THE BILLIONAIRE'S CRYBABY
Chapter 95: DAMAGE CONTROL

Chapter 95: DAMAGE CONTROL

"What do we do now?" Landon asked his friend, after several seconds of utter silence.

"Drive me home. I need my work laptop to start a conference call," he said with hooded eyes, as if he was deep in thought.

"Bet."

Landon silently kick-started the car, and drove towards the next turn to return to Ace’s house.

As he drove, Ace distracted himself with his phone. Messages upon messages popped on his screen. Both from the press and investors.

"Damn you, Celine!" He thought in his head.

She had drawn the first, second, and third blood, yet he was still trying to play fair.

He only hoped he wouldn’t be accused of doing too much the moment he decided to really go in.

Via his phone, he began to draft an email when a call from Grant came.

"Where the fuck have you been? Didn’t you see the news?" He raised his voice a little at his personal assistant.

It was irritating to say the least that Landon had to be the one to divulge this message. Not when he had a personal assistant who should be on top matters like this.

"I did try to call sir, but your number wasn’t going through. I even dropped a message. I’m so sorry. I’ve been working on it though. I sent out emails, and even scheduled a meeting for you with our top investor in Japan. After my research, I feel he’s the only one you really need to help convince otherwise. The other investors believe in him," he said.

"The investor in Japan? Is he not compromised?" He asked, his voice lowered a little.

From the corner of his eyes, Landon spared him a brief look. In his head, he was already calculating everything he knew about Mr Kim. He was an honest man as far as he knew, but even honest people were not above being manipulated by Celine Atticus.

"I don’t think so. Mostly because she doesn’t know of his influence on other investors yet. I myself just found out about it. If you speak to him quickly, and convince him, I don’t think you have anything to worry about. I’ll handle the media aspect," Grant said confidently.

"What are your plans on the media aspect? I don’t appreciate my face being littered about."

"We’re already working on taking it down. In the next hour, it should be done. I’ve called the media house regulating the billboard ads. They’re proving a bit stubborn, but I—"

"Email me their physical and digital address. After that, you tell them to choose between getting a call from you, or from me."

He ended the call and turned to Landon. "How long till we get to the house?"

"In about," he took a turn, and smiled. "Now," he said, stopping at the gate.

Ace’s gaze narrowed. "I didn’t know there was a shortcut," he said, just as the gate opened, and Landon drove in.

He stopped the car, and they alighted.

Ace wasted no time in dashing into the house. Taking the stairs two at a time, he rushed upstairs, and then went straight to his home office.

He pushed the door open, and went straight to his work desk.

As he sat, his hand was already opening his laptop.

The first thing he saw was the meeting prompt Grant sent him.

There were also the details he specifically asked for.

"Hey Lan," he called without looking up, as he sensed the exact moment his best friend worked into the room. "I’ve just forwarded you the details of the media house. If Grant is not successful in the next thirty minutes, I need you to give them a call."

"On it," he said, taking a seat.

He had just his phone with him, but he didn’t mind using it as a weapon. In the great war of defeating Celine Atticus, he would always be at the forefront, right beside his best friend.

Ace took a brief second to stare at his reflection through his screen. Save for a few disgruntled pieces of hair he easily pushed into place with his hand, he was fine, and good to go.

He placed the call to Mr Kim. On the first ring, the finance guru picked up.

Ace’s lashes flickered discreetly when instead of an office room, he was looking directly at a hotel room.

Mr Kim suddenly appeared in a towel wrapped around his waist, a girl in his hand.

"Ace!" He called in his usual chirpy voice. "You’ve been a bad boy!" He said in his Japanese accent that was slightly mixed with some English accent.

"So they said," he said, getting over the initial shock of seeing the man who had made more money that most men could ever dream of, casually sitting at the foot of his bed, while a girl stroked his hair. "But you surely don’t believe that, do you? It’s propaganda."

"How would I know?" He laughed.

Ace took a deep breath. He had to find a way to convince Mr Kim. Trouble with Mr Kim was you really couldn’t read the man. He may be smiling, whilst harboring the most sinister of hate in his heart for you.

"You wouldn’t, but for the past three years, you’ve taken my word for what it is. And you’ve made profits from my company. I believe we have that kind of relationship. I wouldn’t be calling you right now, if I knew you wouldn’t back me up."

"You could just say you’ve messed up but you don’t want to look bad in the eyes of the other investors, so you need my help. There’s no need to whitewash your sin’s. The christian leader once asked those who had not sin to cast the first stone, didn’t he?" He asked, and right in his face, fondled the girls breast

She giggled, and placed a kiss on his cheeks.

Ace was impressed at how he managed to keep a steady head despite being smooched by a goddess. He was also intrigued at how much he knew about Jesus when he considered himself an atheist.

The irony of following that line by fondling his mistress breast was definitely something.

"I would agree with you if I had actually messed up. Whatever that guy saw, he deserved it."

Landon looked up at Ace. He knew his friend was crazy, but there were times he needed him to tone it down.

He simply couldn’t tell the investor he was trying to retain, that the man he beat deserved to get beat. At least, he had to act like he was remorseful.

"Ace!" He called in a low voice to get his attention.

Ace rolled his eyes and ignored him. He knew he was trying to caution him, but he wasn’t hearing any of that.

Suddenly, Mr Kim began to laugh. He laughed so hard, he had to hold on to the girl as an anchor.

"You are the funniest out of all the Americans I’ve worked with, Ace. And very honest. Tell me, why did you beat the shit out of your uncle? I know it’s your uncle because your Aunt made sure to let me know in the email she dropped me."

His eyes darkened, and he hissed through his teeth. "Aunt Celine already contacted you?" He asked in an icy voice.

"Settle down, big man," he gestured with his hand. "She did contact me, but I paid her no mind. I figured it’s a power tussle going on. Anyway, you’re the one I work with. You’re the one I recognize as the president of Spades. I like your work, so I’m willing to give you the benefit of doubt. But first, what did your uncle do to warrant such a battery?"

Ace took a deep breath, and relaxed his shoulders. He had to remind himself, Mr Kim wasn’t judging him. Going by what he had divulged, he was really interested in knowing what transpired between him and his grandmother’s last child.

"He tried to assault my wife. He was chasing her around like a predator. I stumbled on them right on time, and overheard him say the nastiest word to her."

The smile on Kim’s face instantly disappeared. "I don’t condone that. Man should love woman, and woman should love man, willingly. You force as a man, that makes you a weak man. You did well, Ace. I’m proud you fight for your wife. Because of that, I will help you. Don’t worry about the other investors. Let Kim handle it," he said, his English more broken than usual.

That settled Ace’s mind. He knew he had nothing to worry about now. Once more, Celine Atticus had failed.

"Thank you, Mr Kim."

"Can I see this wife of yours? She must be gorgeous to have you ready to risk everything for her. Maybe it would inspire me to become more faithful? But you know my wife. If I decide to become more loyal, she gets irritated. Women? We can never understand them." He shook his head, as his mistress placed her head on his shoulders.

"Whenever you come, you’ll meet her. And you’re right, she’s absolutely gorgeous."

"I knew it!" He stamped his feet happily, and ended the call.

Ace chuckled, as the screen faded into blackness.