Chapter 26: The Man Behind the Cowboy

…AUSTIN POV…

There are some things in your life you wish you never had to think of. Some things that you wish you can sweep underneath the rug and hope that is where they will stay. Now I have had my fair share of bad luck, if not by my own hands, then by the one of another. Now, if you think you can keep them right where they belong, then you are sorely mistaken. They will find a way to pop their head up when you least expect it.

Now there is a story that I do not often tell; in fact, not even Mr. Sinclair and Billy know of it. There was a girl that I met through a good friend of mine; I truly did fall head over heels in love with her. We spend almost every waking moment together, so it was only natural that I asked for her hand in marriage. So as all things got with couples at this stage of a relationship, I trusted her with everything. But I never expected her to show me what her true colors were. How she waited patiently for a year is beyond my understanding.

But as soon I slipped that ring on her finger, things changed in an instant. Apart from not knowing who she really was, I also found out that since the very single day we met, she was already in a relationship. Now it does sound impossible to believe that for a year, I did not suspect a single thing. Guess I was too in love and believed every single word that she said.

So it was a short while after I gave her access to the bank that I came to find that she had completely cleaned me out. Of course, I could not believe that she would do such a thing to me; that is when I started to think that someone else must have put her up to it. And there was the very man who was her lowlife scumbag boyfriend.

As with every true love, you do not wish to think that the person is capable of things so low. It came to light, and maybe not entirely true, but her boyfriend came up with the whole idea. You would think that you will cover your tracks up if you intend to rob someone from such a rather large amount. Well, not them; they transferred the money into his bank account. The moment I discovered this, it shook me down to my core; I have never been betrayed like that before.

Now the worst thing was that I was so blindly in love that I never laid charges against her. But her boyfriend, for sure I did. I lost the love of my life to a hungry for money asshole; if I did not carry such wealth, then I would have never lost her to this man that only saw the prospect of having six figures in his bank balance. Hence you can say I dispise wealthy people; money only attracts lies and heartache.

With this in mind, I feel like punching this lowlife right in the ribs. One will start to think that all I do these days is beating other men. Well, this one does deserve a beating, but the biggest question.

"Why are you not in jail?"

"Got out on good behavior."

"What? Good at the next poor sucker you and your…nevermind, just get out of my way."

"You not going to punch me."

"Believe me, I want, but you are not worth the effort to lift up my hand."

Then I walk past him, but the minute I hear him call after me.

"Asshole."

"Oh no, you did not just call me an asshole when you are the dumb idiot around here."

So I ball my hand into a fist, and as I grind down onto my teeth, I ram my knuckles straight into his gut. Feeling somewhat better with myself, I turn around and head back to my car. I am sure Rebecca shall soon understand why I have to sneak off.

But running away from your problems never helps, for even after punching him, I still do not have the closure I have been craving for all these years. There is no way that I am going back there and sit down with the two people I hate the most and say that I forgive them.

Now with that out in the open, one would say that I am just the same as a Knightley, which I am not. I do not sit in my overprised mansion and give orders to the rest of the town. Unfortunately, I am a simple man who carries more than a normal man does. One should not truly see wealth as a burden, but it is when someone else is always after it.

And speaking of something about another thing that I have also pushed out of my life, I guess I might as well give him a visit while I am here. He has been hounding me for months to come back and take what is mine, but not take as in walk away. It is more rise up to what was intended for me.

So as I stare at the skyscraper in front of me that holds the offices of Pierce Enterprises, it is with a hint of fear that I set my foot through the door. I can remember playing in these corridors when I was young. All those times that I spinned around in my father's chair, I always told myself that this would be mine one day. Well, that day came and has gone, and yet I do not find myself in his chair.

I soon find myself in the elevator heading up to the twentieth floor, and as I step out, I find him as all other times before. My father's dear friend and the lawyer of the company.

"Well, Austin Pierce, I do believe the weather is about to turn bad. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Hey Steve, it is just as pleasant to see you. See that you are still part of the furniture."

"I would not be if a certain somebody did not come back to the company."

"Yeah, I might have a far better chance than winning the lottery."

"I know you will come back, it is only a matter of time, but I do have to warn you I am not getting any younger."

After getting the receptionist to bring us coffee, we sit down in the lounge area in my father's office.

"So I guess this is still empty?"

"It is waiting for you, Austin."

"Steve, I have made my life down there. The more I stay away from this, the better off I am. I will not risk having being taken advantage of."

"You don't need to expose yourself; you will sit behind the curtain and just call the shots."

"And how do you keep me out of the prying eyes of every single tabloid that shall mark me as the next supermodel's meal?"

I watch as Steve chuckles at my silly remark, but it is the truth; that is where Rebecca comes in, after all. Before my father met my mom, he has a string of women on his arm, women that only care for the expensive lifestyle and all the nice things they could buy. Needless to say, that Rebecca's mother did not honestly care about anything else until she found herself pregnant. But by that time, my father was married and living happily with my mom.

With wealth, there comes attention and attention only leads to a broken heart. Everything in life ends up with a broken heart. I am at peace on my ranch; it is even scary to think what my relationship with Summer shall bring.

But this is part of my father, and this is where I spent so many days with him and my mom. There is a part of me that did wish that I can be here. Is it really worth running away from things that shall always creep back into your life? There shall always come badly with the good; the point remains that you should not let the bad effect you.

And while Steve has been staring at me, whirling these thoughts through my mind, he takes his chance.

"Please come back, Austin."