The Beggar’s Throne

Chapter Three

Jake rushed into the private elevator with his quick slice cap, he'd be meeting the syndicate inner circle and some are loyal to his dad, he opened the door of the boardroom meeting, Vivian cross stood by the door; You're late Jake, you kept us waiting.

Inside the boardroom was a long silver board table sitting under two dim lights, where three women and two men sat, Jake rushed to the table where they sat, and Vivian followed behind him behind and introduced him “He is Jake Sullivan, the syndicate heir.

We asked for the Sullivan son not a delivery boy, pizza boy run three trillion dollars?” marcus one of Jake's dad ally said as he read the cap.

“This must be some kind of joke, Vivian, the Sullivan son and syndicate heir in a worn out quick slice uniform? Laughable, staring at Jake and doubting his worth” Cassandra a lady who looked in her 40’s said.

I'm Lila Chen, a tech expertshe said and adjusts her glasses, saying nothing else but scanning Jake like a computer. Her short introduction felt like a trap.  

I'm Victor Ruiz a burly logistics boss, “Holt’s already circling our ports. You better not screw this.” He’s pragmatic, not hostile.  

I'm Talia Morse, a PR fixer smirks, “You’re a walking headline, Sullivan, you got the Sullivan face, but you got his guts?

Jake lowered his head in shame and took of his cap, with this he already knew the ones who smelled blood, “Laugh all you want. I’m here to stay, I’m the Syndicate heir and I just got to know that, he turned to Vivian I thought you had already promoted them about everything that happened.

“Yes I did that already but they didn't expect you to show up dressing like this with this uniform and Cap, I expected you to have resigned already what are you still doing” as she turned to the board members “Well enough of the insults, the Carter's owe our syndicate a loan and haven’t been able to pay back as they have been in a financial crisis as the board knows, their law firm has been running illegal cases and bribery and they got away with it, luckily for us and our board we've an insider there” the light dimmed to Jake.

“Me, insider?, no I'm not, Amanda already sent me divorce papers, and said I'm not a family member, she says I worth nothing and Ethan’s worth ten of me, she's been buzzing me with texts to sign the divorce papers already and her signature is in it already. 

“You got married to Amanda looking like this?” Marcus who was one of Amanda's secret admirer. “Like I said we're not married anymore, I'm about to sign the papers when I get a lawyer from my syndicate”.

“You can't sign that divorce papers at least not now, and i didn't know anything about your divorce, now Holt is a threat, he killed your father and he knows about you already somehow, Vivian said as she slaps a tablet on the table, showing a port manifest—ship names, cargo codes, schedules, he smuggles drugs by ships so you need to get him you've got the Chicago army behind you, you need him before you can deal with the Carter's so you don't get killed dealing with Amanda and her family”.

“I'm going to return to the Carter family, this time as a live in son in law, I'm assigning Lila and Victor to track Holt’s drug shipments, and keep me at bay” Jake said and left the boardroom, got into his Honda to the Carter mansion.

“I’ll return to the Carter mansion to secretly gather evidence of their law firm’s corruption bribery, illegal cases, ties to Ethan Brooks, and to get my syndicate loan payback from the Carter & Associates and seize their assets for the Syndicate of they can't pay, but I must have them kneel while at it” Jake mummured to himself while driving

Jake parked his beat-up Honda at the Carter’s fancy Gold Coast mansion, staring at the unsigned divorce mail, he honked, but the gate stayed shut. He stepped out, his old sneakers hit the pavement as he walked through the iron bars. He banged the gate. “Open it. I’m Jake Sullivan, Amanda’s husband.”

The gate creaked, and Carl, the wiry gateman, stepped out, glaring. “You’re not welcome, sir. Miss Amanda’s orders. I ain’t losing my job.” His words cut, but Jake hid his anger, remembering his plan to act humble, live here, and expose the Carters’ dirty law firm secrets. “I’m still family, Carl,” he said, voice soft. Carl snorted, “You’re pathetic, chasing her. She’s with Ethan Brooks now.” Jake kept his face calm, hiding the Syndicate card in his pocket. 

“Just call her,” he said. Carl grabbed his walkie-talkie, muttering, “Fool.” Jakedidn't react his ego about to kick in but he maintained his cool, ready to play the pitiful son-in-law to win.