Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem

In the sterile, white expanse of the hospital room, Gideon lay listlessly on the bed, a stark contrast to the bustling life outside. Tubes and wires snaked around him, making him look more machine than man, his complexion ghostly pale without a hint of color.

Gone was the imposing figure he once was. Now, he seemed to have aged decades overnight, resembling a man on the brink of death rather than the power broker he used to be.

Tarquin sat across from him, his face a mask of indifference. "Misery often follows the detestable," he thought, devoid of sympathy.

At Gideon's age, one would expect him to be surrounded by family, basking in the warmth of his twilight years. Instead, his own hubris had led him to this grim juncture.

"What's your price?" Tarquin asked curtly, cutting to the chase. He knew Gideon wouldn't divulge any information about his parents' murderer without demanding something in return.

as he struggled to speak, "Pay me a fortune... get me

stood no chance. Broke and indebted, he saw no future for himself here. His demand was simple: a hefty

find the killer,"

face at the thought of Gideon fleeing the country. "How much?

If it's alright with you, please transfer the funds to this account and arrange a private jet

and made a quick call to arrange everything. Soon after, Gideon's

a ghost of a smile playing on his pale lips. "And the jet?" he asked, eager.

excitement, Gideon confessed, "The person behind your parents' death...

it turned out, the real threat was Verity. She always kept a low

face darkened, "So, she's involved but not the