My Perfect Lady 86 Masquerade

A cold sweat broke on Miya's brow, and she glanced at Rebecca, horrified. Rebecca's face had lost all colour, and for the first time since they had started the meet, the woman actually looked afraid. Miya gave Jim a quick look. His face was expressionless.

Well… of course he had known.

He could have told her too, though.

Simon Hunter, however, looked amused at that little piece of information. He even smirked a little, when he continued the onehanded discussion.

"What do you suggest, Ms. Storm happened after I withdrew the investment? How was Riqvah formed?"

Rebecca swallowed hard, her eyes the evidence of naked fear. Her hands trembled a little. But she pulled herself together, and spoke.

"Uncle – Carver hadn't expected you to pull out, I can a.s.sume. When you did though, he must have lost all support. Then, he must have turned to the drug trafficking business for investment in order to keep the business going."

"Desperation, in short," Simon Hunter agreed, looking pacified, "And that is exactly what happened. He sent you over to Country S, where n.o.body would suspect your existence or know about you. Then, he planted his roots in trafficking drugs. The cover is perfect, it's a publis.h.i.+ng house. Easy contacts, he'd have interested hawkers, and business would be smooth, the money good. Thad Carver played well."

Jimmy sat firmly in his chair.

Simon Hunter gave his son a look, and put out the cigar, his indication that Jimmy take over now. Jim nodded, and then began.

"That brings us to why you found him at Karl's house," he said solemnly, "Ms. Storm, you have got the whole story wrong, since the very beginning. It wasn't you who was onto your uncle. It was him all along. You really didn't think he'd let the only loose end in his well planned business go without scrutiny, right? Ever since you arrived in Country S, Karl and his wife Marjorie have been planted to keep an eye on you. They lived close by, Karl was a dealer and it was easy to watch you."

Rebecca froze. Her face was the expression of horror, as if something demonic had possessed her.

Jim could understand, but from his stand, it was Rebecca who had been foolish enough. It had taken her years to come clean, to overcome her own addiction. She had abused herself to the point that the most logical conclusions didn't occur to her.

Anyway, it wasn't his concern.

"The only thing that they had not expected was that their daughter would inform you of Carver. And once you approached Karl, they knew what you actually wanted, of course. That's when the husband and wife designed the most unwise plan possible. You might want to know where I get this information from. There's a file before you. It had all the proof. Including Karl's statement from yesterday."

Miya's mouth had gone dry, but then she looked at Jim.

That as*hole Karl was bedridden in a hospital. How had Jim managed to extract a statement from him? And a sudden terror seized her soul.

Oh f***. He must have got the man hurt some more.

Jimmy felt Miya's hand tremble somewhat, and he gave her a quick glance. Her face had visibly paled. They were still holding hands under the table, and her pressed hers tightly, just to let her know that it was okay.

Rebecca's voice was dry, and her throat hurt. But she spoke.

"M-Marjorie… she's –"

"Dead, yes," Jim's answer was short, "I know. And I also know that Karl told you that he killed her because he wanted you."

Probably why she hadn't mentioned it to Miya yesterday, because she didn't want to be held responsible.

Rebecca was aghast. Miya couldn't breathe.

"It's a lie," Jim said plainly, "When you approached Karl, the couple thought it was a good opportunity to suck up to Carver. I'm a.s.suming Karl made a promise to Carver to get you into drugs again. And considering you were keen for information, and did smoke with him, the plan was smooth. They kept feeding you tad bits of information to make you think you were on to something.

But foolish as they were, the plan went wrong when they decided they could extort Thad Carver. Marjorie seduced the old b.a.s.t.a.r.d, and collected information on some of his dealings. Carver isn't the overlord because he's stupid. So, of course, he found out sooner than the couple could have blinked an eye. He got her removed. Karl was threatened with his life, and hence, the same night in the library, the a.s.sault on you. His wife had just been killed, he wanted to take it out on someone.

The perfect target was you."

Simon Hunter listened to the story listlessly, and when Jimmy was done, he sighed. He looked at Rebecca Storm, unimpressed, but cleared his throat to say, "I know it's a lot of information, Ms. Storm, but grasp it faster. You've wasted half your life mourning already. Now, let me make you clear on two points. Hunter Corporation will not be involved in any of this, the drug trafficking is a muddle my company won't stain itself with. My son, and I, however, are keen to help. For once, Thad Carver has defied me at one point in his life. I don't take to that nicely. Second, there was a file that I handed over to Jonathan that was to serve as information to him for the biography. It was a loan, it contained the original doc.u.ments related to a might history of the Hunter family.

