Chapter 21: The £800 Million Deal.

Chapter 21: Chapter 21: The ￡800 Million Deal.

Simon and Flora got to the living room. She had asked the security men to come to the living room. She knew that when Andrew left, she had wanted to checked the CCTV but later forgot. Immediately, she turned to the security men.

"Bring the flowers here and search them carefully. I want to know if there is any thing hidden inside them."

"Yes, ma’am," the head of security replied.

Two security officers carried the flowers to the centre of the room and began examining them. Flora stood beside the sofa, watching every movement while Simon remained a few steps away from her.

Without looking at him, she spoke.

"Simon, you said you had something to tell me. Go ahead."

Simon hesitated for a moment before answering.

"Madam, I would like to travel though I am still contemplating it, I have not finalized with my agency"

"Travel? Is everything all right?"

"Yes, madam. Everything is fine."

She studied his face. "Are you sure? You have been working here for only a short time, and now you want to travel."

"I understand, madam. I would not ask if it were not important to me."

Flora was silent for a moment. She had many appointments to deal with, but she was not the kind of employer who refused a reasonable request without listening.

"All right. You may travel anytime but make sure your agency knows about your absence, and return on the agreed date."

"Okay I will,Thank you, madam."

"Do not thank me yet. I expect you to inform your agency first."

"I will, madam."

Before Simon could say anything else, one of the security officers suddenly called out.

"Madam, we have found something!"

Flora’s attention immediately shifted to him.

The officer held up a small camera he had discovered inside the flowers.

For a moment, nobody spoke.

Flora slowly walked towards him. Her eyes settled on the tiny device, and her expression hardened.

"A camera?" she asked quietly.

"Yes, madam. It was hidden among the flowers."

She looked at the head of security and turned to examine the camera,it looked almost invisible, very tiny like the size of a cloth button.

"Put it in a box. Do not destroy it or tamper with it. I want it preserved as evidence."

"Understood, madam."

"Now, check the security recordings. I want to confirm how it was planted in there."

Within minutes, the security men connected the recordings to the extremely large Samsung 115 -Inch micro RGB television. Everyone watched as Andrew dropped the camera inside the flower immediately Madam Flora turned to look at the clock.

Flora recognised the exact time immediately.

She thought, "Andrew is so petty. Just because I let him inside my house, he feels he has arrived. Does he think I’m dumb? It’s just for my late husband’s sake."

Flora picked up her phone. Her hand was steady..

"Hello, James," she said to the head of her company security. "I need a full sweep of my mansion. Right now. I found a camera in my living room."

She paused and listened.

"Yes, immediately. Come with your team."

She cut the call and called her lawyer.

"Barrister Charles, this is Flora. I am reporting a case of trespass and illegal surveillance. Someone named Andrew Darwin planted a camera in my private house. I have the evidence and the CCTV footage. I want you to open a legal case file on it. File everything right now."

"Okay, Flora.

She ended the call,then dropped the phone on the table.

Flora looked at Simon.

"Take the box from them," she said. "Keep it in the security storage room. Label it. Write the date, the location where it was found, and who found it. Don’t open or touch it."

"Yes madam," Simon said.

He collected the box and left with the security men .

Flora was now sitting alone in the living room. The image of the small black camera inside her flowers kept coming back to her mind. Then her phone rang.

She picked up the call.

"Good morning, Madam Flora."

It was Mr. Richard, the head of security at her late husband’s estate. He had worked for the family for over twenty years. He was one of the few people she still trusted.

"Good morning, Richard. Is there a problem?"

"Madam, you need to know about the latest developments in the estate "

Flora adjusted her position.

"What happened?"

"Some investigators are here. They drove in with fleet of luxury cars .They came with uniformed officers and lawyers and they are moving around the estate, inspecting buildings and asking for property files."

"Who authorized it?"

"They presented documents, Madam. They said it is an official estate investigation. I told them to wait for you, but they refused."

