THE BILLIONAIRE'S CRYBABY
Chapter 41: FAST AND FURIOUS

Chapter 41: FAST AND FURIOUS

"Married? What are you talking about?" Landon laughed nervously. "Ace is not married." He scoffed, and waved a dismissive finger.

"But it says right here that his wife is currently in the hospital. There’s a picture of him coming out of an ambulance, alongside a woman being carried into the hospital, on a stretcher."

"What? Let me see that." Landon snatched the phone out of his hands, and read the headlines.

Ace, getting over his initial shock, flicked his phone out of his pocket, and began to scroll through it.

Everyone’s phone was out now. Sounds of notifications filled the tensed air, as they all hurried to go through the breaking news.

"Ace?" Landon walked over to him. "What’s going on?" He asked, showing him the news on Manny’s phone.

He stopped scrolling for a few seconds, and looked at him. "We have a few things to discuss."

Landon didn’t need to hear anything else. Moving forward, he handed the phone back to Manny, and went back to the table to gather both his files, and Ace’s, shoving them into the briefcase.

"Ace?" Lynette called. "Is there something you need to tell us?" She asked calmly.

"Only that this meeting has been indefinitely postponed," he said, and turned around.

"You can’t just dismiss us like this. You of all people know it’s against the rules," Tyler’s words stopped him before he could move a foot forward.

"Who’s going to stop me?" He asked, without turning around.

"How about this? If you move an inch out of this room, we’ll be filing a petition against you. It’ll mean you’re not fit to handle this company under pressure," he threatened.

"Come off it, Tyler! It’s not gotten to that point," Lynette instantly scolded him.

"But I agree with Tyler. You can’t just call for a meeting, come in late, and then leave without any explanations. We deserve to know if there’s an internal crisis that may affect the company. I don’t want to lose money because of other people’s problems," Theresa, who was usually more understanding, said, to everyone’s surprise.

"Now you’re taking Tyler’s side?" Lynnette snorted. "Did Celine get to you too?"

"And why’s my name being mentioned by the likes of you?" The door suddenly opened, and Celine Atticus walked into the boardroom.

Ace’s hands went into his pocket, as they folded into fists. He took deep short breaths, to calm himself, and not openly project just how ticked off he was by the whole situation, and most especially, his aunt’s unwanted presence.

"You finally decided to show your face? How generous of you," she said sarcastically.

"I did. Now you can say all the vile things you’ve said about me behind my back, to my face."

"Me?" She laughed. "I’d never say anything I can’t say in your face, behind you. Not everyone kisses your ass, Celine Atticus," she fired back.

Landon cleared his throat before things could get too messy. "Ladies, please. Let’s not argue. I think we can all agree we have many important things to discuss."

"Like what?" Tyler countered argumentatively. "She’s brought up Celine’s name a lot. Now is the time to back up her words."

Ace’s brow suddenly snapped when his mind went to Fay. If his aunt was behind the headlines which he was a hundred percent sure she was, then there was every probability she had stopped by the hospital.

He hurried forward, determined to go to the hospital. But just as he walked past his Aunt who was just a few paces past the door, she reached out a hand, and stopped him.

"Where do you think you’re going? We’re not done with the meeting, are we?"

His eyes came down to where she held onto him. "Let go," he gently said.

"Or what? You’d hit me like you did the other day? Or like you did to your wife, and that’s why she’s fighting for her life in the hospital?"

Ace froze at the accusations, whilst everyone else gasped.

"You take that back, right this second, Celine! Ace would never hit any woman!" Lynette, quickly recovering from her initial shock, demanded.

"And who are you to tell me to take back the truth?"

"Yeah Celine, that’s a very strong accusation to make without any evidence," Manny said.

"Who said there isn’t any evidence?" She smiled sinisterly.

"If there is, show us. I know you’re not the kind of woman to throw out petty lies." Tyler mirrored her smile.

"I don’t need to show anything. His wife confirmed it from her own mouth."

Ace, jerking from his frozen state, slowly raised his head to her. "What’d you just say?" He asked in a cold, icy whisper, that would send a lesser man scurrying away. But Celine had anticipated it, and didn’t budge.

