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FOUR
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2025-04-01 06:42:20Vida frowned. She did not like the way James fussed over him like he was a child who could not do anything for himself. Axel sat there, staring at her from the other side of the room. Vida took her eyes off him and focused on James. They were having a conversation before they were rudely interrupted by Axel.
"I was saying," she began in a tight tone with her nose in the air. Both men cast their eyes on her, ready to hear what she had to say. "The doctor was telling me about his guardian, and I don't understand what he meant by that."
"Oh," James exclaimed, his eyes lighting up with understanding as he nodded. Vida cast him an expression, hoping that it was speaking for itself and that she did not need to ask him to explain his exclamation.
"Are you not going to explain?"
"Your father made me his guardian," Axel replied.
Vida was sure that she had heard wrong, and if that was not the case, maybe he was just saying a bunch of words to see how angry she would get when she heard them. There was no way her father would take her out of being his guardian; she was his only family. How could he take her out and put this random man who popped out of nowhere?
She was angry, but amusement shone through instead as a strained laugh left her mouth. She stood up from the chair she had been sitting in. "Why?" She asked, taking gentle steps towards him with her hand crossed over her body. "Why would my father entrust his life to you?" she asked. Anyone hearing her could tell she was angry. "You are a stranger."
"Mr. Van Allen does not regard Mr. Manchester as a..." James trailed off, seeing the threatening gaze that she threw at him.
"I don't know him, so he is a stranger," she sighed and stopped a few steps from Axel. She turned her attention to James. "I know that I shouldn't be saying this when my father is lying in bed like this but I need to meet with the board of directors so I can at least know the state of the business and know what I am meant to do about it," she stopped talking when the expression on James face seemed weird.
"What is it?"
James did not know how to bring up the matter with her. How could he tell her that her father had put Axel as CEO before all of this happened, and it was all because they were having financial troubles?
"Are you not going to act on my order?" She asked. If James was not going to talk, then he had to at least do as she said. He should be out in the corridors calling the CEO and directors.
"Mr. Van Allen appointed Mr. Manchester here as the CEO before he fell ill."
Vida laughed; she laughed so hard that tears fell from her eyes and dropped to her cheeks. She wiped them off with her fingers and stared at the man sitting innocently in the room. "Him again?" She asked, and the room fell silent; it was like no one dared answer the question. "Well, thank you."
Axel was shocked by her words, as they did not match her body language.
“Thank you?’ He thought to himself. That was not what he expected to hear from her, considering the way she had been acting towards him all day. She was expecting her to throw hands or maybe some hurtful words at him.
“Thank you so much for holding the fort while I was away, but now I am back, and that means I can step in and do the right thing for the company,” she announced.
It was Axel’s turn to laugh; he could not believe that she thought he would just hand everything over to her just because she asked for it. If it worked that way, then all of their businesses would have been overrun by now. “It does not quite work that way,” he said with a smile on his lips.
From the expression on her face, he could tell she did not find what he had said funny; she pressed her lips together. "Well, how does it work?” she asked and then shook her head and hand at the same time. “You know what? I don't care how it works; all I want is that you give me the CEO rights of the company as soon as you can.”
"I am sorry I can't."
"Are you trying to challenge me or piss me off or something?" Vida asked with her hand on her waist.
"No, but things do not work that way; there is a process to follow, and we are going to follow the process."
"Let us follow the process then."
