I pointed at the seat in front of the desk and Sean Edin walked over, slid on the chair, and looked like someone who had spent years navigating the world as he sat elegant, poised, and impeccably dressed in a tailored suit that exuded a quiet confidence. His eyes were soft, and his demeanor had a way of making the room feel intimate.
I took my seat behind the desk, my gaze briefly meeting his. "Thank you for coming," I said, trying to sound as relaxed as I could manage.
"Of course. I appreciate you taking the time to see me. Even though I did not have an appointment, I thought it was necessary to see you." He answered.
I leaned back in my chair, studying him. "What's on your mind?" I asked, my tone casual but with an edge of curiosity. We had never spoken before, and Senator Liam's fundraiser was our first meeting.
He smiled warmly and said "Eli Marks."
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "I'm listening."
His expression grew more serious. "I know that you hired him even though Gregory Marks was the one who sent the profile to you. My Nephew is brilliant but has had a tough life with his father. I want to know what your intentions are?"
I nodded slowly, understanding where he was coming from. "I agree with you. Eli Mark is brilliant, and he deserves the position. Armand Inc. is proud to have him on board. "
"Exactly," he said, his voice firm yet measured. "Why did you hire him?"
I considered his words, felt the weight of his concerns, and decided to be honest with him since Max had reported that Eli had dinner with him last night before he went home. "The truth is that I hired Eli for selfish reasons. Two years ago, in Salt Lake City, Hamptons in the hotel, I witnessed Gregory Marks whipping Eli. "Edin's eyes widened in shock. "I decided to intervene, and I suspect that Gregory Marks took that as a way to get to me. Hence, he sent Eli's profile to me. I must confess that I was happy when I saw it since I was irked by his behavior and decided to help Eli. I hired him because I want to help him."
He smiled and responded "I guess as much and saw the way your head of security protected him during Senator Liam's fundraiser.
"Of course. Now that Eli has joined Armand Inc., as his employer, I will strive to ensure that he is protected and remains safe.
"You do know that Gregory Marks sent him here as a spy "Sean pointed out.
"Of course. But that is not what am worried about. Yesterday there was a security breach at the office and someone framed Eli. My people are worrying about him and when I saw you here, I thought he had informed you of what happened.
"Eli is tight-lipped, and it was the environment that he grew up in that has made it this way "Sean cursed.
"His safety and happiness are my priority "I confessed.
"I knew you'd understand. I'm glad we're on the same page." Sean nodded.
"He has his plans; I can guess, and I will do my level best to help him achieve them" I added.
"Even though his plans revolve around leaving Utah?" Sean raised one eyebrow.
"Anything but that "I asserted.
"He will not be safe in Utah "Sean pressed on.
"I have the power to make Utah safe for him" I interjected.
"I know" Sean burst out in laughter and stood up.
There was a knock on the office door and Eli walked in and his steps faltered when he spotted Sean Edins. His eyes widened as they darted between Sean and me and then he huffed and closed the door. His steps were calculated as he approached the desk and then he spoke up "Chairman Armand, I am sorry to interrupt, I came to see if you had signed the documents that Max delivered to you this morning."
I watched as a small smile played on Sean's lips before he spoke up and said, "Aren't you going to greet your uncle?"
"Greetings Uncle Sean" Eli muttered through gritted teeth.
"Eli, it's good to see you in an office setting "Sean moved close to him and tapped his back and the reaction from Eli made us all rush to him. He winced and staggered back in pain and then pushed Uncle Sean's hand away. Top of Form
"Stand back "Eli's voice rose.
"Why don't you just tell us what's going on?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady despite the unease that had settled in my stomach, and memories of how Gregory Marks whipped Eli came rushing to my mind.
Eli's face was filled with a mixture of defiance and guilt. "I—I don't want to worry you," he began, but his voice was shaky. "This is a private matter."
Sean's darkened, and I could see the wheels turning in his mind as he tried to piece together the fragmented information. "Private?" he demanded; his voice edged with frustration.
Eli took a deep breath, and for a moment, his eyes met mine, then quickly flickered away. "Yes"
"He whipped you again?" I growled in anger.
The room seemed to tilt on its axis, and I could see the shock on Sean's face. His expression shifted from confusion to profound pain, his eyes narrowing as he tried to process the revelation. "You were whipped? Take your shirt off Eli?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Mind your business Uncle "Eli deflected. "We are in the office."
"I'm his family too. I have a right to know what's happening." Sean Edin growled in frustration.
I stood there, feeling like a spectator caught in a whirlwind of emotion. The gravity of the situation was sinking in and the conversation we had last night with Eli made me realize that that bastard Gregory Marks had whipped him and that is why Eli was in anguish and disarray.
"Let us talk later on "Eli dismissed Sean Edins.
His shoulders slumped slightly, the anger giving way to a weary resignation. "You should have trusted me from the very beginning," he said softly, his voice breaking. "We could have faced this together."
"I will come to you after work "Eli assured him.
"Thank you for taking the time to see me, Chairman Armand. I will send you the proposal on using AI Algorithm for the automobile industry and let your team look at how we can work together" Sean Edin turned to me. "And don't forget the other agreement."
"Thank you, Sean. It will be a pleasure to work with you" I nodded at him as he turned and walked out of the office without a back.
Once the door of the office closed, moved over to Eli, grabbed his hand, and dragged him to the private longue in my office, removed his coat, and shirt, and turned him around. The sight that greeted me was like a punch to the gut.
The marks were vivid and stark against his white skin—angry red welts crisscrossing his back in a cruel pattern. Each line told a story of pain and suffering, a brutal testament to what Eli had endured. The stripes were raised, the skin around them bruised and irritated.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my emotions. "I'm here for you," I said, my voice filled with resolve. As I wrapped my arms around Eli, pulling him close, careful not to hurt his back, and felt the tremors of his body against mine as the sobs came raking his body and Eli cried his heart out.