EPISODE 19: The Clever Mind

"Did you encounter something like it at your company?" she asked her husband.

Sebastian nodded. "I did. I firmly declined their proposal since there was a loophole in everything that they presented to me last year." He read the file that her wife was reading. "What happened to your account on them happened on my business partner, so, I told them to pull out their account before they could but…"

"But there's a catch if they pulled it out, right?" Veronica easily guessed.

Sebastian nodded again. "Yeah, and I helped them out. I told them to slowly withdraw their money from it and only leave one to two percent in their account before closing it."

"Did they involve any lawyers in the issue?" she wondered.

"Yes, they threatened my friend from not meeting their contract deal which my friend recorded since it's my idea." He smirked causing his wife to hit his shoulder.

"Sly." she chuckled but was amazed.

"Well, they owned their own money, and closing an account shouldn't have any problem with it. Plus, they stalked and threatened him which was all recorded." he finished but Veronica was still in her thoughts regarding that issue. 

"How can we control it without making a big deal about it?" she still wondered while Sebastian massaged her shoulders. "It will be too alarming if it leaks out throughout the business world, don't you agree?" she sighed.

"True, not every businessman or woman can withstand a sudden bankruptcy overnight. Not to mention the media." Sebastian agreed and shared his thoughts regarding the same issue that their company just faced after being engaged with his wife. "We have to control the media while dealing with the big picture in case it happens again." He suggested.

"Gathering information from our trusted partners in case they were facing the same crisis before we could make any plans against that company." Veronica cleverly suggested making Sebastian smirk and placing a proud kiss on his wife's head. 'He didn't have to kiss me.' She thought to herself yet her cheeks had a faint blush that Sebastian didn't notice.

"Clever but keep that for later. Just watch how the V.I.C. moves around the neighbor." Sebastian made his wife stop working for a little bit and turned the chair to face him. "Every connection and transaction that they do, watch it and plan for a counter without being noticed that it's your move."

Veronica liked the idea and wrapped her arms around her husband. "What would I do without you beside me?"

"Hm, you'll be facing this kind of issue over and over again," Sebastian responded sweetly and was about to kiss his wife when somebody bragged inside Veronica's office.

"Well, well, who would have thought you caught a big fish here, Veronica." A teasing voice from a familiar business gay man that she was friends with.

Veronica did not care and kissed her husband's lips in front of her friend before replying. "Anything to say to me, Cris?"

"Nothing much but can you help me deal with V.I.C.?" Cris seriously pleaded which he doesn't usually do.

Sebastian and Veronica looked at each other before they turned to him seriously. "We're just talking about it," Veronica said.

"And I told her to rest it for a while but since you're having a problem with them, do share. We're both listening." Sebastian seriously said making Cris flinch a little in his cold voice.

"Hubby. Work." Veronica warned him and Sebastian nodded in understanding. "Go on, Cris, we're listening."

They began discussing what Cris just encountered with the V.I.C. and Sebastian recorded it. He started to feel annoyed at what that said the company was doing under the nose of their clients.

Sebastian scoffed. "He's stealing money as they made sure that it wasn't being noticed."

"Clever but dirty." Veronica sighed but she asked her husband for a suggestion. "So, Hubby what can you suggest to my friend?" 

"Hm, I can't for now, but I would like to visit your company. So, I had an idea in case they fire back to what I'm going to suggest to you." Sebastian answered before looking sternly at Cris. "Are you okay with that?"

Cris nodded. "Sure, my husband and I were getting frustrated. We don't want our company to go to the underground. It was our baby."

"But be prepared to lose it." he firmly said.

Cris glared at him. "You've got to be kidding me."

"What I am saying is prepare for the worst result, Cris." Sebastian cleared his words and reassured him. "But rest assured that whatever the outcome, Veronica and I will help you to relocate and open a new business since I own a lot of empty lots around here. So, it won't be a problem."

"But we might lose our clients…" he worried.

Sebastian sighed and went directly to him. "Cris, are you doubting your trusted clients? Or your skills in making it work?" Cris shook his head. "Then you won't be having any problem. Think of it as your plan B in case the plan won't work out. Plus, who knows you might own two businesses if plan A works."

