Chapter 13: The Promised Necklace

A lot of things had gone wrong. Most of Rauf’s project weren’t handled the way he would have done it. And worse, some of his men had deflated to the rival team.

The port in was in charge of had been hijacked by the rival. They really took advantage of his inactiveness for five years.

And his right hand man - that was something he was going to deal with later.

In mafia world, loyalty ranked above every other things. But some of his men aren’t loyal to him because he had lost his sight.

He plan of getting those that had betrayed him before they spill more of the gang secret to the rivals.

The door to his office open, and his assistant, Colin, came in with a surprisingly huge thin file.

He waited as he dropped the file on the desk in front of him.

Colin knew Rauf wasn’t going to read through the file, it was all for formality sake.

So, Colin listed what he had noted down for him.

"There wasn’t much to find out about Miss. June Trevor. For the past five years, she had done so little and have been living at Salvador Mansion."

Rauf frowned.

June had been living them.

No one had informed him about it, and he hadn’t even noticed. Being blind had really been an handicap.

"Are you sure, Colin?"

Colin nodded. "She had dropped out of school and moved completely to Salvador Mansion. While there, she barely goes out, so there isn’t much to say about her life outside."

She dropped out to move into his mansion.

Rauf pinched his nose.

That didn’t make sense.

"And Amie?"

Colin scratched the back of his neck.

Unlike the guards at home and servant in the mansion, those outside barely knew about his marriage.

To them, the boss life for five years had been complete secret. The company had been managed by employee and the mafia business was supposed to be managed by the boss right hand man.

The only means of communication they had with him was a call to give him update on things going on.

No one saw him outside the mansion.

"What did you find out about Amie?"

"Sir, five years ago, you were legally married to Mrs Amie Salvador. I got a copy of the marriage license." He pointed at the file he had dropped on his table. "The marriage was private because of the accident, so it was only family. No friends."

Rauf nodded. That he knew much.

He was afraid that the rivals might attack using his blindness as an excuse. So, he had insisted they had a private marriage.

"So?"

"After that, sir. There’s hardly any record of Mrs Salvador."

Rauf’s narrowed his brow. "No record."

He nodded. "Yes sir. I searched, but there’s no transaction or movement about Mrs Salvador for the past five years."

Rauf almost laughed.

There was no doubt, someone can eraser Amie’s recorded intentionally. To hide something.

What were they keeping from him?

"And what about Samir?"

Colin continued, like a new caster giving report. "Mr Trevor had been meeting with the Tem gangs. No one knows what they’re discussing. But they have been speculations about the deal in New Central State"

New Central State?

What was Samir up to?

Once he was done, Colin was dismissed from the office.

Now, that he knew June lived with them for five years, there was only one place to find out what June had done in his mansion those five years.

Before Rauf left the office, he checked his phone one more time.

There was no call or message from his wife.

Shouldn’t she be missing him?

Where was the promised of coming to drag him from the office if he started working?

Rauf closed his eyes, and rubbed his temple. If what he was thinking was true.

He dropped his phone in his pocket and left the office.

Salvador’s chains of hotel were just the legal way to hide their real chains of money. But, Rauf wasn’t ready to indulge in his real businesses immediately.

They were so many knot to tie at that edge.

Missing the thrill of near danger, Rauf decided to drive himself back to the mansion. He dismissed the driver, going at the highest speed. He loved how the air hits his face, making him feel like he was flying.

Suddenly, the memories from the accident five years ago, flashed through his head.

It had started just like this.

He was driving alone when something suddenly went wrong.

Rauf shook his head, reducing the speed of the car. He suddenly lost the thrill of endangering himself.

What if there was more to the accident than he thought?

He drove straight to his garage, banging the car door in annoyance.

He was already in a foul mood.

He hated it when things rarely went exactly the way he wanted it.

What Rauf didn’t expect was to see his mother in the living room with Amie pressed right beside her.

They were loads of shopping bags in front of them as if they just came back from shopping.

The moment Amie’s eye landed it him, she got up and engulfed him in a hug he wasn’t too thrilled to return.

"Mother." He said.

Just give years and his mother had aged a lot than he could imagine.

She stood up and engulfed him in a hug just right after Amie’s. "Rauf. I’m so glad to see you’re recovering just as expected."

He nodded, feeling his anger slipping out bit by bit.

To Rauf, family was everything. It was the reason he was doing all this. And his mother was the reason he started all of this.

After losing his father in such an unfortunate manner, he didn’t want to lose his love ones anymore.

"But you need to rest better, darling." She continued. "Your wife already briefed me that you started working right from the moment you came back home. Don’t you know she would miss you a lot."

Rauf looked straight at Amie and she batted her lashes at him.

He had no idea if he was supposed to find that cute, cause it was straight point annoying.

"Sorry."

"It’s okay, darling. As long as you spend more time with me, just like we used to do. I really missed you."

Rauf felt a lump in his throat. For some reason, he couldn’t get himself to say he missed her too, cause that would be a great lie.

Noticing his hesitation, Amie rushed to pick the shopping bags. Her hand stopped at one of the bag and she pulled a small box out of it. She stretched it out at Rauf.

"Another gift." He asked, amazed.

He had dropped the ring she had given him on his desk.

She smiled, nodding along. "This is what I actually promised to give you when you come back from the hospital. That," she waved. "Was a placeholder."

Rauf collected the box, more out of curiosity than eagerness.

His mother watched every of their action like a mother hawk.

When he opened the box, he stared straight back at Amie.

He picked out the heart shape necklace in it with both their initials. "You remembered?"

Amie, whose heart had been beating like crazy, let out a laugh. "Of course, I remembered. Every moment between us is special and I remember everything that happened."

Rauf looked straight at the chain again. It was exactly what she had promised him.

Was he just doubting her for no reason.

He gladly wrapped the chain around his hand, holding it tight like it was a treasure he wouldn’t let go off anytime.

His mother looked at them both, smiling. "Okay. Okay. I’ve had enough of this lovie birdie attitude. I need to live here before you make an old woman need someone to hug too."

Amie laughed. "I already told you, mother. I can link you up with handsome men your age. Everyone need a little bit of love."

But she shook her head, "No. no. I think I’ll pass the offer. I’m happy with my sweetheart alone." Again, she hugged Rauf. "I’ll let you young couple alone, so that you can start planning on giving me a grandchild." She joked, picking two of the shopping bags on the floor.

They were still enough left, but something told Rauf that the rest all belonged to Amie.

When did his wife get this materialistic?

"I don’t mind two or three babies at once." She said as a goodbye, leaving the presence of the couple.

Once she was gone, Amie turned her full attention back on Rauf.

It was hard to believe that fool, June had actually told her the true for a letter from a mother she didn’t even know existed until recently.

She had doubted her, and said to try one of those things she had said to see if it was actually true.

Surprinsly, the chain had made the way Rauf look at her a bit different. She held his chin, "Maybe we should go do what your mother asked."