Chapter 180
Chapter 180
“Secrets would kill anyone,” Rosie used to say. “But yours, Thomas? They would drown you, and then drag the rest of your family to hell.
Maybe she was right, Thomas thought as he watched Theresa and Silas flare up. Maybe his crazy wife knew him too well–better than he knew himself.
“What offshore account?” Silas demanded, his eyes sharp, and Thomas knew his brother was past softening up.
What would he do?
“I… used to have… the account for emergencies,” he said, tucking his hand into his pocket to stop it from shaking
Maybe being honest would make things better.
“For emergencies?” Silas shrieked.
Maybe not.
Silas moved closer, and in that moment, Thomas saw a man; not the timid child who used to be afraid of trying new things, not the child who did as he said, but a man with his own mind. And that terrified the shit out of him.
“So you’ve had this account since when?” Silas roared and he flinched.
Lie. You can’t tell the truth.
“Two years.”
“Fucking hell,” Silas scoffed, running a hand through his hair. Behind him, Ivy bit her lip, her eyes wide with fear, her hand in mid–air as if trying to pacify him.
Thomas lowered his head, unsure of what to say.
“I don’t know how to feel,” Silas admitted, shaking his head. “And I don’t know if it’s because you had an emergency account I didn’t know about, or because you lied to me for two years!”
“Baby…” Ivy said softly.
Silas turned to her and for a moment, Thomas watched as his brother’s anger faded at her touch. They stood like that for a few seconds before Silas faced him again.
His voice was softer now, but his eyes were not. “I’m hurt, Thomas.”
“I’m sorry,” Thomas replied quickly. “I never used it, which is why I never mentioned it. I’m sorry.”
“So, when you were investigated for fraud, did you declare the account?”
Thomas’s heart skipped. Another moment of truth. Should he lie?
“If it was an offshore account, I don’t think declaring it would’ve changed the investigation,” Theresa interjected.
He sighed, grateful that Theresa had saved his ass. “Yeah.”
But Silas wasn’t done, his eyes glinted with something that unsettled Thomas. If Silas kept pushing, he feared he might have to tell the truth.
And the truth, like Rosie would say, could drag them all to hell.
Thankfully, Theresa spoke before Silas could continue. “What do we do about Rosie? I don’t like the fact that she has resources to back up her sinister plans.”
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Chapter 180
Thomas wanted to roll his eyes, but he didn’t. Everybody was sounding stressed like Rosie wasn’t his wife, like his name wasn’t dragged through th mud, like his house hadn’t been destroyed, and Uncle Mike wasn’t lying helpless in a hospital bed leaving him to do all of this.
Anger surged through him, but he held it back. He was already stressed out dealing with Mateo Castro, and now none of his family could offer an ounce, of kindness. Everyone just wanted to blame him.
“We should call the police and have the money traced,” Silas said. “If they find out where it went, maybe they can find her.”
“Yes,” Thomas replied calmly.
There was no point telling them he’d already done that. No point mentioning that Rosie had moved the money through two different accounts, bypassing security like a fucking hacker.
Because saying that would mean explaining how she even knew how to do it, which would lead to telling them everything. Right now, he couldn’t afford
that.
So let them dream.
“Yes,” he repeated. “I’ll call the police.”
“I don’t want to imagine how she hasn’t been caught,” Theresa said, wrapping her arms around herself. The stress was starting to tell on her, even her once bouncy blonde hair looked frail and faded.
“It’s getting crazy,” Ivy muttered tiredly.
They went silent before Theresa spoke again. “What do we do about Aria? I didn’t like the way she acted.”
There it was again. Talking about everyone else but him.
His chest tightened with anger, but he clenched his fist to control it. The lie had worked, no point ruining it with a fit.
“I saw her storming out. What happened?” he asked, keeping his voice low.
Theresa explained, her voice shaking slightly.
“That’s unusual,” he muttered. “I think we all need rest. A lot’s been happening, don’t judge her harshly.”
“I guess,” Theresa murmured. “Are you going to stay? Want to hang out?”
“No,” he said. “I would’ve loved to, but I’ve got plenty to do.”
“How’s the… house? And everything?” Ivy asked carefully.
Thomas shifted uncomfortably. “Just there. It’s still under investigation.”
“Then where have you been staying?” Ivy’s voice rose with concern.
He scratched his chin. “In a hotel. Don’t worry, I’m safe.”
Silas walked over to him, his eyes soft now. “You know you can always stay here.”
Thomas chuckled. “I know, Si. Thank you.”
Silas looked at him for a moment before nodding. “Alright then.”
Before guilt could settle in his chest, Thomas cleared his throat. “I have to go
now.
“Oh, wait,” Silas said, then told him and Rosie’s letter. “Are you sure she doesn’t have access to that account anymore? She’s going wild.
10:37 Fri 6 Jun Of W・
Chapter 180
“Don’t worry, she doesn’t. It has been taken care of,” he lied.
Silas narrowed his eyes but said nothing.
Thomas turned to the door. “Gotta go. Bye.”
“Join us for dinner tomorrow,” Silas called out behind him.
“What time?” he asked without turning.
“8 pm.”
“Alright, see you then.”
Thomas found his way to his car and sighed. “Drive,” he ordered his driver.
He leaned into the seat, tension and anger mixing in his chest like fire and gasoline. He stayed that way until they reached the hotel.
Once inside his room, he flipped the table over. “Fuck!”
This wasn’t the plan. He didn’t want to be wifeless, living in a goddamn hotel, lying to his family, and catering to a dangerous man.
His phone rang, pulling him out of thought: He ignored the mess he made and answered it.
“Hello?”
“My dear husband.”
His blood chilled. “Rosie.”
“Don’t you miss me?”
“Why the fuck did you touch that money?”
“Oh,” she laughed. “Don’t be so mad. Planning revenge is expensive and I needed it.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. “I’m going to find you! And when I do-”
“You’ll fuck me?”
He gasped. “What the hell?”
But despite his shock, his body betrayed him.
Rosie’s voice dropped, seductive and dangerous. “Don’t you miss me? Don’t you miss how I pound on your dick with my wet pussy?”
The image she painted erased his anger in a single breath. His dick jerked, and he shuddered.
What the hell? He snapped out of it, remembering all she had done.
“That’s not happening!” he shouted, partially to silence her, partially to smother the images from his mind. “I’ll find you, Rosie, and you’ll pay for everything!”
She laughed, the sound long and harsh. “Oh, don’t worry. The money made everything better,” she drawled. “Now I can pay a tech genius to track all of you. See you soon, baby.” Then she hung up.
Thomas rubbed his face, shame curling inside him as he stared at the bulge in his trousers. Before he could chide himself further, his phone rang again.
He glanced at the screen and goosebumps pricked his skin.
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Chapter 180
“Hello, Mateo,” he said gingerly.
“I don’t know what fucking game you and Mike are playing, but I’m getting bored!” Mateo growled, his voice laced with anger.
Fear surged inside Thomas, but he kept his tone cool. “I told you Uncle Mike isn’t around.”
Another lie. One that was already crumbling. He could have just told the truth, but he didn’t, and now he had to nurse Mateo until Uncle Mike was okay.
“Then who the fuck took that money?”
The hairs on Thomas’s neck rose. “What… money?”
“Eight hundred mill,” Mateo hissed.
“How did…”
“If I know about the money, then the police definitely do too,” Mateo said. Then his voice shifted into something else, so dark it made Thomas’s skin crawl.
“Oh, Thomas, if this fucking thing ruins my plan, you and your entire family and going down with me!”
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