Chapter 66: There’s Someone Else After Us

Roman’s pov

"Mr. Knight! Mr. Knight, is it true? Is the rumor about you and your brothers true?"

The cacophony of noisy reporters outside was like a relentless, pounding headache, and even though we were in a conference room on the fifteenth floor of Knight Industries, I could still see them swarming outside the gates under the scorching Wisteria sun.

Across from us, Sheikh Al-Jamal, a global Arab client we had been working on securing, was staring through the glass at the reporters as well before raising both eyebrows at me and G sitting before him.

"Is it true? Is the rumor about you and your brothers... sharing a woman... true?"

G’s face was blank as always; his blue eyes fixed on the Sheikh. "Our personal lives are entirely separate from the integrity of Knight Industries,"

"It is not always that way, Mr. Knight," the Sheikh countered, leaning forward.

"And you know it. Reputation is a currency. And right now, yours is looking rather- what is the word for it? Ah yes...devalued. I must say, I am not impressed. Perhaps I should have listened to Gregory Callaway when he reached out to me last week."

Callaway?

Really? Had Greg tried to poach this client too? He wasn’t much of a rival; his value was nowhere compared to ours.

He was more like a parasite. Always copying our ideas, always trying to be Knight Industries. There were several rivals of our business, but little Greg did not count for one.

Why would he contact the Sheikh? For a client of this magnitude to even consider him... it was insulting.

My phone was lying face up on my thigh, against the beige pants I had on. Its screen lit up with the headline I sent to Kai, who was currently on the line. The headline had been released a few moments before the Sheikh arrived at the company.

Wisteria Chronicle: KNIGHTS OF THE BEDROOM? INSIDERS CLAIM ELIGIBLE BILLIONAIRE BROTHERS SHARE A SINGLE MYSTERY WOMAN.

You would think everyone would learn to mind their business. So, what if we did? How was that anyone’s concern? Was Vivi seeing this news as well?

I hoped not. We just managed to keep her from bolting; I didn’t want her running off on me... well, at least I was done with her. I needed that smile, over and over. The way her eyes brightened when she did.

She shouldn’t be living in a place like that ratty, scary neighborhood, but she was stubborn. If she would not accept my offer of an apartment, then I would have to find another way to get her a better place.

"Sheikh," G tried to steer the conversation back. "Our risk assessment models are years ahead of the competition. We will be developing the Pandora- "

"Pandora estate? Yeah, Callaway told me you would say that, and it wouldn’t be wise to invest my billions in a place that is still under scrutiny by the government."

"Scrutiny?" I chuckled, leaning back, forcing my body to remain calm even though I wanted to storm the hell out of here. This was why I left negotiating with Gideon and Kai. "We were cleared by the government two years ago, before Callaway could even dream of having a project like ours."

"That’s not what the report he sent to me says."

I felt a muscle in my jaw twitch. Gideon’s posture remained unchanged, but his eyes met mine, and I could practically hear him telling me to calm down.

"You can make your findings, Sheikh. I hope you reach a favorable conclusion based on our business past together, not some flimsy rumor concocted to defame us."

"Perhaps," the Sheikh said, rising to his feet. "I am not convinced I want to partner with a company that is quite complicated, but we will be in touch."

The door clicked shut, and my hand, which had been resting on my thigh, slowly curled into a fist. I brought my other hand up, my thumb and index finger rubbing circles at my temple. A dull throb was starting there.

"What does he mean our property is under scrutiny by the government?"

"I’ll call Milo over," G replied curtly. "Callaway must have fed him a bunch of lies."

"How did he even know about us wanting to develop the Pandora estate? It’s pretty much company secret."

"It’s not just that alone; that’s fishy. The scandal was just released twenty minutes ago," Kai’s voice crackled through the speaker.

"So how were reporters already swarming the building when the Sheikh arrived? Unless they were tipped off about an hour ago, at least."

The throb in my temple intensified. "So, someone planned all this," I drawled, a mirthless laugh leaving my lips.

"This is Felix Kingsley’s way of clapping back because we poached his investors? Why are we delaying again? Let’s just put a bullet in his head and be done with it."

"We can’t," Gideon snapped, turning to face me, his sapphire eyes blazing. "We can’t end him until we find everyone, he worked with ten years ago. Everyone who helped him destroy our family. We make them all pay. It seems Callaway is also on that list now."

I was breathing heavily, trying to swallow down my rage, flashes of that night boiling and frothing over in my head like a volcano ready to erupt.

I needed to hit something. I needed to break something. I wanted blood.

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. Then Kai spoke, his voice devoid of its usual cockiness.

"I don’t think Felix is behind this. Felix has no protection or gains even from this. He has to know this would barely leave a mark on us. Callaway may not be working with him."

I stared at the phone, my anger momentarily frozen by his words.

"There’s also the fact that Callaway knew about our business plans," G added.

"And also seemed to have convinced the Sheikh that the government hasn’t approved of it."

"You thinking what I’m thinking?"

"There’s someone else after us."