Chapter 427 - Cox Industries (1)

Early next morning, Jeff and JoAnna returned to the White family villa.

Jeff went to the study room as soon as they reached and was on the phone with stockbrokers and financial advisors to do final strategizing before stock market opens. After stock market opened, he was overseeing the purchase of stocks from Cox Industries and their two partner companies.

Oscar noticed that JoAnna is with his wife and found it suspicious that Jeff would leave his beloved fiancé just like that. He knows how Jeff is possessive of JoAnna and would not leave her out of his sight unless something important is happening. But what can be so important? Oscar was curious and found Jeff in the study behind his laptop and various documents spread on the desk.

"Trouble at work?"

Jeff glanced over his glasses. "No, everything is fine."

"If everything is fine, how come you are working?" Oscar was approaching desk and glanced at the documents. "Cox Industries? Why are you interested in their stocks? Their value fell drastically in last few days."

"I know." Jeff smirked, but only for a moment.

Oscar sensed that he is missing something important. "You know? Do you have something to do with that?"

"No." Jeff didn't lie. He personally didn't do anything to lower the value of Cox Industries. It was Aiden and Sarah who did that work.

Oscar glanced at the laptop. "You are buying them?"

"Yes." Jeff was getting irritated by his father who was distracting him.

"Why?" Oscar ignored Jeff's temper, or maybe he didn't notice.

Jeff removed his glasses and turned to look at his father. "What do you want?" Impatience was now obvious in his voice.

"I can tell that something is going on. Why are you buying Cox Industries?" Oscar's tone sent a clear message that he is not moving until he gets his answers.

Jeff exhaled in frustration. He can see that Oscar will not give up until he finds out the details. He might as well tell him. "We are buying stocks until we reach above 51%. More the better. Then I will sell them off in pieces."

In Oscar's mind, some things were coming together. "Is that how you earned money I asked for in order to break the contract with Lambert?"

"Yes."

Oscar analyzed Jeff's response. "If I understood correctly, there is more than just Cox Industries?"

"Correct. Two more. Anything else?" Jeff was eager to get back to his tasks. He was working real-time with five stockbrokers and was on chat with Sophia.

Oscar saw Jeff's impatience, but he still had questions for him. "With whom are you working on this?"

"Sophia Hill is also buying. She is the oldest Hill sister, CEO of Orion Enterprise. She will sign her stocks to me when purchase is done."

The more Oscar heard, the more he liked it. "How much profit are you estimating?"

"Minimum two times investment. Realistic three times."

"I want in." Oscar's eyes were glowing from excitement. His mind was filled with dollar signs.

Jeff shook his head and turned his attention back to the laptop. "It's nothing to do with me."

Oscar frowned. "You are denying your father?"

Jeff exhaled in frustration and without looking up from the laptop he explained. "I can't deny you or accept. If you want in, go and buy the stocks yourself. When stock market closes, whatever you have, give me authorization to fully represent you. That's it." Jeff scribbled something on a piece of paper and gave it to Oscar. "These are three companies we are targeting today."

"Great!" Oscar glanced at the paper and pulled his phone happily.

Jeff glanced at Oscar's rare smile, while his displeasure was obvious. "Why are you still here?"

Oscar was outraged by that question. "This is my study!"

Jeff realized that what Oscar said is correct. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Right… Well, I'm using it now. If you want to be here, don't make noise. I want to focus."

Oscar gave a piercing gaze to Jeff, which Jeff ignored.

'Hmph… this brat shows no respect!' Oscar complained internally, but his mood improved as he called his stockbroker and instructed him what stocks to buy. After his phone call, Oscar lingered in the study.

Sometime later, Jeff received a text message which made him frown. Immediately he called Aiden. It took some time for him to pick up.

"Don't you know we are working today? … I expect you to be available… Yes, yes… Timothy Cox noticed that he is losing power, and wants to use an offshore account… It's not his… Cayman Islands… Sabrina Welsh… Now."

Oscar overheard the call. "Who did you call?"

"Aiden."

Oscar was pleasantly surprised. "He is in this also?" He liked that his sons are working together.

"Mhm… Sarah as well." Jeff mumbled.

"Only JoAnna seems unspoiled." Oscar mumbled, in the same way Jeff did only one second ago. Their behavior is so similar, that it's a giveaway of their relationship as a father and son.

