Chapter5. Bad Trick
1417 Words
From one of the managers at his company, James received an offer for a business partnership with an Indonesian businessman in Hong Kong, Jayden Lin. SJ Corporation is looking for partners to expand its electronics and gadget technology business in Asia. One of James' subsidiaries is indeed engaged in the same field, and working with SJ is the right choice.
From there, they met at a hotel in Singapore. Jayden looks like a kind and friendly businessman from Southeast Asia.
"My name is Jayden Lin."
"James Belgenza. Please have a seat!" James invited his new guest he had just met to talk a lot about their business and cooperation. Talking to Jayden was enjoyable for James. They were like an old friend who immediately fitted to each other.
James found that Jayden was a candidate for the famous Golden Dragon gangster leader until the second meeting. He became more interested in making friends with him.
"So you are the next supreme leader of the Golden Dragon?" James asked Jayden as they were sitting in a cafe in Singapore. Jayden laughed and shook his head.
"It's not official yet. I have to get such formal pointing from the Golden Dragon elders before officially becoming the leader. There will be an inauguration process, so I can't say I'm a leader yet." James nodded in understanding.
"Then when is the inauguration?" James asked.
"Next week." James chuckled and raised his cocktail glass.
"Congratulations to you!" Jayden returned the rise of the same glass but with a different beverage.
"May I know why the leader of the Golden Dragon doesn't drink alcohol? I think it's a little weird!" Jayden laughed and shook his head.
"I am a potential liver donor, James. I have to take care of my liver so that I can be a donor for surgery later," Jayden said with a smile. James was stunned and looked at Jayden, who smiled at him.
"Who will accept your donor?"
"My niece." James spontaneously nodded. He raised his glass once more.
"For your niece, salute!" said James giving his toast to Jayden, who chuckled at him.
"So, you've lived in Indonesia?" Jayden asked James back. James nodded and smiled.
"But your last name is not Indonesian." James lifted the corners of his lips and took a sip of his drink.
"That is the name of my adoptive father, Fabrizio Belgenza. I was taken from one of the orphanages and sold to him. He brought me to Italy by him," answered James and was given the nod by Jayden.
"Così puoi parlare italiano." (So then you can speak Italian) Jayden responded while drinking his coffee. James smiled.
"Così per dire," (kind of) answered James.
After meeting Jayden, James shortly returned to Italy. He will meet with Jayden again next week during his inauguration as leader of the Golden Dragon. In the private plane that brought James back, Earth Lewis poured Champagne for him.
"Thank you, Earth!" James thanked him as he watched the view outside his plane window. The atmosphere of the twilight will soon be replaced by the darkness of the night.
Earth, who had just sat down, suddenly got a call from one of the managers of James' casino in Naples. At first, Earth took the call and listened. And then his eyes fell on James, who was still looking out the window.
"How much is missing?"
"50,000 Euros, sir," replied the Manager.
"You mean he broke the machine?" asked Earth. James started to straighten his face glancing at Earth.
"That's right, sir. He installed a device to break the system on the slot machine. we checked, and the camera caught it."
"Did he have anything to do with Moretti?"
"He doesn't want to admit it, but it could be the same person. We found out Moretti's men tried to break into our system two days before. I think it must be Moretti's job, but he sent a different person." Earth nodded.
"We are on our way home. I'll be there as soon as I arrive. Don't let that man out!"
"Yes, Mr. Lewis!" Earth hung up the phone and encountered James, who had been staring at him for a long time.
"Any problem with the casino?" Earth nodded.
"Someone is trying to steal from us. And this is the third time this week. If we don't act, Moretti will keep harassing us, sir." James looked at Earth sharply and started to clench his fists.
"I want to know who." Earth nodded.
The private jet brought James back to Naples as quickly as possible. He was awaited by the casino manager, who caught a thief.
In a small apartment in a slum corner in Vomero, the city of Naples, Delilah was pacing back and forth in the middle of her apartment. Her father and brother had not come home for two nights. They left as usual and didn't return until this afternoon. Delilah was never treated well by her father, but he was still a father. The only thing Delilah currently has as a family is him.
"Where do they leave? Why aren't they home yet?" Delilah muttered with a worried face. She sat down and stood up and walked over then sat after some minutes. Unsettled and unable to work because of uncertainty. Vomero is also harmful to poor people like Delilah. There are thugs on corners of the city, and if someone was not careful, they might not come home forever.
Suddenly there was a loud knock on the door. Delilah instantly got up and opened it. Her smile quickly widened as she saw her brother come. But Oliver then went straight in and locked the door like he was afraid of something.
"Oliver, where's Daddy?" asked Delilah, who was confused to see her brother peeking out of the window as if someone was chasing him.
"Oliver," Delilah called again.
"Shut up, Delilah!" rebuked Oliver, but it sounded like a whisper, and he peeked out again. Delilah tried to peek but didn't know what was going on.
Oliver then walked over to Delilah anxiously. He turned to face her.
"Listen, if anyone's looking for me, tell them that I'm not around. I'm gone, okay!"
"Where?" Oliver gets annoyed seeing his stupid little sister.
"Good lord, Delilah. It doesn't matter as long as you say that I'm gone!" Delilah didn't nod. She was even more confused. Now, why did only his brother return? Where is their father?
Oliver then rushed to his room, and he soon packed things. Delilah tried to peek through Oliver's slightly ajar door. He took out a wad of money from under his jacket, and he quickly took his bag full of clothes to put the money. He promptly left the room with Delilah standing confused in front of him.
"Oliver, where are you going?" Delilah implored anxiously.
"I have to get out of here. Don't look for me, got it!" Oliver instantly walked out of the apartment without looking back at Delilah. Frowning and confused, Delilah sat down on the sofa of the apartment. She ruffled her hair in confusion.
At the same time, James came to his casino to meet the Manager who had called Earth hours earlier.
"Sir, I didn't mean to disrupt your trip. I'm sure I can handle this problem," said the Manager. He was scared because James had come to take care of the problem. With a stern look, James glanced at the Manager and then snorted.
"Where are they?" James half gritted in a low voice. The Manager then showed him the room where they had someone locked up. A man was accused of stripping the jackpot machine in the casino—a middle-aged man who looked miserable from being beaten. James walked up to him and sneeringly stared at the man.
"Is he alone?"
"There was another one but he ran off, sir," said the Manager timidly. James glanced briefly at the Manager before glancing at the man again.
"Where is your friend!" James questioned bluntly. The man shook his head, not wanting to reply. James snorted in annoyance and glanced at Earth, who then stepped forward and straightened the man's body forcefully.
"Answer him! Where is your friend!" Earth growled while half was strangling the man's neck.
"M-my son, he’s my son. P-please let him go!" replied the man stuttering from choking. Earth loosened his grip, and James came a little closer.
"What's your name!" the man glanced at James fearfully.
"M-mark, Mark Starley".
- Writer
