HOUSE OF CRAWFORD: CONRAD'S LEGACY.

Finding Out The Truth

The brunette bombshell, who Conrad had heard Xander call Sasha, jerked in surprise, wide eyes flipping from Xander to Conrad and then to her boyfriend again. 

“Baby, I-I swear I didn't…” she started but Conrad watched her try to save herself. He knew he was being shitty when she'd tried to help him, but right now he had to save himself and then beg her forgiveness later. 

After all, he knew for a fact she didn't have the card on her. 

Xander frowned then scowled at Conrad. “You're just trying to divert attention from yourself. It won’t work, you fucking thief!” he snapped.

Conrad plunged on. “I know that's what it looks like, but you've searched me and found nothing. And I'm telling you she has it. Wouldn't it make sense to search for her as well?”

Xander's jaw ground so hard Conrad thought his teeth would grind to dust. “You're an unlucky fucking bastard if you think I don't know you're the thief and no one else. I won't search for any other person, least of all not my Sasha.”

The crowd turned against Xander at that moment. 

“But if he says he saw her steal it, then you should search her as well. It won't be a problem if she didn't steal it.” The man with the camera argued, raising his camera to face Xander this time. 

Xander shoved the man, refusing reason. “And who asked for your opinion, you old fool?”

That upset other spectators as well. 

“So this is how you talk to your employees? This is how you speak to people?” Someone demanded. 

“The poor waiter probably didn't even see the credit card to even steal it. This is an abuse of power. You're treating the waiters like shit.” Someone else spat. 

“Yeah, yeah, I won't be coming here anymore. Total garbage. Waste of my time and money.” An elegantly dressed woman said to Xanders face, before quickly turning towards the door to leave.

Xander saw that he was truly trapped then. He was bringing on a bad reputation to his father's establishment and he could never afford to raise his father's ire. 

He could search for his girlfriend, embarrassing her and by extension himself on camera and God knew he was way too arrogant to ever admit he could suspect his girlfriend or provide the card so that the uproar could end. 

Suddenly he let out a loud bark of laughter, raising his hands in the air and trying to calm the people. 

But how could he ever accept the mistake was his? He decided to just say everything was fine and be done with it. “Everyone! The restaurant's management apologizes for the inconvenience. I and the restaurant's management will now handle this matter privately. Excuse us,” 

Xander went to push through the throng of people and head to the back room, but again, one of the patrons pulled him back. “Too little too late man. You have to prove this is not how you treat your employees. We must find that darn card!”

“Yeah!” The crowd chorused.

Xander looked like a deer caught in the headlights. He stammered and then patted first his right trouser pocket, muttering a “Look, look, it's alright, really. I just realized I had my card in my pocket the whole time.”

He laughed self-consciously, sticking his fingers into his pocket and drawing out the card. He held up the card for everyone to see, the embarrassment obvious in his humiliated face.

Hisses and curses could be heard from all parts of the restaurant as the people slowly departed, throwing snide comments at Xander. 

“He obviously had it on him the entire time.” a stunning blonde girl said, going to Conrad with sympathetic doe eyes that only saw him. 

“I’m Charlotte. Mind going for a drink this evening when you clock out of work? You know,” she slid a soft hand over his chest while smiling up at him, “to forget this dreadfully unfair event.”

Conrad smiled politely, and took her hand in his, dropping it. “I'll think about it.”

He couldn't be rude to her, but he would never accept her offer. After all he had his beautiful girlfriend, Laura and he would never betray her trust by cheating on her. 

Conrad looked up and caught Xander looking at him with eyes fit to murder. He glowered at him, his body vibrating with the effort to hold back his rage, and then he placed a hand on Sasha's waist and stepped into the elevator.