Nathan’s POV


    I always feel peace and tranquility whenever she is in my arms. I dropped a light kiss on her forehead, basking in her warmth as shey in my arms.


    It’s going to be hard to convince my family to ept her as my wife because of her family background, but I’m sure I can handle it. I just have to keep our rtionship a secret until I take over everything. They would never be able to separate us, I won’t allow it. I just can’t imagine a life without her.


    My phone started ringing and I let out a frustrated sigh as I saw the caller ID. I stretched my hand to pick it up quickly so it doesn’t wake Hiry.


    “Hello Grampy, so nice to hear from you,” I said in greeting.


    “Quit being formal son, I thought we’ve grown past all that.” He teased softly. I had a huge fallout with my family. After I graduated from college, dad had wanted me to take over immediately but I wasn’t ready for all that, I was young and I had other dreams and aspirations. But my grandparents had taken my refusal to take over as a rebellion and grandpa kept threatening to hand over the family empire to my idiotic cousin Travis.


    Now I’ve finally gotten my master’s degree and I’m ready to take over, I wonder what he is up to now, I wonder why he is calling. He is always so wise and maniptive, I just hope he doesn’t have any tricks up his sleeve this time.


    “You have toe, home son, it’s time for you to learn all about the family tradition. The elders have decided to perform the traditional rites to hand over the family to you. The ceremony has to be carried out before you take over thepany, so we need you on the ne and fly down here tomorrow.”


    “Tomorrow?


    Thepany needs me Grampy, I have to get it sorted out and I need to establish my dominance in thepany. Our shareholders areining about the sudden drop in our ie, our investors are pulling out gradually, I need to resume at thepany immediately Grampy, I can’t abandon my duties for a month, thepany would suffer serious damages.” I exined to him, trying so hard to convince him to change his mind about this.


    Why is heing up with this all of a sudden, I mean, where is thising from?


    For as long as I can remember, they have been trying to get me to sit on that seat and handle thepany’s affairs, ourpetitors are taking advantage of the fact that ourpany has no seating CEO and they are poaching our investors and stealing our clients from right under our noses. I know all this and I’ve been silent all this while because I’ve got a n to expand our brands and open new branches in other countries. I am confident of my capabilities and I’m sure all our investors would be forced toe back to us when they see us thriving better than ourpetitors. I just have to resume office and get to work, that’s the n. That has always been the n which is why I am curious as to why my grandfather would suddenly suggest that I should abandon all these projects, abandoning the family’s multinationalpanies that are at the bridge of losing all potential clients. He wants me to leave all this and run-down home for some traditional ceremonial, handing over.


    I know it is the tradition, it’s been our age-long tradition. The Trents have an age-long tradition, and we never deflect from our roots. This tradition has been passed down for generations, my parents never failed to teach us about it, they made it mandatory for us to go back home every year and interact with our families, learning all about our traditions. Before any leader emerges, he has to visit the previous leaders, which we refer to as the elders and they would spend a considerable amount of time with them learning how to be a good leader and how to resolve family or business crises.


    It is during this process that the elders teach you the secrets of running a sessful business in New York City and how to settle business disputes the hard way. My family has some deep roots with the underground, I could remember hearing dad say that he has some contacts with the Mafia’s and he calls them for help on issues he couldn’t handle himself. I know how important it is for me to get the blessings of the elders before I resume my duties, I know it is important to use every resource they have so I can achieve greater heights, but that is not the most important thing right now, is it?


    Besides, what my family doesn’t know is that I have taken my time to study all there is to know about running ourpanies. All my life, I’ve watched dad run thispany and I know so many mistakes and bad decisions that he had made while running thispany, that is why I know that I can d a better job. Also, I have been running a sessful business for years without their knowledge. They may have some contacts with the underground but I have a direct link to the Mafia Lord, Costello. We are more than acquaintances, I’ve saved his ass a couple of times and he has promised to alwayse to me whenever I call on him.


    Costello is personally vetting my security detail. I had initially nned on bringing in my boys after I resume in thepany, but now, I have to get them down here immediately. Something ain’t right. My Grandpa is acting strange and the funny part of all this is that I excepted more hostility toward me than I’m getting. I know I have a lot of enemies that have sworn to never let me sit on that seat. Travis and his father are my greatest enemies and I was expecting them to fight me with everything they’ve got, but they appear to be sleeping. Initially, they have tried to persuade my grandfather to cast me away because of my rebellion, they tried framing me up with several lies, trying to make my grandfather believe that I was a drug dealer and a drug addict.


    All their lies amounted to nothing because I never let them seed and my parents never believed their lies. I even fed them false news, letting them believe that I was sick and that I couldn’t be with a woman. They believed it in a heartbeat and they ran off with the news, telling everyone who would care to listen. They had thought that my grandfather would change his mind about making me his heir, seeing as I could never have children to seed me. But that never worked, my grandfather was not easily deceived or manipted, he always sees the truth behind their lies and treachery, and he knows how much they hate me and my family so he never fails to do his own investigations whenever a rumor springs up about me.


