~Rex’s POV~
I took a puff at my cigarette. I exhaled, letting the smoke out of my mouth. I tapped my foot rhythmically. I took out my phone out of the pocket. I pressed the on button and deactivated its screen time-out. What’s taking them so long?
I heard clacking of shoes and muffling ahead. It became louder as they came closer.
Finally! What was about time! Jason roughly forced the man to sit. He had a black bag over his head and probably a gag over his mouth. I tipped off the end of the cigarette and took a puff at it.
“Take it off him.” I said coldly.
Peter nodded and removed the bag. The man squinted his eyes. The tip of his hair dripped. The collar of his shirt was soaked with sweat. His face changed when he saw me. He froze with his eyes staring at me. He quivered in fear. I stood a little behind the light above us.
“Mr-Mr-North-man.” The Supervisor stammered.
I smiled slyly and took a puff at the cigarette. Seeing him afraid made me happy. One way to take my mind off that child Cupcake is carrying.
“We meet again, after a long time.” I said coldly.
I walked away from the light and slowly behind the chair. The Supervisor slowly broke into a sweat.
“Uh-yes. It is sure was a long time since we saw each other face-to-face.” He replied cowardly, mispronouncing most of the words.
I glanced at him as I was beside the chair. I took a puff at the cigarette and dropped it on the floor. I stepped on it and put it out.
“True. You were still in under someone. But after the promotion,” I said coolly, placing my hand on the ear of the chair,
“You suddenly thought you could control everyone. Even the company that puts food on your table.”
“N-no Sir!” He stammered.
I stayed mute and simply nodded. I adjusted the sleeves of my shirt.
“I discovered you embezzled some of the funds. You didn’t pay the workers and secretly vanished into thin air. No trace, no phone call. Almost like you had chosen a new identity.” I said plainly.
I crouched down and held onto the arm rail. He looked at me nervously. Something went down his throat.
“That’s not true. I did pay the workers. I only left because something I had an urgent matter to attend.” He said.
Even when caught red handed, he still knew how to deny it. I looked at him scornfully. He is certainly a two-faced theft. The worst have met. I stood on my feet.
“Peter,” I called him.
Peter knew why I had called and took a file from my briefcase. I stretched out my hand and collected it. I opened the file. I flashed him a glance and tossed it to him. He let it fall to the floor. He glanced at me, then the file.
“Pick it up.” I said firmly.
I backed him. I glanced at him over my shoulder. He had picked it up. His mouth opened in disbelief as he flipped through the pages. I turned round, with my handed in my pockets. He kept flipping through the file. What a hypocrite!
“Surprised?”
The Supervisor furrowed his brow at me. He flipped the page again until he realized he had reached the end.
“These, these are all—?” He muttered, still puzzled.
“Photoshopped and fake?” I asked ironically, narrowing my eyes at him.
The Supervisor raised his head and looked at me. I seethed, though controlling the rage I felt inside. No one steals from a Northman and live the same.
“Mr Northman, I have no knowledge of all these. There has to be a mistake somewhere.” He said quickly, looking at me frighteningly.
“Oh, there was a mistake. But that was on my part.” I said frigidly,
“You see, my father made a big mistake when he appointed you as the supervisor of his factory. The previous one did a great job. An excellent one at that. Even without supervision, you wouldn’t notice any damage. But in your case, the errors came in eight digits. Worst than the losses we made each month.”
“Sir, I—.” He replied cowardly.
I put out palm and faced it at him. He got the hint and stopped talking. I took a step forward.
“According to what I discovered and what I had shown you, you restricted the finance director of his position, transferred most of the money sent for maintenance to your account—the one without your real name—so that you wouldn’t get caught. Then you took control of the financial auditing. Though the modification was poorly done. They provided some invoices and receipts of machines and parts for replacement that you never bought. You basically paid the cashier to issue those counterfeit receipts.” I revealed, noting down each secret with details.
The Supervisor’s face turned pale. I’ve got him right where I wanted him.
“Oh, let’s not forget the property you bought with all the money you had embezzled. The yacht in Manhattan; the duplex in France, close to the beach; the expensive travelling and even that new car you are about buy. I did you a favour and cancelled the purchase. The salesperson didn’t consider but I left a considerable tip for him.” I mentioned, wearing a gleefully smile.
“Also, I learnt you tried to rip us off. It still amazes me on how you did tho’. You managed to get the documents for the factory, have it on auction to one of our competitors and disappear with the money.”
The Supervisor looked at me, stunned at the revelation. His mouth moved but nothing came out. Not even a peep.
“Thought I wouldn’t find out about this too?” I slung him off.
