CHAPTER 6

FRANK'S POV

I clenched my fist and squeezed my eyes shut in anger as I tried to restrain myself from the urge of slapping the old bitch that calls herself my mother-in-law.

If this woman knows what's best for her, it's better she start saying her last prayers because my actions won't be funny if I ever find out that she's truly involved in this scandal!

The thought of the millions that I've lost within these few months just to clear Claire's name makes me feel like there's a burning fire on my head, and it irks.

“Welcome home, babe,” Claire greeted in her usual thin and innocent voice, but like a deaf man, I walked past her and headed to my room without giving her an ordinary glance, because just the sight of her reminds me of everything I've lost.

“Honey, please, you can't keep ignoring me like I never existed. ***” She pleaded as she ran and blocked my path, holding my arms and peering into my bloodshot eyes.

“Don't touch…”

“Frank, please. I swear to you, I and my mother are innocent! We didn't engage in drug dealing when we desperately needed money for her kidney transplant, so why do you think we'll do it now when we have no life threatening challenge?” She asked, pausing to give me an inquisitive look.

Seeing the innocent tears roll down her eyes melted my anger.

“What if she's right.” I thought to myself after digesting her words. But whoever might be behind this, the person must pay ten times what I've lost! Just before I took out my phone from my pocket, it began to ring.

Checking out the caller ID, I wasted no time picking up the call because that's the number I was about to dial.

“Hello, Jaguar, any news?” I asked, my mind filled with anxiety.

“Not like what you're expecting, sir.” His response almost made my phone drop down to the floor.

What does he mean by not what I'm expecting? Then, why is he even calling me, by the way?

I took a deep breath to calm myself down so that I could understand what he had to say, no matter how meaningless it may sound.

“I've checked all the cameras, sir, but it seems the security camera developed some technical issues before Mrs. Adalyn received the parcel. The footage is blank!” Jaguar reported.

“Shut the hell up, Jaguar! Do you really want me to believe all this crap that you're saying?” I roared.

“You know what, I need all the footage from that day in my mail right away!” I instructed him and cut the call without waiting to hear what else he had to say.

“Arrant nonsense!” I roared after watching the blank footage he sent to me and picked up my jacket.

Immediately, I placed a call across the head of my IT to hack the park’s account so that I can get the videos, because I know for sure that Jaguar was lying.

“I'm sorry sir, I think everything has been wiped out. The videos are blank.” My IT head reported.

As I stormed out of the house with anger, I could feel Claire's pleading eyes crying to talk to me from the back, but she doesn't have the confidence.

I've traumatized her emotions since the day our travel plans failed, and I wish I could let go of the anger in me towards her, but I can't help it.

“F–Frank, can you at least tell me where you're going? You've not even touched your food!” I heard her voice, which was barely above a whisper, crying for my attention.

I drove along the streets without knowing where I was heading, but I just had to go somewhere that would distract my troubled mind.

“What? Where am I? Like, what the fuck is going on?**” Tons of questions spiral through my head. I raised my eyes to the wall, and I had to flinch and wipe my face with my hands to be sure I wasn't seeing double.

How did I even end up in a hotel? The last thing I can remember is that I left home in a rage, and I stopped by to have a few shots at a bar.

I quickly grabbed my knickers and shirt off the floor and dressed up.

“Fuck!” I cursed when I tapped my phone's screen and saw the time; it's thirty minutes past 9:00 am, and my meeting with the shareholders was supposed to start by 9 o'clock on the dot.

The ride to my mansion which was supposed to take thirty minutes took only fifteen minutes.

“Where are you coming from, Frank?” Claire jumped up from the couch and demanded, as she stood on my way as soon as I stepped in. The anger in her voice was evident in her bloodshot eyes.

“Get out of my way!” I roared and pushed her to the ground and rushed to get myself washed.

At least I don't have to add an extra second to the time I pleaded with the board members to give me.

Frank: You have to tell me where you went last night! You have to explain this video to me!” She continued to rant as I carried my briefcase to vacate the house.

What the hell is this woman saying? I can't remember when she last looked me in the eye and talked with confidence, so where the hell is today's confidence coming from?

Well, I don't have much time to waste in hearing her out until I return from my meeting.

“Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I'm sorry for”

“There's no need for the apology, Mr. Williams. Let's get straight to the point.” One of the board members interrupted.

Wait, A 15% shareholder holder interrupting my greetings? I squeezed my eyes shut to avoid raising my temper as I took my seat.

“Mr. Williams, we all know the agenda that brought us to today's gathering, but in the cause of waiting for you, something new spiraled, so we don't think there's a need to discuss that which you've called us for again,” one of them uttered.

I was stunned. I rolled my eyes at them as they exchanged gazes. There's something awkward in how they gaze at me, but I couldn't lay my hands on it.

“W–what do you saying, Mr. Tony?” I stammered with raised brows.

“Good. What we meant is simple. We've all decided to withdraw our shares from this company!” He declared firmly.

“Impossible!” I didn't know when that loud yell stormed out of my lips.

Instantly, my face turned pale as I knit my brows in confusion.

“W–what is the problem?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“What do you expect when you and your wife keep jumping from one scandal to the other, Mr. Williams? You know what? You're not only a disgrace to the company, but I'm sorry to say that you're a disgrace to manhood!”

Mr. Tony growled. I was still in confusion and totally clueless about what he was saying until one of them slammed his phone on the table before me.

“Tell us, is this the best way to relax yourself? Shamelessly having a threesome even when the company is still suffering from the previous scandal?”

Hearing this, my ears perked up and my eyes widened at the phone screen.

I didn't know I was crying until I felt the cold touch of a liquid rolling down my cheeks.

Like, what the fuck was I doing with three girls in a hotel room? How did I even end up there?

Then, Claire's question flipped my head.

Could that be the video she was asking about?

How did I even explain this? I have no clue who those girls were because I didn't pick up any stripper, nor did I pay for any hotel!

The worst thing is, I can't even launch a search for the girls because their faces were all decorated with masks except for mine.

Where do I start from, now?

“Mr. Frank Williams, just brace up and think of a way out. It's a good thing that the video is not out on social media yet.” My personal assistant, Mr. Leonard advised, jolting me out of my thoughts.

“W–where are they?” I stammered when I looked around and saw that it was only I and Leonard that were left in a room that initially had six people.

“They all left.” Mr. Leo answered and drew closer, then patted my shoulders with an assuring smile, “I'll always be by your side, boss. This is our battle.” He said, assuring me of strength.

It took forever for me to pull the knob of the door as I returned home.

My stomach churn when my regretful eyes meet the blood shot eyes of Claire sitting on the couch. I know that I have no justification for my actions.

“Claire, please, pardon my actions in the morning.” I apologized, guessing she'd throw a tantrum at me, but surprisingly, she did otherwise.

“There’s only one solution to this problem. Let's sell the company and invest in something else while we take care of the other companies.” Claire suggested.

“How about we plead with the Huttons to reconsider their decision? I mean, we can carry out the project for them at a discounted rate. That way, We'll still have something tangible as profit to build back the company.” Leo suggested.

“Fine, we're going to see the CEO of the Hutton's group tomorrow.” I concluded.