Before your father could return it, the riots happened. I've had your house infiltrated countless times, but I still can't find the file. When this mess is done with, you promise to look back at any of the special places your father could have put it in. Find it for me, anyhow. I'm not expecting success in this, but I want your best effort."

Rebecca's eyes had sharpened once the Chairman had ridiculed her openly. She was still numb inside, feeling lost and betrayed and the biggest fool on earth, but her eyes were fierce.

"Okay," she said, not even sure what the deal was. She was just angry.

Thad f***ing Carver.

She wanted her revenge.

It was probably the look in her eyes that satisfied the Chairman, and he casually offered a bowl full of almonds to the three. None of them took any of it, so he simply munched on them by himself.

Once the silence had become less intense, he spoke again.

"Well, Ms. Storm, I won't say it'd be easy to take out Carver if the Corporation used its power. But I want it to be a private affair. I want all of us to be flying back to our country first thing today evening. I still haven't told you the best part yet, Ms. Storm. Your uncle just launched a financial magazine, that aims at 'critically examining' all bureaucrats and business tyc.o.o.ns. When we land back, Jimmy will organize a party and Carver will be invited. Possibly hinting we're interested in investing in the magazine.

Carver won't come, he has his grudges from the past. And that's when I'll use my trump card."

Jim looked at his father in surprise. They had gone over this plan, but they hadn't talked of a trump card at all.

What was Senior Hunter talking about?

Old Hunter smiled serenely and then, he gazed at the daughter-in-law.

"My trump card, of course, is you Miya," he laughed deeply.

Jimmy's brows shot up, and Miya's attention was fixed on the old man.

"M-Me?" she whispered to herself.

Her voice however was suppressed by Jim's cold, stern tone when he said, "What is the meaning of this, Chairman?"

Simon looked Jimmy in the eyes, then removed his gaze and fixed it on the surprised daughter-in-law.

"You'll contact Carver directly after Jimmy sends him the invite, dear. You'll tell him you want his new magazine to expose some dark secrets about the Hunters. In return, you'll ask for information on Rebecca."

Miya was confused, but she didn't dare look away from the old Hunter's eyes. They were smiling sinisterly, having the l.u.s.t of a predator hungry for prey.

"Carver knows about you, I'm a.s.suming, since you did stay with the Freeman family for sometime. Appear as an interested party, and ask Carver the truth about Rebecca, claiming you are sure you've seen her alive."

"It's too dangerous!" Jimmy couldn't control his voice anymore, and it came in an outburst. There was no way Jimmy would allow Miya to approach some drug overlord, claiming information.

Simon rolled his eyes.

"It's the only way it will work, son. Last evening, in the cloth store, someone took a picture of me and Miya together. It's been posted on a fan-blog of the Hunters. Miya will use it as credibility to claim her relations.h.i.+p with the Hunter family, saying she knows her way in. Guessing that Carver had an affair with Marjorie, who was half his age, he'd probably think Miya is having an affair with me. It would be the easiest way for him to come to the party. He'd have an incentive, and Miya will tell him to meet him there. And my boy, the way he'll fall, and how I'll watch him crumble. He only needs to step into the Hunter estate."

Miya was frozen in place, whereas Jim didn't like the tone of the Chairman's voice.

"I won't have you embarra.s.s Miya's image, father," he said curtly, "She's my wife. I won't have anyone thinking otherwise."

Simon Hunter looked calmly at his son, as if he had been prepared for the attack all along.

"Let her do this, and I'll announce your marriage publicly. And hand over the Hunter Corporation officially to you too."

Jimmy Hunter hadn't antic.i.p.ated this.

Chairman… father. What was he playing at?

He would never take that step. No! There was something going on in his mind that Jim didn't understand.

Nevertheless, Simon Hunter was a man of his word, and Jim took his chance.

"Alright," he said finally, "But only if Miya agrees. Also, she won't meet Carver face to face. A phone call from her, and a link to the blog on which your picture is posted should be enough enticement."

"Deal."

Then both eyes fixed on Miya.

Simon Hunter looked at her expectantly, whereas Jimmy's eyes were intense.

It was just a phone call. And it was a vital step.

Miya nodded carefully.

Simon Hunter smiled, whereas Jim's body grew stiff. He nodded back at her though, and then made his final announcement for the day.

"The party that I will organize… it is going to be a masquerade," he said severely.

Silence prevailed.

The battle had begun.