When Bad Boys Fall II

Fifty-One

Lucas' POV

My mind was on Jackie and on how I would have to win her back. Especially now that she had someone else in her life... So easily.

I was still finding it hard to believe that the love of my life and the mother of my children was with another man but I knew Jackie, she was not that type of person. She could never be that type of person. Not that she did not have the right to move on, but I knew her. Something didn't make any sense.

Sighing with a heavy heart, I lifted my phone to my eyes and clicked on her profile. Her last post had been a picture of the same flowers I had sent to her. I wondered if she ended up getting the flowers I left at Andrea's apartment building. I knew I would have to walk over glass pieces to beg for another chance with her but right now, her and our child needed to be safe until I had everything to take care of them. I wanted us to live comfortably and for our future kids to live better than the way I did. I never wanted my kids to suffer in life and I didn't care if there would be accusations of nepotism. Our kids would have the best life as far as they knew how hard life was. I didn't want what my uncle put me through in my family. I didn't want them going through the everything I and their mother went through.

I blinked out of my thoughtful state and looked back at the screen when I realized my gaze had drifted. I furrowed my eyebrows when I saw that her follower number had increased from two hundred and eight to two hundred and nine then scrolled through her photos. My eyes spotted a heart-eyes comment from a Drell.W and tapped on it. The user had no picture and out of curiosity, I tapped on the account. Just when I was about to scroll, Axel strolled into the living room to the front door.

I dropped the phone and rose to my feet as the door opened. Dad walked in and I smiled. He hugged Axel when he wrapped his arms around his neck, laughing.

"I missed you, uncle," he said an dad rolled his eyes.

"You were at my house last week, Axel."

Axel pulled away. "So? I still missed you. You tell good stories and that includes my father's story."

I couldn't help but laugh. I walked over to them and hugged him. Over the two months that went by, I was always hugging me when we met. I had no father growing up and seeing I still had one, elevated me every time. I pulled away and gestured for him to sit on the couch by the door.

"Are you hungry?" I asked and when he opened his mouth to reply, I looked at Axel. "Go cook something delicious for him."

"I already ate at the hotel. You don't---" I shook my head at him to cut him off and shooed Axel away.

Axel gave me a thumb-up gesture and made his way to the kitchen on the other side of the room. I sat on the arm of the couch and wrapped my arm around his shoulder.

"How are you, Lucas?" He asked and my mood dropped.

I was not okay. How was I supposed to tell him that I was not fine when my girlfriend probably hated me. Or how I needed to take back what rightfully belongs to me and him from a murderer.

"You don't have to lie, son."

I bowed my head and took my arm off his shoulder. I bit the inside of my cheek and exhaled through my nose.

"In all honesty, dad, I am not okay. I feel sad, angry and stupid." I raised my head and glared at the wall across us. "Jackie is all alone and I have barely done anything to get that man in the right spot... This is a long and hard battle, dad and I don't think I have enough patience and will power to fight. I wish I didn't have to do any of this."

He placed his hand on mine and squeezed. I stared at our hands for some seconds before looking him in the eyes.

"Dad... Jackie has just three months, at least three months until she gives birth to our son. I am not even there for her. I have broken her heart just because I want to protect them. For how long am I going to do this?" I asked, teary eyed. The tears filling my eyes blurred my vision of him and the growing ache in my heart made me heated.

"I know... I had to also protect you and everyone else by staying away. My brother is ruthless. He will eliminate every thing and person just to get to you. I wish you could understand. I have not met Jackie but she sounds like a wonderful woman." He rose from his seat and placed his hands on my shoulders.

I looked toward the kitchen and saw Axel smiling sadly at us. I could see a hint of guilt in his eyes. Ever since I told him everything, he has been keeping a wall around him mixed with shame. His father was bad to the bone and the shame of it was upon him even though he felt too guilty to say it.

The door opened and I looked sideways. Maddie walked in with her arms full of files with the company's logo on them. I rose to my feet and went over to her then took the files away from her. I looked down at them as I went over to the coffee table then dropped them on it.

"Hi, Mr. Hamilton," she said and sat on the couch opposite us.

"What are those?" I pointed at the file and she nodded her chin at them.

"Those are files containing all the brands, people and investments the company has made and also new businesses that are yet to be invested in." She leaned on the seat and looked at me. "Look, I don't know what your plan is but whatever is it, you need to act smart and quick."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

She grimaced. "I will tell you one thing first. Lucas, the business world is not a place where you have to be a goody-goody two-shoes but a tough ground. At age eighteen, I started attending meetings with my father and I know the numbers of times I cried for my dad because of the cruel ways of businessmen in the market world. They do not care as long as they get what they want--- Money and more power. I became tough at this age and continue to do so. I take opportunities, I snatch what the other party cant be quick to take and that is what is now happening."

I was seriously confused. What was she trying to say? I looked at the files and picked one up. I opened the first page and on it was just a letter heading of a business proposal for investments on the brand. I looked up from it to stare at Maddie.

"The meeting I had just attended via conference call was hosted by Matt Jefferson," she said and paused. "Matt is very smart... He announced that he will acquire fifty businesses, big and small to increase the net worth of the company and its yearly income. And in exchange for it, he asks that they vote him as the president of the company."

I froze. My heart stopped beating for a second in shock and my eyes widened in surprise.

"What's more? The CEO and current president of the company is in favor of it. Matt is about to take over the company and everything about it. They are ready to vote him in and if you do not oppose him, it will be hard fighting him."

I swallowed and looked at dad, who was equally shocked.