The Theft
The night remained calm at Antonio's mansion in the heart of Los Angeles, California, USA.
Hilton and his girlfriend, Chloe, were making out in the room when he heard a scream coming from the living area.
"What sound is that? "I want to go check it out," Hilton said, as Chloe clutched his shirt to stop him.
"What the hell are you doing?
This may be a setup. I can not believe you want to ruin this wonderful moment!"
"Gosh! I should have known you never loved me." She frowned.
"Ruin? You are so ridiculous. Please do not stop me as I am going outside to see who is at the door." After shoving Chloe onto the bed, he hurried to the living room.
He is the managing director of TG Inc. operations, his father's business, and the heir apparent to a billionaire conglomerate.
Even though Hilton was the oldest son, his father had always loved Romeo, his second son, more because of his incapacity, mischievousness, and unconventional way of living.
Antonio often questions whether Hilton is his biological son. Compared to everyone else, his behaviourism is unique.
"Hey, who the hell are you and what do you want?" Hilton asked.
He reached for a bottle of wine and longed to protect himself from an approaching threat.
"It is Alejandro, myself. Principal security officer for the company.
I have to meet your father right away."
Alejandro, panting heavily, shouted from outside as though he had encountered a ghost.
Imagining what Alejandro was doing outside at that strange hour, Hilton felt uneasy.
When Hilton last checked, it was assumed that Alejandro was protecting the company's property from criminals.
After a few minutes, he finally decided to let Alejandro in.
Alejandro gulped for air and fell pitifully to the ground.
He has been running for more than half an hour.
Even with the air conditioner turned on, an ocean of sweat still poured off his body, soaking his clothes.
"Give yourself a rest, Old Man. You can discuss it with me still, right,"
Hilton demanded.
"Not at all. Instead, I insist on seeing your father. Go and get him, please. It is crucial," he pleaded.
Alejandro believes Hilton lacks the courage to manage the situation on the ground.
Following a protracted period of silence, Hilton eventually gave in and hurried inside to fetch his father.
"Dad, Alejandro is here to see you," he said. As he met his father's door open, he hurried into his room unexpectedly.
"I detest having to untangle myself from my sleep, as you are aware. What is so crucial that it could not wait until tomorrow?" Antonio raged.
"Alejandro is here to see you.
If I were you, I'd come with me immediately," Hilton disclosed.
"Next time, this should not happen.
I am not going to take it," Antonio growled.
Upon putting on his pajamas and entering the living room, he was already enraged to discover Alejandro sitting on the floor, sobbing like a pitiful widow.
Alejandro grabbed Antonio's shirt as soon as he saw him, scuttling like a snake and saying, "I have wronged you. Please forgive me."
Antonio could not understand what was happening. Inquiring about the drama unfolding before him, he glanced at his son, Hilton.
"That look is familiar to me, Dad.
Until he sees you, he will not say anything," Hilton defended himself and folded his arms.
"Now you are going to say something before I throw you out of this house right now.
Did you know that you just woke me up from my charming sleep?
Now tell Alejandro whatever nonsense you have before I lose my cool." Antonio became enraged and scared.
Even though he has not revealed anything yet, Antonio already wants his heart to be torn out.
"Hours ago, the company was robbed. I just cannot explain what happened," Alejandro finally said, turning to the ground in shame.
Both Hilton and his father were shocked and incredulous at what they heard.
Sadly, it was not a dream or a simple hallucination, as they had assumed.
It is just a fact that they have to deal with.
"Will you be more detailed? Attempting to comprehend you caused me to lose some brain cells.
I am having a hard time understanding it. Now is the time for you to start talking." Antonio shoved Alejandro to the ground and used a baritone voice to question him.
He desired to kill Alejandro and dispose of his body in the ocean. He had a hard time accepting.
Where should he begin? His business was about to become the biggest cosmetics conglomerate
company in Los Angeles, California, one minute, and then he was about to lose millions of dollars the next.
Failure to take immediate action could result in the family going bankrupt.
"This evening, I arrived at work and abruptly fell asleep, though I am not entirely sure how that happened.
When I awoke the following minute, I saw armed men with their faces
All are wearing masks.
They threatened to take the warehouse keys away from me while pointing a gun at my head.
Because I was so scared, I obeyed."
Alejandro confessed.
With both knees on the floor, he explained, "They emptied the warehouse and carted away all the raw materials and equipment meant for production right in front of me."
He feels so ashamed of Antonio for what he did that he cannot even look him in the eyes.
"You are aware that I cannot get my losses back with an apology?
Tell me, then, how you would like your jail sentence.
Ten years in prison, life in prison, or hanging?" Antonio threatened to call the police and have Alejandro arrested
"Please, sir. My only daughter, Mary, comes to mind.
If she ever learns of this, she might commit suicide," Alejandro begged, scrubbing the floor with his body while sobbing resentfully.
Even though Alejandro had caused the company a lot of harm, Antonio still felt sorry for him.
"Son, wait a minute." He stopped his son, who was about to call the police, and said, "I have a plan."
"Dad, I am still not understanding. Let us get this man into jail right away.
Why the sudden sensitivity!" Hilton was enraged with his father for the stop. He is eager to watch Alejandro rot in prison.
After making his way to the bar and adding a small amount of tequila to his glass, Antonio came back to Alejandro and said, "I want my son to marry your daughter, Mary, in a contract marriage that will last for three years."
"But why my daughter? Has she done anything? She is blameless." Alejandro begged him not to make her pay for his crime, but it was ignored.
"Nothing can be done to change my decision, which is final. Go now." He chased Alejandro away like a housefly.
During all of this, Hilton stood and observed.
He assumed it was his younger brother Romeo marrying Mary, but then he felt compelled to clarify, "Dad, are you certain Romeo would like her? I mean, their poverty is a stench!
"You are the one getting married to Mary and not Romeo.
You do not even have anyone in your life, do you?
And I hope Chloe is not someone you would want as a wife." Antonio reiterated, leaving Hilton in ruins.
To him, it all seemed like a movie. He did not know how to express his feelings at the moment.
"I am not inclined to get married. I do not even adore this so-called Mary, to boot.
We are not in the 1990s, for crying out loud, Dad.
What could I possibly say to Chloe about this?" Hilton screamed at his father as the two nearly engaged in combat,