The Runaway Cheat

Chapter 18

Ridge Wright

It's been two months since I last saw Marilyn. We returned to London immediately that day and I have no idea how Finn convinced her to not sue me for kidnapping her.

All the matter regarding our partnership was now handled solely by Finn. He never approaches me for it and only asks for my authority to get things done. My shareholders are not creating any more trouble and it seems like my uncle has gone back to his snakepit.

Andrew Wright is anything but not fighting back. It's kind of making me feel eerie because of his silence. And the way he backed out this easily makes me feel something is wrong.

These two months have been tormenting me. At this point, I am not even denying it. Ely was back in New York and he'll be there until his game season starts. Before he left, he almost pleaded with me to let her go. To forget her. A part of me wants to despise her, curse her but a part of me can't see her hurt a single hair on her head.

I still remember her face from that day, her smile and her eyes. And undoubtedly I was scared, scared for her. How could someone be this bitter? What could go so wrong for someone to turn this dark?
 
It wasn't supposed to be this fucking hard. But it is. It hurts like shit to know that you can't let them go even though there is nothing to hold onto. And at the end of the day, you still miss her.

I have been having meetings with my team all the time as I have taken double the amount of work I normally do. Being busy is the only way to not think about her. To not think what and when did things get this wrong? Was I really that blind to notice her lies?

"Mr.Wright there is an invitation from the Barney's family to attend their annual gala," Anna said just before I entered my office coming from my third meeting of today.

"Anna, you know I don't attend this stuff. Deny it for me." Barney's is a US-based business enterprise whose stronghold is international trading. It rose to number one after MAtrade went bankrupt. Other than trading, they are in food production, automobile, and service business as well. They have been inviting me to their annual gala for a couple of years now and every time I deny it.

"I know Mr Wright but maybe you want to see it once before rejecting it," Anna said as if there is something important I would miss out if I don't see it.

Eyeing her sudden interest in it, I took the card from her desk and opened it. It was in Manhattan, six days later. Going through the main portion I reach the family members of Barney where I come across a familiar name. And I knew what she meant.

"Seems like someone is running their mouth all over the places. Don't reject it. Informed them that I'll be there." I said after a few seconds to Anna who was now giving me an i-knew-it grin.

"Yes sir," she replied smugly before adding, "and your brother only told me about it so that I can avoid anything related to Miss Harrison." And when I raise my eyebrows wondering why she pointed it out for me when she was instructed to not she shrugged saying, "I am an outsider sir and even I can say that her story do not make any sense, she hiding something definitely."

"What do you mean by that,'' I said  giving her my full attention.

"I mean exactly that Mr Wright. She is hiding something, something you are not supposed to know." Anna said before getting back to her job paying no attention to my presence.

In the evening, Finn charged into my office with a hard glare pointing at me, "Why are you attending the Gala?"

Leaning back in, taking a slow and deep breath, "Because I got invited." I said like it's obvious.

"You never attend this sort of event so why now?" Finn growled.