"You're right." Cris sighed in relief.

"Just believe in yourself since you already made your company boom and already got trusted clients. Be flexible on dealing with this kind of thing." He patted his shoulder to assure him.

Cris smiled and looked over Veronica. "You've got a great husband. Don't let it slip away from you."

"I won't. I'd kill whoever tried to steal him away from me." She seriously meant it and Sebastian shivered while her friend just laughed at it.

Sebastian smirked at her. "Possessive. I love it." Veronica flirty winked at him.

"Okay, lovebirds, I'll excuse myself and inform my husband about what we've talked about here." Cris shook his head and excused himself before reminding Sebastian about their meeting tomorrow at their company. "And Mr. Salazar, you can come to our company tomorrow if you like."

"I will." Sebastian smiled and now, they were alone again.

Sebastian sighed. "I think I need a break from the V.I.C. issue again."

"Then rest here, if you don't have piled up work at your company." Veronica allowed him to rest inside her office while she was finishing her work.

"Well, my morning work was done but from three onwards, it's full pack and cannot be moved unless that client does." He slouched on the couch and closed his eyes.

"Then feel free to rest," Veronica said but she heard a cute snore coming from the couch. She smiled while shaking her head. "Fast asleep."

As Sebastian rested inside her office, Veronica handled her workload till it was time for Sebastian to wake up. She shakes Sebastian's arm to wake up but instead of getting up, he just pulls his wife and snuggles into his wife's arms.

"Hubby, you need to wake up. You have a three o'clock meeting and Glen already notified me about it." Veronica reminded him.

Sebastian inhaled Veronica's scent and kissed her neck before her lips. "Okay, but have you eaten your lunch?"

"Already did and so, eat before heading back to your company, okay?" Veronica cupped his face and kissed his temple as she got up from the couch.

"Are you done with work today?" Sebastian was eating when he asked.

Veronica was sorting the files on her desk so Yuna could easily take them when needed. "Morning work, yes, they were done but I've got a meeting at a hotel. They wanted me to invest in their hotel."

"Which hotel?" he wondered.

"Your sister's hotel." She smiled.

Sebastian nodded as he recalled what Enrich talked about before. "Ah, okay. Informed me on how it went."

"Sure, when you're done, we can go out together." She nodded and prepared the things that she needed to take with her.

"Noted, wifey." Sebastian was enjoying his meal while Veronica moved around her office.

As they went on their separate way, Sebastian went to a certain warehouse after having his three o'clock meeting. He wore his mask and changed his coat before getting out of the car. He was now in his S Empire boss mode. He waltzed with firmness and an intimidating aura as he entered the warehouse that his gang occupied.

'He still won't speak.'

'Boss will take over if he won't spill his agenda around here.'

'HAHAHA, what a pity.'

'Well, right back at you. You don't know our boss.'

'Once he took over, you're good as fresh dead meat.'

The gang went on punching the man while the others stood guard and the others were resting as they were taking turns torturing that man. But everything was been heard when Sebastian got close to their spot.

"You should believe my men when they say that." Sebastian's cold voice was sending shiver and it was not good for his prey to hear them. They started feeling fear since he was inflicting it. "Is he giving you a hard time to speak?"

They all stood up straight and saluted at him. "Sadly, yes, Boss. He's being difficult." One of them answered.

"We've been doing this for an hour before you came, Boss." Another one added and Sebastian could see it.

Sebastian nodded and began looking at the steel table where all the different tools were laid prepared on it. "Hm, hang him up. I better start my bloody art."

"Don't say we didn't warn you." one of his gang sighed and began attaching the chain on their prey's chain around his wrist.

Another one added while smirking. "You choose to be dealt with by our, Boss, sorry. Oh, not sorry at all."

Then the man was being pulled up with an inch gap on the ground. "Let's begin." Sebastian taunted while his men began splashing water on the man before electrocuting it.

"ARGH! PLEASE, STOP!" the man begged but it was too late now. He was being splashed again before being whipped by a barbwire. "Please…I'll tell you…"