The patriarch scoffed. “Teaching some manners to your idiot son. I can teach you too!”
Jackson waved his hand.
“It’s ok, patriarch. We can talk, but can we please do something about the noise?”
He looked at his fuming uncle straight in the eyes and sneered.
“It’s annoying!”
The patriarch kicked them out of the meeting room. The only people inside were Jackson and his grandfather, along with his new wife.
If the old man was a little past his sixties, that woman was in her thirties. Her snake-like body leaned at the table next to Jackson. Her curvy body could strike any man who dared to look at her.
The patriarch looked at Jackson. At first, Jackson got his attention by mentioning the new project, but the longer he thought about it and looking at his cheap attire, the more he doubted him.
“So, tell me what kind of job you got there?”
“Ah, yes. I will scout and recruit people for the new project. Since you guys were my family once…”
The old patriarch sweated. He interrupted Jackson halfway jesting.
“Once? Nonsense. We value young Jackson…”
Jackson ignored the old man’s remark and continued.
“I thought I should first contact you. You could help me save face at the new job and you can get a decent piece of the pie.”
The patriarch of the Raven family rejoiced.. Even though they treated him and his parents in such a way, the young man foolishly still thought of them as family. They could get the funds they needed to revive the family, and, when they no longer needed him, kick him out.
“Excellent!”
He looked at his wife, who remained silent and closely listened to their conversation, and smiled. “Call those idiots back inside, darling!”
“Yes, dear!”
One after the other, the patriarch’s sons and daughter, along with their children, returned to the great hall. The old man, with a smile painted on his face, shouted at them.
“Call everyone! In one week, we are preparing a feast to flaunt our Raven family’s power as the first to have ever received a piece of that fifty billion pie.”
***
The following day, Jackson went out for groceries. He had already refused to stay at the Raven estate, no matter how many times the old patriarch pleaded. He had no intention of staying in that place longer than he needed to.
While there, all the emotions of shame and resentment surfaced and scarred his heart. At least he enjoyed watching his first cousin squirm. It was quite exhilarating seeing the old man begging him, as well.
He wanted to make them suffer for a little longer, but an unexpected variable put an abrupt stop to his plans. The patriarch’s new wife he knew nothing about. That alluring woman blended in despite her overwhelming presence. There were even times he forgot about her. Without gathering information first, Jackson left first.
With a week until the banquet at the Raven estate, Jackson thought of taking care of other things. One of those was a shareholder meeting at the Rikelia Group headquarters. As the next heir, it fell under his responsibilities. He had a few days until then.
After exiting the grocery store, he bumped into a young woman, knocking her down. The one thing imprinted on his mind was the fact she didn’t have any shoes on. She didn’t even accept his hand when he tried to help her up. She politely apologized and ran off.
Moments later, two men in black suits appeared in front of him. The burly men looked at Jackson in a menacing way. One showed him a picture.
“Have you seen this girl?”
Without looking, Jackson replied. “No!”
He tried to walk past them, but their muscular hands put a stop on his advancement. The burly man’s voice hinted at a threatening tone.
“Check again, friend!”
Jackson, seeing no other way out, looked at the picture. He recognized the girl. It was the same one he bumped into earlier. He tried to conceal it by shaking his head. “No, I haven’t!”
The two burly men glued their gazes at Jackson, trying to catch any miniscule change in his expression.
After he finally got away from them, Jackson returned to his apartment. To his surprise, the new wife of the Raven family’s patriarch waited for him. He felt anxious. His thoughts ran rampant.
“Did she uncover my plan?”
As soon as she saw him, her soft and alluring voice tickled his ears.
“Nice to see you are doing well, young master.”
Jackson kept a calm face and walked towards his apartment with a simple nod. He didn't wish to antagonize her, but her sudden appearance caught him off guard. The woman smiled and reached out.
“Let me carry these for you!”
Her soft hands touched Jackson when she tried to get the grocery bags from him.
Jackson pulled away. "No need..."
At that moment, Jackson realized he didn’t even know her name. Just as he turned the key to unlock his door, he thought this was an excellent opportunity to gain some valuable information on the workings of the Raven family that had cast him and his parents aside.
