The Concealed Secret

CHAPTER ONE "I have no intention of partnering with my late father's business associate," Ruby told Barrister Emma, the lawyer of Zenith company. "My only goal is to take over the company. I want to be the owner and not a partner". He said, his voice firm. " I understand your desire to take control of the company Mr. Ruby, but you must first speak with Mrs. Ava Williams' next of kin," said Barrister Emma, writing in his large, leather-bound book. "She's the one to decide whether she will sell her share or not" Ruby sank into the leather armchair, his shoulders slumped in defeat. He looked up at Barrister Emma, who was seated across from him, his eyes cold and unyielding. "But what if she chooses not to sell? Does that mean I will continue the partnership with her.?" He asked, his eyes clouded with disappointment. Barrister Emma steepled his fingers, his expression unchanged "She has the right to decide whether or not to sell," He replied, speaking slowly and deliberately. "So, if she does not wish to sell, then you will have to continue your partnership with her." Ruby leaned forward in his chair, with so much determination in his eyes. "But this partnership has been nothing but a burden to me. I have not even set my eyes on the woman or anybody from her family. I really need to take over this company since I'm the one monitoring it since my father died", he said, his voice rising in frustration. Barrister Emma remained unruffled, his face a mask of impassivity. "I know how it feels to be the only one monitoring the company even though you have a partner. But the terms of the partnership were agreed upon by your father and Mrs. Williams, and you are bound by those terms." He said. "I can't help but feel disappointed in my father," Ruby said, frustration evident in his voice. "How could he have partnered with a family that doesn't even contribute to the company, but still expects to be paid?" "Mr. Ruby," said Barrister Emma, his voice firm but compassionate. "You must understand that Mrs. Ava and your father were very close friends. They started this company together, they both labor into this company. When Mrs. Ava passed away, she left the company in the hands of her daughter, Amelia. But Amelia has her own business, and it takes up a lot of her time. She can't be expected to put the same level of energy into Zenith as Mrs. Ava did." "But where the hell is this Amelia?" Ruby said in frustration. "Wait a minute," Ruby said, his voice filled with surprise. "You said that Amelia is the daughter of Mrs. Ava Williams. So that means that Amelia's last name is Williams?" "Yes, Miss Amelia Williams is the next of kin and will be the one to decide the fate of the company, do you have any problem with that" Barrister Emma asked with concern Ruby leaned forward, his mind racing as he tried to piece together the puzzle. "The name sounds familiar but it couldn't be the same person. I haven't seen her in years, and she should be married by now." Barrister Emma looked at him curiously. "I don't mean to pry, Mr. Ruby, but do you mind telling me about Amelia Williams, you know? "Yes, I met Amelia when I was in college," Ruby began, his eyes distant as he remembered the past. "She was very pretty and intelligent. We fell in love and we dated for like two years until she became pregnant and I wasn't ready to become a father." "Did you deny being the father?" Barrister Emma asked, a note of concern in his voice. Ruby exhaled noisily through his pursed lips . "Yes, I denied the pregnancy. I was still a student and you know my father to be very strict. I just wasn't in a place where I could be responsible for a child. I told her to abort the baby but she refused." "Wow" , Barrister Emma signed deeply "But what you did was really bad, you know you are responsible but you denied it" He said, shaking his head. "You should have considered the lady too. Can she cater for the baby alone?". Ruby pressed his lips together and lowered his head, feeling regretful . "I know that," he said, his voice low. "I've felt guilty about it for years. I wish I could take it all back and do things differently, if I had the chance." "But, it couldn't be the same Amelia," he said again, shaking his head. "It's 25 years now. She would have been married by now, and wouldn't be referred to as 'Miss.'" "Anyway, that's not the main issue now," Barrister Emma said. "Whether it's the same Amelia or not, the main issue is how you're going to convince her to sell her share. That's what we need to focus on right now."He said as he stood up, gathered his things, ready to take his leave. "It was good to meet with you, Mr. Ruby," he said with a smile. "Let me know if you need any further assistance." He said,turned and left, closing the door behind. Ruby sat there in silence, his thoughts racing. Could this Amelia be the same person he had known so many years ago? He recalled the last time he had seen her, the day he had discovered she was pregnant. He remembered kicking her out of his apartment, angry and confused. The memory was still painful, even after all these years. He remembered the text message he had received from her seven months after she had told him about the pregnancy. The message simply read, "I just wanted you to know that you have a baby girl and a boy - Twins. I'm not telling you this because I want you to take responsibility. I just thought you should know." Ruby had blocked her number after receiving that message, and hadn't heard from her since. Now, he couldn't help but wonder if the Amelia he'd read about was the same woman he'd known so many years ago. "Please, God, don't let it be Amy," he whispered under his breath, his eyes closed as he prayed silently. Amy was the name he called her back then, and the thought of her being the same person was almost too much to bear. He didn't know if he could face her again, knowing what he had done.