Chapter 2

Mr. Bruce Murray took another sip from his champagne, ignoring the impatient look on his son's face. 

It had been thirty minutes since Kelvin arrived at the mansion after he was summoned by his father, yet his father had his attention pinned on a program he wasn't listening to.

"Dad, are you going to keep tormenting me with silence? I have been sitting here for about half an hour and you haven't said a thing." Kelvin complained, doing his best to mask his feelings.

Mr. Bruce Murray raised his champagne glass for a refill, and his male servant, Arthur, rushed towards him to fill his glasses. 

Kelvin looked on as his father took a more calculated sip without taking his eyes off the program. 

He sighed and held his head in his hands with his elbows resting on his thighs. 

He was already going through a lot and didn't want to add his father's case to it.

After what seemed like an eternity, Mr. Murray placed his half-empty glasses on the golden stool beside him, tilting his head towards his son, and cleared his throat.

Kelvin raised his head to see his father's eyes boring into his skin. 

He sat up and rubbed his palms together, he had always been nervous when it came to facing his disciplinarian father. Especially after the terrible experience that changed his being.

"It came to my notice that you have been ignoring calls from business associates, and you have been making life unbearable for those working under you. Is this how you plan to run the company?" He paused. "Son?" He added as an afterthought.

Kelvin felt his throat dry up. He wondered who could have reported him to his father. 

He allowed his mind to wander about for a few seconds, and all he could think of was Mr. Kendrick, the Chief Operations Officer, who wasn't hiding his interest in taking over the administration of the company after Mr. Murray's retirement.

"I asked a question, son," Mr. Murray scolded.

Kelvin took a quick peep at his father, trying his best to avoid the piercing eyes. "I'm sorry Dad."

"That sounds like an overplayed record, son, don't you think?" Mr. Murray queried, taking his champagne from where he had placed it.

Kelvin wiped off the sweat beads forming at his temple, despite the ventilation and air conditioner the living room has. "I promise it will never happen again, dad."

Mr. Murray gazed at his son and took another sip from his drink. He held the champagne glass between his fingers and crossed his legs.

Kelvin understood the gesture, he was about to get lectured by his father, and he knew where that would end. He chinned up to take whatever was coming.

"If you need a break, you can have it. I won't watch you bring losses to the company because of your personal issues, son." 

He continued, "the only thing I ask of you is a wife, to prove you are indeed responsible and capable of handling the challenges that come with being the CEO, not you mopping over whatever it is that is bothering you."

Mr. Murray got up from his seat with the champagne glass still in his hands, he looked down at Kelvin.

"I won't because you are my son, let down my standards. You know the time frame, if you don't work on it as soon as you can, I will give the position to someone more deserving."

He stretched the champagne glass to Arthur and strolled towards his study.

Kelvin eased himself into the cushion and released a deep breath he didn't know he had been holding. He shut his eyes to calm his nerves.

•••••••

"How was it? What did he say?" Chris asked over the phone.

Kelvin puffed out air and looked through the window of his tinted car as Carter drove through the streets of Chicago.

"What else would he say other than to scold me for being irresponsible? I don't know who reported me to him but I have a feeling it's Kendrick, he's been on my case since I returned." Kelvin responded.

"That son of a bitch." Chris cursed. "Why so eager to take over the administration when the son of the owner is back? You've got to watch your back, man."

"Yeah, I guess," Kelvin replied absentmindedly.

"I'm on my way to the airport already, plans changed and tomorrow might be too late to make the trip," Chris noted

"That's good man, I wish you the very best and do hope you get to seal this deal. 

That would give you a better stand with Barbara and Dad." Kelvin chipped in.

Chris groaned. "Oh my. So much for being a man. I have to prove myself to Dad, prove myself to your dad and even your sister. I didn't sign up for this gender."

Kelvin sneered. "Well, you are the one who wants a beautiful wife and decided to go for my sister. I warned you, remember?"

"Oh please, shut up. I'm trying to be a responsible man here, you should take a cue from me." Chris boasted.

Kelvin laughed at his friend's words, he knew better than to argue with him on such a topic. 

His eyes got a glimpse of a truck in the rearview mirror racing down behind his car. 

He wanted to overlook it as a random truck driver, but the speed worried him.

He tilted his head to the back and saw that the truck was closer and aiming toward his car.

"Carter! He is gonna hit us! Swerve!"

Carter swerved the car immediately towards the right, and the truck brushed the car's left tail light before speeding off.

"Kelvin! Are you okay? What's going on?" Chris' voice filled the silent car, and that was when Kelvin remembered he was still on a call.

"Sir, are you okay?" Carter asked while slowing down the car.

Kelvin, who was shaken by the near-death experience, asked Carter to park the car.

Chris glued the phone to his ears and asked again, "Kelvin, are you alright? What happened? Talk to me, are you okay?"

Kelvin placed the phone back to his ear. "Ye-yeah. I'm fine. Someone just tried to kill me, Chris. It was close. Someone tried to kill me." He stuttered.

"What?!" Chris screamed.