He was still young when it happened, and his understanding was nowhere near close to what it was now. Jackson knew what had happened and his parents disclosed nothing to him after that.
One day, his dad returned from work with a heavy expression on his face. After taking some time to sit and have a glass of water, he simply said they lost everything.
He returned to the present when he heard the woman giggling. Jackson glared at her and coldly snorted. “You seem eager to enter another man’s apartment. Come in then!”
With a smile painted on her face, she stood next to him. “Lead the way.”
***
At the Raven estate, the patriarch sat at the garden kiosk. He had the plans for Jackson's new project at the table in front of him. At the top of his lungs, he shouted.
“Rina!”
A servant girl hurriedly approached him.
“Excuse me, sir, but madam stepped out a while ago.”
The old man clicked his tongue. “Where did that damn woman go? I want tea!”
“She said she wanted to go shopping.”
He banged his hand on the table. “Again?! How many clothes does she need? It’s not like we go anywhere.”
“I’ll get it for you, sir.”
The patriarch looked at the servant girl, confused. “Huh?”
The girl shyly uttered. “Tea. I’ll get it for you.”
The old man’s lecher eyes scanned her. He tapped her bottom and chuckled. “Very well!”
While the patriarch waited for the servant girl, his first son walked towards him.
“Hey, old man. That wife of yours. What business does she have visiting that bastard Jackson?”
“What?!”
The tranquility of the garden met the patriarch’s fury when his thunderous voice silenced even the chirping birds. With a hint of sarcasm in his voice, the first son scolded. “My men saw her entering his apartment about an hour ago. She still hasn’t come out!” “That ungrateful wench! Let her come back, and I’ll show her who’s the boss!” “What about Jackson?” “He’ll get what’s coming to him. We just must be a little patient with the little fiend!” Not even a second passed and the alluring woman with the raven hair joined them at the kiosk. “What are you guys doing out here? The sun is scorching.” The old patriarch glared at his son, who hurriedly picked up his phone and called his men. “What’s the situation?” [Yes sir. She’s still in there!] The first son looked at the woman in front of him, confused. “A-Are you sure?” [Yes, sir!] He looked at his father and shook his head. *** At Jackson’s apartment, a woman peeks through the curtain, making sure the black cars foll
Only the crackling wood in the fireplace broke the silence of the grand dining hall. Jackson sneaked a few glances around the room. The stoic master, Damien Shaw, enjoyed his rustic soup, whereas his beautiful daughter simply dipped her bread. The dining room was large. Only three people enjoyed the table in the middle, which was big enough for a dozen people. Over their heads a shining chandelier with candles which illuminated the entire room. A few doors scattered about, guarded by muscular men in suits, and the windows had velvet crimson drapes guarding them from the outside world. Jackson was sure the sky darkened, but he had no way of confirming it. His fast-beating heart wouldn’t rest. He ate nervously while monitoring the situation. He quenched his thirst with a full glass of wine. Apparently, the alcohol eased his racing mind. Damien Shaw coughed to get their attention. His voice hinted at a sense of self-discipline, which Jackson lacked. “My Rina said she had a chat wit
Two days after he had dinner with Damien Shaw, Jackson and Alicia Shaw arrived at the headquarters of Rikelia Group. A long drive to Borealis Valley, the home of multinational conglomerates. Anyone with a business wants their base amongst the big names of the corporate world. Though he’s the heir of the Rikelia Group, He has yet to unveil his identity to the public. At the entrance of the imposing building, a group of youngsters stood in his path. They glared at the girl. Alicia Shaw didn’t have the same allure as her sister, but she had a unique charm and unparalleled beauty. Silky long raven hair tied to a bun and blue eyes. Her elegance and demeanor mesmerized anyone who stole a glimpse of her. Her gray skirt which reached her knees, perfectly toned to her hips. A buttoned white shirt left much to be desired when one realized she playfully exposed her enticing neckline. A woman like that stood next to a young man with a cheap jacket on top of a white t-shirt and jeans. In the
The young woman behind the reception desk gasped. She couldn't believe her eyes. For the first time, she witnessed Mrs. Aria lowering her head to an unknown younger man. Jeremiah Ivory’s jaw dropped when he saw this. Fumed with rage and jealousy. He stood in front of Mrs. Aria. “Mrs. Aria, I…” He didn’t even have time to finish his sentence when a slap landed on his face and threw him over the reception counter. Unfazed, Mrs. Aria glared at him. It instantly froze the blood in his veins. She then turned to Jackson and smiled. “Mr. Taylor, what took you so long? Did something happen?” The young woman thought she was screwd, she couldn't raise her head up. Jackson saw her hands are shaking.“Mr Ivory and I had a bit misunderstoood” He said simply with a smirk on his face.She was grateful that Jackson didn't blame her or she would lose everything. Jeremiah Ivory leaped over the counter. “Out of the way, servant!” He pushed Jackson to the side and stood in front of the woman.
