The Marvelous Elijah's Return novel Chapter 105

Leave it to me 

The room was quiet as the silence dragged on as Elijah and Bryan sat there, relaxing on the couch, now that Curtis, Hosah, and Joey had left them alone.

“Well, I don‘t know why I underestimate a Maxwell… But I thought you were going to find Joey’s words offensive and not want to work with him.” Bryan broke the silence.

“And miss the opportunity of correcting my image in the eyes of someone who acted out of ignorance?... After today, what do you think Joey‘s impression would be of me… still the same or...?” Elijah paused and looked at Bryan

“He seemed to respect you.”

“And he didn‘t have that for me when I first walked in here… Have you ever worked under someone you have wronged and had to live up to correcting your image with them, every time you see them?” 

“He‘s going to be very careful around you, from now on, always remembering his mistake.”

“Exactly. Now, isn‘t that more fun watching the one that disdains you in your face, spent his days respecting your opinions and you, rather than have him out there, being salty about you, and you, having resentment for him?” 

Seeing the half smile forming on Elijah‘s face and hearing the soft chuckle escaping his lips, Bryan smiled, mumbling, “Well, I never thought that far ahead before, but, yeah, it is.” 

After a brief silence, Elijah looked at his watch and said, “I need to get back to my wife.” 

“So it‘s really love?” Bryan questioned, raising his eyebrows. 

“What is love?” 

“You and her...” 

When Elijah didn‘t respond immediately, Bryan elaborated, “Forgive me for such sensitive words… But, first, you kept your identity for years, while being married to Melina, and allowing everyone to walk over you, and now, you are with Peach, and judging from the last name she bears from you...” 

A brief silence passed between the two men again as Bryan saw how Elijah tensed, and then he mumbled, “She doesn‘t know that you are a Maxwell... till this day, does she?” 

Again another awkward silence followed between the two men, and Bryan brushed his hand through his hair, laughing out the tension he felt, saying, “I should stop trying to pick at your brain... you are way too complicated, man.” 1 

Ignoring Bryan‘s words and the feeling that came with it, Elijah just chuckled in response, turning off his phone and putting it away into his pocket. Then he stood up from the couch, saying, “Thanks for today... I appreciate everything you have done so far. I know how to scratch the backs of those that scratch mine, So when the day comes for me to repay my debts, know that I got your back.” 

A short laugh left Bryan‘s lips as he stood up from the couch, meeting Elijah‘s gaze as he let out, “I know that this started as a business transaction, but you have rubbed off on me quite a lot, man.” 

A half, a slight smile was the only response Elijah gave before walking off, and Bryan shook his head with a smile, following him out the door. 

Shoving his hands into his pocket, Elijah continued down the hall, realizing that a couple of Bryan words had stuck in his mind, and he frowned slightly. 

“My eyes are not deceiving me!” A voice that Elijah remembered way too well grabbed his attention, and

he gazed to the right to see Mr. Gordan, approaching with his golf gears in a bag, smiling like he had won a lottery. “I was right! It‘s you..” 

“Mr. Gordan,” Bryan said with a grin at the old man.

When he reached them, Mr. Gordan glanced between Bryan and Elijah, looking confused and yet amused, asking, “What an odd pair to see together… You two know each other.”

Grabbing Elijah by the shoulder, Bryan wore a big smile on his pinkish lips and said, “Well, what do you think?” 

“Umm...” Mr. Gordan began, before staring at both of them in confusion. 

One of the biggest CEO in the country was actually being goofy with the so–called low–life son–in–law of the Hayes family was a mathematical solution that seemed impossible in Mr. Gordan‘s opinion, and he let out, “What the relationship here?” 

“Just buddies,” Bryan said with a mischievous smile. 

Holding back a laugh, Peach took a second to suppress it all and mumbled, “Sorry that I startled you... I was talking about what I said back in the restaurant. Elmer had been using accounting loopholes to hide millions of dollars of bad debt, while simultaneously inflating the company‘s earnings. It‘s all in the records...”