All Chapters of The Mysterious Chairman Keith: Chapter 81
- Chapter 90
176 chapters
Chapter 81
WHAT FATHERS DECIDE “I’m your father,” Tommy said in a calm way. “And I know what’s right.”He stepped forward and moved closer to Ivana, who was standing not too far from him. He giggled, his eyes solely on her, like he was telling her something only the both of them understand. Then Ivana smiled all of a sudden, like there was nothing wrong.She leaned into him and wrapped her arms around his chest, resting her cheek on his shoulder.Jamie blinked as he looked at the both of them. When Ivana stepped in, she acted as if she was going to tear the whole place apart, but now?! She acted as though she came for a reunion.Even Jamie didn't understand what was going on.“Are they okay?!” Jamie murmured looking at the both of them.He shifted a bit, so they would not step on him while they were hugging, he held his arms over his chest. “You know how much I cherish you…” Tommy said.“I know, Daddy,” Ivana said gently. “You always do.”Tommy’s hand smoothed over her hair, as he looked ov
Chapter 82
STRANGE FEELING Later that night, after Jamie had fallen asleep beside her, Ivana lay awake and staring at the ceiling.Suddenly, her phone buzzed by her side and she picked it up quickly.She smiled when she saw that her father had dropped a message for her. Daddy: We will talk tomorrow.She typed back calmly, and smiled to herself.Ivana: We will.She turned the phone face down and closed her eyes to sleep.Meanwhile, Tommy was still in his office and he smiled when he got a text back from Ivana. “She handled that well,” the man from earlier said, as they drank.Tommy nodded. “She’s learning.”“And Jamie?”Tommy’s mouth curved slightly. “Jamie will do what’s required.”The man hesitated. “And if he doesn’t?”Tommy didn’t turn, he just gulped down another drink.“Then we remind him,” he said quietly, “what contracts are really for.”They laughed out loud, clicking their cups together.____MANUEL'S VILLA Manuel entered the house and saw Laura carrying a bag, as if she was moving
Chapter 83
THE POISON IN HIS STREAMS She heaved and she listened to the environment as well. Suddenly, she stirred on her bed as if she heard something, but when she stood up, it was nothing, it was just her mind playing tricks on her.She swung her legs over the bed, feet hitting the floor.Then she heard Manuel's door open and then she knew he just entered his room to sleep.Laura swallowed, jaw tightening. She moved to the door, opened it to peer into the hallway. She stayed there a moment longer than necessary. Then she closed her door quietly, leaned her back against it, and let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.*****“Coffee?” Manuel’s voice broke immediately when Laura stepped out, like he had been waiting for her the whole time.Laura hesitated in the doorway, “you didn't wake me today…”Manuel had formed the habit of going to wake her most morning, but he didn't that morning.“I didn’t want to,” he replied as he put the mug down. “You looked like you needed so much re
Chapter 84
THE SEARCH It was early in the morning and Laura was sitting going through the medical report of Dave. She was carefully going through it, making sure she picked the full details.Just then, her phone started ringing by her side as she jumped up once to pick it.“Laura speaking,” she said, as she waited for the caller to speak. Manuel was standing not too far from her, watching her. “Ms. Laura, this is Dr. Aram from St. Vincent’s Hospital,” the voice said. “It’s Dave… his condition has worsened unexpectedly. You should come immediately.”Laura’s hand tightened around the receiver. “How… how bad?” she asked, as she stood to her feet. Laura had directed the calls from the hospital to herself, with Manuel’s permission, as a way of easing him from some stress.“There’s been a sudden drop in his vitals. We’re stabilizing him, but you should come now.”Her chest tightened as she stared at her phone, before her eyes went over to where Manuel was standing. Manuel was already moving towa
Chapter 85
THE MARK The next day, they were back at the hospital. They were checking the records from where they stopped before. “They’re always one step ahead,” Laura muttered, flipping through a notebook. “Everywhere we go… we’re late by minutes.” Manuel stopped, resting his hand on her back. “Then we find the pattern. We trace it. There’s a trail somewhere. We just haven’t found it yet.” Laura glanced at him, and then she turned away, back at the books in front of her. The hospital is part of their cooperation, and the butler also worked with Mr. Dave there as well. She nodded. “Then we keep going. Let's keep checking these first…” Meanwhile, in the hospital staff room, they were whispering.
