Page 80 of The Next Door Billionaire's Deception

“You told me you had a breakthrough of some kind. Is that true?”

“It is. I’ll tell you all about it. But before that, do you want to know what this painting is about?”

The painting draws me in. The expressions of the onlookers, some of sadness and dejection, and some of mockery and pleasure, appear so real one would imagine the painter asked everyone present in a real execution to pose for a painting.

“Please do. I’d like to know more about it.”

“This painting, titled ‘damnatio facere rectum, et Justus rusus’,or ‘condemnation for the right thing, and the righteous smile’ was done by an anonymous Italian painter, sometime in the late 17thcentury. The painting, according to sources, is based on tradition. The man being hanged was a guard in a castle who overheard a plot by a group of advisers to kill the king and queen. He tried to warn his superiors, but no one paid him any heed, thinking him drunk. It didn’t help that he was such a low-rank soldier.”

Chad paused for a moment, keeping me in suspense.

“Then? What happened?”

“The guard, however, was determined to save the life of his king and queen. Thus, he made up his mind to risk his own life. A fortnight later, a banquet was being held. The king and queen were to give a toast to the prosperity of the kingdom. The guard, sword drawn, rushed to them before they could drink it, and with a slash of his sword, broke their cups, spilling the wine.”

I lean forward, captivated by the story.

“Of course, he was pinned down and later sentenced to death for an attempt on the king’s life. He didn’t defend himself, feeling he had achieved his main aim. He did just one thing – mentioning the two advisers who planned the attempt as his accomplices. In medieval times, it was very hard to escape charges of treason, so the advisors were sentenced to death as well.”

I nod. “Serves them right.”

“Two days later, on the day set for the execution, the two advisors were hung first. When the noose went around the guard’s neck and the wooden floor gave way, he choked. The execution was stopped, however, after a few minutes by a messenger from the king. Some dogs had died after licking up the wine from the floor, and it was discovered the wine was laced with poison. It was too late, though. The guard was already dead. A smile was on his face.”

“That’s a sad tale.”

“It is. I was told that story as a teenager by my father and read about it as a college student, but it was after meeting Richard Burnes this week that it came back to me.”

I swerve to face him, an eyebrow raised. “Richard?”

Picking up a bottle of water nearby, Chad has a drink. Clearing his throat, he turns to meet my gaze.

“On Tuesday, I met with Richard in Central Park. Due to his maneuvering with Emerald’s management, Richard put himself in such a position he was able to extract information and evidence even my colleagues and I couldn’t. Miss Durham, Richard Burnes has enough evidence to put all the people embezzling your company’s money behind bars for years to come.”

Richard was pursuing that all along?

“That’s not the best of it. He insisted on one thing – keeping you safe. Unaware you’re working with me already, he refused to mention your name, but your safety was paramount to him. He suggested I take you off the radar and even brokered a deal to this end. A deal that, I assure you, is very expensive.”

No. It can’t be. Eyes widening, I lift a hand to my mouth.

I turn to Chad. “You’re trying to tell me that Richard has been looking out for me all this while? Even though all he did to me was deceive me?”

He reverts his gaze to the painting. “I don’t know the personal history between you two. But sometimes, when it looks like someone does things that hurt our feelings, it might be that the person is trying to save us the best way they know. Even if they know we might be mad at them or even hate them for it, what’s on their mind is our well-being. Just like the Italian guard.”

The message sinks in. When Richard told me he wanted nothing more than to put an end to Lamar’s criminal dealings, he wasn’t wrong. He didn’t lie, either, when he promised to look out for me no matter what.

Tears drop from my eyes, staining my jeans. Chad offers me a box of paper wipes, before standing up.

“That’s the debriefing I have for you today. Can you drive home, or do you need a lift?”

I blow my nose before answering. “Thank you so much, Chad. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

“Alright. We’re making a move against Lamar and the rest of the board on Monday. I’d advise you to stay home that day. It won’t be a pretty sight.”

With those words, he walks out of the exhibition room.

I have to see Richard.Hurrying out of the exhibition gallery and onto the busy Manhattan streets, I make my way to the private parking lot near the art gallery, where I paid to park my Chrysler. Soon, I’m out of the parking lot and on the highway.

As I navigate the heavy New York traffic, the words of agent Chad echo in my ears once more. ‘when it looks like someone does things that hurt our feelings, it might be that the person is trying to save us the best way they know how’.Is that the case with Richard?

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