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Chapter 38 – My Grandfather’s Empire

A mother knows a way to comfort her child. A long years of perseverance, my mother got her freedom and lives on her own rules but sometimes, my grandfather wouldn’t let her go. Especially, when it concerns his empire and his family tree. You see, my grandfather never felt so lost in his entire life but when his one and only son died in a heart failure, my mother once said “It felt like his entire world collapsed. He never thought of anything anymore. He never showed up to the company and it almost faced a bankruptcy. That’s why, he is so obsessed with sons because I never got to be the leader my dad wants me to be”. 

Years later, we found out that my uncle left an illegitimate son with his long time lover. Kenneth came to the scene and he became the greatest guy because he was accepted to the family after confirming his legal claims since he is still my uncle’s son and remind you that my uncle and his wife never had a children. Seven years later my brother was born but since my brother wasn’t capable of running the company, Kenneth became the heir of my grandfather’s empire. Kenneth wasn’t a big headed jerk like some rich heir we’ve encounter on social gatherings. He was nice and a gentlemen and I look up to him like my brother after Sean’s death. At first, Kenneth suggested to the board that I take over the “supposed” heir crown but since I was into music and my grandfather trusted Kenneth, he never agreed to the suggestions and I am thankful because all the long talks with Kenneth how boring and stressful his life is; I’ll be thankful for the freedom I have.

Yet again, happiness wasn’t long enough. Kenneth died in a car accident and I felt everything is going to fall apart soon. That’s why, when Jericho offered me the job. I accepted it right away. My grandfather won’t let me go that far so he suggested that the only way that I can live my life, for the time being, is to take business management classes. Actually, I graduated accountancy for only three years and I am taking economics as my second major. I am still in my grandfather’s grip because I still hold his name and he can’t have any repercussion of any actions I make and will be making in the future.

I never thought that life could be this devastating. My grandfather always give me this warning everytime I make mistakes “To hold something you own on the neck is what makes you powerful”. This is the biggest reason why I hated Eleanor. Kenneth was supposed to be the next leader of the empire my grandfather built but ever since Eleanor came to Kenneth’s life, his life slowly turns sideways. He was almost late in every meeting and grandfather was always punishing him for his actions. They were very sweet and lovely for a couple and it was still a secret but when media found out, Kenneth was always tired. Eleanor loved the attention she was getting and Kenneth was always caught in the middle between my grandfather and Eleanor. 

I was only seven when I heard him shouted for the first time. “I am not getting married! Okay?!” shouted Kenneth. I was playing in my playground two doors next to Kenneth’s room. I was getting thirsty when I decided to go to the kitchen but I stopped hearing Kenneth and Eleanor fighting. “Why? We love each other! We are getting married! Okay?! I can’t lose this one thing that makes me happy. You understand?!” Kenneth could only sigh because of frustration. “I can just say that things didn’t work out for us because I am too busy” Eleanor scoffed and said “Busy?! you think that nobody will look into that? I made a mistake once, Thee. It won’t happen again. Can we just forget about it?!” I can hear total desperation from Eleanor. “Mistake?! Why can’t you just say that you dated everyone in my league because you aren’t faithful. You dated even my juniors, Elle. What was that?!” Kenneth shouted.

 I can see them their arguing became more intense when Kenneth tried to leave. Eleanor grabbed his arm and face him to her “Where are you going?!” Eleanor shouted. “I am telling everyone we’re done”. Eleanor can’t have that because the only thing she was holding is FAME and that is because she is the girlfriend of the richest guy in America. I visited America once in a while to see Kenneth and play with him. This is the first and last time I saw him and I never got to visit America after my treatment was done.

Grandfather allowed Eleanor to stay in the house because she was getting this too much attention and that Kenneth can’t be distracted by going two hours of ride just to see his girl. Grandfather never suspected that something is wrong with her because she has this charm that, kind of, gets her way into things. He even hired special investigators to see Eleanor’s background but she was clean. Yet again, he didn’t know everything about Eleanor. She wasn’t the perfect girl for Kenneth. She was the one who will destroy the only responsible man in our household. Ever since that accident, I never got to really talk to her about what happened because I was afraid that I might hear things that will hurt me more than losing him. When she started dating Archie, things was hard for Archie and I because I thought that he disregard my feelings about the things she did with Kenneth but love is unstoppable and fierce. Archie fought hard for her position in his life so I had to back down or things will go south with our relationship and I don’t want to lose my friend as well.