The Royal Contract

Nick kept his eyes focused on Edward, watching what he might be thinking. He was sizing up his reaction, wondering if he was taking a bite of his bait.

"I heard Ethan and Alex's businesses are also undergoing the same situation. Maybe whoever took the two was the same people trying to destroy us all." Nick said, suddenly finding his own statement interesting.

He was definitely guilty of framing Edward, but not everything he was accusing him of was his doing. Someone was definitely playing them against each other. 

"Are you saying that someone else was behind this?" Edward commented but remained doubtful that he was telling him the truth. 

Nick could have concocted this idea, planting it on his mind to win his trust back. In the end, he would find himself stabbed in the back again.

"Of course, that makes perfect sense." That statement was genuine. 

It was a revelation that someone else was using his plans to make a play against them. All he could do was shake his head at his new discovery. It would seem that he had been used at his own game.

However, he still had no clue who could be behind this. It was definitely not him who was making everyone dance to this music. 

But he was not dancing anymore. He was going to figure this out. He would make sure that he would win in the second round.

"Don't you see? Someone wants all of us to go down. They are playing all of us against each other." He kept going, seeing the distrust in Edward's expression.

He might have been caught unaware of another player in this game, but now, he would come prepared in the next match. But first, he had to convince this fool that he was innocent and his participation in this investigation was very much welcome. 

"So, who do you think could be behind this?" Edward decided to play his game. 

He would pretend to be clueless about his plan and join forces with him again. In that way, he could monitor his movement and learn his secrets.

"What do you say, partner? Should we work on this together?" Nick expectantly said, as if he already knew that he would agree to his proposal.

He had to appear guiltless about this case and confident in finding the culprit. It was the only way he could make Edward agree to his plan. He still needed him to cooperate, just until he had cleared the problem.

He could not have him running away with his money and accusing him of the crime. Though he had no evidence that could send him to jail, it could still cause problems in his company.

"I think that is a great idea, Nick." Edward finally agreed with his suggestion.

He had set his phone to record their conversation, hoping to get Nick to confess. But he was too smart to fall for his trap. He had avoided incriminating himself with the case.

But it would not stop him from learning the truth. He could not believe that he had allowed Nick to manipulate him before. But he would redeem himself in the eyes of his father and his countrymen. 

He would catch Nick red-handed with the evidence that would put him away for life, or better yet, die by the guillotine, which was what he deserved.

"Shit!" Nick cursed when Edward finally left his office. He had to get his shit together, he thought, thinking of the mess he was in.

He walked away from his desk and stood by the window. He hoped that the view would calm his mind from his encounter with Edward and his discovery.

He still had to deal with the issue in his company. Apparently, he also had to plan for his unknown enemies, who might be coming after him. 

But all he wanted to do was go back and deal with Alex and be with his future wife, Dani. However, he could not do that until he had settled everything first, or he might not have a company to go back to.

The beeping of his phone alerted him of an incoming call. When he peeked at the screen, it was just a number that he did not recognize. He was good at memorizing numbers, so he was convinced that this was an unknown caller.

"Yes." He finally answered, knowing that he could not ignore the call. It might be the person on the other line who he had been waiting for.

The man did not use identifiable numbers that could be traced easily. Meaning he only used burner phones that he would destroy after the call. 

He also did not stay on the line for a long enough period. He had to make this call count, or he might never get the opportunity to talk to him again.

"You wanted to talk to me." He said quickly once the line was connected. As usual, he was using a voice changer, making his tone unrecognizable to whoever he was talking to.

His time was valuable, and he did not waste it on anyone insignificant. But he still considered Nick as someone he still needed in his plans. 

He would indulge him a few more times before he would dispose of him like what he did to those who had no value to him anymore. 

"Yes, boss. But this time, can we meet?" Nick answered the boss and requested to see him.

He hoped that the boss would finally consider him an ally and trust him to meet him in person. It would be an opportunity for him and his business to have his backing, especially in his time of crisis.

"You know the drill. I don't see anyone in person unless you have a wish to die in my hands." The man spoke on the line with an aura of confidence and arrogance. "What do you need? I don't have all day."

He would have hung up the phone with his request. But as he said earlier, he still needed the man. He waited patiently for him while checking his watch.

"I'm sorry." Nick knew he had made a mistake by demanding from the big boss. He quickly tried to rectify it by telling the boss about his concerns. 

He told him that he sought his assistance about the attack on his company. Maybe he had connections who could figure out the identity of the shell company.

He knew he had not given him much in exchange for all the help the boss had already provided him. Still, he was grateful that the boss was still hearing him out.

"I see." The boss said upon hearing his short report on the matter. "Let me see what I can do for you." The man said. "But this time, this one will cost you." He continued as he looked at his watch.

He abruptly ended the call, not waiting for Nick to reply to his statement. He could not stop the playful smirk that appeared on his lips upon disconnecting the line. 

He turned off the phone and then removed its batteries and the card and wiped it clean. He placed the phone and a piece of equipment that he used to change his voice in sealed plastic and into his bag. 

He would have to dispose of it later. Then, he returned to his work as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened. He signaled for his secretary to send in his next appointment.

On the other side of the line, Nick could not help but be disappointed. He had hoped that he would finally meet the boss. He badly needed his alliance in a time like this.

A knock on his door snapped him back to the present, realizing that he had been staring at his phone since the call ended. "Yes," Nick quickly responded to the person behind the door, "Come in." He put down the phone on his lap but did not let go of it, looking up to see what his secretary wanted.

His mind was still reeling from his last conversation with the big boss. He had tried several times to learn his identity, the man behind the operation of the underground business, but he was too elusive.

"Sir, you have an appointment in fifteen minutes." His secretary reminded him.

"What?" He asked, unable to grasp what his secretary said as he remained lost in his thoughts.

Based on the intel his investigators gathered, when the leader of the illegal operation died, his son took over the business and ran it in a new direction. 

Only the most trusted people knew who succeeded the father. His identity had been hidden from the world for his protection. Until now, he had not revealed himself and publicly claimed his throne. 

But his reputation had already gained much respect in the underworld community. Gaining the trust of the different factions operating all over the world.

"Your appointment, Sir." His secretary reminded him, alerting him of his pending schedule.

"Ok, just let him in once he arrives," Nick responded, remembering another investor that he had to appease. 

Since this fiasco, at least three of his investors had already expressed their concerns. Luckily, he still had control over them. In the meantime, they would not be a problem.

However, as he stared at the screen again in his hand. Something occurred to him, an epiphany of some sort. What if he was looking at the problem the wrong way? What if his adversary was not entirely unknown?

He suddenly considered that his enemy might be closer than he thought.. He might be hiding under the guise of a partner. But should he regard him as a friend or a fiend?