The Supervisor tried to stand but Peter pinned him to the chair. He glanced at him, trembling. He faced me.
“I don’t mean to. I was just in need of money badly.” The Supervisor admitted.
“No, that’s not a good reason. You were just greedy. That was it.” I pointed out, looking at him coldly.
I watched him as he slowly went on his knees.
“Please, forgive me. I didn’t mean to. Maybe you were right. I was greedy. I was carried away with the position. I let greed get the best of me.” He pleaded.
Finally! He admitted to his crime. What an idiot? I put my hand behind me and pulled out my gun. I pulled back the chamber and released it. I pointed it at him.
“Please! Pl-ease, d-on’t sh-oot me! Please, have mercy on me.” He begged.
“Mercy?” I scoffed. I sniggered at him,
“Maybe you should’ve thought of that before you decided to bite the hands that feed you.”
I crouched down, let the muzzle touch his forehead.
“Give me one reason why I shouldn’t kill you?” I asked plainly.
“Please, spare me. I have a wife with three children. My son recently got accepted to the university and my youngest is still in the hospital.” He pleaded.
“Hm! I’ve a wife too. And guess what? She is carrying my child. If I spare you and let you ruin my company, how am I going to take care of them?” I said frigidly.
The Supervisor stayed mute. He hung his head. I stared at blankly. He had began crying. He really shouldn’t be doing that. He—Ugh! I stood on my feet. I can’t enjoy the torture if he has surrendered. It literally takes the pleasure away. I raked my fingers through my hair. I put my gun away.
I looked at him plainly.
“Fine. I’ll spare your life.”
The Supervisor raised his head. His eyes were a little red from crying. He sniffed.
“You mean it?” He asked in disbelief.
I hummed.
“Oh, thank you! Thank—!” He said happily.
“That doesn’t mean I have let you gone off the hook. Every deed has its own reward. And in your case, it’s going to cost you a leg and an arm.” I said firmly.
The Supervisor wrinkled his forehead confusingly. If he thought I was going to let him go easy, he definitely dreaming.
“I don’t understand by that.” He said openly.
“You’re going to sell all the things you had bought with my money, tell your buyers you aren’t interested, have your resignation letter written and left on my desk in two days.” I demanded.
“That’s a short amount of—.” He said.
“Well, I don’t care how you meet up. I want everything done in 48hrs. Or else,” I said, wearing a mischievous grin,
“You will see your beloved family six below the Earth.”
The Supervisor trembled in fear.
“Understood?”
He nervously nodded.
~•~
I rang the doorbell and waited for someone to answer. I had let Jason and Peter drive the Supervisor back home. I guess he got another chance to live.
The door pulled open and Cameron stood behind it.
“Good evening, Boss!” He greeted.
I simply hummed and entered the house. He closed the door and followed me. Though at a distance. I had walked past the archway leading to the living room and caught a glimpse of something. I furrowed my brow confusingly and faced Cameron.
“Don’t tell me one of the maids fell asleep again while on working?” I asked him airily.
He shook his head. I placed my fingers on my temple and massaged them. Would it be a crime if a man comes home without problems. I exhaled and walked through the archway.
“What—?”
I saw who it was carefully. I rolled my eyes.
“Jacqueline.” I called her firmly.
Cupcake woke up sluggishly the moment she heard me. She rubbed her eyes tiredly and had her hand over her mouth as she yawned.
“You’re back.” She said softly.
“What are you doing here? Don’t you have a bed upstairs you couch sleep on?” I asked ironically.
“I—.”
“Or did that thing told you it wanted to sleep on the couch?” I scoffed.
“It’s not a thing. It’s your child.” She said wryly, with cracks in her voice.
“No, it’s not. Last time I remembered, I never asked for one.” I said firmly.
Cupcake’s eyes welled up with tears. It slowly ran down her cheek. Those tears of hers didn’t move me.
“Why are you this cruel? You’re completely punishing an innocent child who has nothing to do with this.” She said ruefully, in tears.
“Cruel?” I said hoarsely, walking towards her.
Cupcake walked backwards and landed her on bottom on the couch. She stared at me frighteningly.
“You really want to see how cruel I can be?” I threatened, sneering at her.
Cupcake stayed mute and didn’t say a word. She only cried.
“You should be grateful that I let you keep it. I wouldn’t have hesitated to pay them to take it out of you without your will.” I said bluntly.
Cupcake bit her lip nervously.
“You can do whatever you want but never involve me if it has anything to do with that child. Understood?” I said icily, in a low tone.
She looked away and replied in a nod. I grunted and stormed out of the room.