The Unexpected Son-in-law

3

Liam, in shame and with his head low, walks until his feet hurt and he sees a bus stop. He has no choice but to settle under.

As he does, lightning flashes across the sky, followed by a clap of thunder, then the rain begins to fall.

‘’Just my luck, can this day get any worse?’’ he asks aloud, then cursing himself for foolishly coming to Santoria with someone who switched up on him so fast.

But he never expected his wife to turn on him just like that and throw two years of marriage down the drain.

Liam holds his head in his hands, not knowing where to go from there because now he has no money and no way to get back to Yorkville.

Suddenly, a shadow creeps up on Liam, forcing him to look up at the bald head man, who look to be somewhere in his fifties.

The man holds out an umbrella towards Liam, but he refuses to take it.

‘’Master Liam Tate, I have been looking all over for you ever since I heard you landed at the airport.’’ The man says.

Liam looks behind him to see if the man is mistaken, but the only thing he sees is a movie poster.

Liam frowns. ‘’Who are you?’’

‘’Oh yes, sorry. Let me introduce myself. You can call me Carl. I have been working for your mother over the years.’’

‘’My mother?’’ Liam questions, because his father never mentioned that woman to him before.

So now he finds it odd that a complete stranger is coming to him with something like that.

‘’Yes, she passed away last month and left behind a will with two names in it. Yours and your brother. Both of you have been hard to track down, but at least I found you now.’’

Liam gazes at him, wondering if it is just some trick of the Greyson family to laugh at him more.

‘’My brother is dead, and what could our ‘mother’ possibly leave behind for us?’’

‘’I’m sorry about his passing. As for that. Why don’t you come with me to find out?’’

Liam frowns at him. ‘’You expect me to just come with you, or even believe you? And why couldn’t my mother come looking for me before? Why is it now that she is dead you are here?’’

‘’Mr Tate, your mother has been looking for you and your sibling and father for years. She has been saddened by the entire situation and that was what brought her to her grave early.’’

‘’I don’t believe that. And even so, a mother doesn’t leave her children. She left us to suffer with a man who was sick. Father couldn’t work because he had one leg after losing the other to cancer.’’ Liam pauses.

‘’It was Jared, and I who had to fight for scraps to eat. Then they both died when another car crashed into the one that was bringing them to the hospital.’’

‘’I am truly sorry for your loss,’’ Carl tells him.

‘’Are you? Because I was left orphaned from a young age. I had lived with the thought that all my family are dead. I had to struggle through life.’’

Carl looks at him with pity. ‘’I am Mr Tate. I had no control over those events, and neither did I know of your mother at that time. But think of this as her saying sorry and accept what is left to you, so the apology gift.’’

‘’Which is?’’ Liam asks.

‘’Her fortune and several companies,’’ Carl says simply.

‘’Fortune, company?’’ Liam questions.

‘’Yes, I don’t know if the name Wellington rings a bell, but if it doesn’t, then just know that they are the number one richest family in Santoria. They built their empire on oil, railways, and banks. With the Wellington Group reaching to over fifteen states and five other countries.’’

‘’Is this some kind of a joke?’’ Liam lets out.

‘’No, if you come back and sign those papers, then you will automatically gain millions of dollars along with billions in business assets and companies and several proprieties.’’

Liam lets out an exaggerated laugh. ‘’Right, and what will her family say?’’

“She has no family. You are the only remaining heir to all this.’’

‘’Right,’’ Liam says, not believing his words.

‘’Is this something you enjoy doing? Going around to people who are going through shit and full their heads with make belief?’’

‘’Just so you know, if this isn’t claimed by someone soon. It will all go to the government.’’

Liam makes a face, thinking about his options.

‘Spend the night on the street, or go back with a man who can very much be a killer.’

“So, you are telling me that if I should come back with you, I will gain millions.’’

Carl nods. ‘’Billions if you count the businesses, and will also become one of the richest men in the world. Not many people have the privilege to say that.’’

Liam looks down at his wedding band, wondering if that was his redemption. That it is God’s way of taking him out of the poverty and humiliation he had suffered from day after day.

‘’I swear to God if this is some prank by the Greyson I will hang you by your balls old man.’’

Carl flinches at his words. ‘’I assure you that this isn’t a trick, joke, or prank.’’

Liam nods.

‘’Now come before you catch a cold.’’ Carl hands him the other umbrella.

Liam looks down the road at where he can still see the Grayson’s house, sticking out over the smaller houses. Thinking that this will help him to redeem himself and get in the Grayson’s good grace.

When Liam climbs into the back seat with Carl, he begins to imagine how happy Nova will be to hear that he is no longer poor. And that her family will accept him and apologize for the words they said.

Liam couldn’t believe his eyes when they arrive at the contemporary house that is much grander and more beautiful than where the Greyson lives.

‘’Do you live here by yourself?’’ Liam asks, looking over at Carl.

‘’Along with the maids, two dogs and a cat. Yes.’’

‘’Wow, that’s something.’’ Liam goes back to look out the window, wondering if something like this is really happening to him.

Someone opens the car door for them, but Liam stops Carl.

‘’So, let’s say I sign those papers. What is expected of me? What will I be doing?’’ Liam asks.

‘’I along with a team of advisors, will help you along the way. The most you have to do is stay out of extreme problems and avoid gossip,’’ Carl tells him.

‘’I can do just that.’’ Liam nods.

‘’Good. I hope that the maids are done preparing dinner. I’m sure you must be hungry.’’

As Carl said the words, Liam’s belly grumbles. Making him remember that the only meal he had all day was a bag of chips and a coke on the plane.

‘’For now, let's get you some food. Tomorrow we can go over more important things.’’

Liam thinks to himself that he only can’t possibly have these things. He still believes it to be a trick or some catch to it all.