Chapter 144 - If you looked deeply into this

"Glad to be back?" The ice cubes clinked in the glass as Johnathan handed Alexandre the whisky. The sun shone dimly into the glass-fronted office. It was already afternoon, but above London lay this dull grey. Alexandre wondered what Lily and Adrien were doing. He was exhausted after these long negotiations and only wanted to go to bed with his family.

"I don't know yet. If you'd keep your hands off my wife, I'd feel better." Alexandre's gaze stuck firmly on the expressionless face of Baring.

But Jonathan sat silently in his leather armchair, sipping his glass of Auchentoshan whisky. "Relax, Alec. If you don't want me to taste your beautiful bride, I'll leave her alone, of course. "I'm not gonna risk our friendship over a woman. There are plenty of women here in London waiting for my call." Alexandre arched his eyebrows on that statement. This guy would never change. The Baring family would have to continue hoping for his offspring.

"I just thought she was a trophy bride, picked out by your family especially for you. I didn't think you were interested in her. After all, after Danielle..."

No, definitely Baring never changed. He was as nasty as Stephan. Always prepared to deal out a side blow. If he wasn't so brilliant in his financial dealings, Alexandre would have already given him a punch or two. Unfortunately, he needed Johnathans help in more ways than one. But at the same time he wished his friend to finally grow up. At 28, he was already overdue for a more appropriate behaviour.

"I'm not interested in her, I just don't like people touching my property!" Growled Alexandre. "I don't like to share!"

It even made him really angry if he only thought that someone other than himself would touch her. He'd break his arm, every damn bone.

"Ha! Anything you want. Too bad she's totally my type. Your parents couldn't find you a nice blonde? She doesn't really fit into your type."

Alexandre forced himself to take a deep breath, reminding himself not to be provoked by Johnathan's careless words. "I don't know what you're talking about and, frankly, it bugs me. Could we get down to business?"

"Tsk... you're touchy today. You gotta explain about your son. Seems like we don't get a lot of news here on the island. Anyway, take a look at this. It's quite interesting." Johnathan dropped some papers on the glass coffee table. But Alexandre could not cope much with the pages filled with numbers. Doubtful, he raised his eyebrow and looked at the banker in the dove-grey suit, who casually waved the glass in his hand with a smug smile on his lips.

"I've been keeping my ears open a bit for you, watching his banking transactions, which he is having done here in London. De Cocieux saved a small investment firm from ruin and invested his money in it. He compensated the lost capital of this company and invested in its global fund. They took a lot of money from him. You can guess where it came from. But the point is, my people checked out everything that was necessary. The authorities wouldn't find anything if you looked deeply into this global fund."

"So? If it' s perfect. How will it help me?"

"The origin of the money should be investigated. If you find a lead, it won't be long before you can trace everything back to him."

"The point is - if I find a lead. If not, this information is useless."

"All right. But at least it's better than nothing."

Alexandre breathed heavily. Anyway... "Thank you Johnathan."

✿

Between visits of relatives and acquaintances, business lunches, tea parties, evening parties and exploration tours through London, time flew past Lily as if in a flash.

Alexandre had promised Adrien and her to keep tomorrow free and to tour the city with them. Before they would leave in the evening.

With absent thoughts, Lily stared at the Parthenon's decorative ornaments, which were exhibited in the British Museum. Standing next to her was her great cousin who had hooked up with Lily and admired with great awe the scene of a mythological battle. Her mocca eyes sparkled as eagerly as those of her father, who was a renowned archaeologist. Leticia Panswick had grown up in a country house full of old books and manuscripts, objects found at archaeological excavations and artefacts. She loved all this as much as her father did. Despite Lily's fatigue that evening, she enjoyed strolling with Leticia through the exhibitions of the British Museum. Her great cousin knew all about the museum pieces and taught Lily about the museum's most important cultural and historical artifacts. The girls were a little bit offside from the evening party of this evening event. Lost in their own world, they put their dark heads together, discussing the history of civilization, while in the main hall the fine people enjoyed themselves.

Both girls, enjoyed the silence rather than the glances of countless eyes, which was why they strolled through the various exhibitions, passing by antique exhibits from all over the world. Indeed, the British Museum had plenty to offer.

"Excuse me, Lady de Clermont?" Lily shivered at the deep voice that had suddenly appeared behind her.

"Yes?" Lily tilted her head and looked at the young man with undisguised curiosity.

"Sorry to interrupt these lovely ladies. My father told me a lot about you. You are Gaston de Cocieux's niece, whom he guarded like the apple of his eye."

Lily bit her lip at the mention of her uncle. With her eyes narrowed, she looked up at brown-haired giant, his eyes glittering like aquamarines.

"Excuse me, have we been introduced?" Lily looked at him skeptically. She was certain this brazenly handsome man had not yet been introduced to her. Not by her uncle, nor by any other person.

He took a step closer and a smug smile lay on his full lips. The fine smell of his aftershave floated discreetly in the air. "I fear not yet. But I have heard a lot about you. Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Salvatore Costonucci. My father has a lot to do with your uncle in business. And this lovely lady is?" His gaze fell upon Leticia who looked listlessly at the handsome stranger.

"Ah...Leticia Panswick."

"What a pleasure it is to meet you both." Gently, he took Leticia's delicate hand, his lips barely touching her ivory skin. Before he bent down to greet Lily with a kiss on the hand.

"So you know my uncle?"