Chapter Seven

William's POV….

knowing how she is when something is wrong, shutting me out was something I could deal with “Ann I'm heading out! I've got things to run” I said from her door but got no response

Father had called another session with everyone at the mansion, tho not the first in a week but definitely worth being curious about, I have never accepted such invites as I'd always report busy or not available, this one had me creasing my brows subconsciously in surprise when the call came in.

Starting my own company was to avoid being summoned as an employee of the firm but my position as the first son and heir made all that need for personal solace impossible.

‘Ann’ never left my mind as my need to unburden her of her problems got stronger, relieved that the news of their wedding had been known to everyone they knew, I began to see my zeal to seal the contract with Ann get deeper, I was falling in love with her.

Pulling up to my family garage and finally inside everyone had already made it and settled down to wait, wait for me. Oddly enough I was usually the one to wait for everyone to sluggishly make their way to the great room, as I walked into the room, my eyes scanned the space for any unpleasant facial expression but got something I didn't expect instead

“He's here, ahhhh Williams my boy!” the most cold person I knew had summoned me, waited for me and even warmed up to hug me….. Something was off, something was going on and began to feel the pump of curiosity creep in.

“ Father” I tried to shake him but was immediately dragged into a hug, my eyes almost popping out of my sockets with surprise.

I guess I wasn't the only one surprised as I could still catch a trace of it when I turned away from him on mother and Michael's face and even the servants at the dinning facing the greatroom.

Walking over to my grandma, who never went anywhere without her crochet thingies, I smiled at her little figure as her mind was focused on what she was onto and didn't notice me bend to greet her “Hi grandma, how are you doing?”

“Ohh willy boy, I'm so strong today, thanks ma Boi” she said adjusting her glasses and reaching for my hands “I saved you some cookies and milk, its on the kitchen island, okayy?”

“Thanks maa” as she patted my cheeks.

“Congratulations son, now you speak the language of greatness, I need you to bring her over as soon as possible I would love to meet her” father said beaming from ear to ear,to be married? Was such a big deal in this family, it had gained me the attention of my father, I should have done this earlier, this was going to be fun.

“ Thanks dad” I smiled and went ahead to greet my stepmother who just nodded and my brother….

“ Hey brother, how's it going with you?” I said to him, clearly knowing getting a response from him was tough as I was like the least of person who pleased him….even some of the employees pleased him more and not like I gave a fuck, I hate that I have too much manners some times.

“Hey brother, you look like a father of five already, I hope you can catch up with everything else” he bluntly said with not a glad for his brother smile, what did he mean? Everything else, I knew he knew I never had an interest in our father's fortune but feared I was most likely a strong candidate for him thought my father disapproved my opening up my own company but he hid his pride for me…… well like I said I never cared what my brother thought of me

“Son as soon as your wife is pregnant we will commerce the sole right and arrangement of making you chairman on board” father spit out, suddenly catching the attention of everyone present

“Honey, what do you think” with excitement beaming in his eyes he turned to his already raging wife who was finding it hard to mask her disapproval, of course everyone knew how much she worked for her son to be heir, but I wondered how my dad never made notice of his wife distaste for his first child and even everything else but her son and the properties.

“Father, what do you mean? What do you mean board chairman? Do you realize there are a lot of responsibilities of a board chairman? He is just getting married, he needs at least five years for all the excitement in his life to die down he….”

“It’s final” turning to me “Williams come by my office later so we can discuss properly” with the last words signaling the end of the meeting, he stood up and left a shocked mother and son, an indifferent but secretly pleased grandmother and me confused stuck in my thoughts, unsettled with the news of a new life path about to start…. Two new life paths “oh boy” I blurted out under my breath as I knew what this announcement came with.

“ don't think this ends here young man! Michael should be the one on that seat! He earned and worked for it” we all knew she had more motive and was more involved than her son even in the industry.

Loo

“ Mother father must have had a lot to drink tonight, don't stress it he'll probably call another meeting to rectify his misconceptions” Micheal really tried to talk himself and his mind out of the reality he had just heard, as though he didn't want to believe it had happened.

“Please please, Williams has always been the right fit for the work, he has the purpose and ambition to keep the industry at most running” grandma said without looking up from her crocheting.

I wasn't ready to face the exchange that was about to happen, being the last to arrive, I was the first to leave, I needed to leave, Father making such an announcement without any heads up had shaken me off my mind balance.

Pulling up to my apartment garage, I could already smell Ann's nighttime shower bathsoap fill the entire yard and front door with her scent, it made me smile adjusting my bouquet of white lily

Looking at her stand before me and smile, showing white perfect set of teeth made me realize things like could make one admire, closing my eyes to as she came to open the front door for me, I felt i’d successfully won a trophy with her “Here, thought they'd look meek and sweet by you window side” I said handing out the flowers to her, taking it with both hands I felt her fingers brush my hand and it sent chills down my spine.

Never paid attention to women or partying or any form of casual mingling, my whole life I've been work-oriented and had less time to even mingle with friends that were not from work, a boring life that felt right until something else felt better…. Someone else felt better, as she sat by the kitchen counter while I cooked and listened to her yab, I knew I wanted this longer than we agreed and decided to make her see reasons to, she's an adamant one not gonna lie but I was willing to keep trying for as long as it took.

“Williams, are you listening?” she brought me back from the fairyland I had zoned out to thinking about out forever together “oh boy” I thought realizing how far deep I had gone.

“Yes, you said la grande was your nanny till one day you began doing the major chores, what happened to her?” raising a brow in a ‘for real’ look I knew I had blown my cover.

“They sacked her, my stepmom did I'm sure, she's enjoyed me doing most of the chores ever since my la grande left”

“Well you don't have to anymore”

“Hmmmmm…, my life has been drastic enough already, I don't want to be a burden to anyone else, after a year we'll go our separate ways” she said, caressing her wrist with her eyes focused on the tea cup but clearly her mind somewhere else.

“You don't need to leave, you're safe here forever” was all I wanted to say to her over and over again.