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21st Century Bride FIVE
A nurse came in and told them that visiting hours were over and they needed to leave. Vida wanted to protest and say she was going to stay and take care of her dad, but there was a caretaker, and if she was being honest with herself, she would only be a liability if she remained there. Moreover, she needed rest after the long flight she had. As they stepped out of the room, she noticed Axel making his way to her, but she managed to slip out without having to talk to him. She already did not like him, so she was not going to stand there and have a lengthy conversation with him. She stepped into the Van Allen mansion and memories of her childhood filled her mind. She remembered running up and down the staircase while painting over the walls that had all been repainted when she turned into a teenager, and she remembered being a moody teenager while still living there. The house was pretty much the same, and everything felt the same aside from the fact that she felt replaced by that man—
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-04-0121st Century Bride SIX
Vida woke up early the next morning to a call from James telling her that her father had finally gotten up. She was so elated that she promised to be there immediately; she was able to put herself together. She had a lot to do but she knew that her father had to come first. She hurried into the shower and took her bath before throwing on some casuals."You look especially happy this morning," Maria said as she entered the kitchen for a cup of water. "Better than yesterday at least," she added, and Vida hugged her from behind. "Which makes me conclude that you have gotten the information from James," she added, patting Vida's head gently."I am so excited that I can not wait to see him.""Sure but I can not let you roam around without having breakfast first," Maria said, pulling her to the table where an array of waffles made in different forms and shapes were displayed."All of this for me? Or is there a feast I am not aware of?" Vida asked with wide eyes as she turned her head from s
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-04-0121st Century Bride SEVEN
Axel cleared his throat multiple times when his skin touched Vida's, but she stood there with confusion written all over her. She could not understand her father's actions and the reason behind them. She was sure it was probably the side effect of him having been in a semi-coma. Instead of asking him the reason and going round and round in circles, she quietly removed her hand, which made them all take their hands off. She pulled up the small chair and sat beside his bed, taking his hand and gently tracing the pulsing veins."Everyone thinks that I am a bad child," she began."Who thinks that my Vida is a bad child, and how dare they think that?" John asked. Anyone could see the bond that the father and daughter shared and how comfortable they were around each other. It would make one wonder why Vida was so comfortable staying so far away from her father; at least that was what was running through Axel's mind at that time."Everyone," she said in a stressed voice. "The nurses were loo
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-04-1421st Century Bride EIGHT
Vida sat still; she was expecting her father to wave his hand in her face and laugh it out, calling it a pranl but he never did. Her father always had a jovial personality and he liked pranks so she was sure that this also was a prank; it had to be because this was the twenty-first century so how could her father be talking about an arranged groom? She knew that it happened in families like hers but she never thought it would happen to her."Dad, are you serious?" she asked when he did not announce it as a joke."Why would I be joking about this? Axel is your husband to be," he said and she sighed."I know that all of this is because of your thoughtfulness, but I have to decline.""Decline? Vida darling, we do not have the luxury of that.""I do not have the luxury of declining to marry a man." She asked with a face-changing expression as she was trying to understand what was going on. "Why don't I?""Did James discuss the finances of the company with you?" John asked calmly. He was s
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-04-1421st Century Bride NINE
Vida stood there until the doctors and nurses finished their work; by the time they left his side, he was no longer coughing violently and was now resting quietly on the bed. She wanted to say a lot more things, but she knew how insensitive it would be of her to bring them up after all her father had just been through. Instead, she kissed him gently on the head and headed out of the room quietly.She needed time to blow off the steam she felt and the way her blood boiled. She hoped that Axel had left the hospital and that she did not need to run into him or deal with him if she walked. She walked to the hospital cafe, where she hoped to get coffee, and right there standing in line was Axel, who was at the tail end of the line."Oh God! If this is a punishment for something I have done in the past, why don't you just let me know, and I will apologise to you instead of having to constantly see this man?" She said with an eyeroll as she walked to his back. She wished in the moment that s
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-04-1521st Century Bride TEN
