Heirs and Heiresses

Ivan Lee

BEIJING, CHINA.

A week ago...

"The chairman urgently requests your presence at the mansion Sir!" George his P.A says, just after a sprint down the golf course.

Ivan however, continues in his game of golf, perfectly swinging his golf club at the ball and achieving a perfect ace, feeling quite unbothered at the urgency of George's message.

"Why does he summon my presence?" Ivan asks, knowing his father never calls on him randomly.

"I speculate a meeting with the Wang's"

"The Wang's??" Ivan asks, suddenly looking up in surprise, immediately taking a pause from his golf exercise.

"Yes I presume; Chairman Lu and his wife are in Beijing as we speak and you know he wouldn't leave without a courtesy visit to your father."

"But I suppose that can happen without me, why would he request I be present?" Ivan grows even more suspicious and curious, running his fingers through his hair.

"I'm afraid it just may be exactly what you think Sir."

Quickly, Ivan opens his palms to George who immediately hands over his phone.

"What's going on?"

Ivan texts Lara in a bit of panic.

"Seriously as blank as you are…found myself on a flight to Beijing as instructed by my father; we are on the way to the mansion as we speak! Make it stop! :("

Lara responds clearly nervous.

"This is not good," Ivan mutters to himself on seeing the reply text from Lara. The first time both families met the same way, an idea of an arranged marriage was conceived which made them both develop cold feet as both families were to take on the dining once again.

~

"Xī'ān shīzi!!"– (The Xian Lion)! Chairman Lu calls out to Ivan's father in his usual manner as both men hug happily, and their wives reluctantly following suit.

Meanwhile, Ivan and Lara, feeling more anxious than ever, rarely acknowledged themselves with a nod.

"Ah! look at this, the young Cub is growing up so fast!" Chairman Lu says immediately he sets his eyes on Ivan who had become more muscular than he remembers. "Your father tells me about your latest idea of expanding operations to South Africa and how well you've overseen that project. I'm proud of you, you are really your father's son," Chairman Lu proudly admits patting Ivan's shoulders.

Ivan lightly smiles, refusing to assimilate Chairman Lu's compliment as he had a greater worry taking up his entire mind space at that moment.

"I'm really honored to meet you once again father," Lara humbly says to chairman Lee addressing him as her own father like she always did since her Childhood.

"Ohhh come on Lara, you are just like my daughter and you know you are always welcomed here, but you seem to be so busy this days that you forget you have a family here," Chairman Lee said with such a big smile that anyone present could interpret as so much fondness to Lara which came as no surprise as he always saw her as the daughter he never had.

"I am so sorry for my sudden absence, I have just been so occupied," replied Lara who genuinely wished she could spend more time in the second home she grew up in, but the result of the last dinner of both families had created a phobia in her that she dreaded coming as often as she was in times past.

After a thirty minute chit-chat on the table about the state of business operations of both companies, the most dreaded topic was raised by none other than Lara's mother who was in fact the ideator of the entire marriage arrangements. It had been her entire life's dream that her daughter gets married into the Lee family as 'she would be well taken care off' in her words to Lara when asked about her reasons.

Lara knew her mother too well to know that was all a facade and the main reason would be her ability to boast to her fellow high class socialite friends about the status of her in laws and to show off to the other Elite Chinese mothers who would do or give anything to get their daughter to become a daughter in law to the most wealthy family in China.

"You know, *dramatic pause* we should be proud of our children,*dramatic tap on Lara's shoulder* they work so hard that they can't even have the time for frivolities like other youths their age *cinematic chuckle* we really should assist them in settling down immediately so they can worry less about the whole tiring and time consuming process of courting right?" *dramatic chuckle once again*

Lara couldn't be more ashamed at her mother's desperation.

"I have decided, I will attend the academy this year!" Ivan blurts out to the uttermost surprise and shock to everyone; letting another minute pass by without acting quickly wasn't something he was about to let happen.

"And when did you make such a decision that you did not run by me son?!" Chairman Xian asked authoritatively.

"I apologize father, I was going to have this discussion with you earlier on but this dinner was urgent," Ivan lies, knowing fully well he made the surprising decision a few seconds ago.

"You know son," Chairman Lu begins."To the best of my knowledge, a lot of the rest are yet to resume operations in their companies, but you see that's not the same for you and my daughter who already run operations in your companies as directors, you can agree with me that this makes your schedule not free enough to entertain the training from the academy at this time, and if I clearly recall you always said you weren't interested in partaking,why the sudden change of mind?" asked chairman Lu, hoping he spoke well to the content of his wife who made the usual under-table little finger pinch on his laps, an act that signified a call to rescue.

"I would take over as CEO in no time, and eventually get married, Ivan responds taking a brief pause. I feel I have lost most of my youthful years in devotion to Xi'an, and before I completely give it my all, I think it's necessary I take a break and I mean this may just be the best opportunity; it's like killing two birds with one stone, I get the required training while taking a much needed break from business operations."

"Oh! I mean that's understandable," Chairman Lu replies defeatedly knowing Ivan's statement had set him up for an endless session of rant from his wife on their trip back to Shanghai.

"What about you Lara, do you feel the same way?" Ivan's mom asked hoping she felt the same as her son did. Irrespective of the fact that she had been her usual silent self even in this situation (which was easily interpreted as her consent) she secretly felt they mounted so much pressure on Ivan and Lara and didn't in any way approve of the tough spot they had put both children in.

"I can't say for now auntie, I haven't made a decision yet," Lara responds. She was surprised Ivan hadn't initially spoken to her of his brilliant plan but couldn't be more happier at his ability to figure a way out. She definitely would be needing her airpods on the trip back, she could swear her mom definitely had her blood up her chest, waiting to make an outburst.

"Are you sure about this Son?"

"Certainly Father," responded Ivan enjoying already, the loose of chokehold placed on him.