Chapter 11

“Well, you better get into the game and watch for Claire. We both know she’s better than you, but she’s still just a woman. The old man surely will not give the CEO position to a woman, so you better perk up and see what you can do.” Quinton exclaimed back as he slapped the desk, startling Henry back up.

“Dad, I don’t understand. How can we allow her to lead a team to Elon Trust’s investment? She already tarnishes the family by marrying that trash delivery guy.” Henry asked, still holding onto his aching head.

“Well, weren’t you the one who insisted that she and her department take up the challenge?”

“It wanted to humiliate her. How can anyone get to see Mr. Wheaton, much less invest with Elon Trust? Now, she will make the company look bad and make the family a laughing stock.”

“Well, it’s too late now. Everyone knows we are seeking an investment with Elon Trust, and she’s now our only hope.” Quinton said as he turned towards the door, leaving Henry to ponder his mistake.

Quinton then left the office but not without purposely slamming the door.

“Asshole,” Henry uttered under his breath and put his head back on the desk.

Claire was getting feedback from her team to start working on their proposal. She gave herself and her team till the end of next week to have the final draft for their presentation. After everyone left, she continued with previous projects that took a back seat the last two days so her crew could focus on the Elon proposal.

Just then, a knock on the door was heard.

“Come.”

“Miss. Dalton, a gentleman is here to see you.”

A slender woman walked in with long brown hair and glasses hiding her brown eyes, smooth skin, and light completion, making her a sexy secretary. This was Claire’s assistant and friend Gloria Frost.

“Send him in.”

“Right away, mam.”

A middle-aged man with striking features and a tailored suit walked into the office.

“Miss. Dalton, let me introduce myself. I’m John Addams, and I work for Mr. Anderson. I’m to inform you that a plane ticket and reservations have been booked for this weekend to send you to Missouri to be with Mr. Anderson.”

Claire was shocked at this invitation. She wanted nothing more than to leave right this minute and start packing, but her proposal was still in its infancy, and the family dinner with her grandfather was tomorrow. How could she leave just like that with no notice? Grandfather would not allow it. She had to go to a family gathering, and her sister is arriving this afternoon. There was no way that she could do this. She had no time to plan, so there was no way with this short time scale that she could leave.

“Mr. Addams…”

“John, please.” He interrupted her.

“John, please understand I would love to follow you right now, but I can’t leave at such short notice. I have prior engagements that can’t be changed at this moment.”

“I understand. I am informing you of Mr. Anderson’s request, and I shall inform him of your decline and explain in detail your sorrow. I shall be leaving first.”

Claire was in turmoil. She wanted to go and see Steve, but it was so much short notice for her, and she was touched that he would have taken the initiative to get her a plane ticket and reservations book for her just because he missed her. Just as Claire was feeling these mixed emotions, Mr. Addams was on the phone with Steve as soon as he left the building.

“It’s just as you had predicted, young Master. She couldn’t leave on such short notice, so she declined the offer.”

“Good, she will think I’m missing her terribly and want her to come to me. She is such a gullible character. Okay, now keep an eye on her for me. She is the key into Weston’s estate, bye.”

Steve was in his office finishing up his call when a knock at the door was heard.

“Yes.”

The woman who was with him last night, giving the air of a sophisticated woman, walks in wearing a vee-shaped neckline red dress that made her look like a fairy walking towards him. She is Saline Emerson, daughter of Harry Emerson, owner of Emerson Realty. He smiles intensely at her and stands up, greeting her with a passionate kiss.

“Father has agreed to the merger. He will be arriving soon to close the deal. As long as you stick to the deal, all will be done.”

“Saline, that’s great news. I have been working with you to get this deal for months back in Swanville. The merger contract has already been printed, and all he has to do is sign the contract, and our family will be one when we get married. Besides, we already consummated our love last night. How about we continue over on the sofa?”

“Steve, control yourself. After the signing, we will celebrate our two families joining tonight. I invited a friend that I want you to meet, and she’s been wanting to see my fiancé.”

The train arrived close to the time Julie had given to Blake. Standing there was a beautiful woman with long blond hair. She was fair-complected and wore glasses hiding her sharp blue eyes. With a young body, one would have mistaken her for a starlet. If she had removed her glasses, she would have been a younger version of Blake’s wife, Claire. This was Tabitha Dalton, seeing his Sister-in-law Blake walk towards her.

“Tabitha Dalton?” Blake asked her to be confident he had the right person.

“Yes, and who would you be?”

“I’m Blake Elon. Seeing this is our first meeting, I’m your brother-in-law.” Blake extended his hand in greetings, but what came next was very unexpected. The young woman jumped into his arms and hugged him tightly.

“Brother-in-law, so it is you, how I’ve waited for this moment. You don’t know how much I wanted to have a brother, but I guess this will have to do.”

Blake was taken aback by how affectionate this woman was from his wife and mother-in-law. He wasn’t prepared at all.

“Brother-in-law, is there something the matter?”

Tabitha looked into her brother-in-law’s eyes, still holding onto him.

“Cough, cough, Tabitha, don’t you feel embarrassed with me?”

“Embarrass, why? Oh, because I’m hugging you? I’m sorry, I was just so excited to meet you finally. I didn’t believe a word my mom said about you, and seeing you now, I know she’s wrong about you… so is my sister.”

Tabitha said as she removed herself from him and stepped back, looking him over from head to toe.

“Yea, they’re definitely wrong about you. You give off an air of superiority and confidence that not too many can pull off. Were you in the military?”

Blake almost stumbled when he heard her carrying her luggage out of the station to his car.

“What makes you say that?”

“I had a friend who was in the military. He gave the same aura you are giving, a shame he passed away in the war. I cried for a week. They say he was a war hero, saved many men in his platoon.”

“He sounds like he was a great man. Many veterans had died for our freedom and were not honored.”

“Brother-in-law, would it be okay if I just called you brother and you call me sister? I’ve always wanted a brother, but it was impossible when mom and dad divorced, especially with mom’s attitude. I swear she would sell her children for money, you know?”

“Please, sister, I would be honored if you called me brother. Get in. I will take us home.”

“Sure, brother.” Replied Tabitha, who thought that this was a dream come true. She had a brother now to protect and comfort her.