?


    In the Matthews mansion,


    Despite putting his n into action, Casper was restless. How couldn''t he be restless after transferring all his shares?


    All his hard work and his whole life were in Alvin''s hands. If Alvin ignores everything, he will be the biggest joke in the business field.


    Did he have another way to stop Alvin?


    No. He did consider talking with Alvin but they had crossed that bridge a long time ago.


    Till morning he had waited for a hint of hope to change the situation. But he learned some foreign men were meeting the shareholders and offering them an irrefutable proposition.


    Casper had tried to reach out to the shareholders but most of them refused to answer his call. He felt humiliated because he was never in such a disgraceful position. It was always others who always curry favored with him.


    Thus his pride was seriously damaged. He was ashamed to step out of the mansion or meet anybody. Wasn''t he supposed to be one of the top businessmen in the country?


    The awards. Innumerable honors. Business seminars.


    All his achievements felt like an illusion. He couldn''t bring himself to look in the mirror. He was mortified with the developments. May it be with the family orpany.


    Yet, to save thepany from falling into foreigner''s hands, Casper had no choice but to hand it to his rival, his second son, Alvin Matthews by making Zane Owen his sessor on the papers.


    Now, Alvin couldn''t sell thepany shares or watch it being destroyed after the current news. This was the only way he could keep what belonged to the Matthews.


    Was he proud of his n? or happy with it?


    Absolutely not. But it was the only choice left for him to keep the Matthews name in the industries.


    Uneasiness continued to intensify as neither Skrk nor Alvin gave any statement. Hiswyer wasn''t able to reach Alvin. Sitting on the luxurious, he looked haggard and lost instead of the owner of the ce.


    However, unintentionally his actions had lit the fire somewhere else.


    –––––––


    At Oasis Mansion,


    In the study room, Alvin decided to lend his person to ric De Michèle after hearing about the crisis. No, it wasn''t a help or favor. It was going to be a pure business deal.


    Rob handed two copies of the agreement in a file to Alvin who went through it once before dropping the file in front of ric.


    ric''s eyes narrowed at a use that had quoted arge number in case he refuses to do or fails to do the work Alvin put forward in the future.


    The problem wasn''t the quoted number because loyalty was priceless. The problem was the words after it. The work could be legal or illegal.


    With the trouble growing under his nose, ric was itching to shred those people who were nning to stab him in the back. He wasn''t any virtuous man but he wasn''t sure how clean Alvin was as his primary business was overseas.


    Alvin might ask him something extremely dangerous. Thus ric made up his mind that he will pay him the money if such timees. He scribbled his signature hiding his amazement.


    He was impressed Alvin trusts his men so much he was ready to give him the same hundreds of millions if his men turned out to be treacherous.


    Most of Alvin''s men were in different countries, busy with their job. In Narnia, Rob was out of consideration, Ean was out of the question, and hispany management team shouldn''t be disturbed by another person. Thus the one Alvin chose was Mark, his secondhand man.


    ric did doubt Mark who had taken the little boy out to y. Nevertheless, Alvin wouldn''t leave his son with just anybody.


    Mark hated ric. Thetter could see on Mark''s face and sense that in the air. Nevertheless, Mark epted to go after knowing it was a matter of six months utmost and that he could be of some help to Alvin.


    ….


    Even after hearing Mark will reach APEX or ric''s residence by the end of the day, ric made himselffortable in the study room by saying he will wait until Mark handovers his tasks. Hepletely ignored Alvin and Rob''s gaze and checked out the artifacts in the room.


    Rob and Alvin couldn''t believe, ric waszily wasting his time when his own people were nning against him and hispany. Well, they focused on their work.


    …


    It was closer to lunchtime when there were faint knocks on the door. Alvin lifted his gaze from theptop and caught his little enemy peeking through the gap of the double door, reminding him of the pending teaching session.


    Zane, who didn''t get a glimpse of the burly man asked Alvin with a hint of anticipation, "Chipmunk Monster, if you are free, could you have lunch with us?" Us - Catalina, Dennis and him.


    ric: "..."


    Little Donut and Chipmunk Monster?


    What in the world are these nicknames?


    ''Sunshine!!'' ric felt a cold run down his spine when a nickname shed in his mind recalling a certain someone smiling brightly in a yellow sundress.


    He was there to cool the brewing storm in his mind but these people were corrupting his brain. He brushed past the little man, out of the study room.


    Zane: "…"


    Zane stumbled on his feet and watched the big man take a few strides and disappear from the first floor. ''Strange man.''


    …


    Nevertheless, father and son found ric sitting at the dining table, making himself home, introducing himself as Alvin''s friend like a gentleman which he wasn''t.


    Alvin: "…"


    He was d Ean didn''t hear that. Ean would have blown up at those words. Anyway, Alvin ignored ric to keep the lunch peaceful.


    Alvin broke the pleasant silence of the couple who were warmly taking care of each other and Zane, "Dad, why don''t you stay over till National''s Day?"


    Krystle and Linus were too busy to even breathe so her evening n was canceled. Hence Dennis and Catalina were nning to leave after lunch.


    ric continued as if it was the most natural thing to do, "He is right. Mr. Owen, your daughter is getting an award. You should be with her to celebrate her sess." He was respectful but there was stiffness in his tone as though he was forcing himself to do it.


    But why?


    For the rest of the time, Alvin didn''t have to utter a word. ric eased up, convinced Catalina and Dennis smoothly, and invited himself to the after-party.


    Alvin: "…"


    Catalina and Dennis looked like innocentmbs talking with ric as though talking with his son''s best friend - Cordial, warm, and weing.


    Alvin stayed quiet. He knew what ric was going through and guessed what he was up to. He had only one word for ric - strong-minded. If somebody else were in his ce, they would have freaked out.


    He was sipping water after lunch when his mobile beeped. He pulled his mobile out of his pocket and clicked on the message.


    Suddenly his pullover felt too warm looking at Anya unting her sweat and drool-worthy abs by tugging her pants with a thumb after an intense gym session.


    She undoubtedly had amazing curves after toning every inch of her body for years. Looking at her parted lips, barely showing her face in the picture, Alvin recalled every man who works in her team.


    Alvin: Little Donut, who was there in the gym with you?


    Anya: A man?


    Alvin: Tell me. Should I gauge his eyes out or spank you raw tonight?


    If he knew she was going there and working out, he would have cut some ck in the morning, and let her work out in the home gym. Ugh, this woman is driving him crazy.


    Anya: Dirty old man, get on your knees tonight if you don''t want to be celibate for the rest of your life.


    Celibacy with her next to him? Alvin''s lips slyly arced up. He should creatively punish this woman.


    Before he coulde up with a n, a growl sounded from the hallway of the mansion. "Alvin Matthews, you f**king bastard. Come out."


    Alvin and Owen''s couple''s expressions were distorted darkly. Zane was curious to learn the new f-word but pursed his lips hearing ''bastard'' for his father.


    Whereas ric looked entertained because nobody could enter the Oasis estate without permission. Yet one had managed to enter and hurl at Alvin.