    That is why I am worried about his decision for me toe back home. I could feel it in my bones that something ain’t right. My hunch is telling me that it has something to do with my uncle and cousin but I can’t prove anything right now, besides, they have been unusually quiet for some time now and that scares me more than their actions. Their silence is never golden, it is like the calm before a storm. They are nning something big and I haven’t been paying attention to their affairs for a long time now, so I can’t really predict what their big n is.


    “Thepany has been running smoothly without you, son. It can wait a few more months.” He responded weakly.


    “A few more months!!!


    I thought you just said it’s going to be for a month, why change your words, grandpa?” I retorted.


    “It could be for a month, it couldst for more than one month, it all depends on your response to training and my health conditions.” He let out. Now that he just mentioned it, I began to think back to our conversation since he called, he doesn’t sound like his usual self. He sounds weak and frail, this is so unlike him. He is always very agile, so active, and strong. Mom had mentioned it a few months back that he is getting frail because of a strange illness that has put him on a deathbed, but as usual, I never, took it seriously. I was so sure that he’ll be fine because he is so strong, I never even bothered to check up on him as I should.


    “H… H…Health conditions?” I asked in confusion. There was silence on his end of the line, a long pause. I waited impatiently for his response because I know that he is contemting within himself if he should tell me the truth. Who would me the old man? I’ve been a bad child, I’ve always caused him pain and heartache because I never listen to anyone and I never follow the rules, I always follow my heart and do what pleases me and that always upsets him greatly.


    “I’m dying soon, son. The doctors say I have only a few months left and there is no way I’m leaving this world without teaching you everything I know. I don’t want you to make the same mistakes I made in the past my son. You may not know this but I believe in you, Nathan. I see myself whenever I look at you, you are as stubborn and driven as I was and that is why I store you and I chose you to lead this family to greatness. There is a lot I need to teach you and we have little time my son.” He told me calmly, and I felt so hurt and pained in my heart. I don’t know why I feel so guilty about his illness, my stubbornness could have contributed to his illness and it makes me feel so guilty. There is absolutely no way I’m going to reject his request, it could be hisst request from me, this could be thest time I see him and it hurts me so much to know that I may never get to have fun with him anymore. We may have our differences, but I love and adore my grandparents and I would do anything to make him live longer.


    “I’ll go prep the ne Grampy, I’ll be with you tomorrow.” I conceded, smiling warmly when I heard his cackling as he sang my praises on the phone. He was stillughing happily as he hung up and I love the fact that I brought smiles to his face. When I turned around, Hiry was looking at me with tears in her eyes. She was sitting up on the bed with her back resting on the headboard and she was staring closely at me with an and hurt evident on her face. I ran forward and climbed up beside her, pulling her into my arms as I hugged her right.


    “I told you I never want to see your tears again, didn’t I?” I asked sternly when her tears subsided.


    “I’m not going forever my love, I would never do that to you. It’s only for a couple of months. I would have refused the invitation if it wasn’ting from my sick and dying grandfather. I have to go settle this tomorrow, I’ll be back after the handing over ceremony.” I promised her as I pecked her forehead, smothering her hair with my palm.


    “Get over yourself Nate, I wasn’t crying because you were leaving. I’m not glued to your hips, you know. I know you have a busy life and I prepared myself for all this when I agreed to be with you. I just got a little emotional when I heard you talking to your grandfather. I never got to meet my own parents and grandparents and sometimes, I wish I knew why they left me.” She said sadly, making me feel even worst than I was feeling a few minutes ago. I can imagine how tough it had been for her and it hurts me to see her like this.


    “How about this, I’ll get some guys to help you search for your family when I return. They could be searching for you also, you just can’t conclude that they abandoned you okay. We’ll sort it out when I get back from the Caribbean.” I told her. She gasped in surprise and her eyes brightened in joy,


    “You would do all that for me?” she asked in disbelief.


    “Stop looking so stunned, you know I would do anything for you. I love you Hilly and it hurts me to see you hurt. I don’t ever want to see you cry, it breaks my heart to see you sad.” I confessed to her, making her big me with love and affection.


    “I love you too Nathan and ill forever be indebted to you. Thank you for brightening my world and making me so happy.” She responded with a genuine smile that made my heart rejoice. I want to pull her into my arms and make love to her over and over again, but, I’ve got a lot to take care of and I’ve got limited time.


    “I want to get you glued to my hip so you don’t have any silly ideas while I’m away.” I told her jokingly, watching her smile as I used her words against her.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    “Well, too bad that ain’t possible.” She teases me back,ughing at my words.


    “Yes, it is Miss Hiry. Now get your pretty ass into the bathroom and get dressed, We’re getting married in court.” I told her with a warm smile that soon turned into soft chuckles when I saw the stunned look on her face as she looked at me like a dear in headlights.