Vida went to see her father before deciding to leave for the day; neither of them brought up the marriage topic because it had ended badly. She told him that she would see him tomorrow before she left the hospital. All through the ride back home, Vida kept thinking of Axel and how she was going to get out of the marriage. She knew that if she had to marry him because of money, the only way she could get out of that situation was to make sure that the company was not able to file for bankruptcy; that way she was saved.She got into the house and went to her room. After changing out of her clothes and taking off her makeup, she called James. He was the only one who could help her with her plan. She had to find a way to get the financial status of the company and work from there; she was sure that there was a way to save the company from within, and the only reason her father was not doing it that way was because she was sick. She could not let her education go to waste like that."Ms. V
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-04-1521st Century Bride ONE
Vida had always hated flying; it was one of the things that came with luxury that she did not fancy. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she heard the pilot announce decent. She had never taken off the seatbelt and had been strapped since she got on the plane. If not for the love she had for her father, she would never think of getting on a plane. When James, her father's assistant, called and told him that her father was sick, she wished within her that it was just one of her father's ploys to get her back home after all that had been what he had been trying to do for a long while. He sent her abroad to study and after her education, she decided she wanted to be an independent woman who would make a name for herself. Her father, however, had other plans and wanted her home immediately. "Thank you for flying Zenith Airway," she zoned out and that was all she heard. As soon as she touched down in the city, she was out of the airport gates in a cab and on the way to the hos
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-04-0121st Century Bride TWO
She walked to the nurse's station and tried to look like someone who had not cried out her eyes a few moments ago. She tapped on the counter to alert the attention of the nurse, who was writing something down. The young girl raised her head and frowned before standing up to attend to her."How can I help you?" "Hi, I am Vida Van Allen," she started and stopped because of the expression on the nurse's face. She did not need to speak for her to hear all of the unspoken words. The girl was judging her with all of her might and they had met for the first time. "How can I help you?" she asked again as if Vida was wasting her time introducing herself. Vida wanted to pick a fight with the girl and tell her how she could never think of starting a conversation with her but she swallowed down all of her words. She was the one in need and it would be wrong for her to pick a fight with the nurse in charge of her father on the first day she got there. "I am Mr. Van Allen's daughter and I was wo
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-04-01
Latest chapter
21st Century Bride TEN
Vida went to see her father before deciding to leave for the day; neither of them brought up the marriage topic because it had ended badly. She told him that she would see him tomorrow before she left the hospital. All through the ride back home, Vida kept thinking of Axel and how she was going to get out of the marriage. She knew that if she had to marry him because of money, the only way she could get out of that situation was to make sure that the company was not able to file for bankruptcy; that way she was saved.She got into the house and went to her room. After changing out of her clothes and taking off her makeup, she called James. He was the only one who could help her with her plan. She had to find a way to get the financial status of the company and work from there; she was sure that there was a way to save the company from within, and the only reason her father was not doing it that way was because she was sick. She could not let her education go to waste like that."Ms. V
21st Century Bride NINE
Vida stood there until the doctors and nurses finished their work; by the time they left his side, he was no longer coughing violently and was now resting quietly on the bed. She wanted to say a lot more things, but she knew how insensitive it would be of her to bring them up after all her father had just been through. Instead, she kissed him gently on the head and headed out of the room quietly.She needed time to blow off the steam she felt and the way her blood boiled. She hoped that Axel had left the hospital and that she did not need to run into him or deal with him if she walked. She walked to the hospital cafe, where she hoped to get coffee, and right there standing in line was Axel, who was at the tail end of the line."Oh God! If this is a punishment for something I have done in the past, why don't you just let me know, and I will apologise to you instead of having to constantly see this man?" She said with an eyeroll as she walked to his back. She wished in the moment that s
21st Century Bride EIGHT
Vida sat still; she was expecting her father to wave his hand in her face and laugh it out, calling it a pranl but he never did. Her father always had a jovial personality and he liked pranks so she was sure that this also was a prank; it had to be because this was the twenty-first century so how could her father be talking about an arranged groom? She knew that it happened in families like hers but she never thought it would happen to her."Dad, are you serious?" she asked when he did not announce it as a joke."Why would I be joking about this? Axel is your husband to be," he said and she sighed."I know that all of this is because of your thoughtfulness, but I have to decline.""Decline? Vida darling, we do not have the luxury of that.""I do not have the luxury of declining to marry a man." She asked with a face-changing expression as she was trying to understand what was going on. "Why don't I?""Did James discuss the finances of the company with you?" John asked calmly. He was s
21st Century Bride SEVEN
