THE BILLIONAIRE’S IRRESISTIBLE DESIRE.

Chapter 11

ADRIAN’S POV

“Your foster dad is dead,” Ivan said, making me freeze.

I was shocked to my very core. How did my dad die? I wasn't aware he was sick. So how the f**k was he dead?

My heart ached after hearing this. My heart ached for Susana, my foster mom. I knew how much she loved my foster dad.

I mean, what was there not to love about him? I loved him too. He was an honest, kind, and loving man, very understanding.

“Mom, was he ill?” I asked her to be sure my suspicions weren't right.

“I’m sorry, Adrian; he didn't want you to know. He said it would make you worried, and he didn't want that. Besides, I didn't know it was something that would lead to death,” she said amidst sobs.

I squinted my eyes and sighed, fighting back the urge to shed tears. I was a man, and I was going to act as one.

“On your dad’s dying breath, he said the company should be passed to Ivan. That he didn't want you to carry the burden of heading such a big company,” Ivan’s dad said all of a sudden, making my eyes snap open and my foster mom abruptly turn to him.

“What did you just say?” My foster mom asked, her face slowly hardening.

“You heard me right,” Ivan’s dad answered.

“Wait, was that the reason why Ivan’s name was on the list of who would be representing our company at the meeting with Carlos’s family company?” I asked, unable to believe what was unfolding before my eyes.

Were they being serious right now? While my foster dad was dying, they were busy scheming to get the company. I scoffed.

Well, never was I going to let that happen.

“You must be out of your mind because that isn't going to happen. I know Jacob very well, and he wouldn't do that knowing how lazy and unintelligent Ivan is.” My foster mom lashed out at Ivan's dad.

Ivan and his dad, especially Ivan, looked highly offended by what my foster mom said, and Ivan wanted to raise his hands to hit her.

I became enraged. Was he mad or something thinking of hitting a woman who could give birth to him?

Of course, I caught his hands mid-air and squeezed them, making him yell out in pain.

“Never in your life should you ever raise or even think of raising your hands at my mom,” I thundered and pushed him, making him fall on his dad.

“How dare…” Ivan’s dad wanted to continue but was interrupted by me.

“How dare Ivan raise his hands to hit my mother? Something I would never think of doing to his mom,” I retorted.

“She isn't your mother. You aren’t a part of our family, you bastard,” Ivan snapped while hiding behind his dad.

I scoffed seeing that he was hiding behind his father. Ivan was of my age but never behaved so.

Imagine a 30-year-old fully grown man hiding behind his dad, who was about 53 years old. It’s shameful, right?

“You need to man up, Ivan. That is all I have to say to you,” I told Ivan.

“Do you have proof that Jacob said Ivan should take over the company?” My foster mom asked.

“Well… Well…” Ivan’s dad began to stutter, and just when Ivan wanted to open his mouth to speak, I beat him to it.

“No need to stress yourself because I know my dad would have been wise enough to write a will, knowing your scheming ways, Lucas,” I told Ivan’s dad.

“You think well, Son. There was one day I heard him talking to his lawyer about a will. I’ll call the lawyer and ask. But as the wife of the director of the company, when my husband, the director, isn't available, I have the right as his wife to take his place. That is why now I am instructing you, Adrian, to represent our company for the meeting,” my foster mom said with an air of finality.

“We shall see who is right or wrong,” Ivan’s dad stormed out of the house, and Ivan followed suit after scoffing.

My foster mom rushed upstairs to their room, and so did I. Reaching there, I saw my mom sitting beside my foster dad’s lifeless body.

She kept on crying and trying to wake my foster dad up, but all to no avail.

I just wanted someone to wake me up, and then I’ll realize that all this was just a nightmare.

“Mom, it's okay. You still have me.” I consoled her and went to hug her from behind, making her stop trying to wake my foster dad.

“But why weren't you with him while he took his last breath?” I asked her.

“I thought he was getting better. I just wanted to go to your house and reason things with Isabella quickly. While I was on my way back home, I realized my phone was on silent, and then when I checked, I saw his missed calls. But when I called him back, Ivan’s dad was the one who picked up the call,” she said and sobbed more.

“Then what happened when you got back home?” I asked her.

“I rushed here to our room and found him with Ivan and his dad. He wasn't breathing, but I didn't want to accept that he was dead. That was when I rushed downstairs to call you.” She answered and sniffed back the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes.

“The truth is, I find it hard to believe Dad died a natural death. Something seems fishy. Like a lot of things don't add up,” I said.

“Then are you going to give orders for an autopsy test to be run on him?” She asked me.

“Will you support me if I say yes?” I asked her

“Absolutely,”she said, and before I could respond, I heard the sound of sirens.

“The ambulance is here. Lucas and his son called them. Look, Adrian, you mustn't let Lucas and his son's schemes to take the company away from you prevail. Even though you aren’t my biological child, in the eyes of the law, you are my legal child. It is your right to be the CEO of the company. But first of all, you must get married to Isabella to make your claims to the position and your succession stronger,” my foster mom said with a determined look in her eyes.

I wasn't sure about the marriage thing because I didn't know if, no, scratch that, I was sure Isabella wouldn't agree to it.

And I wasn't going to impose marriage on her just because her brother owed Carlos and me money.

“I’ll see what I can do about that,” I answered my foster mom.

I turned to walk out of the room and speak to the medical personnel who brought the ambulance.

But then my foster mom held my hand. My brows creased when I looked at her because, in her eyes, I could see fear and trepidation in them.

“There is something else I think you should know, Son,” she said.

“And what’s that?” I asked, wondering what it was she was going to say that made her have that kind of countenance.