Love, Secrets, and Lies✔️

Their Meeting

Chapter 24

That night, Axel, Aylin, Elaine, and Atlas met for dinner. Apart from Elaine and Aylin that couldn't stop chattering, Atlas and Axel felt awkward.

"So..."

"So..."

They both said, smiling awkwardly.

"This is quite a formal informal gathering we have here."

Axel nodded, agreeing with Atlas's statement.

"Oh please, just talk and ignore us. Pretend we both aren't even here."

Elaine commented, flaying her hand in the air nonchalantly.

Sighing, clearing his throat, Atlas asked,

"So, why did you want to meet me?"

"I'll be blunt and straightforward. We need your help."

"Let me guess, it's against Brendon."

Axel nodded as Atlas narrowed his gaze, glancing at Aylin and then motioned Axel to move closer and whispered so that Aylin couldn't hear them,

"Are you sure? He's your father in law."

"I would die before I accept that man as my father in law."

"But he's still your wife's father. Don't you love her?"

"I do, which is why I want to protect her from him."

"But there's a problem. I don't dive into family problems."

"I don't want you to. I want help in regards to kicking him out of the business association and also his future mayor candidacy."

"What? He wants to be a mayor?"

"Yes."

"Has that old man finally lost his mind?"

"He didn't have one to begin with."

"True that. But I am afraid as the head of the union, I have to stay neutral."

"You can. But you know a lot of things that we don't. Just tell them to us and we will pretend you didn't."

"Nah, I ain't stepping into your problem. Your rivalry has always been quite nasty. I'd like to stay away from it as much as possible."

"I hate to bring it up but I helped you with Stephen, man."

"You did and I repaid you back when Brendon was gonna burn down your warehouses."

"And then I repaid you when you lost your materials."

"Yes, but I also helped you access those materials that you were looking for."

"And then I helped you after your parents died."

"I helped you too when that happened."

"Guys!"

"You know we can hear you, right?"

"So, stop whispering."

Elaine and Aylin remarked, rolling their eyes.

"Since when?"

"We could hear you from the start."

"Also, I have a question for you Mr. Gray."

Elaine burst out laughing upon hearing how Aylin addressed her. She knows Axel hates being called like that and also it felt weird hearing someone call him like that after a long time.

"Call me Atlas."

"Okay, Atlas. You say you want to be neutral. But haven't you been taking Axel's side from the start? All of the things you two were mentioning just shows how you have been taking care of each other's back in this business."

"That..."

"She's right, Atlas."

Elaine remarked.

"And you," Aylin pointed at Axel, "You told me you both aren't friends, but all of this is proof of how much you both respect each other's work and are willing to support each other. Isn't that true?"

"Well...I mean..."

Axel and Atlas both avert their gaze. Axel then mumbles,

"I only said that because I only know him because of work."

"Same."

Atlas agreed.

"Then hangout without talking about work too. It won't hurt."

"Yeah! Let's all go to the Taylor Swift concert together!"

Elaine addressed excitedly. Aylin also smiled cheerfully.

"No, thanks. I'll pass on that."

"Same here."

Axel and Atlas shook their heads.

"Urgh, you have no taste in music."

"Boring people."

Aylin and Elaine commented while rolling their eyes.

Axel then moves closer to whisper to Atlas,

"You have listened to her songs, right?"

"Yeah but listening is one thing and going is another thing."

"I said the same thing to Aylin."

"Well as long as those two are happy."

"Yep. Oh also, before I forget. Congratulations for getting that foreign deal."

"I should say the same to you. You managed to get two."

"Thanks."

"Hey we should do a joint venture someday. A project by both Zen and Duncan Corporations."

"That sounds great!"

"As for the Brendon situation, you know I already don't like that man. Especially seeing how he was best friends with Stephen. We haven't exactly been on good terms. I don't even want to be on friendly terms with him. So, I would never support him. Besides, your father asked me to take care of you and guide you as I promised to do."

"My father said that?"

"Yeah. He was a good man. I tried looking into his murder as well but sadly I couldn't find anything."

"Same here. There are no traces left. Even if I find something, it's hard to connect the dots without further evidence."

"I know. That is the saddest part. If only we could get revenge."

"Don't worry, we will. We just need to take away everything he loves, one by one."

"I like your way of thinking."

They both chuckled, which makes Aylin and Elaine curious,

"What are they smiling about?"

"It must be something work related."

Elaine rolled her eyes as Aylin chuckled.

After having a fun dinner, Axel and Aylin got home only to be told by the guard that a woman has been waiting for them for an hour now.

When they go see who that woman was, it turned out to be Aylin's step mother. She was wearing a long black coat, a hat and a mask. It was as if to hide her identity so that no one could recognise her.

"Aylin! I need to talk to you. Its urgent."

Aylin hides behind Axel, using his fingers grabbed the side of his coat and peaked at her mother from the corner of her eyes. She then mumbled,

"I have nothing to talk to you about."

"Please, it's about your death."

"What?!"

Axel bellowed, as Aylin's flickering eyes go round which surprise.

~~~~~

Thank you so much for reading! Hope you enjoyed it! I know the chapter is short, sorry! But please look forward to the next chapters! The book is somewhat nearing its end!
Also how do you like Axel and Atlas's interaction?
If you still don't know who Atlas and Elaine are then please go check out
AFTER THE LIE ✔️
Hope you enjoy! ❤️❤️❤️