Rise Of The Unprecitrable Man

CHAPTER 5

Frederick opened his mouth to speak again, but Alexa tightened her grip on his arm. She leaned close to him and whispered something only he could hear. 

Her lips barely moved, yet the words seemed to hit him like a spark. His angry expression vanished, replaced by a slow, sly smile that curled at the corners of his mouth.

He turned back to Leon and Frank with a cold, warning stare. “I’ll leave you for now,” Frederick said, his voice heavy and stretched with threat, “but remember this. I won’t let it go. I promise you that.”

He tightened his hold on Alexa’s arm. Alexa lifted her chin proudly, almost as if she thought she had won something. 

Together, they walked away quickly. Their footsteps echoed loudly in the wide hall until the sound faded and the heavy doors slammed behind them.

Frank leaned against the shopping cart filled with clothes and let out a small, surprised laugh. 

He did not laugh because he was happy. He laughed because the sight of Frederick retreating so easily was strange to him.

For the first time in a long while, being underestimated felt amusing instead of painful.

Leon looked at him with calm seriousness. “You see?” Leon said. “That is the weight of your power. Even men like Frederick grow nervous when they stand near you.”

Frank lowered his gaze. Power. It was a word he had not heard used for him in many years.

Together, they pushed the cart through the bright mall. The polished floor reflected the lights above, and people turned their heads as they walked past. 

Some stared with curiosity. Some stared with respect. Some stared without knowing why they felt something unusual about the quiet man behind the cart.

Later that evening, the two men sat in a private barroom inside Frank’s large mansion. The room smelled faintly of old wood, warm amber, and a hint of red wine. 

The golden light from a dim chandelier fell gently across the polished table. A bottle of wine stood between them, half empty, glowing in the warm light.

Leon lifted his glass slowly. The red wine swirled inside like liquid fire. His face stayed calm, but his eyes carried shadows, shadows shaped by old memories, old fears, and old loyalties.

“Your father was a good man,” Leon said at last. 

His voice was low and heavy, as if each word cost him a breath. “But even good men make enemies. And when he died, those enemies celebrated. They wanted him gone. They wanted his seat at the top of the ladder.”

Frank leaned forward. His fingers curled slightly. He studied Leon’s face closely. “Tell me then,” Frank said, his voice steady but sharp. “Who killed him?”

Silence filled the room. It was not an empty silence. It was a silence that pressed on the walls, a silence that made the chandelier lights feel dimmer, a silence that made the wine in Leon’s glass stop moving.

Leon did not answer immediately. His eyes dropped to the floor, as if memories he wished he could forget were pulling him downward. He let out a long breath.

“I don’t know,” Leon said quietly. His voice trembled. Not with fear, but with pain.

Frank narrowed his eyes. “You’re lying,” he said softly. “I can see it in your face. You know something. What aren’t you telling me?”

Leon set his glass down carefully. His hands trembled before he could hide them under the table. After a long pause, he lifted his head again.

“Your father’s death,” Leon said, “was not the work of one man. It was a group. A plan. A conspiracy. Many people wanted him gone so they could take his place. But he was wise. And fast. Before they killed him, he wrote his will. And that is why you are here now. That is why you are alive.”

Frank swallowed. His heart beat faster. A cold wave rolled through him. The danger his father faced was real, deadly, and close. 

But a deeper question pressed inside him. Could the same fate fall on him? His father had been strong, respected, and careful. Yet he had been defeated. 

But Frank was different. Frank hid in the shadows. No one knew he was the true head of Watford Incorporation. 

No one knew his face. No one suspected his power. And that secrecy gave him an advantage his father never had.

Just then, Leon’s phone buzzed loudly on the table. The sharp sound cut through the tension. Leon picked it up and scrolled through the screen. His eyebrows pulled together.

“The mayor is hosting a private party tonight,” Leon said. “He wants people from Watford Incorporation to attend.”

Frank’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Then we will be there.”

