Chapter Eight
“Thank you, Asher,” I said with a warm smile as he hugged me.
“We have always loved you, Lena. That’s why I attended Mom’s party against her will, just so I could meet you,” Asher said.
I loved how intentional he was about proving to me that I was loved and wanted by both him and Mr. Farleigh. I wasn’t used to that kind of kindness. It felt
foreign, almost suspicious, like a dream I’d wake up from at any moment.
“You should get some rest. It’s a few hours to dinner. I’ll come get you when it’s ready,”
“Dad would like to have a meeting with us after dinner,” Asher added.
I just nodded.
I went quietly to my room. It had been a long day indeed. I pushed all the worry to
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the back of my head and fell deep into my slumber.
After a while, a knock on my door pulled me from the haze of sleep. It was Asher, of
course.
“Dinner is ready,” he said as he entered
my room.
I sat up, rubbing my eyes. “I’ll be down shortly,”
When I got to the dining room, everyone was already digging into their food, and for some reason, my seat was next to Me. Farleigh.
My stomach tightened. I gave him a small, polite smile and quickly focused on my plate. But I could feel his eyes on me the entire time, burning into my skin. It took everything in me to remain oblivious, to keep my posture composed.
“Asher and Lena, please meet me in my study,” Mr. Farleigh said, wiping his mouth with his napkin before leaving the
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dining room.
I watched him go and my chest tightened.
What could he possibly want to discuss?
“I’m ready if you are,” Asher said, pulling me from my thoughts.
I glanced at his empty plate, then at mine. I hadn’t eaten much, I wasn‘ t hungry. Not with my knot in my stomach that
wouldn’t go away.
Asher and I marched to Mr. Farleigh’s study. He was already seated in his massive mahogany chair with two stacks of documents in front of him.
The sight of him like this; powerful, calculating, almost untouchable made me wonder how I had found the courage to speak to him so boldly earlier. Had it been recklessness? Or something else?
“Please sit,” he gestured as he lit his tobacco.
We obeyed.
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He cleared his throat, then began.
“I’d like you both to know that I have
retired. Before me are the documents of all
my assets, businesses, properties, essentially everything that belongs to
me,” he said and paused for a while as he puffed his smoke in the air.
He studied me briefly before he continued.
‘What does this have to do with me?‘ I
thought to myself.
“Lena, I was going to do this even though we didn’t reunite like this. The thing is, I never thought I would ever meet you in person, I had already mastered the art of loving you from afar.”
A lump formed in my throat but I
swallowed it down.
“I’m sorry I wasn‘ t there for you when you needed me,” he continued, his voice was unusually soft.
“I hope I will be able to make up for that
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someday.”
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. A part of me wanted to believe him, to let myself be comforted by his words, but another part, the part that had built walls so high nothing could reach me, told me not to be a fool.
So, I said nothing.
He turned to Asher.
“Asher, I have split everything I have between you and your sister. You‘ ve known about this agreement for a long time, so, it’s not a surprise to you,”
I blinked.
My breath caught in my throat. The room blurred for a second. Had I misheard him?
He was giving me something?
I had spent my whole life believing I was unwanted, discarded like an afterthought, that’s why I had to work so hard to build my empire which Zack snatched so coldly
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from my hands.
And now, here he was, telling me I was a part of something. That I mattered enough ord to be included in his legacy.
16
But was this an act of love? Or just a way to ease his guilt?
“What exactly does this mean?” I asked, throwing them both off balance.
I needed to hear him say it. I needed to gl know what I was really walking into.
You
for
OVO
“Lena, you are my daughter. This is your inheritance,” Mr. Farleigh said plainly.
It felt like a dream. I had looked him up, I knew his net worth, it was an obscene tamount. He owned more than half of the ish hotels, malls, industries, businesses in the
country and even more in different
nard
neds
countries. He’s one of Mr. Rashford’s biggest investors and his networth keeps climbing everyday.
And he deemed me worthy to be a part of
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that?
“I know the incredible work you did while you were working for Mr. Rashford and even when you started your company. I know you are more than capable,” Mr. Farleigh said, pulling me out of my thoughts.
He pushed a stack of the documents, each to Asher and I. Boldly written on it was my
name.
I flipped through the pages, seeing my name everywhere under assets, businesses, all I had to do was sign.
I didn’t know what to say, how to thank him. I was more than surprised, shocked
even.
“In two weeks, I will be showing you off to the world at my retirement dinner. My precious daughter has returned to me,” Mr. Farleigh said with a big smile.
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