Saturday turned out to be a beautiful, cloudless day. The Gala was set for six pm that evening at the Chamber of Commerce banquet hall, and Kerrigan had sent word that she would not be available until five. Conor agreed with Parker that they would pick the girls up and planned to be there a few minutes early but that still left most of the day free for Conor to stress. This event would be one the most defining moments of his new business and truly represented Vokrizin’s first step into the limelight. Parker finally came to get him after lunch and drive him to visit the barber. Conor had been maintaining his hair regularly, but tonight was of utmost importance. “Ah, Mr. Brantley! I was hoping you would stop in to see me!” came the excited shout of the proprietor of the solan, Anthony Gavin. “Indeed, Anthony. Tonight is my Gala for Celia’s Blessing.” “My invitation arrived last week! I have been waiting with great anticipation for you to grace my shop ever since! Tonight, the world
Conor paced the banquet hall, his nerves getting the better of him. suddenly a small form darted from the entrance and wrapped around his leg. “Mr. Conor!!” “Hannah? What are you doing here?” Conor asked, bewildered, looking around for a parent. Instead, he spotted her older brother dressed up and looking sharp in a formal suit. Her parents waited patiently at the side. Conor looked back at Hannah and saw that she too was dressed in a black dress. Such clothes were far outside their price range, Conor knew. “Eibhlin helped me get this!” Hannah said excitedly, pointing to her dress. “Eibhlin, hu? Well I am glad you could make it then. Do you have a table?” Hannah beamed as she pointed to a long table along the far wall that was starting to fill with kids and their parents. Conor stared in amazement as he began to recognize many of the kids from the community center. Everyone was staring around wide-eyed as if this was the most impressive thing they had ever been to. Conor wondere
To the side Peter and Cara each stood by a microphone. As Kerrigan and Lindsey struck up the tune, Conor was lost in the music as Cara and Peter began a duet. “I’m right here beside you,” Peter began. “And I’ll stay there as long as you let me,” Cara sang. Conor had no idea she had such an amazing voice. Peter for his part harmonized perfectly with his tenor. Conor watched as Kerrigan matched tempo and skill with Lindsey Starlight, and marveled at her ability. The Craftmaster had made her promise to practice and perform for him, and she was delivering in spades. As the song ended, Conor stood and clapped, the rest of the audience following suit. Kerrigan and Lindsey bowed and then hugged each other. Kerrigan took a microphone and said “It has been a dream for a long time to play with Lindsey! What a dream come true. Well As Lindsey said, the community center has touched many lives in strange powerful ways. While you enjoy this meal, a few of the current kids want to put on a small
Rejected Billionaire Part 3 Chapter 1 Kelan Benedict POV A loud bang snapped Kelan out of the dream. A page stuck to his face as he sat up with a yawn. He blinked trying to clear the sleep from his eyes only to find his dreaded nemesis glaring at him. “Brought you a coffee,” Natalie quipped, setting a paper cup in front of him. “It’s not poison is it?” Kelan asked wearily. He wouldn’t put it past the woman to try something like that. “Not this time. You have a meeting on the 6th floor with the cosmetics division that started at 7:30.” “What time is it?” he asked, swiping the page off his face and running his fingers through his hair trying to tame the cowlick at the back of his head. “7:45. They sent me to find you when didn’t show up on time,” Natalie said with a smirk. “Shit. Woman, why didn’t you find me sooner?” Kelan growled, jumping to his feet and trying to tug the wrinkles out of his suit. “I am not your aid, remember? I work for Miss Lokir, even if she is not here.”
Conor sat on his bed staring at the ring. He had almost forgotten about it when the letter had come from Mr. Nuri all those months ago. A Year? Longer? As he considered he realized it would be two years this fall since Mr. Nuri had first knocked on his door! He swirled the dragon crest between his fingers before flipping it over and glancing at the inside band. Tiny letters were engraved there in two rows. Sovereign is the Dragon Blessed Conor scratched his head, wondering about the words. He wondered if he might ask Mr. Nuri or even Johnathan about it. He tried to slide the ring on his right hand, thinking it might fit his pinky, but ended up having to move it to his right middle finger to get it to come close to fitting. Suddenly it glowed, rays of red, blue, and green emanating from its surface. The dragon began to move, wings unfurrowing, the dark metal of the tail coming to life and sweeping around his finger. The light subsided and Conor looked in amazement and wonder as the
Kerrigan stared blankly as Conor left, trying to process her own emotions. Conor had left in such a rush, that she had not even had the chance to get the words out she so wanted to say. She wanted to ask him to come with her. Perhaps if he was with her, not only would they be able to better solve Dragon Corporation’s issues, but she could avoid Kelan’s advances. She had to admit to herself that while those were all valid reasons, she really just wanted him with her. Kerrigan desperately hoped that the shock of her identity would not shake Conor up too much. After all, he had not minded that she was originally the head of Dragon Corporation, which to many was a lofty enough title to command serious respect, if not fear. He himself was Deinmaar to Celia, so that title had not bothered him either. “Miss Lokir, I hate to intrude, but you do have another meeting,” came miss Rose’s quiet voice from where she still sat next to Mr. Nuri. “Who?” she asked, not remembering what was supposed t
Kerrigan turned to Conor, “What do you think?” “I like him. and if we can use Harden for the residential projects I have planned and any other expansions then it would be a win-win. What do you think?” “I think 20% is low. The numbers I have seen, 40 million is a good ask on his part and is in line with their expenditures, but under Benedict terms 100% was controlled by the Benedict group, and Benedict projects were done at cost, zero profit,” Kerrigan explained. “I think it would be a deal for him if Golan took 60% in ownership, with an option for them to buy back 20%. Split the other 40% between Vokrizin and Dragon Corporation.” “This is very dependent on us being able to keep them busy with new projects,” Conor said. “True, but with a new building for Golan National, a new tower for Vokrizin, and residential projects, not to mention you could expand into hospitality with a hotel or two, and there would be plenty of work for them in the coming years,” Kerrigan said, the possibil
Reilynn stepped out of the house with Faolon at her side. Every evening she had taken to walking Faolan as part of her therapy. They strode around the sprawling property, heading for the creek that flowed through part of the estate. Each day she was closer to her old self, but she still enjoyed walking with Faolan. Kerrigan was safely in the house, and Evelynn and Gabriella were inside as well, so Reilynn could just be at peace here in this pocket of serene wilderness.The Gala had been a test in fortitude as she fought the pain of having that dress tug at her side, but on the whole, it had proven that she was well on the mend. It wouldn’t be long before she could return to active duty. She took in the evening sounds of birds chirping as they began to find their evening roost.To her displeasure, the sound of kids roughhousing with each other reached her over the natural sounds of dusk. While kids were fine, what alerted her was the fact the sound was coming from the creek, far into th