Axel cleared his throat multiple times when his skin touched Vida's, but she stood there with confusion written all over her. She could not understand her father's actions and the reason behind them. She was sure it was probably the side effect of him having been in a semi-coma. Instead of asking him the reason and going round and round in circles, she quietly removed her hand, which made them all take their hands off. She pulled up the small chair and sat beside his bed, taking his hand and gently tracing the pulsing veins."Everyone thinks that I am a bad child," she began."Who thinks that my Vida is a bad child, and how dare they think that?" John asked. Anyone could see the bond that the father and daughter shared and how comfortable they were around each other. It would make one wonder why Vida was so comfortable staying so far away from her father; at least that was what was running through Axel's mind at that time."Everyone," she said in a stressed voice. "The nurses were loo
21st Century Bride SIX
Vida woke up early the next morning to a call from James telling her that her father had finally gotten up. She was so elated that she promised to be there immediately; she was able to put herself together. She had a lot to do but she knew that her father had to come first. She hurried into the shower and took her bath before throwing on some casuals."You look especially happy this morning," Maria said as she entered the kitchen for a cup of water. "Better than yesterday at least," she added, and Vida hugged her from behind. "Which makes me conclude that you have gotten the information from James," she added, patting Vida's head gently."I am so excited that I can not wait to see him.""Sure but I can not let you roam around without having breakfast first," Maria said, pulling her to the table where an array of waffles made in different forms and shapes were displayed."All of this for me? Or is there a feast I am not aware of?" Vida asked with wide eyes as she turned her head from s
21st Century Bride FIVE
A nurse came in and told them that visiting hours were over and they needed to leave. Vida wanted to protest and say she was going to stay and take care of her dad, but there was a caretaker, and if she was being honest with herself, she would only be a liability if she remained there. Moreover, she needed rest after the long flight she had. As they stepped out of the room, she noticed Axel making his way to her, but she managed to slip out without having to talk to him. She already did not like him, so she was not going to stand there and have a lengthy conversation with him. She stepped into the Van Allen mansion and memories of her childhood filled her mind. She remembered running up and down the staircase while painting over the walls that had all been repainted when she turned into a teenager, and she remembered being a moody teenager while still living there. The house was pretty much the same, and everything felt the same aside from the fact that she felt replaced by that man—
21st Century Bride FOUR
Vida frowned. She did not like the way James fussed over him like he was a child who could not do anything for himself. Axel sat there, staring at her from the other side of the room. Vida took her eyes off him and focused on James. They were having a conversation before they were rudely interrupted by Axel. "I was saying," she began in a tight tone with her nose in the air. Both men cast their eyes on her, ready to hear what she had to say. "The doctor was telling me about his guardian, and I don't understand what he meant by that." "Oh," James exclaimed, his eyes lighting up with understanding as he nodded. Vida cast him an expression, hoping that it was speaking for itself and that she did not need to ask him to explain his exclamation. "Are you not going to explain?" "Your father made me his guardian," Axel replied. Vida was sure that she had heard wrong, and if that was not the case, maybe he was just saying a bunch of words to see how angry she would get when she heard them
21st Century Bride THREE
Vida walked back to the room with James tailing her; she did not want to have the conversation there in the open, so she asked him to follow her. "What does the doctor mean by a second heart attack?" she asked as soon as she heard the door close. "Does that mean that there was a first one? If there was a first one, then why was nothing done about it? Why did you and all the medical staff allow it to degenerate this way? What was the problem?" she ranted, the words pouring from her mouth all at once. She was not sure but everyone seemed too relaxed for the state her father was in."Ms. Van Allen," James said in a relaxed tone, and it seemed as if she was right about it."Why on earth does everyone seem so relaxed? My father is..." she trailed off, pointing to him as she turned her head, and the sight of all the machines sticking to him broke her heart. "Lying there like that, you seem too relaxed.""Mr. Van Allen is just fine; he has received medical attention and is already responding
21st Century Bride TWO
She walked to the nurse's station and tried to look like someone who had not cried out her eyes a few moments ago. She tapped on the counter to alert the attention of the nurse, who was writing something down. The young girl raised her head and frowned before standing up to attend to her."How can I help you?" "Hi, I am Vida Van Allen," she started and stopped because of the expression on the nurse's face. She did not need to speak for her to hear all of the unspoken words. The girl was judging her with all of her might and they had met for the first time. "How can I help you?" she asked again as if Vida was wasting her time introducing herself. Vida wanted to pick a fight with the girl and tell her how she could never think of starting a conversation with her but she swallowed down all of her words. She was the one in need and it would be wrong for her to pick a fight with the nurse in charge of her father on the first day she got there. "I am Mr. Van Allen's daughter and I was wo
