OLIVER CAGE: Return Of The Lionheart

Chapter Eight

"No…no…no! This cannot be happening!" Gerald shuddered as he quickly turned his laptop off. His mind was filled with a lot of wandering thoughts. He tried to focus, but he was too tense to do so.

"Fuck!'

He groaned and punched the table. The table was wooden, so it could not break. But Gerald bruised his knuckles instead.

"Sir, are you alright?" His secretary ran into the office after hearing the bang. Gerald closed his eyes briefly and breathed. 

"Cancel the rest of my appointments for the day. I am leaving the office this instant." Gerald told her.

"But sir, you have a very important meeting with the CEO of prime salts in an hour…"

"Are you fucking deaf? Cancel the fucking meeting and reschedule! Or I will find someone who can obey me." Gerald barked at his secretary. She froze.

"Why are you doing this, sir? You said you loved me." The secretary muttered. Tears were forming at the angle of her eyes.

"Love? You were just a plaything. Get the fuck out of here!" Gerald scoffed afterward.

 She took a light bow.

"As you wish sir." She added and left the room. 

Gerald could feel his world crashing. Who knew? Who sent the text?

Who fucking trailed him? A lot of things ran through his mind. What if the same person had sent the text to Elina? What if she sees the tape and calls off the wedding? 

That would destroy him.

Gerald quickly picked up the phone. He dialed Elina's number. His heart beat very fast as it rang.

"Gerald?" Her voice from the other side was calm. It had to mean something good, right?

"Darling. I was just here, thinking of you. I'm missing you already."  Gerald managed to speak. His tension was still high, but he was slowly getting steadier.

"What's really going on? Are you in trouble?" Elina asked sarcastically over the phone.

"Trouble?" Gerald scoffed. "Of course not. But I was wondering if we could have dinner tonight. How about Le Brange restaurant? I heard they have great chicken."

Gerald added.

"Alright. See you then…and Gerald, what do you want me to wear?" She asked. There was intrigue in her voice

"I'll send something over," Gerald responded.

"Thanks, babe." She said and hung up.

Gerald exhaled. She didn't know. He thought for a moment before he dialed another number. 

"Mr. Blackburn,"

A man's voice said over the phone. 

"Meet me at Pen's Cafeteria, now!" Gerald said and hung up. He quickly dashed out of the office and boarded a lift.

His chest was still racing. As he got to the first floor, he headed straight for his car outside, got in, and zoomed off.

"Boss, Gerald's on the move," Marv said to Oliver over the phone. Oliver was hanging around by the side of the company.

"Yeah, I saw him. Seems like he got my message."

"Should I follow him, boss?" Marv asked.

Oliver thought.

"No. I will do this myself." Oliver responded and boarded a taxi. 

"Follow that Bentley." He said to the cabbie. The cabbie scoffed when Oliver Gave him the order.

"You should show some respect, you filthy trash. I might be a cab man but I'm obviously better than you." The cabbie shot at him.

Oliver sighed. He took out a thousand bucks and gave it to the cabbie. His eyes opened wide when he saw the money.

"Let's go," Oliver ordered, and the cabbie zoomed off. Before long, Oliver saw Gerald parking his car. He stepped outside and entered a Cafeteria.

"Stop the car," Oliver said to the cabbie.

He took out another thousand bucks and gave it to the cabbie.

"I need your jacket, and your cap," Oliver said. The cabbie quickly took his jacket and cap and gave it to Oliver who wore it into the cafeteria.

Inside, Oliver saw Gerald sitting at the far end of the left side. Oliver walked towards the far end of the right and sat down. 

Gerald was all alone. He tapped on the table nervously. He seemed to be waiting for someone. Gerald made an order and kept tapping the table.

Oliver sat down in silence as made his own order. Black coffee was precisely what he needed. Just then, the door to the cafeteria opened, and a tall man walked inside.

He wore a blue denim jacket and a cap. As he flipped his jacket, Oliver saw a cop's badge. Sick!

The man walked up to Gerald and took his seat. From where he was, Oliver could barely hear what they were saying.

But he would be discovered if he ventured closer.

"Someone knows, Tom. Someone filmed my freaking tape!" Gerald said and sipped his drink nervously. Tom was calm and focused. He was not as worked up as Gerald was.

"I think you need to calm down sir. It's just a tape. Possibly to blackmail you. We have dealt with blackmail before. This won't be different."

Tom stated.

"No, no, this is different. This isn't just blackmail. I feel like it's something more. Like someone's coming for me. This feels personal." Gerald told Tom.

"Do you have anyone who you think can do something like this?" Tom asked.

Gerald's mind went to a lot of people he had wronged in the past, including Oliver. His thoughts settled especially on Oliver. But he knew Oliver did not have the resources.

"I can think of at least ten persons who would want me destroyed. I think they're sending it to Elina soon."

"Then, tell her that the tape was forged. Anything is possible at this age. She will believe you. Meanwhile, I will take a look at this. I am sure that the culprit left something behind."

"Pay a visit to the Essence. I want to know how this happened. The anonymity is what I pay thousands of dollars for!" 

"I will sir."

Tom said and finally took his leave.

Gerald's phone rang soonest. He picked up the phone.

"Yes, I need you to send two dresses to Miss Elina Grey. One for dinner and another for the art auction tomorrow. You know what she likes."

Gerald hung up the phone. As he walked out of the cafeteria, Oliver was fascinated by the idea of the Art auction.

He dialed a number.

"Maria, what do you know about an art auction that the Greys will be attending tomorrow?"

"It's an art auction hosted by Amelia Grandeur. Influential people were invited. She gets funds for running her orphanage through it, but Gerald has been trying to take the property, and shut down the orphanage for months." 

Maria stated.

"Do you think you can get me on the guest list?" Oliver asked.

"You will be attending?" Maria asked in shock.

"Yes, I will."

"Very well then."

Maria said and hung up. Oliver smiled at the scheme he had planned out in his mind.

It was time to unleash another headache!