BXBX NOVEL Chapter 588 - Breakfast At Cliffside House
~ Los Angeles, Cliffside house ~
Tuesday morning, Sarah and Aiden are having breakfast on the kitchen island of their new home, while enjoying the ocean views.
They don\'t have any furniture in the house, so they slept in the apartment in Los Angeles, and grabbed food on the way. Previous day they ordered some furniture, but it will take few days for it to be delivered.
Sarah and Aiden went through list of rooms and marked the ones they ordered furniture for: living room, master bedroom, office. With these three they can start living in the house.
Both of them don\'t want to rush with purchasing furniture and other things needed.
Sarah and Aiden love discussing plans for the future, and there is a lot to talk about related to the house, so they spent last two days mostly brainstorming ideas about it.
The lot is big, and they decided to build another house which will be used by house staff and security who will stay with them 24 hours a day. Until that house is done, they will hire only part time staff so that they don\'t need to provide lodging. Since their other house is completed, they will call Louis the architect and Cash the construction manager to help them with this addition.
"This location is great!" Sarah was happy with the spot which Aiden picked for additional house. "It is nearby yet obstructed by trees. From this main house, it will not be visible."
Aiden was happy that she approves. "And we can build few levels underground as well, and have it connected to the main house with a tunnel."
"I like that very much. It\'s a brilliant idea!" Sarah could not contain her excitement.
She was very happy with everything they decided so far, and his design for landscape was beyond beautiful. "I can\'t wait for it to be done, so we can enjoy it!"
Aiden smiled. "Mmm… the gazebo…"
"Especially the gazebo!" Sarah laughed.
"I will count on you to train the staff." She remembered how the staff on the island was almost invisible, and they did everything perfectly.
Aiden agreed. What is there not to agree? He is happy that Sarah is letting him do things and that she is relying on him.
Sarah checked her email. "Skipper confirmed that McLaren and Divo are being shipped here later today. By end of week they will be in the garage downstairs."
Aiden noticed slight change in Sarah\'s expression when she mentioned Skipper. "Are you still upset that he could not remember anything about King?"
Sarah wondered how he knew what she was thinking. Sometimes she thought that he can read her mind.
"Not upset. More like disappointed. Every lead we have is a dead end. Are you not frustrated?"
"I am concerned.", he admitted. "For someone who hides his tracks so well… it just shows that he knows what he is doing, he is doing it for a long time, and we should not take him lightly."
Sarah sighed. "I agree. That is why I am reluctant to see that warehouse in Chicago. Part of me is fearing that we are jumping into danger, and other part fears that it will be another dead end. It is interesting that I have no thoughts that we will actually find something useful there."
"We are not finding anything useful only because we are careful not to arouse any suspicion. If we act bolder and shake that cage, something will come out."
"True…", Sarah frowned. "But I don\'t think I want to face what is in that cage." Her mood dropped thinking that even if they don\'t want to face it, it seems that they are coming for them, and they don\'t have a choice.
"Hey…", Aiden nudged her gently with his elbow. "It\'s not like you to be like this. What happened with Sarah who jumps into danger without thinking?"
Sarah forced a smile. "You know that this is different. It\'s not just me. I am worried that something might happen to you… or my sisters. That man is not simple, and we have no clue what kind of force is behind him."
Even though she smiled, Aiden could see that Sarah\'s mood dropped. He wanted to talk about something else because there is no point talking about King without any further information. And Sarah was getting upset, again.
"While talking about not simple people… random change of topic: That property in New Mexico, you said your father built it?"
Sarah was happy that he changed the topic. He really knows her well. "Yes. Edward always liked cars and driving fast. So, he made a place where he can keep his toys and not worry about traffic police while driving."
"You are saying that he bought all those cars?" Aiden was referring to the underground parking. Four levels of parking filled with numerous sports and luxury cars. Each car there is worth hundreds of thousands, and some even go for millions.
"I\'m not sure if all of them are bought. Maybe some are presents, or he won them in Vegas. But yes, he got them one way or the other. Why?"
"I was just curious. He is doing very well as a software developer to be able to afford all that."
Sarah thought for some time about his words. "He is not just a developer; he is a director in his own company. I don\'t think that is impossible for him to get all those over years. Look at us, how much we are earning, and we are not directors."
Aiden smiled. He knew that she will compare Edward with them. He needed to remind her. "True. But we are not typical software developers either."
Seeing his sly smile, Sarah knew that he is onto something. "Are you saying that my father has a source of income other than his job and company?"
Aiden was pleased that she made that statement without further hints. "You tell me. How come his study is the only one without video monitoring by Eve?"
"I removed it because he frequently disabled video, and I was annoyed by all notifications Eve sent me. He did it probably because he was working on some project which he wanted to keep to himself…" Sarah paused. "Are you saying that he is hiding something big, and that he manipulated me into removing video surveillance from his study?"
"Is that so hard to believe?"
"Yes. My whole life I see him as someone who only cares about his work and projects that consume him… here I\'m talking about software development and gadgets that he likes to fiddle with. I must admit that few times he surprised me by showing unexpected sharpness and decisiveness, like when handling Ed\'s father… But yes, I find it hard to believe that he has some big secret or a large income source I don\'t know about." Even though she said that it\'s hard to believe, Sarah can\'t deny that Aiden\'s words made her think. Did Edward have a secret side to him?
Sarah is not aware that Aiden is spot-on with his assumptions. Edward made a lot of money while working as SP3CT3R, and that is how he got finances for the property in New Mexico and all those cars as well as much more that they don\'t know about. Yet.
Edward was disabling Eve whenever he accessed his secret room behind the built-in bookshelves.
His study is the only room in the Hill family villa where Eve can\'t see, and that is the reason why there is only audio recording when Aiden talked with Edward asking him for his blessings before he proposed to Sarah. And by the way: Sarah still didn\'t listen to that recording!