The clatter of a teacup made the surrounding maids turn in quiet condemnation. Lunch was being served in the backyard garden of Zenith Estates. They sat at a small circular table surrounded by an extensive garden with a short hedge maze and a babbling brook with squawking ducklings. Above them, a large canopy protected them from the sun. They served themselves a curry fish dish with fruit cocktails and a light aromatic salad. It looked intimate, draped in quiet luxury.
"Where did you run off to this morning?" Eleanora asked.
"I had an errand to run."
"So mysterious," Eleanora said.
Leonardo's hands shook as a harsh cough racked his body. He pulled a handkerchief to his mouth. Grace moved forward, only for Leonardo to shake his head. The staff had been sworn to secrecy about his illness.
"Are you doing well, Grandpa?" Vivian asked with concern.
"Never you mind. I'm just old. This is what eighty-seven sounds like."
"Where are you off to next?" Leonardo asked.
"Are you already tired of me?" she joked. "I think I heard something about water aerobics. That's my typical Friday."
Eleanora muffled a laugh. She was pleased Vivian hadn't asked for money and was taking care of herself. "Oh, before I forget. A delivery came for you." Eleanora raised her hand, gesturing for Grace to fetch the box.
Grace collected the box while Henry gathered an enormous bouquet of white orchids.
"Did you get me this?" Vivian asked with a bright smile. Leonardo shook his head.
Vivian opened the box. Inside was thousands of dollars in cash wrapped in white ribbon and a card embossed with GW. Inside was a black card. For you. G.W.
Sighing, she handed it back to Grace. "Send this back, please. Along with a thank-you card."
"The flowers too, Miss Vivian?"
Vivian touched the petals. "No, these are beautiful."
"Who is it from?" Eleanora asked with feigned curiosity.
Vivian deadpanned at her grandmother. "I know you must have opened it. You know exactly who it's from."
Gunner was in his office with the head of Finance and the Executive of Procurement. The CFO was irritated, arguing to hire temporary workers since Gunner had cannibalized his staff for a secret project. Both executives were annoyed they weren't allowed to work on the project themselves. Gunner tapped on his steel desk, a bored look in his eyes as he heard their complaints with practiced indifference.
His phone vibrated on the desk: Zoe (Nanny)—a video call.
"We will discuss this later," Gunner told them. "Get out."
Once they left, Gunner pressed a button and wood paneling slid down to cover the glass walls, offering perfect privacy. He answered the video call. Zoe was rocking a crying Hunter.
"I apologize for calling, sir. Hunter is very upset. He wants to go home."
Through the cries, Gunner heard his son saying "home" over and over. He felt terrible. "I'll call my mom. She'll come over," he said, his voice turning soft and soothing. "Calm down, buddy. Grandma's coming."
Unable to reason with the child while he was this upset, he ended the video call and immediately dialed Aubrey, who answered on the first ring.
"Can you pick up Hunter and bring him home?" Gunner asked, skipping past all pleasantries.
Aubrey sighed. "Of course." A brief silence stretched between them before she added, "I love you."
Gunner felt guilty for the earlier fight he had more or less caused. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I love you, too." He hung up, still needing to finish his work for the day.
After the call, he raised the shutters. Across the hall, Natalia gave him a thumbs up. Gunner returned it before getting back to work.
An hour later, Nolan entered with a box that looked far too familiar to Gunner. He frowned as he opened it to find the cash and card inside.
"I was told to give you this, sir," Nolan said, handing over a white envelope. Inside was a note: Thank you for the flowers.
"Go," Gunner said. He didn't understand what it meant. Looking across the hall at his sister, he knew Natalia hated Vivian, so she was instantly eliminated as someone he could talk to, and his best friend Ming knew nothing about commitment.
Jenna Moon popped her head in. "Sir. Would you like me to bring back Mr.—"
"Come inside," Gunner cut her off. Feeling tense, Jenna quickly moved to stand behind the chairs in front of his desk. "I need your opinion."
"How can I help?" she asked cautiously.
"If I sent you a gift," Gunner started, "and you sent back half of it... what does that mean?"
"Uh, I guess it depends on the gift, and how I feel about the sender, sir."
"Be more helpful. The gift was a bouquet of flowers, a hundred thousand in cash, and a black card linked to an account with about a quarter of a billion."
Jenna's brain short-circuited. This was his idea of a gift. She had worked for him for years and never gotten anything like that. Some people got all the luck, she thought.
"And she kept which part?" Jenna asked.
"The flowers. Sent everything else back."
Jenna was stunned. Personally, she'd keep the money. "I can't say for sure, but it could come down to a few reasons. Flowers are beautiful. Money... it can mean you think you can buy her. Or that you want to control her. Everyone wants money, Mr. Westbrook, but it rarely comes without strings."
Gunner hadn't thought of it that way, but he wasn't sure Vivian would take it that way either. She needed money, and he was willing to help her. Looking at Jenna, he simply grunted before nodding his head for her to leave.
The rest of the day felt like a blur until Fletcher called. "Sir, we have a security problem. Ms. Kane is back in Springbrook. She has checked in under her own name at the front desk of a hotel. It's a huge security risk."
Gunner's hand moved instinctively to the scar above his brow, feeling the raised skin. He had been reckless once and nearly lost an eye for it. "What do you mean she checked in like a regular guest?"
"Yes, sir. No code names, no back door entry. She entered like a regular guest."
"Call the team. I'm heading there now." Gunner rushed out, using his titanium ring to access the private elevator. Downstairs, a row of vehicles was waiting. They moved through traffic with ease, the cars in front clearing a path toward the Bitter Blue Hotel.
They arrived at the same time as another security team. The two parties gave each other pensive looks as they rushed inside and took the stairs to the third floor. Gunner reached the door at the same time as Dexter, from Vivian's father's team, both knocking loudly.
Inside, Vivian was in her pajamas with a clay mask on. Travis Smart, who refused to leave her alone in the room because of the risks, walked to the door and looked through the peephole.
He went back to sit at the desk. "You can open it," he told her.
Shrugging, Vivian paused her movie and opened the door. Gunner's well-practiced monologue fell to pieces. Seeing her in pajamas and a face mask, his lip hooked up into an unintentional smile.
Vivian's eyes bounced between the two men. She looked over her shoulder toward Travis.
"Hold on," she said, before closing the room door.
Author's note:
I swear I've been writing since the moment I woke up. It's been so many hours now. I'm exhausted! See you in the next one.