Three days after Ashton and Joseph had left, the Facebook account of a news channel in Dartan announced that the country’s homegrown air-conditioner manufacturing company was in the final stage of acquiring Eisen Corporation. Ashton sounded enervated when he gave me a call in the evening.
“I supposed it wasn’t smooth sailing?” I asked.
“Yeah…” He let out a deep sigh. “I’m working things out on the other side. There might be a chance of turning the tables.”
“And what would that be?”
“You’ll get the details later on. It’s not the right time to talk about it yet. How are you feeling these couple of days? Any pregnancy sickness?” He curtly changed the topic.
Perhaps he needed some good news to counterbalance the bad ones that had been troubling the company recently. I was stunned momentarily before telling him that I had been fairly well and things were as usual. I felt sorry for him, though.
“Fine.” was how he responded to feign indifference. “I thought your life would be upside down without me by your side. It seems like I’m overthinking.”
“Yes, Mr. Fuller. You’ve overestimated yourself.” I went with the flow and trifled with his ego.
It seemed like my swagger had made him chuckle.
It was odd, but at least he’s chuckling, meaning things weren’t that bad. The acquisition of Eisen Corporation would bring in almost ten billion. Without it, it’d be an uphill climb for Fuller Corporation to launch other massive projects due to restricted cash flow.
Ashton then went on with what he wanted to say. “I’ll be back in a week the most. Before I get back, stay at home and the baby comes first, understood?”
Professor Zidd had been reminding me about the same thing again and again. Of course, I’d never forget that. “I know, I know. And how about you? Are you planning to bring back a few pretty ladies from Dartan?”
“Haha. I can smell jealousy, Scarlett. Hahaha…” he teased and laughed hard.
“You’re overthinking again. It’s the pretty ladies that I care about, not you. Bye!”
I guessed I was slightly vexed. After hanging up, I threw the phone aside. My peripheral vision caught sun rays peeking through the curtains. I got up and drew them open.
I looked down and noticed that the number of bodyguards around the villa had doubled. The surveillance was watertight to the extent where every possible point of entry was guarded.
As I recalled what Ashton said on the phone, chills started to crawl down my spine. I could sense that a storm was brewing.
This very night, I went to bed early. As I rocked in and out of sleep, I heard the sound of furniture knocked down onto the floor. I quickly put on my robe and went downstairs.
When I got to the stairs, all the noise just now had turned into clamors of men. There was a man caught in the middle of more than ten bodyguards.
Creak… Mrs. Eriksen came out from the room with sleepy-eyed Summer after hearing the commotion. “Mrs. Eriksen, there’s nothing to see. Get Summer back in bed.” I stopped them just in time.
It wasn’t a scene suitable for an elderly and a child.
After making sure that Summer had gone back in, I turned my head towards the floor below. The man who stood out from the bodyguards looked drained and was being sandbagged before five guards jumped on top of him and held him on the ground.
Phew! I let out a sigh of relief. I remained where I was as things might take a turn last minute. “What’s going on?” I held on to the railing and gazed down.
