Chapter 6: 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟎𝟓

FINN

Jack

So... mission failed. Bree didn't tell me anything. Rose kicked me out.

That is the first message I see when I open our group chat.

Yes, we have a group chat named 'Billionaire Boys' and the reason that name sounds so weird is because Jack named it.

After the little stunt Rose and Bree pulled- I'm still processing the fact Rose came up with that idea- Ryan was sure that the asshole named Jay did something to hurt Bree.

Although he's more than relieved his sister isn't dating that jerk, he still needs to know the reason why. That's why he sent Jack to investigate since Bree is more comfortable around him.

Ryan's text comes in next.

Ryan

Can you do anything right?

Jack

excuse ME?!? you should be thankful I even agreed to go and investigate our baby sister, knowing how much she hates it when we try to meddle in her 'love life'

Ryan

I still need to know what the fucker did.

Jack

Do you seriously need evidence? You're gonna ruin his image either way.

Farhan

And the man speaks the truth!

Me

Exactly. You don't need to investigate. Just do what you have been planning the moment you found out Jay and Bree were dating.

I may or may not have given him some ideas- and also volunteered- to break them off and beat Jay up but I only did that to make Ryan's work easy.

Ryan

@/Faizan does your wife know?

We wait a couple minutes then Faizan sees the text.

And that's it. He doesn't reply. The man never texts in this group unless he has to.

I swear the least amount of texts are from him.

Farhan

He's never answering that question.

We know Bree told Arzo. The girls have their own group chat. And we also know that Faizan will never tell us something his wife forbid him to.

I never thought I'd see the day where Faizan would be married and in love. His wife and daughter are the only thing that matters to him.

Ryan

Or maybe texting in this group chat isn’t worth his time.

Jack

That's not true.

Watch

@/Faizan when can Finn, Farhan and I babysit Maham????

Faizan's reply comes in an instant.

Faizan

Never.

Ouch. Not surprised though.

Jack

See? (I'm hurt, by the way)

I exit the groupchat when Farhan and Jack start trying to convince Faizan to let us babysit Maham- spoiler alert, he won't budge.

At one point, they will be talking to each other because Faizan has already muted the group and Ryan will.

I put away my phone and go back to staring at my computer screen where an unsettling email is opened. My foot lightly tapping on the ground, filling the silence of the room.

The truth of your past has been hidden from you.

Those are the only words in the email. No name from who sent it.

I got this a week ago and when I tried to hack into it, it got me nowhere. Whoever sent this has good computer skills.

I need to crack this message because the only other way I'll know what this means is by talking to my mother and I swore to never talk to that woman the moment I left that house.

The only thing she gave me the moment she saw me leaving was a letter, saying she wrote it for me.

It's still sitting untouched in my drawer even after so many years.

I don't plan on reading it. I don't want to. I don't want to find out that everything was happening in front of me and I did nothing.

A knock comes on my door, earning my attention. I stop tapping my foot.

“Come in,”

My assistant- Veronica- walks in, “sir, Mr Elrod called to postpone today’s meeting and schedule it for next week. He said he had a family emergency.” she says, looking down at her notepad.

“Okay. That's alright.” He told me his wife was pregnant when we first talked and that she was close to labor.

And after this suspicious email, I probably have not focused on the meeting properly.

“Thank you for telling me, Veronica,”

Veronica nods then leaves my office. I sit back in my seat, releasing a heavy breath.

I need to track down that email.

I will think about this problem later. Since now I don’t have to attend that meeting, I can leave work for a while.

Closing my computer, I get up from my desk and exit my office.

I stop by my assistant’s desk to inform her. If I get any messages, she’ll write them down and hand it to me later.

I make my way to the elevator and press the button to the lobby. I tap my foot on the ground as the elevator slowly goes down.

As I step out of the elevator and make my way to the entrance, I say hello to the employees who are present, crack a joke or two, keeping the environment light and comfortable.

Never lose your ability to make people smile, Finn.

The voice rings in my head.

