Married On Paper To The Billionaire
Chapter 15: Checkmate

The news of Emilia's recovery went viral the very next day. They received comments of good wishes from everyone including strangers who had been rooting for them after the shooting incident.

Their fairy tale romance had won hearts across the world, and they have been tagged as the dream couple of the century. They got married at an ancient Irish castle a month after Emilia regained her memory. Only their families attended the ceremony.

"We did it again," Emilia giggled happily.

"Yes, my love. And I'd do it over and over again if I have to," said Kane.

They were having an outdoor reception after their classy wedding. It was the perfect wedding that they'd both wanted all along.

They traveled to three countries for their honeymoon, starting with a safari in Kenya, spicy days in Morocco and steamy nights in Dubai. When they finally returned to the U.S. after nearly a month of holidaying, they were still high on happiness.

"Nice tan," Lillian remarked. "Now, I'm craving a vacation to a place where the climate is hot, and the drinks are chilled."

"That sounds like Nairobi at this time of the year," Emilia replied.

"You should start a travel agency, my love. It would be a hit," Kane joked.

"Speaking of hits, there's someone who has been trying to reach you for weeks now," said Lillian. "He wouldn't leave his name, but he kept calling your office and the house to ask if you're back." "Since when has this been going on?"

"Right after we returned from Ireland. You should ask your PA about it."

He eventually found out who it was the following week after he resumed work. When the call came in, his secretary notified him, and he agreed to take it on his office line.

"Hello, Mr Beaumont. My name is Reggie and I'd like to have a meeting with you urgently," said the caller.

"I don't know who you are, Reggie. I'm not in the habit of meeting with random strangers."

"I'm not a random stranger. I am Reginald Banks, Kendra's brother. You might want to listen to what I have to say."

"I don't care about what you have to say. Your sister will be going to trial soon, so I suggest you invest your time and resources in finding a good lawyer to represent her."

"Again, as I said before, you might want to listen to what I have to say. If Kendra goes to jail, your family's secrets will be exposed for the world to see. You don't want that, do you?" "You're bluffing. I don't respond to threats."

"This is not a threat, Mr Beaumont. Kendra has a load of dirt on you and your family. I'm sure you don't want the world to know about Jack's expensive habits."

"What?"

"I can already see the headlines. How the Beaumont family covered up the scandalous London arrest of their youngest son... Or something like that. You get the gist."

Kane unconsciously gripped the phone tighter in his hand. The idiot on the other end of the line wasn't bluffing after all.

"What do you want?" He asked rigidly.

"I'll tell you when we see in person. Name the time and place and I'll be there."

"My office. Right now."

"Wait. Like right now?"

"Now."

"Oh, shit. Ok, cool. Gimme 20 minutes."

"Make it ten. Don't keep me waiting."

He ended the call and slammed the phone on its cradle. Why wouldn't Kendra leave him alone? He thought he'd finally gotten rid of her and now this! Was everyone in her family crazy too? Reginald showed up fifteen minutes later, looking flustered and disheveled. He was a male version of his sister dressed in worn-out clothes and dirty shoes.

"You're late," Kane said flatly.

"Bro, I was literally on the other side of town when we spoke. I zipped down here as fast as I could."

"I'm not your bro," Kane replied coldly. He disliked the guy instantly.

"Ok, cool. Can I sit?"

"If you like."

He sat, looked around the office and sighed. "Man, this dig is insane! Now, I know why Kendra was so nuts about you."

"How old are you?"

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"You talk like a teenager."

"Yeah, everyone says that."

Kane tried not to roll his eyes. "So, what can I do for you, Reginald?"

"Call me Reggie. Reginald sounds like an old man's name. I dunno what my parents were thinking naming me -

"Feel free to rant on your own time, I'm not interested. Why are you here?"

"Jeez, man... chill," he said.

"So?"

"Kendra wants you to drop the charges against her and let her walk free."

"Or?"

"She's going to sing and tell your family's businesses to all the tabloids in North America and beyond. I'm sure the Daily Mail will be happy to part with a few pounds sterling for what she's got to say."

"The news about my younger brother's arrest is not that big of a deal. It would blow over in a few days. I'm not letting Kendra go for that. She will pay for what she did to my wife."

Reggie laughed. "Listen, man, there's more. We know about how your daddy truly died and how your lil' sis likes to get down. Personally, I like me a freaky freak, but I didn't know hoity-toity folks like y'all get down and dirty too." Kane was speechless. He and his family had gotten careless, and Kendra was about to make them pay for that.

"Tell me everything you know," he said coldly, and Reggie started talking.

After Reggie finally left, Kane was struggling to piece his thoughts together. His family's shiny public image was about to go to the gutters if he didn't put a lid on what Kendra and her family were about to expose.

The Beaumonts have always been regarded in society as an upstanding family. They were the example that new money families followed. Everyone looked up to them, but that was about to change if he didn't do something fast. He picked up his mobile phone and dialled Lillian's number. She answered almost immediately.

"Hi, big brother. How may I help you on this bright Monday afternoon?"

"We have a problem," he said curtly. "Meet me in my condo in thirty minutes. It's urgent."

When he got home that night, Emilia knew something was from the hardness of his face. His posture was rigid, and he wasn't positively responsive to her cheerful greeting.

"What is it?" She asked him. "Did something happen at work today?"

"No. Just a very busy day, that's all," he replied but he wouldn't meet her gaze.

"Ok. I was waiting for you to come home so that we can have dinner together."

"Oh, that's very sweet of you but I'm not hungry. You go ahead. I'll be upstairs."

The way he hurried upstairs made her even more suspicious. Something was definitely wrong!

When she got to their suite, he wasn't there. She curled up in bed waiting for him, but he didn't show up till she fell asleep.

The next morning, she went in search of him, and the housekeeper informed her that he'd already left for the office. What was going on?

On her way back to her room, she ran into Samuel on the stairs.

"Good morning," she greeted him with a smile.

"Is it?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

Emilia was confused. "I beg your pardon?"

"Drop the act. You're probably like the rest of them, lying through their highfalutin noses but acting like saints. I know I'm not perfect. I've made mistakes, I've messed up a few times, but I never kept a secret from Lillian. Never!" "What are you talking about?"

He sighed impatiently and walked away. Emilia was more confused than ever. She went in search of Lillian for answers.

As she passed the family living room, she thought she heard Kane's voice and it stopped her in her tracks. She went to the entrance and saw a maid in the room, holding a feather duster in her hand and watching her boss on the TV. Kane was sitting at his office desk and reading from a piece of paper. His voice floated from the TV to her ears, and he was saying words that shocked her to her bone marrow.

"As I've already said, I take full responsibility for the inaccurate report that led to Ms Bank's wrongful arrest. I would like to tender my unreserved apology to her and her family for the misunderstanding. Finally, my family and I have agreed to drop the criminal charges against Kendra Banks and request that she be released from police detention as soon as possible."