Chapter 86
LAURA'S STRANGE BEHAVIOR “We should leave, there's nothing here.” Manuel said, checking the whole house for the last time.Laura stood and walked after him to the car and drove off almost immediately. Soon, they got home and Laura went in first and then Manuel followed after her, he had told her to go in first. “You didn’t lock the door.”Manuel paused halfway up the stairs. “I did.”Laura stood in the living room, shoes still on, jacket not yet removed. Her eyes were on the handle.“You turned the lock,” she said. “You didn’t check the frame.”He looked at her for a second, then walked back down and then he tested it.“It holds,” he said.She smirked and finally took off her jacket and draped it over the chair instead of the rack and Manuel stopped and looked at her.He noticed how weirdly she was acting and he blamed it on the alcohol she took earlier.Suddenly, the maid appeared from the kitchen. “Dinner?”“Later,” Manuel said, already moving to his room, but then he stopped.La
Chapter 87
BREAK HIM?! NEVER!!Ivana looked up. “You’re saying he owes us more than I thought?!”“I’m saying the world believes he does.”She finally opened the folder and she saw contract names and signatures. She closed it. “Does he know?”Tommy’s mouth curved slightly. “He knows enough.”There was silence for a while. She looked away for a while. “Jamie trusts his father.”“He shouldn’t,” Tommy said calmly. “But he does. Which makes Lucas useful.”Ivana frowned. “Useful how long?”Tommy leaned forward. “As long as needed.”She smiled and leaned closer, like the conversation was getting interesting.“What do you want from Jamie?” she asked.Tommy chuckled, like it was the answer she needed, his eyes locked on hers. He stood, walked toward the window though it showed nothing but darkness.“I want stability,” he said, not even looking at her.“And love?” Ivana asked quietly.He turned. “Love is a tool when used properly.”Her jaw tightened. “You didn’t teach me that.”“I taught you survival.”
Chapter 88
THE LUXURY OF REFUSALIvana’s jaw tightened. “He’s not an animal.”“No,” Tommy agreed. “He’s an asset.”She looked away, toward the curtain. “You’ve taken away his ability to refuse.”“I’ve given him stability,” Tommy corrected. “Refusal is a luxury.”She turned back. “And if he learns that?”Tommy shrugged. “Then he’ll learn how to live with it.”Ivana stood, walking slowly to the table where the folder still lay. She touched it but didn’t open it again. “You’re not pushing him out,” she said. “You’re pulling him in.”“Yes.”“So the more he resists, the tighter the net becomes.”Tommy smiled faintly. “You really do understand.”She swallowed. “I understand that fighting you would cost him.”“And cooperating?” Tommy asked, looking at her directly now.Ivana chuckled before she replied. “It keeps him close.”That earned her a longer look. “You’ve always been smart,” Tommy said. “But this, this is loyalty.”She looked at him for a while, before she finally looked away. “Don’t mistake cla
Chapter 89
ANOTHER CONSOLATION Manuel exhaled sharply. “So we’re chasing shadows.” He dragged a hand down his face and looked over to where Laura was. “Someone’s playing us?”Laura didn't answer, she just kept searching, but still didn't see anything.Manuel turned suddenly, slamming a drawer shut angrily. “There’s nothing here!!”His voice echoed off the walls. Before Laura could react, he drove his fist into the wall beside him. Laura froze when she saw the impact on the wall, how cracked it was and Manuel staggered back, breathing hard.Laura stared at him. “Boss,” she said slowly, trying to be careful.He looked at his fist, then at the wall. “I….”Another surge flared before he could stop it and Laura stepped back instinctively, watching him, her eyes fixed on him as though that would calm him. Manuel lowered his arm, as his shoulders rose and fell. “I didn’t mean to,” he said.Laura swallowed hard trying to console his thoughts. “I know.”“You’re not…” He stopped, turning to face her. “
Chapter 90
DOCTOR, SAY THAT AGAIN The next morning, Laura was woken up by a call from the hospital and she wondered what report they had for her this time around. She made to pick the phone close to her bed, but it ended before she could get to it and she hissed, taking the phone anyways. Soon, the call came again and she didn't miss it this time around. She picked it and placed it on her ear gently, her eyes fixed on the wall before her. “We have a new development, you can come with the boss to check him.” The voice over the phone said. Laura nodded, even though the caller couldn't see her, she ended the call and started getting ready to go. At one thought, she didn't want to involve Manuel in it, so she decided to go alone and allow Manuel to focus on office work. Soon, she was done dressing and she rushed out before Manuel cam