Chapter 228

As Ari sat squirming under Gabriel’s laser-like interrogation over dinner, across town, Andre found himself in hot water of his own. Philip had just called for the millionth time to yell at him for being a stupid idiot. Andre, usually charismatic and unflappable, was starting to lose his cool. He listened to Philip’s tirade, nodding and apologising at all the right moments, but as soon as the call ended, he threw his phone across the room with a string of curses. ‘I’m not the one who bribed those damn politicians! Philip’s hiding out in Europe, leaving me to deal with this mess! And all because of that woman, Elodie,’ he muttered to himself. ‘I knew she was behind those tabloid stories. Payback’s a bitch, isn’t it? But I don’t have time for this right now.’ Andre poured himself a drink, neat, from the expensive bottle of whiskey he kept for special occasions. Or days like these. The massive house felt like a mausoleum now that his wife, DeAnna, had left him after those tabloid stories