5 Some Truths

Nathaniel stood outside of Primus Hotel as he watched Maya's car roar as she drove away.

He had walked her out in the hopes that she would speak with him a little bit more.

But Maya remained silent the entire time, she didn't even say goodbye as she continued to walk to her car.

"Did you expect her to forgive you?" Jay Woods asked as he appeared next to Nathaniel.

"No," Nathaniel said with a weak smile. "I never did, I knew I fucked up."

Jay nodded as he heard Nathaniel sigh.

"So where will you be staying?" Jay asked, he was more than ready to offer his spare bed to Nathaniel.

The man had helped him so much in the past that Jay was willing to do almost anything for Nathaniel.

"I have a place in the city…" Nathaniel's voice faded as an idea popped up in his head.

"Are you okay? Do you need a ride to your place?" Jay asked Nathaniel.

When Nathaniel turned to look at the other man it was clear that his friend was very concerned about him.

"I would appreciate it if you could drop me off," Nathaniel grinned as he thought of what he had planned to do. "I'll tell you where to go."

"Great! My car is this way," Jay said as he led Nathaniel to the parking lot.

Nathaniel messaged Clark to wait for him in the apartment and to inform his guards that he would be bringing Jay with him.

"Nate? Are you coming?" Jay called out as he stood next to his car.

Nathaniel smiled and nodded, happy that his friend now had a car and at how far Jay had progressed in life.

———————

"Here?" Jay asked, stunned as he looked at the building Nathaniel had directed him to. "You do know what this place is?"

"Yup," Nathaniel chuckled as he got out of Jay's car. "Come, he'll deal with it."

Nathaniel pointed at a bodyguard that stood beside Jay's car.

"Huh? What?" Jay asked, confused.

"Jay!" Nathaniel called out, making Jay jump and quickly get out of his car.

"I'll be down here when you leave, Mr. Woods," the bodyguard informed Jay as he gave him a slight bow.

"Jay hurry up!" Nathaniel called before Jay could even thank the bodyguard.

"How—" Jay began to ask when he spotted the man from earlier at Primus Hotel.

"Boss, Mr. Woods," Clark Thomas greeted as Nathaniel and Jay approached.

"Yo—you're—" Jay said as he pointed at Clark. "Aren't you the man the President of DLR Enterprises sent?"

"His assistant, yes," Nathaniel answered with a grin on his face.

"Wha—what—"

"Best we take this discussion upstairs," Nathaniel said before Jay could say anything more. "Lead the way Clark."

"Very well, Mr. De La Rue," Clark led the group into a private elevator that serviced only the penthouse of the building.

"There is drool on your face, Jay, wipe it off," Nathaniel chuckled as the elevator doors opened to the Penthouse's foyer.

Jay quickly tried to wipe the non-existent drool Nathaniel was speaking of, only to find out that his old friend was actually pulling a prank on him.

"I guess I owe you some explanation," Nathaniel sighed as Clark tapped in a code to the apartment and let them in.

"Why the fuck do you live in the penthouse of this building and why the fuck does Mr. Thomas call you Mr. De La Rue?" Jay demanded to know. "Who the hell are you Nate? What the hell did you do while you were gone?"

Nathaniel sighed and looked around the furnished apartment.

It looked almost like every home he had, all prepared to his particular specifications.

"Get us some coffee," Nathaniel told Clark who quickly gave his boss and his boss's friend some privacy.

"Sit," Nathaniel said, gesturing towards the couch as he too made himself more comfortable.

Jay frowned but did as Nathaniel asked.

"My real name is Nathaniel De La Rue," Nathaniel began to explain.

"De La Rue, like DLR, De La Rue Enterprises?" Jay asked.

"How did you know what DLR stands for?" Nathaniel found it odd that Jay knew this, it wasn't public knowledge that DLR Enterprises was owned by the De La Rue family even if it had their initials stamped on it.

"I work there," Jay confessed. "Oliver Wright is actually my boss."