THE BILLIONAIRE'S CRYBABY
Chapter 165: WAR OF WORDS

Chapter 165: WAR OF WORDS

Ace walked into Spades after spending the entire weekend at the lake house.

The moment he stepped into the lobby, his phone rang. His eyes went to the screen, and a crease formed on his head when he saw it was Reign calling for the hundredth time.

He was starting to accept the fact she was pregnant for him. After he discovered Fay’s treachery, he decided the devil you knew was better.

That didn’t stop him from wanting to keep her at arm’s length. It didn’t also mean he could magically go back to the way things were between them before the fall out.

"Good morning, Mr Ace. Looking good as always," Landon’s secretary stopped before him, a smile on her dimpled face.

For a brief second there, Fay’s cheeks flashed before his eyes. She had dimples too. On both sides. They were very deep and pretty.

He shook his head out of the haunting thought that was Fay, and returned the secretary’s greeting with a nod of his head.

And that was how the rest of his walk from the lobby to his personal elevator went. The greetings from all corners, which he simply answered with a nod of his head.

It wasn’t lost on him Grant had not come to welcome him in. A ritual they had started since he began working for him. All of a sudden, there was no trace of him.

Landon had gone in earlier because he had a meeting. Thankful to him, Ace was wearing a well ironed suit.

Just as his elevator was about to close, someone slid into it.

He lifted his head, and the sinister smile of Celine Atticus trickled into his vision.

"What do you think you’re doing?" He asked as the elevator closed.

"Going up? I can’t access mine. Engineering said they’re working on it. And you?"

"And me what?" He rolled his eyes.

"Why do you look so—disgruntled?" She settled for a less harsher word than what was in her mind.

"None of your business. And the next time your elevator has problems, use the general one. I don’t want you infecting my private space with the disease that is you."

The door opened, and he stepped out immediately.

"Someone is testy this morning."

He heard her footsteps behind him, and his frown deepened.

She was trying to get a rise out of him. Perhaps, this was the day she would truly succeed.

"I heard you and your wife are currently not on speaking terms. But whether this pleasant news is because of your baby mama or your wife, remains a mystery." She fired on, because she knew she had all the ammunition in the world now.

"Hey, why don’t you grab a mic while you’re at it? I’m sure any moment from now, my business would be all over the news. You’ve never been the type to know how to shut up," he said behind his shoulders, as he kept walking.

"Well if you controlled your business more, maybe you wouldn’t be afraid of it getting out," she cackled.

He came to an abrupt stop, and turned. She missed running into him by a slight margin, and froze on the spot.

"Why did you stop without a warning?" She scolded him.

"I spoke to your husband last night."

Her eyes widened. "What for?"

"I was curious. Growing up, I always wondered how someone as calm as he was could put up with someone like you. The day he filed for that divorce you’ve still refused to sign, was one of the best days of my life. I called because I suddenly had all these bright ideas on how he could actually get you to sign the damn papers. Isn’t it amazing the kind of inspiration you get when your own personal life is shit, and you need someone else, preferably an enemy to feel the same way you feel?" his eyes twinkled with mischief as he stared down on her.

She took a challenging step forward, and stopped.

"Don’t you dare think for one second I won’t hit ten times harder if you meddle with my marriage. I will come at you so hard, you’ll need clutches to walk for the rest of your miserable life."

He chortled mockingly, his shoulders shrugging as he did.

"Oh dear Celine. You talk one hell of a game for someone who is under the mercy of a marriage. I never really understood why you didn’t want to let go of him, when you don’t even love him. Turns out, I just wasn’t paying enough attention. Now I am. And the good thing is I actually happen to like your estranged husband. Tick tick, Celine. Tick tick."

"It’s Aunt Celine to you!" She called after him in rage. "And don’t you dare think for one second you can threaten me."

He chuckled loudly, getting her even more furious.

Walking into his office, he banged the door shut, so she could hear from the hallway where she stood, raging.

His secretary entered the office just as he took his seat.

"Where’s Grant?" He asked.

"He’s not too well. He forwarded a message to you about his ill health. Didn’t you see it?" She asked.

"Tell Grant I want to see him in my office before the close of the day. If he loves his job, he better be here, sickness be damned!"

The warning in his voice rang like an alarm bell in her ears. Swiftly, she bowed, and fled out of his office.

Ace settled into his seat, and began the onboarding process for the week.

He checked his schedule first, and took a deep breath when he saw his schedule for the next two weeks.

A dotted circle in particular caught his attention. He clicked on it, and discovered it was a reminder of the Atticus party that was to be held soon.

Grabbing a pen from the desk, he began to physically map out his own calendar.

In this digital age, he still loved to do things manually. When he made plans with his hands, it was easier to memorise them.

He was still in the process when the door opened, and he felt Landon’s presence.

"How was the meeting?" He asked without looking up.

Landon fell on the couch, and reclined his back into it.

"Why are the Russians so strict when it comes to business?" He asked.

"Because they have value for their time and money?"

"Good observation. Anyway, they want to speak with you before they decide if it’s a deal worth closing or not. When will you be free to speak to them?"

He crossed out the event he had put for the next two days on his paper, and replaced it with a meeting with the Russians.

"How does two days sound?"

"Excellent. Now, to something more interesting. Why did I see Aunt Celine fuming when she walked past me? She didn’t even wave back when I waved at her." He asked with a knowing smile dancing on his face.

"She tried to intimidate me this morning. I wasn’t having it."

"More of that please. Focus your negative energy on her, and not on people who are actually good."

He paused his pen long enough to look up. "You promised you weren’t going to bring her up anymore."

"You said you were going to have a talk with the matriarch before you conclude on what to do next. Until you do that, I think I can bring anyone up. Besides, I wasn’t outright with it. There’s a reason you hear good, and think about her."

"Damn it, Lan! Why can’t you just be supportive? Do you know Grant didn’t even come into the office today? What does that tell you?"

"That he’s actually sick? Your secretary told me."

"Just because he said so, doesn’t make it true. Can you just be real for once?" He argued in frustration.

"Okay, that’s enough. I think we’re not going to see eye to eye on this subject," he said, rising to his feet. "The best I can do is leave, so we don’t have to argue."

"I never said you should."

"Well I want to. I’ll see you later, bro."

Ace held back his tongue. He didn’t want to be alone, but he would rather die than tell Landon to stay back.

Landon made to open the door when it pushed open, and the sound of a cane beating the ground echoed around the room.

"Granny!" He called, and hugged her.

As they separated, Landon was met with a scowl.

"Young man, is this your office?" She asked.

"Yep, that’s my cue to leave. Stop by before you leave?" He raised a brow.

"You know I will."

She laughed when he pinched her cheeks before walking out of the room.

"Grandma," Ace called, rising to his feet in acknowledgement of her presence.

"Sit," she said. "We have a lot to discuss."

"Alright. Let’s discuss," he replied.