Revenge of The Furtive Billionaire Heir by Ryker Helios

48. Lowdown Bar.

“I regret that I was not there with you,” Gerald says after we track him down at the banquet, conversing with a group of executives from a company located in Wisconsin. He had been accosted by them to engage in conversation as they were old friends, so he could not follow us when we met Carlton Collins. I felt bad when the fond expression on his face morphed into a frown as soon as we mentioned who we met just minutes ago, “I trust that he was polite with you?”

་་།

“Oh, yes, he was,” Coraline provides, “he was apologetic as well for crashing into Jace. But the fact remains, he is Aiden’s father, isn’t he?”

Gerald shoots her a look of surprise, “did you not recognize him?”

Coraline blushes again, “we were never introduced to one another.”

Gerald nods in understanding and doesn’t ask further questions. I feel grateful for his wisdom.

“I have to admit, I haven’t seen him around for a while, not since the allegations against his son came out,” Gerald states. “If I had a guess, I would say Carlton was embarrassed about his son’s conduct. And furious. Somewhere in between.”

“How long have you known him?” I ask, curious.

Gerald’s lips tighten, and some sort of an expression that I can’t place flashes through his face.

“Long enough,” he utters, and shakes his head, “well, no harm was done, so there’s no need to worry about it further. As long as he steers clear of us, we will avoid him in return. Don’t think he’ll seek us out on purpose.”

so the banquet continues. As Gerald had predicted, Carlton

events of the day, and the clock reads the time as six in the evening. I peel the suit off my body, and for the first time in the day, feel freedom. Business events are just so tedious, I can’t believe this is going to be my life for the forcible future. I feel too restless and too nervous. This has got nothing to do with meeting Carlton, I’ve

as soon as I start to make my way toward the

are you there?” Coraline’s voice comes.

up? I’m going to take a shower.”

then. I’ll wait until you’re done!” Footsteps clatter away and I assume that she returns to her room. I continue to the

a new man. After getting dressed in some loungewear, I make my way to Coraline’s room and knock on the door.

opens the door and says, “Oh, are you going to settle in for the evening?”

“why did you

lower lip. “Yeah, actually. I wanted to see if we could hit a bar. There’s a cool one here at

of a bar, “I don’t know,

eyes at me, reminiscent of a puppy, and pouts. I narrow my eyes at her, she knows exactly what she is doing. Dammit, that expression is too hard to say no to. “The incident this afternoon shook me up too much. I really need to have a night out, and you’re

can cunt on.”

“Coraline…”

I just need to let go of the steam and,” she lowers her voice, “I

Let’s go.

crosses her face.

blue cocktail dress, bouncing down the street to an establishment that advertises itself as the ‘Lowdown Bar’. The city of New York is as busy as ever, and I’m absolutely floored by the noise and flurry of activity here. So many people milling around, going on with their lives, each so unique yet so uniform in their energy. So many billboards wink and so many stores advertise their goods. Music comes from the nightclub at the side of the road, and there is an unholy length of people lining up near it. The Clandestine city is a large city, and so is the Empire city. But none of them are as vibrant as this