I walk across the street to a small cafe. The bell above rings as I step inside and the sound of the rush of people reaches my ear.

As I wait in line for my turn, tapping my foot lightly on the ground, I look around the cafe.

My eyes halt at the familiar brunette head. She’s sitting on the furthest table by the wall, typing on her laptop, a cup of coffee sitting beside it.

I tilt my head, wondering why she’s here. Her apartment isn’t near this cafe, neither is Ryan’s building.

“What can I get you, sir?”

My head turns towards the counter and I realize that it’s my turn to order.

“Oh,” I take a step forward, clearing my throat, “a coffee to go, thank you."

“Alright.”

I quickly get my coffee. After paying and putting some dollars in the tip jar, I make my way towards Bree.

“Hi, stranger,” I say, wearing my charming easy grin.

She looks up at my voice, her eyes locking with mine. A small beautiful smile takes over her lips.

“Hi, Finn.” She says.

I gesture to the empty chair across her, asking if I can sit. After she nods, I take my seat.

“Surprised to see you here.” I start, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you come in here,”

“How would you know?” she asks, “maybe I always come here but you never noticed.”

I chuckle, “believe me, Bree. if you came here, I would notice.”

She stares at me for an instant then blinks, “well, um, I actually met a client here. She left twenty minutes ago.”

“Oh, I see. Makes sense,” I take a sip of my coffee.

Bree and I haven't been in the same room in the past many months and if we were, I made it my personal mission to stay away from her because she always with that asshole.

I had to stay away because everytime he talked or touched her, I had to force myself not to punch the living shit out of him.

Of course everyone noticed my behavior but Farhan was the only one to point it out questioning if I was jealous.

I was quick to decline but he knew.

"So, what’s going on?-”

“Stop trying.” She cuts me off.

I blink at her, “what?”

“I am not telling you or my brothers anything. I know what the outcome will be,”

I frown at her.

What is she-

Oh.

My face softens, “I wasn’t going to ask you about that,”

She raises an eyebrow, “really?”

“Yes. why would you think that?”

“Because two days ago was the first time you talked to me… after months.”

Right.

“That.. that was different.”

“How?”

“I was being a jerk for the past many months,” a jealous jerk.

She hums, “why though?”

I suppress a sigh, “you don’t want to know,”

“I do want to,”

“You’re not gonna like it,”

“That’s for me to decide,”

“Too risky.”

“Too scared?”

“Yes,” I say, hiding my nervousness with a soft laugh.

She hums, “fine. I’ll let this slide. For now.”

“Very kind of you,” she smiles then goes back to typing on her computer, “what are you doing?”

“Trying to find a place to arrange this charity ball for one of my clients,” she says, “I came across a few but they don’t feel right.”

I hum, tapping my fingers lightly on the cup.

“Can I help?” I ask.

“Yes, please. I feel so new to this,”

I chuckle, taking her laptop, “not to worry, miss. Finn Romano will be thrilled to help you,”

Her smile widens, “so kind of him,”

“Well, yes. It is one of his great qualities along with having great humor and being very lovable,"

She laughs and I grin at the sound.

I missed her.

I search up a few places I came across earlier this month for an event. I show those to Bree and she quickly selects one.

“Thank you so much. You made this so easy,”

“No problem. Anytime.”

She smiles at me then looks back at her laptop, “this is great. I’m back to working,” she closes her laptop and sighs with a smile, “I’m going to head home now,”

“Oh, okay. I’m going to head back to work,”

We both get up from the table and walk out of the cafe together.

“It was good to talk to you again, Bree.”

Her smile is soft, “you too, Finn.” she says, “don’t you dare go back to being weird,”

“I am weird,” I frown.

“You know what I mean,”

I grin, “I do. And I promise I won’t.” Those months were torture.

“Good. See you later,”

“See you,” I say, then she gets in her car and drives away.

I sigh with a smile, and make my way back to the company.

I may not be able to have Bree the way I want but I also know I can’t not have her at all.