It was a cold evening the following day. Rain was falling outside Bob Lee's office window. From a bottle of brandy, a hand poured into a cognac glass, quater way, lifting up the glass to red painted lips.
Before taking a sip, "listen, sweetheart. This fella am about to introduce to you have got connections. And as long as you're willing to make your heart a little bit tough, rest assured something will definitely workout for us," said Nadia Browne, sipping on cognac thereafter.
Bob Lee's eyes glinted with determination. He stood up from his desk and walked to the office side station where Nadia Browne was and served himself half a whiskey glass of a brandy too.
Since he was so desperate to secure his bag to lift himself from falling off the city moguls' pedestal, "One way or another, if your link is strongly connected, I'm ten toes down, ready to execute any business." He sipped on his drink as he walked towards the window.
To maintain his billionaire status was the goal _ hence the commitment to take on any task presented his way.
Both him and his wife Nadia Browne seemed very patient, waiting on someone to arrive at the office.
Time flew. Later on, "waiting is not a big deal to me, but I'm loosing my patience," Bob Lee had his eyes at the clock up on the wall a little exhausted in his words, but cheerful.
Nadia paused for a moment. She smiled and walked unto him, "you need to trust me Bob. I know the delay doesn't feel right, but I assure you he's gonna be here soon and when both of you meet, the long wait will be worthwhile."
He turned, frowned a little bit and said, "don't you see how another hour has gone beyond the promised time? Minutes ago you poured the last content of bottle in the glass."
Suddenly, a well polished black gentleman shoe took steps, stomping the marble floor towards the office door.
So shocked and surprised at the same time, "Hey, you kidding me!" Bob Lee blurted as soon as he set his eye on a gentleman who pushed the door open and entered. His face was not new in his eyes.
"I told you," Nadia Browne gave Bob Lee a sweet smile.
"I know you _ the guy at the hospital the other day. I didn't even get your name...!" On fast steps, he approached and greeted him with a handshake.
The awaiting arrival caused panic.
Nadia Browne, knowing the two men ever met, wore an anxious expression on her face, waiting to hear the type of conversation that was around the corner.
"Oops," Marlon smiled, "yeah... of course am that guy!" His downcast gaze made Bob Lee realize that he was defenceless, "Marlon. Call me Marlon."
"Marlon! Your name sounds familiar," stated Bob Lee.
Marlon casted a furtive glance at Nadia Browne, "of course I leave a mark!" Teasingly he replied with confidence.
Nadia Browne, having kept a big secret from her husband, her heart raced. She panicked and hurried, moving closer.
"Does he know about my pregnancy secret?" Mentally she asked herself.
And of course Nadia Browne was playing in the answer. Marlon, like a cat, having acted stealthily to stalked their conversation with her best friend Sonia, he clearly knew he is the fertilizer of Nadia's sperm.
However, Bob Lee was green about the fact that the gentleman standing right infront of him knew his wife beyond face and clothes. And more importantly, the same guy's sperm fertilized his wife's egg lately; he did not know this yet.
"Sorry, you know my wife here is carrying my sole heir _ I mean, I humbly apologize for the careless conduct _ me and my buddies never gave you a visitor treatment...."
Bob Lee expressed regret to Marlon for the rude behaviour at the hospital.
"I understand. Men do what they have to do when it comes to protecting her. I envy you," Marlon's indirect speech kept Nadia Browne anxiously on the tip of her toes.
"Forgive my misconduct too _ that moment I was not in my right senses," Marlon added.
Bob Lee, so eager to know, "tell me why you had to put a show like that; a bunch of my wife's favorite rose flowers in hand; standing at the patient's room; yet pretended to be lost when confronted... why was that all about?"
Marlon sighed a smile.
"The way you left the hospital was intriguing that it engendered a brief debate between me and my guys," added, Bob Lee.
"With in my head were memories of a gruff speaking voice, but surprisingly sweet singing voices as well. Confounded as I was, stepping inside that patient's room to meet my friend got so difficult for me," Marlon briefly explained his situation when he visited the hospital to meet Nadia Browne.
But he was telling lies.
Like an archer, Marlon aimed all his words, targeting Nadia Browne who was listening sharply. Haunted by guilt, of course she knew this even though the message was indirectly delivered to her.
Burdened with a guilty conscience, "um don't you think that's enough grief for a day _ we've got business to discuss." Nadia intervened in a personal conversation before salt slipped into the wound.
"You have to appear to be a one legitimate investor, partnering with various businesses and funding start-ups. However, behind the scene you're secretly funneling money into criminal operations using your influence to bypass legal scrutiny. Hence the expansion of your illicit empire," Marlon broke down the plan for Bob Lee to master the game.
A sweet smile on his face, "One more thing," he lifed his eyes up at Marlon and Nadia Browne. "How did you two know eachother _ I mean, you even know her taste of favorite flowers! I forgot to ask."
The truth was too bitter to be told.
"Um... before my father went to jail, Marlon was his right hand man, that's how I came to know him." Lied, Nadia Browne to her husband.
With this, Bob Lee got convinced that his wife was actually right. "Oh yeah, I remembered you told me your father couldn't attend our wedding because he is serving seven years in jail... You will have to excuse my manners."
As it was programmed, Bob Lee had to call his local bank branch on high street. He dialed the number to speak to someone at the bank.