Jeff heard him. "All this is her idea."

"How unexpected. She is full of surprises!" Oscar said with delight.

Jeff frowned. 'How can he be so biased?! He praised Anna for being unspoiled, then he praised her for being a mastermind behind this! Which one is it?!' But he didn't want to argue. He was busy, and in reality, he likes that his father dotes on JoAnna.

JoAnna entered the study, carrying a steaming cup of coffee. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Jeff with glasses on. She saw Oscar when she entered, but Jeff's super-handsome-glasses-mode made her forget to greet her future father-in-law. She walked toward Jeff not removing her eyes from him, as if she is possessed.

JoAnna placed the coffee cup on the table. "Since you are busy, I brought you coffee. What is the status?"

Jeff removed his glasses and pulled JoAnna in his lap. "Almost there. There is a small bump, but Aiden and Sarah are on it. They will smoothen it out."

JoAnna frowned because he removed his glasses, but then she thought that it's better if he removes them because he needs to work. And she has difficulty keeping her hands to herself when he wears glasses.

Oscar cleared his throat, and JoAnna was startled.

"Hi, dad." She shyly said, embarrassed that she didn't greet him upon entrance to the room. JoAnna was in Jeff's lap and she wanted to stand up, but his grip didn't allow her to budge. She turned to Jeff and scolded him with her look. "Why are you not letting me get up?" She whispered.

"Stay a minute… he will leave…" He whispered back.

JoAnna looked at Jeff in disbelief. 'He is using me to get his dad out of the study?'

Jeff smiled mischievously, and in next moment, his glasses were back on.

JoAnna stared at Jeff, unable to be upset any more. Her body felt like jelly on his lap under the influence of his super-handsome-glasses-mode. When she saw him licking his lower lip, she pounced on him and her lips landed on his. By the time their kiss ended, Oscar was out of the study. JoAnna cleared her throat and forced herself to stand up. "I will let you work now. Let me know when you are done."

Jeff pulled her back in his lap. "I can take a break." His hand was on the back of her head, and he pulled her in for another kiss. She didn't resist. She didn't resist at all.

…

In the hallway, Oscar was walking to the living room while huffing. He was not happy that he was ignored. Again. "Those kids!" He mumbled.

"What about those kids?" Elanor lifted her head from the book, when she heard him.

"It's that older son of yours! He ignored me…" Oscar complained and sat next to her on the sofa.

"He is not just mine. And he is a lot like his father." Elanor giggled. "I remember you used to carry me like that." She remembered how previous night Jeff carried JoAnna out of the back room.

"I was not so disrespectful to my father!" Oscar huffed.

"Hah! You were worse. Did you forget that when you locked your gaze on me, you didn't notice anyone else, including our parents?" Elanor saw that Oscar's anger subsided and smiled. "Isn't this better? Both our sons are in love with capable girls who love them back. I like this situation very much. Just looking at them brings back sweet memories."

Oscar frowned. "What memories? Are you lacking something?"

"You can't deny that some of that spontaneous passion is gone after so many years together."

Oscar moved close to her. In an instant, his left arm was behind Elanor's back and left one under her knees. "You want me to carry you?"

Elanor panicked. "No, no, no! You will hurt your back!"

"Hmph, what back? I'm strong as I ever was, and you are light as a feather." Oscar started lifting her.

Elanor squirmed. "Yes, yes… but please don't lift me. I like to keep my feet on the ground." She hoped that he will buy this excuse. She was worried about his back.

"There are other ways to make you get off the ground." He smiled suggestively. Before Elanor could react, Oscar pulled her close and his lips found hers. He held her head in place as he deepened the kiss.

Elanor felt like floating, lost in a kiss. For years, any intimacy between them was reserved for their bedroom. This kiss in the living room caught her unprepared. 'Living room! Someone will see us!' She panicked and broke the kiss.

Oscar saw her eyes darting around, making sure that no one saw them.

"What? Now you don't like spontaneous passion?" Oscar looked offended.

"It's not that I don't like it… but here, someone might see us." Elanor whispered.

"I see…" He stood up. "Then let's go to the bedroom." Oscar took her arm in his and led her to their bedroom. Elanor followed him while trying to hold back the smile which was spreading over her face.