The Charismatic Lucas Armani!

Three

"What's that supposed to mean? You wanna be poor for the rest of your life??" Donna shouted at her daughter.

"I love him and I'm staying with him no matter what!" Chloe said.

"That's nonsense! I don't believe you. Did he threaten you to say this??" Donna raged.

"Yes my dear! Did he tell you to say this?" Victor sided with his wife.

Chloe got teary. "I am your only child and you both still love money more than you love me! Lucas is the only one who loves me unconditionally, so why should I leave him? Even though he's not rich, for three years, he's been the best!"

Lucas's cheeks burned as he heard that compliment. Before anything else could happen, Chloe ran off to her room and Lucas followed behind.

She sat on the bed, as if rethinking her decision. Lucas sat down beside her. "It's okay. I promise you, this is a wise choice you've made. You won't regret it at all!" He sighed in shame, expressing his utmost sincerity.

"I'm sorry you have endured all this. For all the shame I've brought you." He reached for her face, wiping the tears streaming down her eyes. "From now on, I swear it. I won't make you suffer anymore!"

With that, he turned to leave. Maybe she might need some alone time...

Maeville Hotel, VVIP Suite

"I'm so glad you were able to make it, son." A woman said to Lucas with a warm smile.

Lucas eyed her up and down. She had learned a lot! She really must have been sick. "If all of this misfortune wasn't happen now, would you even ever want to see me again?"

The woman's face melted. "I am sorry, son. I understand if you still blame me like that. But I really wanted you by my side. I had to let you go, to protect you! Grandpa was really stubborn and had other plans for you. I had rk protect you, I swear it!" She was shivering in fear that her son might not believe her.

"Plus, I know I have been a shitty mother. I am truly sorry."

Lucas didn't want to believe her sob story. "If Derek hasn't gone to jail, would we ever be sitting here? Let's be honest, mom." He had truly missed her and this was a heartfelt moment for him. He was just still so heartbroken!

She couldn't say anything but stare down in shame. After a while, she handed him a black card. "It contains ten billion dollars. You can use it for anything you want to. The Armani automobile firm in town will have a new successor which will be you, since you are now the new heir of the Armani family."

***

Under just one week, the Armani automobile firm was all everyone could talk about. The fact that it has a new owner who was very open to new business partners was what got everyone talking.

Besides, it has been rumored he was the now a mysterious new heir of the Armani household, and everyone wants to meet and make friends with him.

Even the Smith company, the Smithons car company were also looking for a means to partner with this strange Armani family!

It has been rumored now that this was the same person who had supplied Mrs Smith a tons of gifts for her birthday party.

This made the single ladies in the Smith family daydream about marrying this rich man! They kept arguing and bragging about marrying the mysterious heir. However, there was something that was a concern for them all. This made all their excitement to crumble when all their attempts to become partners with the CEO had failed!

The CEO kept rejecting all their proposals, embarrassing the Smith family in the process. That afternoon, Mrs Smith had gathered everyone for a meeting.

"Well, this is a very simple meeting. Who's bold enough to meet with the CEO and add our names to their partnership program! At least, that will be a step forward. Then we can grow stronger and--"

Victor cut her off first. "Mom, that's impossible! We've tried everything, Donna and I!"

"It's crazy, but he's right." Victor's sister, Rebecca said.

"Yes mom. Nothing is working out. They wouldn't even let us see the vice president much less the president! They keep rejecting our offers." Another person said.

This was getting Mrs Smith angry now. "So you all are cowards then! How can you give up so easily! I thought I had a strong family here? If we are able to get close to this CEO, we will move up and become the number one richest family in Maeville! What is wrong with you people?." She demanded.

"I don't care if we have to stoop so low like this, but I need us to win, okay? We can select some of you to go and stake out at the Armani company until we're given attention!" Mrs Smith said.

But the whole family instantly roared out their disinterest. "We can't! That would be so embarrassing!"

Bruce had been staring at Chloe so long now and he didn't like how quiet she was. So he went on to calm the audience with a proposal. "Hey everyone, how about Chloe does that? She can go and stalk the CEO! She's been idle all this while, we should give her a task!"

Everyone turned towards her and began to murmur in agreement. "That's right. Chloe can do that!" Rebecca, Bruce's mother said and people agreed with her.

Just as Chloe was about to defend herself, her phone buzzed and she saw a message from Lucas; "you should negotiate with Armani firm and earn your family's honor!"

Chloe felt so upset and excited at the same time! She didn't know why she was so upset but Lucas' innocence was just so annoying! How was she supposed to negotiate with the Armani firm, they didn't stand any chance as a whole, much less just her!

"Well, are you in or not? Let's know right now." Mrs Smith said coldly. No one really treated Chloe right since her favorite child and grandchild was Rebecca and her son Bruce.

"I'll do it." Chloe didn't even know why but she said yes already! Besides, it wasn't like she had any other option than to say yes. She couldn't defy the wish of their matriarch. She caught a glimpse of her parents and saw that they were far from happy.

"hear this, if you fail, you'll be punished! Okay?" Bruce pressed on, just so he could humiliate her!

"Yes, that's true. We don't want you messing things up!" Said Rebecca. Whenever she spoke, people always ended up agreeing! Others began to add fuel to the fire too.

"Or maybe we should send some security to follow her. Just in case!" Said someone else.

And all Chloe could think about was the fact that they would try to mock her like that. She was part of one of the most influential families in the city, yet they still mocked her like this! It wasn't fair at all, treating her like she was some outsider.

"Fine. Since we have all agreed, I will assign someone to monitor her and keep a close look on her so she doesn't mess up!" Mrs Smith concluded.

"It's fine. I can do this. I won't fail you!" Chloe got all vexed up and responded boldly. At least they would shut up now.

Instead, they all bursted out in laughter. "We couldn't do this at all. What gives you the hope that you can succeed?! Ha!"

Bruce saw this as an opportunity to finally kick Chloe out of the family! When grandma Smith died, she would have to share all her inheritance to the entire family. But wouldn't that be better once Chloe and her family were out of the picture? They seemed like the weakest he could taunt them anyway!

"But what if you fail? This will really be a slap at the family's face. Don't you think so??"