Chapter 501 Fakeout
A message played clearly from the sound recorder pen after North pressed play. “You think I, Alex Road, won’t be able to pay you? How much money do you want? Tell me, 20 million? Perhaps 200 million?” There was a moment of silence before the voice continued, “Getting the money? The more famous you are, the more money you rake in. I’m just that rich. So, how about it? Wanna do it with me? How about a fifty-fifty split, if you join hands with me?”
Alex was completely gobsmacked after listening to the entire recording. He thought that he had been playing him, but in the end, he was the one being played.
As though he already knew all about it beforehand, Eugene spoke up, uncaring that Alex was still there. “Although he isn’t some famous person, the content is shocking enough. It should be able to bring in some money. Think of a headline that’ll grab eyeballs.”
North also ignored Alex as he tilted his head and carefully thought it over. “How about ‘Road Enterprises’ CEO’s Unique Fetish’?” But then he frowned. “That doesn’t sound clickbait enough. Why don’t we put out ‘Watch A Business Mogul/Part-Time Paparazzo Earn Road Enterprises For Themselves’?”
Eugene nodded. “That works!”
North grinned. “Then, I’ll post it now.” With that, he ran over to the desk with his short legs and turned on the tablet.
“Alright, give me a heads-up once that post is up. I’ll promote it!” Eugene said.
Alex stared at North before turning to stare at Eugene. They were talking like it didn’t involve him, making him angry enough to blow a gasket. “Don’t you guys have some humanity in you?” As he said that, he chased after North, only to realize that he hadn’t uploaded the recording. Instead, he was playing games on the tablet. He let out a sigh of relief. “You little jerk!”
He wondered where North inherited this mean streak from. So young, yet already so evil.
Eugene couldn’t stop himself from shooting Alex a glare. “You were willing to even trick a child, and you’re talking about humanity?”
“Yeah, you said it yourself. We didn’t force you,” North added.
Alex snorted. “I was just kidding. You guys thought I was being serious?”
“No, but if that recording does actually get uploaded, someone’s gonna think it’s real.”
“My foot. Hurry up and delete that recording, or I’m going to tail you tonight,” he threatened.
North grinned. “Sure. Since you’re Uncle Eugene’s buddy, let’s go with ten million!”
Alex pursed his lips and glanced at Eugene. “Your status as my buddy isn’t really worth anything. Still trying to cheat me of ten million because of that?”
“If it wasn’t for us going way back, he would’ve asked for a hundred million!” Eugene commented with a straight face.
“Talk about daylight robbery.”
North snickered. “You can also choose not to pony up.”
Alex was rendered speechless. The child was going to upload the recording if he didn’t cough up the money, huh? In the end, all he could do was give up. “You’re Olivia’s kid, alright. You’re really shrewd!”
Then, they chatted jovially for a while. At last, Alex directed the conversation to the topic he had in mind. “Where did you see Jean?”
“In a hotel room with Olivia,” Eugene replied.
Alex’s brows furrowed. “What did you mean when you said she couldn’t talk?”
“What else could it possibly be?” Eugene looked at him in irritation. “What on earth are you thinking?”
Alex lapsed into silence. When he received Eugene’s photos last night, his first instinct was to look for her and interrogate her. Why did she leave with another man? Why did she cheat on him? Had he treated her awfully?
He nearly had a falling-out with his own mother because of her. Was that still not enough?
She, on the other hand, had gotten off easily, leaving for seven years at the drop of a hat without caring about how he felt.
As night went on, however, and Alex gradually regained reason, the waves of nostalgia completely overtook him. He kept making excuses for her. He thought that she must have had her own difficulties too. The girl that Alex knew wouldn’t have been so cruel. They had spent so many happy days together—how could they have been faked?