"You heard me, Ace. Your wife said you’re a monster, and that she can’t wait to be free from you. If you really think about it, that’s actually sad. You married a girl without informing the public or your family, on the same day your grandfather was being buried, by the priest officiating funeral proceedings. To what end? Just so you can beat the shit out of her, and send her to the arms of the grim—" he yanked his hands from hers, and walked out of the room.

Celine smiled victoriously, as his footsteps quickly faded away.

"Let’s see how you weasel your way out of this, Ace," she said in her heart.

"Excuse me,’ Landon said. Grabbing the briefcase. He was almost at the door when he remembered the laptop. He returned, grabbed it with his free hands, and fled out of the room.

Ace was almost at the elevator when he caught up to him.

"Ace, wait!" He screamed, following after him.

Ace neither slowed down, or stopped. In a feat of blind rage, all he wanted to do was get as far away from the company as possible.

The elevator slid open for him to go through. Luckily for Landon, he was able to glide in through the small space available, before it completely closed.

"What the heck, man!" He crouched, breathing heavily.

Ace didn’t respond. His mind was on Fay. Redhead Fay. The kindest eyes, and a mouth that liked to yap. She wouldn’t say those things about him, would she? Celine had to be lying. It didn’t just seem possible..

"Hey!" Landon brushed a hand against his shoulders.

"What!" He hissed, just as the elevator opened, and they stepped out of it.

Everyone’s eyes turned to him as he stepped into the lobby. He caught a few glances, but they were not one of adoration. Not like he usually received. They were curious glances. The news had gone round, and everyone wanted to know who Ace Atticus’ wife was, and why the hell she was currently in a hospital.

To his relief, no one said a word, not even Landon, until he was out of the lobby, and into the scorching sun.

"Could you just stop for a minute, and tell me what is happening?" Landon called after him.

He didn’t respond, instead, he retrieved the car keys from his pocket, and opened the doors.

Landon sighed, opening the passenger’s seat.

As Ace moved the car forward, he dropped the things he was holding at the backseat, and properly turned to him.

"What’s going on, Ace?" He asked for the upteenth time.

"You saw, and heard from Celine. I don’t know why you’re still trying to hear from me."

"Stop the bullshit man. You’re my best friend!"

"When you called this morning to say you were coming in today, what did I tell you?"

"You said to call my guys working under Tyler to see if they have any plans to sabotage the meeting."

"Why’d you think I asked a thing like that?"

"I don’t know? Cus Celine always has something brewing, and Tyler kisses her ass, so he’d know?"

"Landon? Celine’s not just trying to take me out of the family. She’s actively seeking to ruin my image in public. Domestic violence?" He laughed, but it was without humor. "And there’s my lovely wife, who I thought was innocent. I wonder how much Celine offered her to go against me."

"Wait a second Ace," he shook his head like he was going crazy. "You’re really married? Like that’s not part of Celine’s plot?"

"Unfortunately, no. I did get married."

"Not to Reign, I’m assuming?"

He frowned. "Reign? Nah, never. But in hindsight, she may have been a much better option. At least, she doesn’t kiss Celines ass."

"So you really believe this woman you married would betray you?"

"I don’t know man, but I will find out."

Landon whistled. "Here I was, thinking everything was fine back home. Didn’t know I’d come back and meet this mess."

"You’ve not seen anything yet. This is just the beginning."

"Do you think it’s logical to go to the hospital? I bet it’s filled with the press, just waiting to pester you."

"I don’t care," he said, as he turned the car, and drove into the street of the hospital.

"Like I said, the press."

He pointed at the journalists in front of them, who were trying to get into the hospital, amidst the cops driving them away.

"What are you going to do? The second they spot your car, you’ll be surrounded."

"Let’s see just how brave they are to try and stop me from going in." With a monstrous look in his eyes, and a seething face, he shifted gears to the highest, and sped forward.

When the journalists heard the screeching sound of a car approaching, they all turned their heads.

"It’s Ace!" Someone screamed.

"Get out of the way!" Another screamed, when they realized he had no plan of slowing down.