Chapter 8
751 Words
Richard's forbidding look followed Adrian as the latter left.
Getting what he wanted was second nature to him, yet bitterness mingled with that satisfaction.
He hated it.
He hated how much he could see himself in the boy.
Adrian was the result of the mistake of his youth, and God had decided to punish him by stamping his own look right on him.
Adrian looked younger. Not even Daniel took after him that much in looks and temperament.
Yet Daniel was the son he owed.
One night of weakness had brought Patricia and Adrian into his life.
He had broken Annabel's heart and he did not even get to make her see reason before she passed away.
Yet he could not do away with Adrian.
Apart from Patricia's devotion, Adrian had caught Charles’ attention when he was ten years old.
Adrian had been up to one of his shenanigans at his old friend's birthday back then.
He beat his friend at arrow-pot throwing.
When Richard would have punished him for stepping out of line at an event he had sneaked into in the first place, Charles had been pleased.
He even gave him his decorated sword, an item of great honour.
Then he had told Richard, “That boy is made for greatness. Treat him right.”
Richard could not argue with Charles, because as formidable as people thought Richard was, his old military friend was the true power who had paved many ways for Richard.
Without him, there would be no Dominion Group.
The promise he had made to Charles was the main reason he had kept Adrian around all these years, doing his best to ignore the shame and guilt he felt whenever he saw him.
Charles had been abroad for years and he was finally coming back home.
The only other person Charles had asked about during their phone conversation was Adrian.
“I hope you are treating that boy right?” Charles had asked in his gravelly general voice.
“Yes, of course,” Richard had responded automatically.
It was after the call that he started thinking of any good thing he had done for the boy over the years that he could line up for Charles.
He found nothing.
Nothing worthwhile that would be acceptable to Charles.
Richard felt no guilt about how he had treated his son.
No, what mattered was that he was able to keep up appearances to keep Charles on his good side.
They were friends, but Charles’ reach over the years had expanded internationally.
Richard's power was profound in the business world of Aurion. Yet it was nothing compared to Charles, who was a high-ranking general with connections that spanned business, politics, exportation, mining, crude oil and many more sectors.
It was said that he had a standing invitation to dine with the president of Zerovia whenever he wanted.
Getting on Charles’ bad side would be a disaster for anyone.
Whatever had made Adrian catch his eye, Richard did not want to risk finding out if Charles would risk their friendship over his defence of the boy.
So he had thought of the best solution.
To make a very grand gesture. One that would show Charles that he had not neglected him.
The four families had been reluctant to let their daughters participate in the events, but they owed him.
He had also sweetened the deal by letting them know it was their daughters’ choice too.
“Your daughter does not have to choose him,” he had told the families. “As a parent, I understand that you must want the best for your daughter. So she can choose to reject him if he chooses her.”
They had loosened up after that. Though some still deemed it an insult for their daughters to even attend the same event as Adrian, they had no choice but to accept.
Nobody went against Richard in Aurion without consequences, after all.
Though Richard was surprised by how firmly Adrian had rejected him earlier, getting the boy back in line with his ace move brought him satisfaction.
“Do not say I did not do anything for you,” he thought to himself as he left the living room.
“Charles will see I paved the way for him. He cannot blame me if the boy's uselessness makes the girls reject him.”
He thought, believing that was exactly what would happen.
Who would choose Adrian after all when they could aim for Daniel?
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