The Billionaire Soldier's Revenge

Chapter 3: Warnings & Scandals.

With a soft bump, the elevator reached the ground floor. Through the glass doors, James saw his black Mercedes-Maybach at the curb. His personal driver Arnold stood beside the car, straightening once he spotted James from afar.

"James Henry Ronald!"

The shout was so loud it was disturbing. James turned around to see an older woman, maybe in her fifties, fighting against two security guards. Whether it was her dark silver hair or her bloodshot eyes, something about her made his gut twist.

"Please, listen to me, Mr. Ronald!"

She kept wrestling against those holding her as other guards came to support them.

"The person you trust most is with another man! Charlie Harrison! You think she's resting alone in your mansion, but she's with him right now."

James frowned as he remembered the name. Charlie Harrison was his wife Freya's boyfriend from college, based on what he recalled. He was the person she broke up with for James when Greenville Limited had just taken off.

His hands shook for a few seconds, but it wasn't from the brain tumor. As the guards pinned her down and dragged her toward the exit, she twisted around to keep staring at James as she was taken away.

"Room 237! Champagne with strawberries! You know I'm right! They want your fortune for themselves! Your body won't be yours anymore! Unexpected things are about to happen! Let me go! Please, listen to me!"

As she was being taken away, James pressed his left palm against his forehead as the headaches grew worse.

Freya loved champagne with strawberries. It was the strange treat she couldn't get enough of on their wedding night at the Four Seasons. Thinking about this, James' mouth went dry as he considered the possibility that the woman was right; that Freya had been cheating on him for a long time.

"That's her," said Paola, standing beside him while clutching her iPad like a shield.

"Her name is Nora Hernandez. The cleaners say she predicted Old Fred's heart attack last month. They believe she's... gifted."

James watched the old woman get pushed through the gates into the busy New York street. But her screams still rang in his ears. All these years it seemed she had grown distant because of his obsession with work, but could it be that his wife had also been cheating on him?

James looked at Paola, and her brown eyes showed the same worry he felt, making him concerned that she knew too much at this point. After all, she had watched him get sicker for weeks.

She brought him coffee when his hands couldn't hold it steady and stayed late when other employees rushed home to their families. She likely knew much more than he'd ever told her about himself.

"I'll need you to call Private Investigator Jonah Lee. Tell him I need him for something urgent. The money is taken care of, and it will be the same as usual with a bonus for efficiency."

Paola grabbed her iPad and started typing with slightly shaky fingers.

"Greenville Hotel, Room 237," James said.

"I need him to find out who has been using it and when. He'll need to check the afternoon bookings and get me the names and photos I need. Wire him 50,000 dollars as a down payment."

Paola nodded quickly, typing all his instructions. Her years of daily experience helped her record everything almost as quickly as he spoke. After typing, she looked up at him with that look James always tried to avoid.

And for the first time in forever, James chose not to look away. He noticed how she breathed differently just from him staring straight into her eyes. It seemed hearing the possibility that his wife had been cheating was enough to make him open up a bit.

"I will be alright, Miss Wilson," James said with confidence, even though the lie felt bitter in his mouth.

"You take care of things here, and I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Yes sir," she replied while handing him his briefcase.

James always hated how he could easily notice the smallest details, including how Miss Wilson almost gasped when their fingers touched. Not wanting to make things more difficult, James got into the car without saying anything.

Though he never looked back, James knew she was still watching, even after the car had disappeared into traffic. It was her habit each time she saw him off.

* * *

Outside the building, Nora dusted off and fixed her jacket with trembling hands. Her knees hurt from the fall, and those who threw her out didn't seem to care. But her scraped knee wasn't as important as what she had to do, even though the man she had just confronted could buy and sell her neighborhood without thinking twice.

"Listen to me, young lady," said the head security guard, now standing in front of her.

He was at least 6'5, easily looking like he could crush her into powder.

His name tag read "Joseph Frederick," and his dark eyes showed no kindness.

"You have caused too much trouble for my team. If you do it again, I'll call the police."

But Nora seemed more focused on brushing dirt from her clothes. Her stiff fingers made her struggles with arthritis obvious, and was perhaps why the head guard didn't call the police on her right away.

"I just tried to assault your boss," she said with a growing smile.

"So why didn't you call the police right away?"

Joseph shook his head angrily.

"Are you being cocky right now, lady?"

Nora was still smiling, this time with a bit more sarcasm.

"Could it be because you know deep down that my warnings are true, just like they were for your father?"

The angry look disappeared from the guard's face as he rubbed his forehead with his right hand without looking at her.

"What I'm doing now is for your boss' good. I can't sit back when I know I can save him," Nora said.

"Don't let him make the same mistake your father did."

Joseph looked at her with sudden disgust, making it clear that she had just crossed a line. Before she could apologize, Joseph pulled out his phone, showing her a photo, and her face sank in horror.

"From your reaction, I'm sure you know who that is. The police and child services have a file on you, and they're interested in a crazy grandma causing trouble all over the city."

On the phone screen was a picture of her 8-year-old granddaughter Iris playing outside her shop, which also served as their apartment. Someone had been watching them like criminals, and the scared look on her face told it all.

"According to their files, you have no business looking after her."

Realizing his words were having the intended effect, Joseph brought his face closer to hers so his whispers could be clear enough.

"Stay away from this building. If I get another report about you anywhere close to this place, you'll never see little Iris again. Is that clear?"

She took a deep breath, regaining her composure before answering.

"Crystal clear, officer," she said.

"But when everything falls apart, and it will, don't say nobody warned you people... again."