smiled and nodded. “Yes, Grandma.” She walked to the back of the aisle then started stepping forward through it by spreading the flower petals, following the song.The guests smiled to see the adorable little girl. Jason, who glanced at his sister, also raised his thumb and smiled to support her. Mia kept smiling and looked to the right and left as she walked and spread the flower petals.After the song finished, it changed to another song “Second Chance” by Trisha Yearwood. It was a song that Pauline chose because she knew what the wedding meant
When seeing the ladies, Jimmy, Jacob’s driver, smiled and opened the limousine door for them. Meanwhile, Jacob, Al, Jason, and Daniel were already waiting at church.All the Cleaner Gold leaders were there. Some of Jacob’s staff from JJ’s Properties were there too.Jacob and Al stood outside of the church on a terrace. They could see the parking lot and the church door clearly from their place.He glanced at his wrist many times to see the time. Then he gazed at the parking lot to see no limousine had already arrived. Later, he took a deep breath to calm himself.Al chuckled and shook his head to see his friend’s obvious nervousness. “She’ll be here soon. Don’t worry, Bro!”&ldq
A week swiftly went by like flying as they were busy with the wedding preparation. Finally, it was four a.m. on the wedding day.Two makeup artists and a hairdresser already arrived at Emily’s house. They prepared the living room for working.Now, they were busy putting makeup on Emily, Pauline, Elsa, and also Mia. For Mia, the makeup artist only applied powder and lip gloss because Emily didn’t want her daughter to put on makeup while the little girl was still too young for that.Two hours later, the hairdresser and makeup artists finished their work. They left the house and went to the church because they prepared if anyone needed a makeup or hairstyle redo. It was because Jacob wanted everything to be perfect today.Then Elsa and Pauline helped
Emily stared at Jacob and the ring. She bit her lower lip because she didn’t know what to say.Jacob took a deep breath because he wasn’t ready to accept a refusal. Then he forced a smile. “It’s okay if you don’t want to marry me now. Maybe you want to enjoy your time alone first.”But then Emily shook her head. “No.” She held both of his hands. “I want to make you the happiest man, Jacob. So, it’s a yes.”Jacob immediately stood and put the ring on her finger. Then he kissed her lips and hugged her tightly.He laughed and shook his head. “I thought you would say no. I don’t know what I would do if you refused me.”She giggled and cupped his f
Jacob, Jason, and Mia went to a Chinese food bistro. Jacob already ordered by phone various dumplings for them all, wonton soup for Jason, then salt and pepper chicken, stir-fried beef with ginger, Peking duck, and seafood fried noodles.The service was fast. After they arrived, in five minutes, all the food was served. Mia frowned because she didn’t have the wonton soup either.“Dad?”“Yes, sweetheart?”“Why I don’t get the soup?”“It’s because your brother has a cold. Do you want the soup?”The little girl glanced at Jason’s bowl and nodded. So Jacob raised his hand.
Soon after the meeting ended, Jacob entered a room next to the meeting room and pressed the button from Harold three times.Then, after a minute, Harold called him. “Well?”“We have agreed. The offer is fifty trillion with fifty years of credit and a trillion of payment each year and a trillion for the down payment,” Jacob said.Harold whistled to hear the number, but he knew with various businesses the Gold Cleaner had, fifty trillion was a reasonable price. “Anyone in your team want to enter our boat?”“Nope, they are happy with us.” He was smiling when saying it. “So, it will be purely a facility, land, building, systems, and the networks we will sell and transfer to you.”
Warning: violent scene. Please proceed with precautions for readers sensitive to violent scenes.“You called him too, Al?” Jacob asked. “I also called him back then, but he didn’t pick up the call nor called me back either.” He let out a sigh. “Now we know why.”Al said nothing, but his eyes glared at Stanley. It was an unforgivable act because Stanley’s betrayal cost Art’s life.Jacob’s eyes were chilly when he gazed at Stanley. “You told us earlier that Gold Cleaner is your family and will stay like that. You even said you didn’t want to work under Montgomery and the Silent Syndicate.” Then Jacob added slowly to emphasize his words, “Now we all know it’s all just bullshit!”