Novel Reader
Chapter 401
401 The Envelope (Jayden)
My desk is littered with documents, files, all growing proof of unfinished business. The investigation team has been in and out of my temporary office all morning, each member adding to the pile of work I can't seem to escape from.
The large, yellow envelopes, print-outs, employee details all add to the mountain of things on my to-do list. I sweep all I can fit into my briefcase along with the rest of Grayson's paperwork, wanting everything in one place for the flight back to Brussels. It'll be easier to sift through once I'm settled in the jet, away from this pressure cooker.
I glance at my watch. I need to get moving. There's no time to deal with any of this here; I'll need the next 24 hours in Brussels to breathe, focus on my family, and help Winona settle the kids into their new school routine.
The idea of being home even for just one night is the only thing keeping me sane right now.
I get a few key documents I still need to sign off on before I leave and isolate them as I sign. The
investigation team has a lot of moving pieces, and the chaos with Nexus London isn't going to wrap itself
1. up.
My phone buzzes. A message from Winona flashes across the screen:
See you tonight! The kids are excited.
My heart eases, the stress of the morning temporarily lifted. I text back quickly:
Can't wait either. Love you.
Viktor steps in. His entrance is measured, but there's a tension in his posture that makes me set my phone down.
"Something wrong?" I ask, narrowing my gaze.
"Judy was here," he says, his voice calm but with an undercurrent of warning. "She tried to push her way in, claiming she needed to see you. I had to... escort her out."
I lean back in my chair, a sinking feeling washing over me, "How bad did it get?"
"Bad enough that she tried to get physical. I carried her out." Viktor's tone remains steady, but his eyes sharpen. "You need to know she's close, Jayden. And I suspect she's up to something more than just showing up unannounced. Did anything unusual happen while she was here?" Tthink back. Apart from the usual flow of investigators, nothing stands out. "No. Just the team coming in
and out."
Viktor nods. "Stay alert, even in Brussels. You never know where her reach extends."
I nod, trying to suppress the unease crawling up my spine. "Thanks for the warning. I'll be careful."Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.
He watches me for a moment, a flicker of concern passing over his face. "And the paperwork?"
I gesture to the briefcase. "Taking stuff with me. I want to go over Grayson's actions myself, see if there's
401 The Envelope
any trace of possible manipulation by anyone to frame him as he claims."
Viktor gives a curt nod. "I've set up a decoy flight. You'll be traveling on a smaller charter jet without me, but the decoy should throw Judy off if she's thinking of following."
I raise an eyebrow. "A decoy?"
"Better safe than sorry. We don't want her following you back to Winona and the kids."
Relief washes over me. I know I'm being paranoid, but that's what life with Judy has done to me. I know every time things are happy, something happens.
I grab my briefcase and prepare to leave by the fire escape. Viktor and my decoy are taking a flight elsewhere before coming back here tomorrow morning.
As I head out, my mind is cluttered with everything from financial approvals to Judy's sudden appearance. I'm not running from her by leaving; I'm just prioritizing what matters most. The small, charter jet will be waiting, and I'll be in Brussels before sunset.
In the meantime, I'll be under this mountain of paperwork. I really want to get through as much of it as I can on the plane. Then I can spend all my time focusing on the kids and Winona. Their issues with joining a local school are no less important than any of this Nexus London crap.
Bobby is super-excited and we still have Abby's welcome party with the families of the VIP's to have yet. I put it off a month while I work on the ideas of setting the estate up as a training and event facility.
The family day can be the first event we can use to see how it all might work in the future. The current staff will be in charge of making the transition. They have the experience and expertise.
Winona has come up with some excellent ideas to empower the staff to take charge of their own destiny, so I'm looking forward to working with her once the kids are settled into school.
As I head for a small airstrip in this nondescript car, I thank life for where it's led me at the moment. As much as I dreaded coming here and running Nexus Global, it's been the best thing for me and for my family.
I'm in no rush to get back to the USA. Why would I be? I'm making a difference here. Being back in charge has recharged me. I never thought I'd fit in here in this vast tapestry Gus created.
But now, leaving it all behind would be hard. I don't need the money, and I loved my time as a stay-at-home father, but the sheer thrill of being back in control, I don't think I could ever give up again. I'm going to talk to Winona about staying on longer and hoping she agrees.