Richard hesitated.

"Mr. Andrew is here, Madam. He arrived in a black Maybach. He is walking around with them like he owns the place."

Flora’s fingers tightened around the phone. Her face changed, but her voice stayed calm.

"Richard, listen to me. Do not argue with them or sign anything instead collect copies of whatever papers they give you and make sure to record everything on video. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Madam."

"If anyone tries to enter my private office, call me immediately."

"Okay Ma.

She ended the call.

So it had finally started.

She stood and walked to the tall windows of the living room.

She placed her hand on the glass.

Her husband, Mr Darwins, had left secrets behind.

Flora had built that empire with him. She was not a wife who stayed at home. Monthly , she brings investors, she closed deals, she used her mother’s connections to get their first shipping contract. Majorly, fifty percent of everything they owned came from her own work and money.

Yet his will said she must marry Andrew before she could inherit his own properties fully.

Why would a man who said he loved her do that?

She picked up the framed photo on her desk. It was her and Darwin at a charity gala, his arm around her waist.

"Did you really love me, Darwins?" she whispered. Her voice did not break. "Or is your family always more important than me? Was it because I never gave you a son? You never complained. You never made me feel less. So why did you write this?"

She put the photo down. She would not cry. She needed answers, not tears.

And then the bigger question came.

It’s obvious now that Darwins had made Andrew rich. She was sure of it. It’s clear to her now that Andrew did not build his wealth alone. Her husband has funded and given him contracts, properties and power of attorney behind her back.

That was why Andrew changed colors. When her husband was alive, he was humble. Now he is a chameleon. Now he has shown who he really is.

She loved her husband, but she would not surrender what she built. If Andrew wanted war, she would meet him with evidence, lawyers, and every resource she had.

But one question followed her to the door, and it hurt more than the war itself.

Had her husband ever truly seen her as his partner, or only as a wife to be handed over?

Immediately the kitchen door opened and her new private chef came in with a tray. The smell filled the room.

It was her special delicious meal. Spicy salmon and lobster sauce, with Italian rice and vegetables, and a small plate of fresh fruits the way she loves it. Pineapple, strawberry, and mango, all cut neatly.

Flora looked up from her seat and smiled a little. It was the first time she smiled that day.

"Thank you, ," she said.

The chef bowed and leaned towards the side table and placed her meal beside her.

Flora picked up the fork. Then she stopped.

"Has everyone eaten?"

"Yes, Madam. Everyone in the house has eaten, including Maya."

Flora nodded. "What about Simon?"

"I sent his food to his room already, Ma. He is resting."

"Good," Flora said. She took a bite. The salmon was spicy just the way she liked it.

After a few minutes, she looked up again.

"Tell Grace to prepare my bathtub. I need a warm bath. Tell her to add lavender and sea salt. I have had a long day."

"Yes, Madam. I will tell her now."

She left quietly and closed the door.

Flora was enjoying her meal silently. The room is now quiet. Only the sound of her fork and knife.

Then her phone beeped.

A message came in. She cleaned her hand with a napkin and opened it.

It was a bank alert.

Her eyes widened.

Someone had just bought shares in her company. The value was eight hundred million dollars.

The message said: CREDIT ALERT - GBP 800,000,000.00 FROM OVERSEAS INVESTORS - ATLANTIC HOLDINGS LTD FOR FLOAC GLOBAL LTD SHARES PURCHASE.

Flora dropped her fork.

"What?" she whispered.

She read it again. She checked the sender. It was her private bank. It was real. The money had entered her corporate account.

She called her accountant immediately.

"Mr. Philip, did you see the alert?"

"Yes Madam," Philip said on the phone. "It is real. Someone bought a large share in your company. It’s from an overseas investors. Very clean transaction. Very good for the company."

Flora sat back in her chair. She did not know Atlantic Holdings Ltd.

Who bought her shares for that huge amount without even calling her?

She looked towards the door.