3: Embezzlement

Aiden Windsor stood before his large vanity mirror while he got dressed for a very important meeting. A meeting that he had been dreading. He was a busy man who didn't have time to stray from his job or his clients. But after putting off this meeting twice before, he just couldn't do so a third time. It wouldn’t look professional on his part.

He threw on a white long-sleeved dress shirt and began to do the buttons. When he reached halfway, he paused and assessed his body. His eyes made contact with the scar that held so many memories. He used the tip of his fingers and began tracing the outline of the scar, which was like a small map of his past. Most people would feel ashamed to have a scar marring their body, but Aiden felt a sense of pride and honour to wear this scar that saved his life. He called it a badge of honour.

He then remembered the letter that had been sitting in his drawer for more than two years. Every time he thought he had the courage to open it, he was proven wrong. He wanted to open it, to find out the name of the good Samaritan who saved his life, but his anxiety and guilt wouldn't let him. He thought about ripping up the letter once and for all and be done with it, but his heart wouldn't let him either. So two years had passed, and the letter was still lying in his drawer collecting dust.

He finished putting on his shirt and tucked it into his navy blue dress pants. He then placed the matching navy-blue blazer over his broad shoulders. When he was fully attired he admired himself in the mirror. He was devilishly handsome with raven black hair, honey-brown eyes, and a sexy dimpled cheek. People always told him he looked like a cross between Finn Wittrock and Henry Cavill. He liked looking good and always said that when you look good, you feel good and that the best accessory was a person's confidence. He placed a Rolex watch on his wrist and straightened it before overlooking himself once more. “All set,” he muttered before taking up a small briefcase that was lying on his bed.

Aiden was a billionaire who, even though he had a family fortune, worked his way up until he was now one of the richest developer/real estate consultants in the entire state. He liked having fun, but he liked being in charge more. Being a boss gave him a sense of rush and excitement that no other feeling in the entire world could match. He was the type of man to turn heads wherever he went, and he wasn't ashamed of it. He basked in the glory of being that powerful. Women would flock to his feet and he would pick, choose and refuse whomever he wanted at that moment.

Being an only child, he was close with his parents, but he always wanted siblings, so he found a brother in his best friend Dustin McNeil, who was a detective. Aiden also took a liking to children. He always wanted to have a bunch, but he did not see that possible anytime soon. He found great pleasure and purpose in donating to children's charities, plus he took great pride in being a mentor to at-risk children.

He believed no woman was worthy of bearing his children. For one, most women wanted him because of his money and power. So he didn’t bother to have relationships with the women he slept with. It was a wham-bam, thank you ma’am sort of thing. But who could blame him? He witnessed his wealthy counterparts being taken to the cleaners after bad divorces, and he told himself that if he ever got married, then it was forever. Aiden did not believe in divorce, so he told himself that when the time came, it would be for the right reasons and with the right woman.

He checked his shiny, expensive watch and saw that it was almost eight-thirty and his meeting was at nine. He headed downstairs and said good morning to Mrs. Lewis, who had been his maid for over five years. He didn't consider her his maid, though. After saving her from an abusive husband who was a no-good bum, they got close and she was more like a family member to him than an employee.

“Good morning, Aiden. Do you want breakfast?” Mrs. Lewis asked.

“No, Aunt. I'll just take coffee to go, please.” He smiled. The older woman smiled back. She appreciated that a wealthy man such as Aiden referred to her as aunt. It pained her to see though, that he was still single. She knew he had been with many women. He would stay out all nights sometimes and came back home smelling like anything from cheap to expensive colognes, with lipstick and makeup stains on his shirt. But he never brought any of the women to his home.

“Coming right up.”

Aiden got his coffee, said goodbye to Mrs. Lewis, and went on his way to his meeting. When he got to his office, they were all there waiting for him. His secretary Gail Smith, his best friend Detective Dustin McNeil, and his partner, Detective Stanley Reid. Dustin called the meeting just the day before and stated that things were getting out of hand and that it couldn't be put off any longer. Aiden asked his friend what this meeting was about, but Dustin told him the matter couldn’t be spoken about over the phone. All Dustin told him was that the matter involved his company.

“Good morning everyone, sorry to keep you waiting,” Aiden greeted as he took a seat in a large leather-wrapped chair.

“No problem, Aiden,” Dustin replied.

“Let's get to it then. What is so important ?” Aiden asked right off the bat.

“Well,” Stanley started. “It has been brought to our attention that some shady business has been taking place in your organization.”

“What?” Aiden said calmly.

"Things have been happening that have now made the superintendent red flags go up,” Dustin explained.

“What kind of things, Dustin?” Aiden asked while looking at his best friend.

“For starters, embezzlement,” Dustin specified and Aiden almost burst out laughing.

“What?” Aiden chuckled.

“This is serious, Aiden. They want us to dig into this and open up a case. I just wanted to give you a heads-up about all of it,” Dustin explained.

“This has to be a joke. I mean, why would I do something like that and ruin my life and all that I've built?” Aiden grunted.

“Trust me, people have done worse, and as Dustin said, this is just a courtesy visit,” Stanley said as a matter of fact.

Aiden sighed as he ran his hand down his face. “This will be a waste of time and resources on your department's bad judgement,” he stated.

“Nevertheless, we have to do our jobs,” Mr. Reid confirmed.

“I just wanted to give you a heads-up Aiden,” Dustin replied as he stood up. His partner did the same. “We have to get going, but I will call you on my lunch break.”

Aiden nodded to his friend, and they said their goodbyes.

Almost three months went by with no disturbances, and only two weeks ago, there was an open investigation into Windsor Corporation. Aiden tried his best to not stress about it, but how was that even possible when his hard work and reputation were on the verge of being tarnished? He was lucky to have a friend like Dustin, who kept him in the loop about everything, despite his lawyer's objections.

It was 6 am on a cool Saturday morning. Aiden popped his earbuds in his ears as he went for a run. He needed to clear his head. He just wanted this whole situation to be over with and done.