THE BILLIONAIRE'S CRYBABY
Chapter 138: PARANOIA

Chapter 138: PARANOIA

"Okay, you need to relax and tell me exactly what happened," Landon said as his eyes followed Ace who was pacing back and forth.

"I stumbled on a headline, man. A picture of her and Xylon Bass standing side by side. Her face didn’t show, but even Grant confirmed it’s her."

"Grant? What does—"

"Focus on what I just told you, and discard Grant. Do you not understand that Fay was standing besides Xylon Bass? It’s Xylon freaking Bass?!"

"And you’re Ace Atticus. I don’t see why you’re worried. Maybe it was a chance encounter. There could be various factors involved."

He paused, and narrowed his gaze at him. "Are you not the least bit curious why she was with him?"

"I am, but acting out wouldn’t answer anyone’s question. You have to be calm enough to talk to her, because that’s exactly what you’re going to do."

"No!" He said in a strong voice, and resumed walking. "I’d rather talk to Cam. I saw him in the frame too. I think he’s the one who drove her out, because I also saw my car."

"Or maybe you could ask your wife, and move closer to closing the gap between you two? Think about it."

"There’s nothing to think about, Landon. I’m too pissed to talk to her about seeing her standing beside another man. She’ll think it’s me trying to accuse her again, and draw further away from me."

"But isn’t that what you’re doing? You’ve not even heard what happened, and you’re already acting this way. You’re acting like someone who is obsessed," his lips pursed, as his eyes squinted on him. "What exactly do you feel towards Fay? You’re unusually possessive. You’re worried she won’t talk to you. Do you see where I’m going with this?"

He scoffed. "You better make a U-turn this instant, and stand up. We’re leaving."

"Leaving?" He asked, already rising to his feet.

Ace walked over to his table, and briefly glanced around. There was the document his Aunt Celine had dropped. A document he absolutely won’t be checking with the state of his mind.

Tossing it into his briefcase, he walked around and turned off his computer system.

The laptop went into its bag next, and then he dialled Grant.

"Come fetch my things, I’m leaving," he said, and hung up in less than a minute.

Raising his head, he found Landon staring at him quizzically.

"You’re the one who brought me into the office, you’re taking me out," he said.

"I understand that part, but where are we going? And please don’t say to go confront Xylon Bass. I don’t know what has possessed you, but you need to nip it in the bud."

"Shut up Lan." He rolled his eyes, and walked out of his desk.

Just as he made it to the centre of the room, the door opened, and Grant ran in.

"Take them straight home. Tell Marilyn or whoever you meet to allow you into my home office. And for your sake Grant, I don’t want to be missing any document when I eventually get to it."

"Yes sir."

He stepped out, and Landon hurried his steps so he could walk beside him.

"You’re acting like a junkie."

"Why? Because I don’t want predatory men like Xylon standing next to Fay? You know how innocent she is."

"Yeah right. This is totally about her being innocent. It has nothing to do with your obsession over her. And do you also realise that there are certain people who could consider you predatory towards the women you’ve been with before?"

"Me?" He snickered as the elevator doors opened, and they stepped in. "I’ve never been the one to act a fool over a woman. You of all people know half of the women I’ve been with wanted me first. What the hell are you talking about?"

"I’m talking about the fact you have more experience than Fay. Isn’t that the same thing you meant when you talked about Xylon Bass and his predatory ways?" He air quoted for maximum effect.

Ace whistled out a long hiss. The elevator doors opened, and he stepped out of it.

"Bottom line is, I’m better than Xylon Bass."

"In general, or for Fay?"

"Read whatever meaning you care to read. I don’t care."

"Well you cared enough to break your alcohol fast," he muttered under his breath.

Ace pretended not to hear him. Largely because he was being truthful. He knew he was acting crazy, but he couldn’t help it.

It was one thing to be weary about Alexander, but doctor that he was, he was no billionaire. Xylon was his equal in many ways. Things were not good between him and Fay. Any slip up, and she could be in another man’s hands.

"Goodbye, sir Ace—"

Those were the only words from the staff in the lobby that managed to drift into his ears, because he was too occupied with his thoughts to pay any attention to them.

"Everyone’s so happy today. Do you think they know about the bonus?" Landon cheesed excitedly at the salutations they received.

When Ace didn’t respond, he sighed. He was too deep in his thoughts to notice what was happening around him.

He tried to put himself in his shoes, and grew annoyed. If he had a woman like Fay, he would also be afraid of losing her to another man.

She was one of a kind. A rarity in this messed up world. If the world was fair, best friend or not, Ace wouldn’t be deserving of her.

Out of all the men that had shown interest, for him, Alexander was the one that would be his preferred candidate for Fay.

They had similar characters. He was also from a world where saving lives was paramount.

Meanwhile, in their own world, the money they made could sometimes be considered blood money. You had to sometimes do morally wrong things to accumulate that much wealth, and actually preserve it.

Despite his reservations, he had seen the way Fay looked at his best friend. It was more likely he would emerge victorious if only he could drop his pride, and pursue her as his love interest. Because deny it or not, he could sense Ace was already falling in love with Fay.

"Where did you park your car?" Ace asked through his teeth, as his feet tapped against the ground, whilst his head looked around in search of the convertible.

Landon shook his head at his sheer impatience. Pushing his hand into his pockets, he pulled out his remote key, and pressed a button.

The car started to buzz, and before he could take a step forward, Ace was way ahead of him.

"Why did you park in the general parking lot again?" he asked, sliding into the car.

"Maybe because you were in a hurry and said, park anywhere, Lan?" He mimicked his voice.

"I don’t sound like that," he snorted and rolled his eyes.

"I’m not Xylon Bass. Don’t roll your eyes at me."

"Don’t mention that name in my ears."

"Don’t mention that name in my ears," Landon mimicked under his breath, as he glided in, and started the car.

"For the last time, where are we headed?" He asked out loud.

"To pick out a gift for Sophie."

Landon, taken aback by that response, smiled. "Really? I thought you were going to brainstorm a way to destroy or at least embarrass Xylon."

"Oh, all of that is going to come later. For now, I have to calm myself by thinking about a child and her birthday. How low I have come," he mumbled, and shook his head.

Landon chuckled. "A beautiful woman would do that to you, my friend."

Ace sighed. He couldn’t even throw in a retort because he was right. She got even more beautiful daily. It didn’t help his starving heart that the last time he saw her was a week ago.

That day had been horrible too. He wished he could erase their argument from his mind. She acted like she was done with him. Not even his kiss could get through to her.

He couldn’t deny how much fear that caused him. If he ever lost the connection he had with Fay, it would be detrimental to his health.

"Should we do that big kiddies store at walker street?"

"Isn’t that the one we got gifts for Martin’s daughter?"

"Yep, that one. Man, Martin has a whole three year old. What are we doing man," Landon soliloquized.

If only he knew his statement had made an image form in Ace’s mind. An image of a pregnant Fay.

His heart jumped at that thought, and he threw his head back in frustration.

"What is it now, man?"

"Less talk of babies, or women please."

"But we’re going to a kiddies store."

"I dont care!"

"You know you’re being a little too touchy today. You may want to calm down!".

"Whatever man, whatever."

The car came to a rough stop. He was about to speak when he lifted his head, and locked eyes with Landon.

"Look," he pointed.

He followed the direction of his eyes, and there Fay was, going into a store. He looked up, and discovered it was a kid store.

"I guess we’ve found where to buy a gift."