Epilogue

A few years later…

I swirled the wine, watching the liquid flow.

How freely they flowed, I thought as I held the wineglass against the light. The decanting process of this had been almost perfect. I sat in velvet couch, facing a million dollar view. Before me was a bank of windows, showing me the hustle-bustle below. A city that was Washington.

My home for the past few months. The place where I thrived and flourished.

The place that I would continue to thrive.

I heard the doors opening softly, and footsteps steadily made towards me. They were here, finally, and I knew it. I’d been waiting for them for quite some time. I had nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, nowhere to go, and no reason to go anywhere either. I am exactly right where I want to be.

I am a success. This is why I am on The Circle. In my failures of New York, I often wonder why I am still on The Circle. I have failed, but I am still… the top. I am a top-notched con, but still, my heart has been stolen and trapped by the lowest of con, a love con. I couldn’t understand why I still let it rule but, but I still let it.

I take a sip from the ancient wine, tasting the exquisiteness of it sliding down my throat. I ran a finger over my stereo and turned down the jazz music that has been leaking into the corners of my large apartment. Oh, these were the luxuries of my home that I would soon sell.

They took seats, and I turned around, facing familiar faces. A few smiling faces looked back at me; others with placid, emotionless slates. Someone in the midst of them beamed at me. Of course he beamed at me. We were meeting thanks to the result of the large con that we’d just played on the government.

“You very near destroyed the economy.” Orson started, his expression a strange mixture of awe and annoyance.

“Yes, we did.” I corrected quietly, putting the wine down, for it would be rude if I drank without offering them any.

“Cons everywhere are reeling. You’ve brought headline news everywhere. Front page. Everyone is speculating a global financial crisis.” Myriam continued, frowning a little, but amusement twinkles in his eyes.

“Yes, they are.” I confirmed, nodding to show that I was serious.

“And we should move on.” Elxa Dal breaks in suddenly, and while he doesn’t look annoyed, he doesn’t looked particularly pleased anyway. “I am aware that you have three of Pollock’s famous pieces ready to sell? One Ruben’s work, and an almost identical ‘The Scream’.”

“Yes, we have.” I corrected again. What was up with The Circle members not recognizing his part of the work too? They must think me some superhuman to do all these by myself.

“Let’s discuss how you plan to get sell them. Surely you understand that if you were to sell them all, it would incite large con wars?” Elxa Dal seemed on a roll, for no one intervened.

“Of course. Would it do well if I were to have Pollock’s pieces selling in Southeast Asia, The Scream locally, and Ruben in Paris?”

Elxa spent a moment contemplating, then nodded in satisfaction.

“Then what would you be doing?” Elxa asked, changing his attention to the newest member who was still grinning at me at our success. “Hayley has made clear of her intentions. What about you?”

“I’m selling the pieces.” He answered honestly, innocently, and I bit back and smile.

“Did Hayley not say that she was selling them?” Danaus intervened, frowning.

“I implied that I would have them in the respective markets, nothing of my personal engagement there.” I put in politely, but my accomplice only smiled.

“I’ll fetch the highest prices. I did hear that the Paris market is blooming with new goods. If it works, I’ll have Jerlyn and Mabel along. Anyone in objection?”

None raised their hands, and soon, the meeting was over. One by one, the men left, leaving him behind.

“Did you read the news today?” He asked when it was clear that we were the only ones left in the room.

“Surely headlines about us again.” I dismissed.

“No, page 5. Neal and Rainer won another large case.”

“Did they, now?” I asked absently, but nothing changed the fact that my attention was more on my phone than the conversation at hand.

“We should drop by them sometimes. Surely Rainer warrants and explanation on how two cons on The Circle managed to almost destroy the entire American economy?”

“Yes, you should.” I continued absently, tapping quickly in the phone. “Drop by and send some regards, won’t you?”

“Hays.” His sudden sharp calling of my name finally grabs my attention, and I see my brother frowning a little at me. “You’re not listening.”

“What? I’m busy.”

“You haven’t visited them in years!” Hayden insisted, but my phone chimed once.

Distracted once again, I looked at the display of my phone, and the smile drew itself on my face. Without even bothering to reply my darling brother, I pressed call.

“Hey sweet babe. Do you know what I just boasted to the nurse? My girlfriend is so amazing that she could almost bring down the entire global economy!” A sweet voice that I’d missed passed through the phone, and distantly, I saw Hayden rolling his eyes.

“Well, not all through the world. Just the American economy. And let’s not forget I had Hayden.” I pointed out, but it was obvious in my voice that I was elated just to hear his voice.

“Oh, details, details. It would sound terribly incompetent of me if you wouldn’t be able to take down the global economy, won’t it?” He boasted, and I could only laugh.

“Fine, Mr. Perfect. How are you feeling today?”

“Peachy. Did you know the chemo is really a downer? I met this bald guy on my way to treatment, and he nearly went berserker! I mean, yeah, you’re pissed that you’ve got cancer, but the world ain’t ending yet, right?”

“Not everyone is as lucky as you are, Jeremy.”

“Well, I’m lucky enough to have you as a girlfriend. Isn’t that enough?”

The buttering up from my boyfriend was enough to make me laugh. Ever since we transferred him to Japan for the latest medical technology, Jeremy had been healing well with his cancer, and was almost fine to return back to the normal world.

“Where do you want to go when you come back?” I asked, for I’d promised him a vacation with solely him and him alone –no commitments from The Circle, or Hayden.

“Hmm. I have a place in mind that’s going to resharpen my skills and we’ll have a whale of a time.”

“Where’s that?”

“You know that place. It tried to kill you, but you got back up and punched it in the face.”

I laughed. “Oh, that place.”

“Yeap, our paradise.”

“What else do I expect from you? New York City’s going to be enough for you?”

“Anywhere is fine with me, actually, as long as I’m with you.”

“Aw, don’t be such a cheesy man. You can save it for when we meet again.”

“Fine. But honestly, Hayley, with you, everywhere is a White Collar’s Paradise.”

-The End-

A/N: For those who have enjoyed this book, you can check out Just Another Common Man, that starrs Elxa Dal -a member on The Circle, Jeremy Stiles and Hayley and Hayden Seyfried!