Leon hesitated. Something soft entered his voice. “Frank,” he said, “may I ask you something?”

“Go ahead,” Frank said calmly.

Leon’s hands pressed together. His voice became firm, almost pleading. “I only want you to trust me,” he said. “Your father trusted me. I learned everything from him. I can guide you now. But sometimes you follow others instead of me. Don’t do that. Don’t ignore me. Let me stand beside you.”

Frank reached across the table and placed a steady hand on Leon’s shoulder. Leon stiffened, then relaxed.

“You don’t need to worry,” Frank said. “You are the face of Watford Incorporation. I will stay in the shadows, where no one can reach me. From there, I will make the decisions. That is the only way to stay safe.”

A slow smile spread across Leon’s face. His eyes shone with excitement and loyalty. “Then it is an honor to serve you once again,” he said.

That night, the two men arrived at the mayor’s mansion. Tall windows glowed with golden light. 

Expensive cars lined the driveway. Music and laughter floated out from the entrance, mixing with the soft smell of flowers planted around the walkway.

Before entering, Frank spoke firmly. “Tonight, you are the representative. You will be the one everyone sees. I will stand behind you as your bodyguard. If anyone looks at me, they will see nothing important. No one will suspect my identity.”

Leon frowned, almost arguing. “But Frank.”

“No arguments,” Frank said. “Trust me. This is how it must be.”

Leon paused. The understanding settled in his eyes. “All right,” he said softly.

Inside, the party hall sparkled. Crystal chandeliers hung above the guests, casting warm light across the polished floors. 

Men and women in elegant suits and dresses moved with practiced ease. Servants carried trays of champagne. 

Soft music mixed with laughter, creating a gentle buzz that filled every corner of the room.

An older man with gray hair and a warm smile approached them. When he saw Leon, his entire face lit up. “You must be from Watford Incorporation!” the mayor said.

“Thank you for the invitation, Mr. Mayor,” Leon replied smoothly.

Behind him, Frank stood tall and still, scanning the room with sharp, quiet eyes. Just days ago, he would never have dreamed he would walk through these halls. 

Yet now he was here, silent, hidden, powerful in a way no one could see.

The mayor looked around curiously. “But where is your CEO?” he asked. “I heard Watford Incorporation has a new head.”

Leon answered without a hint of doubt. “The CEO is away on urgent business overseas. I am here as his representative.”

The mayor nodded. His phone buzzed. He answered quickly, spoke a few short words, then tucked it away. He leaned closer to Leon.

“Since you are the representative,” he said quietly, “may I speak with you privately?”

Leon hesitated and looked back at Frank. Frank gave him a calm nod. That small nod was a command and a reassurance at the same time.

The mayor led Leon toward a quiet corridor. As they began walking, Frank touched Leon’s shoulder gently, a silent warning. “Don’t reveal me,” he whispered softly.

They had taken only a few steps when a sharp, mocking voice sliced through the air. “Well, well,” Alexa said. “Now I understand.”

She stood near the corner of the room with Frederick beside her. Both carried the same cruel, mocking smile.

“He must be your driver,” Alexa sneered. Her eyes moved coldly over Frank. “You probably felt sorry for him and bought him new clothes at the mall. After all, Frank can’t even afford bus fare.”

She laughed loudly. Frederick joined her, laughing even more loudly.

Frank did not say a word. His face stayed calm. His eyes did not blink. He simply nudged Leon gently and kept walking.

“You shouldn’t let her speak to you like that,” Leon muttered, frustration burning in his voice. “After everything she did to you, she still dares to insult you.”

“I told you already,” Frank replied quietly. “No one can know who I am.”

Leon fell silent. But the silence between them was heavy, full of unspoken warning.

“One day, Frank,” Leon said at last, “people will demand answers. They will want to know your identity. You cannot hide forever.”

Frank paused. A soft ache formed in his chest. Leon was right. He knew it. The walls he built around his identity would not hold forever.