Towards the end of the meeting, Jackson kept staring at the Lord of the Ivory House. That man was who Jackson aspired to be. His way of speech and movement had an elegance Jackson craved. After exchanging goodbyes with Mrs. Aria, the youths left the building of the Rikelia Group. Alicia noticed the sluggish movement of Jackson. “What’s going on?” He looked at his arms, then his torso, and uttered in a disgruntled tone. “I think I need new clothes…” Alicia chuckled. “It just so happens, I know a place.” “Great! Surprise me then!” After a few hours' drive, Jackson got the surprise he asked for, unlike anything he thought it would be. “Are you sure about this?” He expected to see a luxurious shop of several hundred square meters. Instead, it was a small building with a sign filled with smudges and molded bricks. Alicia nodded in silence. He took a deep breath and walked in. Unlike the exterior, inside it was pristine. A young man hurriedly walked towards them and greeted them.
Water dripped from Jackson’s face, drenching his clothes. The people in that man’s group burst laughing, and soon the rest of the guests followed. Immediately, Naomi and Alicia ejected from their seats. It was as if this turn of events eased the tension between them. The girls put on hold of their icy stares and turned their attention towards the person who humiliated their man. With a smile on his face, he looked at the two girls. “Can I please have a towel?” The young man who poured the glass of water then turned towards the guests. Mockingly, he pointed at Jackson. “Everyone, look at this! This piece of trash doesn’t dare get up and let the two women fight for him.” Another round of laughter echoed throughout the restaurant. Jackson didn’t want to get into trouble. What happened earlier tired him enough and just wanted to enjoy his dinner. Naomi, though, wouldn’t have it. “You! How dare you cause a scene in my restaurant?” “Why wouldn’t I dare?” He then took out some money
Jackson had a smile on his face. With a triumphant look, he turned his gaze to Naomi. With a haughty tone in his voice, he uttered. “I think you can send the cleaner home. We have someone to clean the dishes after all!” The young Lord glared at Jackson and clicked his tongue. Content poured out of his eye sockets. The people in the restaurant felt the ominous aura emitting from him. They didn’t know who the young man was. Someone with enough influence who could get Mr. Pearl with just a phone call. Let alone brush out one hundred million in cash. Jackson walked toward Alicia. With a gentle pat on her head, Jackson turned around and glared at the dumbfounded young Lord, whom he approached with an icy stare. “Oh, and don’t waste the food. Please enjoy it!” “As if you could really command me…”, He brushed it off and snorted. “Trash!” Jackson placed his hand on young Jones’ shoulder. “Is that what a noble’s word is worth?” He brushed it off and glared daggers at Jackson. “None of yo
The week was soon over, and the night of the grant banquet arrived. The Raven family frantically ran around the estate for last-minute preparations. Certainly Jackson got the invitation as well. The one thing Jackson had a weird feeling about was the big news the Raven family wanted to announce. He got word from Rina and the way she said it sounded suspicious. Jackson arrived at the estate by taxi. It wasn’t much for him to get his own driver like the rest of the guests who showed up in all kinds of luxurious vehicles, but he didn’t see a point in showing off his wealth. Just as he got off, he came across the youngster from the Ivory House and his father. As soon as the young Lord saw Jackson, he grew pale and glued his eyes to the ground. His father let out a sigh of disappointment and smiled bitterly at Jackson. Jackson smiled and walked past them. Once inside, a servant showed him to a table relatively far from where the Raven family sat. This treatment didn’t surprise Jacks