Harold Carter
771 Words
Harold Carter sat behind his massive mahogany desk, flipping through the latest financial reports. He was deep in thought when Vivian stepped into his office, her heels clicking sharply against the polished floor.
He didn’t look up. “If you’re here to lecture me, save your breath.”
Vivian ignored his usual dismissiveness and took a seat across from him, folding her hands neatly in her lap. “I just came from the hospital.”
Harold’s gaze finally lifted, eyes narrowing. “And?”
Vivian studied him. “Khan is doing everything she can for her sister. Meanwhile, you’re trying to paint her as a gold digger.”
Harold scoffed. “She married Liam for money. That’s fact.”
Vivian arched a brow. “And Liam married her because of you. Shouldn’t you be proud?”
Harold’s expression darkened. “Watch yourself, Vivian.”
She leaned forward. “No, you watch yourself, Father. You’re so obsessed with controlling Liam that you’re willing to destroy an innocent girl in the process.”
Harold clenched his jaw. “She’s not innocent.”
Vivian sighed, shaking her head. “You don’t even know her. But I do.”
Harold leaned back in his chair, unimpressed. “And what makes you think she’s worthy of this family?”
Vivian met his gaze without flinching. “Because she reminds me of Mom.”
Silence.
Harold’s fingers curled against the desk. “Don’t.”
Vivian didn’t back down. “She’s strong. Resilient. She loves fiercely, and she’s not afraid to fight for the people she cares about. Just like Mom was.”
Harold’s eyes flashed with something unreadable.
But before he could respond, a sharp pain shot through his lower abdomen.
He stiffened.
Vivian noticed. “Are you okay?”
Harold waved her off, but the pain didn’t fade. If anything, it intensified, spreading to his back.
His vision blurred slightly. His breathing became shallow.
Vivian frowned. “You look pale. When was the last time you had a check-up?”
Harold scoffed. “I don’t need—”
But the pain worsened.
He gritted his teeth. No. Not now.
Vivian’s concern deepened. “Dad—”
Before she could finish, Harold stood abruptly—but the moment he did, a wave of dizziness crashed over him.
His knees buckled.
Vivian lunged forward, catching his arm before he collapsed completely.
“Dad!”
Harold’s breathing was ragged, his grip on the desk tightening. But he couldn’t fight it anymore.
Something was wrong.
The hospital was quiet except for the rhythmic beeping of Harold’s monitors.
Vivian sat beside his bed, arms crossed, waiting.
When the doctor finally returned, his expression was grim.
Vivian stood immediately. “Well?”
The doctor exhaled. “Mr. Carter, your test results indicate that you have prostate cancer.”
Silence thickened the room.
Harold’s jaw tensed. “That’s impossible.”
The doctor remained calm. “It’s in the early stages, but it’s aggressive. We need to start treatment immediately.”
Harold’s fingers curled around the blanket. His mind raced. Cancer? Him? No. He was Harold Carter. He was invincible.
Vivian stared at him, stunned.
The doctor continued, “I strongly advise you to take a step back from your business responsibilities. Stress will only make things worse.”
Harold gritted his teeth.
Vivian inhaled slowly. Then, in a voice softer than before, she asked, “What happens if he doesn’t step back?”
The doctor’s expression was serious. “The cancer will spread faster. Without treatment, he won’t have much time.”
Harold closed his eyes.
For the first time in years, he felt something unfamiliar.
Fear.
Hours later, after the doctor left, Vivian sat beside him in silence.
Then, quietly, she said, “You have no choice now, do you?”
Harold didn’t answer.
She tilted her head. “You spent your life building Carter Enterprises, controlling Liam, and trying to shape him into what you wanted. But now, you can’t even hold a pen without shaking.”
Harold’s fists clenched.
Vivian’s voice softened. “It’s time to let go, Dad.”
He let out a slow breath. “And hand the company to Liam?”
Vivian met his gaze. “Yes.”
Harold’s chest tightened.
He had spent decades building Carter Enterprises, turning it into an empire. And now, at the peak of his reign, his own body was betraying him.
He had no choice.
Harold Carter—the man who controlled everything—was being forced to relinquish his greatest power.
The realization settled over him like a weight.
Finally, he closed his eyes and exhaled.
“…Call Liam.”
- Writer
