POWER UNDISPUTED

Chapter 5

Renee's face went beet-red. How dare this bastard off the street speak to her so bluntly. What's more, her own sister who she was defending was laughing at her. It was more anger than she could bear.

"How dare you speak to me like this?" She marched towards Damien wanting to slap the smug look off his face.

"Enough." A voice boomed, rattling the chandelier hung in the middle of the room. It was so loud, it sent a shiver up Damien's spine. He glanced around looking for who had yelled like that.

"Come on, dear boy."

Damien looked at the bed and saw the old man smiling at him. He slowly advanced and came to a stop at the old man's bedside.

"You look so much like him," the old man said as tears streamed down his face. "Like my son."

Confusion spread across Damien's face. Why would he look like some random old man's son? Unless…

"Forgive me, grandson. I have been a terrible grandfather to you."

His father had told him all about his grandfather but never let them meet. Too bad they had to meet under such circumstances.

He couldn't believe his ears. His heart pounded in his chest at the possibility that he still had family and wasn't completely alone. "You're my grandfather?"

"Yes," the old man said, wiping his tear-streaked face. For too long he'd lived without an heir. To be able to find his own flesh and blood to continue his legacy was a dream come true.

Angela brought over a silver locket and handed it to Damien. In it was an old picture showing the old man in his younger years and a young man who looked so much like Damien. Although it had been over twenty years since he had died, Damien could recognise his father anywhere.

"I've watched over you all your life. I wanted to come and get you all this time but I feared that bastard Saul Victous would have taken drastic measures… again. I'm so sorry I let you go through all that Damien. Forgive this old man for all my mistakes." The old man couldn't contain his tears seeing his long-lost grandson. Although he appeared sad, he was the happiest he had been in a very long time.

It was a lot to take in for Damien. Just a few minutes earlier, he had nothing and no one. Then he found a grandfather he didn't know he had but he looked like he was dying. What rotten luck he had.

The room was silent apart from the old man's sobs. Everyone was stunned; was he not Daniel 'the lion' Delaney? How could such an unremarkable young man make him weep so sorrowfully?

"As you can see, I'm not well Damien. And you're my only heir. I'm sorry it's on such short notice but you will have to take over now. You studied Business Administration right?"

Damien nodded. "How did you know that?"

The old man smiled. "I made sure you got a scholarship. Unfortunately I couldn't do any more than that or Saul might have gotten suspicious."

The old man had wanted so badly to take Damien in after his son died but he was dreaded what measures Saul would take to keep Damien under his thumb.

"Thank you," Damien said. "I appreciate that."

He'd mentioned Saul for the second time. Why was he so important?

"It was the very least I could do. Angela, bring the documents." He turned to Damien. "Have you heard about the Delaney Company?"

The Delaney Company, the most sought after for shareholders, investors and those looking for a contract. They had their hand in just about every business model and basically controlled the country's economy. Known as the most profitable company in the entire western hemisphere, with annual profits of $900 billion and growing steadily.

"Of course. Who hasn't?"

The old man chuckled. "Well, do you know who owns it?"

What business did he have knowing that? For the last few years, Damien had been so preoccupied with working hard and pleasing his wife that he didn’t have any time left for current affairs.

"No, I don't."

Angela handed Damien a folder stuffed with documents. The documents listed a whole lot of huge companies and an obscene amount of money quoted next to each name.

"In that folder all the assets of and associated the Delaney Company; that includes all subsidiary companies and their respective net worths. I founded and am the CEO of the Delaney Company but if you would do me the honour, I want you to be the CEO."

"What?" Was this a joke? How could this man who only just met him want to give him his entire life's fortune? His heart was beating like a drum, unable to accept reality.

The old man knew he had a lot to make up for as a grandfather and hoped Damien would let him atone for his mistakes.

"Look at me, boy. I'm dying. I might not have much time left. I've had the best doctors in the entire world in this room but even they could not cure me. I've even tried other… methods but nothing has worked. I know it's selfish of me to ask but I need you to do this for me please."

Just then, Damien felt his necklace in his pocket and fished it out with the quickness. The sight of it made the old man's eyes grow wide.

"Where did you get that?"

Damien's father had given it to him just before he went on the vacation that he never returned from. Ever since he'd had it, he hadn't fallen ill, not even a cold. His wounds also healed faster whenever he had it on.

"My father gave it to me." He handed it to the old man who graciously accepted it.

Angela was at his side in an instant handing him the other part to complete the pendant. Once the old man fit the Yin and Yang pieces together and put on the necklace, something remarkable happened.

Before their eyes, the old man seemed to get stronger. His emaciated flesh grew thick with muscle and his patchy hair filled out.

He got to his feet and bounced, ecstatic that he could move on his own again. Angela and Renee could not believe their eyes. For over a year, the old man had been bed ridden. They even had to hire a nurse to feed and clean him but he was on his feet after one meeting with Damien. Who was this young man?

"Thank you so much, Damien." The old man, agile as an antelope, rushed and hugged Damien. "I had completely given up on life but you gave me a little more time."

"A little more?" Damien asked, puzzled.