The Heiress And The Ford Brothers

Chapter Four

Aurora sat in the meeting with the operations team in her parents company, listening to the annual report with Jonathan sitting in but not interfering, allowing her to handle the reins of affairs.

It was very late and she was tired but she was determined to see the meeting through to the end.

Jonathan nodded his approval and decided that Diane would make a fine CEO when she took over, she actually did not need to get married to seek protection for her

business. In all the months she had been here, she had demonstrated nothing but brilliant capabilities. She was born to take over from her parents.

Jonathan had heard the rumors about his niece and James Ford and knew that it would bring nothing but trouble if they were true.

“Great job, OP team, I commend your efforts in running this particular project. Let’s implement everything. We should then meet up in two weeks to deliberate on how far we have gone. Don’t forget to turn in daily reports.” She commended and dismissed the meeting.

Everyone left and she was left with her uncle Jonathan. “How was it, uncle?” she asked him.

“Brilliant Emma, super brilliant. I know we have been training you and you attend that fancy business school but there’s this keen eye for business you have and I know you didn’t learn it from any school” he concluded, with pride.

“My foster father was a brilliant businessman, even though he managed a small electrical shop and he taught me all he knew. He always said, "I would need it someday,” Diane replied to her uncle.

“Wise man, very wise man. I wish I met your foster parents,” Jonathan commended.

“Uncle Jon, there’s something I want to ask you if you don’t mind. If I do not go ahead with marrying Edward Ford, is there no other way I can still handle the reins of affairs?” She asked carefully.

Jonathan thought about it and said, “Your father made that decision with protection in mind but he didn’t know that you would grow up to become one very capable woman. It was signed in papers already by Emma, and there are only two ways to reverse it as indicated in the agreement.”

“Really? What are they?” Diane asked with piqued interest.

“One, Edward Ford has to say no. Your parents indicated that if they did not agree, then you were free to walk away. Secondly, if Edward turns out to be harmful or threatening in any way with proof, then you can walk away. Is this about you and James, Diane? I got the news from some sources.” He said so and asked.

“Yes, uncle Jon. In all honesty, it is about James. I don’t want to be with Edward.” She confessed truthfully.

Jonathan stood up and said, “Walk with me, Emma. You see, dear girl, the situation is already complicated as the eldest Ford son is already engaged to the Barretts. We know he is not happy with the decision but he already agreed to it. Even if Edward goes away, it would be hard to get James because Simon Ford will lose this type of closeness with the Barretts over his dead body.”

“And he doesn’t want to lose you either so Edward may not budge. I know your father had his reasons and they were best friends, Emma but Simon Ford is a very ruthless businessman, so I don’t know how you can get out of this and get James too. He will never give you both.” Jonathan concluded sympathetically.

At the time he concluded with Diane, they had already stepped out of the office building. Diane stood facing Jonathan so she didn’t see the black van approaching.

Jonathan saw the van coming very fast and immediately he saw a black masked man pulling out a gun from the van’s window. His reflex took over. He pushed Diane to the back of his Aston Martini close by and jumped to the back too but not before one of the sprayed bullets touched his arm.

The shooters blasted his Aston Martini for a few minutes and then zoomed off.

“Oh my God! Uncle Jon, are you okay?” She immediately called for an ambulance, her hands shaking from fear.

Aurora saw others run down to them and was grateful when she heard the ambulance. ****

The Fords ran down the length of the hospital. They were about to have dinner when Elizabeth caught the news on her phone, and at the same time, George texted James.

They immediately left the dining table and left the house in two cars.

Simon spoke to the hospital’s receptionist, who directed them to where Diane waited for her uncle, who was being attended to.

Diane saw James running them the length of the hospital corridor and ran to him, crying with her arms spread. He engulfed her in a hug and at that moment, her walls came

crashing down. She cried hard and he held her tightly while the others watched on uncomfortably.

Simon ignored them and moved on to check on Jonathan, whose arm had been bandaged and he was free to go talk to federal agents. The wound on his arm, luckily, was a bullet graze.

Diane calmed down and stopped crying, then went from James arms to her uncle’s arms when he came out.

“Wow! This just confirmed the rumors, James.” Elizabeth said, looking at James.

“What rumors?” James asked her, confused.

“That you and Diane have a thing. It’s being whispered around in school and I knew something was up from the way you two acted around each other but this just confirmed it.”

“Yeah, it does.” James replied, not bothering to deny what’s actually true. He looked at Edward to see his angry face.

Eileen stepped forward, stood shoulder to shoulder with James and said, “I perceive trouble ahead, Jamie. Big trouble. The people who were after her parents are probably back but that’s not all. The press took pictures of the hug with Diane a few minutes ago. You have some explaining to do with the Barretts, son.”