The Unexpected Son-in-law

5

The next day, Liam tries his hardest to not think about the divorce he is going through because he has more important matters to deal with.

The black SUV pulls up outside of the Wellington group. Liam, who is dressed in a crisp black suit, steps out.

He looks up at the imposing glass building with a new purpose, thinking that he and Nova’s divorce is for the best because she would have tried to control things in what the Wellington family worked so hard for. Just as how she had controlled and manipulated him over the years.

‘’I’ll go park the car, Carl and the lawyers are waiting for you inside,’’ the driver tells Liam before entering the car again and driving away.

Before Liam could get far, a silver car comes speeding by. Splashing him with water that have settled in a puddle from the rain the night before.

Liam stays where he is to see who would step out and is surprised to see that it is Kyle, along with Venus and their mother.

‘’Well, if it is the poor bastard who tried to marry my little sister for money.’’ Kyle looks him up and down, then scoffs. ‘’If you are here for a job, just know that I’ll make sure you don’t get one. No matter how well you think you have cleaned up, you are still nothing but a poor man.’’

‘’Actually, I want an apology from you. You splashed me when you were driving recklessly,’’ Liam says.

Venus laughs. ‘’An apology? Who do you think you are? We should have hit you with the car, but because the Wellington Group would be the ones to suffer from the tragic accident, we got in with a cockroach like you. Then again, they might just throw your body in the trash where you belong.’’

‘’Children, let's not waste time with this trash. We are here on important business, remember time is money and right now the only people we should have time for are those Wellingtons, so we can merge with them or at least become their partners.’’

‘’Mother is right, come, brother. We don’t have to worry about this trash when we are done here because he won’t even get a job as a cleaner.’’

The two females walk ahead, while Kyle sneers at Liam.

‘’I still don’t know what my sister sees in you, just another low life who works and studies at my hospital, which I’m planning to close soon.’’ Kyle laughs. ‘’Pathetic.’’ he then spits on the ground before walking inside.

Liam says nothing, all he does is fix his jacket, then walks in behind Kyle, who is acting as if he owns the place and is treating those who he deems below him with disrespect.

‘’Excuse me, sir, what business do you have here?’’ A woman at the front desk calls out to Liam as he makes his way over to the elevator.

Kyle turns to her with a smile. ‘’You best throw him out before it is too late. Wouldn’t want trash like him to tarnish the good name of the Wellingtons.’’

The woman rises from her chair, nodding at Kyle’s words. ‘’Sir, I’m afraid you have to leave or I will have to call security.’’

‘’Why are you telling me to leave? Give me one good reason why you would even call security on me. Am I a threat to you?’’ Liam asks.

‘’Don’t waste your time on him, sweetheart. Save yourself the problem and have him thrown out. People like him shouldn’t even be in the building.’’ Kyle calls out before entering the elevator that his mother was holding for him.

Just as the woman reaches for the phone, Carl comes over.

‘’Master Tate, we have been waiting for you. Your team is also eager to meet you,’’ Carl states, then he begins to pull him away.

‘’Carl!’’ the woman calls after them.

‘’Tracy, I have no time to gossip with you today. I have important matters to attend to.’’ Carl calls over his shoulder.

Liam remains silent as he rides the elevator with Carl.

‘’First, you have to sign the papers for the company and everything else to be yours. After that, you will meet will existing partners and potential ones.’’

Liam nods at Carl’s words.

When they get to the very last floor, the doors open to where at least a dozen people are waiting for Liam.

A woman is the first to step forward, introducing herself to him.

‘’Mr Tate, welcome. My name is Annie Jacobs, your personal assistant.’’ She holds out her hand with a smile.

‘’Nice to meet you.’’ Liam returns her smile and shakes her hand.

‘’Ok, so to get down to business. First, you have to sign these papers in the presence of our lawyers and these witnesses. After that, your family’s company is officially yours. Let's go to my office to get this all sorted.’’

Liam nods and follows behind her. As he walks along, he looks at all the pictures of men and women that run along both sides of the wall, then he pauses after seeing a picture of him and his brother.

‘’Your mother insisted they go there, knowing that you would be the ones to take over the company.’’ Carl comes to stand beside him.

Liam nods.

Then walks the rest of the way to the office, where Annie is holding the door open.

Liam signs paper after paper until his hand hurt, but at least it is finally done and at last, he can say he now has a business even if he hadn’t gained it in the way he wanted to.

Someone pops a champagne bottle, as someone else cheers.

‘’Here to the new owner who just saved our asses from living on the streets.’’ A man raises his glass, and the others follow and make tosses of their own.

‘’So Mr Tate, now that you are the owner of this company. What is your first call to order?’’

‘’I want the girl in the main lobby fired. I don’t want someone like her who treats people like they are trash in this company,’’ Liam says.

Murmurs go up around the room, but no one disagrees with Liam.

Just then, the same woman they speak of comes into the room they are to announce.

‘’Good day, sorry to interrupt, but we have three members of the Grayson family waiting for their appointment with you, Annie.’’

Annie turns to her with a smile, because in truth she wanted to get rid of the girl for years because of her rude behavior and vulgar attire, but because she has no real power in the company, she couldn’t. Well, until now.

‘’Tracy, you are fired!” Annie tells her without hesitation.

Tracy’s eyes widen. “Why? What did I do?’’

Liam steps forward and her face falls.

‘’Sir, if I had offended you in any way, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were a valid client to our company.’’ Tracy lowers her head.

‘’A client? You are looking at the new owner. Mr Liam Tate, the son of Marie Wellington.’’

Tracy looks stunned by this and all she can do is just turn away.

“Before you go. Let this be a lesson to you and everyone else in here. Be it that you work for me or in any other organization, never judge a book by its cover. Don’t look down on people just because of what you heard from others, because you never know who they might be,’’ Liam tells them.

Tracy wipes her eyes and walks away.