WISH TO BE RICH

PRECIOUS FAMILY HEIRLOOM

After his meeting with Zebadiah was over, Johnathan left the study and went looking for Margaret like he promised her he would.

Going one time around the mansion while he and Abraham were on their way to meet Zebadiah was enough for Johnathan to make his way around the labyrinth of passages this massive mansion had to offer on his own.

He was easily able to make his way to the living room where Margaret would be waiting for him on the couch. Surprisingly, she was with something peculiar on her lap.

It was a brown jewelry chest.

“Grandmother” Johnathan called out and she took her attention to him, smiling immediately after she saw him.

“Here Johnathan, come sit beside me,” Margaret said, patting the couch while adjusting herself to give him ample space to sit on.

“You wanted to speak with me, Grandmother?” Johnathan asked as he was sitting down.

“Yes, but first of all, how did your meeting with Zebadiah go?” She asked and Johnathan creased his forehead, thinking if he should tell her what they talked about or not.

Zebadiah had mentioned that Margaret would have problems with what Johnathan said in the meeting so Johnathan was conflicted and didn’t want to open that can of worms now.

However, Margaret's welcoming smile forced him to throw away all reservations he had.

“Grandmother, about the meeting. The thing is, I don’t want to become the heir just yet, I want to go find—“ Johnathan said but Margaret cut him off with a heavy sigh.

“You don’t have to tell me, Johnathan, I already know what you’re going to say,” She said and Johnathan leaned back in shock.

“You want to go find out who the people involved in your disappearance and your late parents' accident are, am I right?” She said and Johnathan's eyes widened.

“But how? How did you know what my plan was? Grandmother, were you eavesdropping on mine and grandfather’s conversations?” 

Margaret chuckled, rubbing the top of the jewelry chest lovingly.

“Of course not, and there’s no need to. Your grandfather and I have been married for so many decades that I know exactly how he thinks and so I know what topics he would bring up in your meeting. That’s not something I have to be in the room for to know”

“That’s amazing! But grandmother, how did you know that I would decline Grandfather’s offer and insist on doing what I want to do instead?” Johnathan asked and Margaret leaned her face closer to his.

“Even though you’re the spitting image of your mother you still have your father’s hot blood running through your veins. You did exactly what I expected Jaxon to do and I can’t be more proud” Margaret smiled warmly before retracting her body.

Johnathan nodded his head. He didn’t think she knew him that well to be able to predict what he would do but she did.

“Since you know what we talked about then can you help me talk to Grandfather and ask him to extend the deadline for when I have to bring results? I don’t think six months will be enough” Johnathan pleaded and Margaret grimaced.

“Johnathan, do you know why Zebadiah gave you just six months and nothing more?”

Johnathan pondered for a little bit.

“Umm, because he’s tired of the responsibility that comes with being the heir to all of this and he wants me to take his place as quickly as possible?” Johnathan replied and Margaret shook her head.

“You’ve seen how strong your Grandfather is, haven’t you? Even for an old coot like him, he’s still as healthy as ever so that can’t be the reason. If you ask me I’ll say that he’s still more than capable and is willing to continue with his responsibilities as the heir for another decade or two” Margaret said and Johnathan wore an expression of confusion.

“If he’s that healthy then why the rush? There should be more than enough time for me to do what I have to do so why is he putting this much pressure on me?”

“Listen, Johnathan, you’re still new to the complexities of our world as members of the Cross family but here’s what you should know. In six months, there’s a summit coming up and you have to be the one who represents us during it and not your grandfather” Margaret said.

Johnathan grimaced “A summit, what’s what?”

“You don’t have to worry about it that much right now. Just ask Abraham and he will give you the details whenever you feel ready. Just know that you have to be the one who goes and not Zebadiah, that’s why there’s a rush”

Johnathan sighed then said under his breath “Alright Grandmother, I’ll be sure to ask Abraham about it and I’ll also be ready to go to whatever this summit is in six months”

“Good” Margret replied and the two smiled at each other.

After a second of silence, Johnathan’s eyes flicked to the jewelry chest Margaret still had on her lap and he became even more curious about it.

“Grandmother, why do you have that with you? What’s in it?” Johnathan asked and Margaret looked down at the box.

“Why don’t I show you,” Margaret said then handed the jewelry chest over to Johnathan, confusing him as to why she was giving it to him.

Without saying a word, Margaret opened the box, and the first things Johnathan saw brought out were pictures.

One by one Margret showed him what the pictures were of and Johnathan asked “Is that really what my mother looked like? I thought you and dad were just saying whatever but I am a mirror of her”

Johnathan was surprised to see how much they looked alike. The only difference between the two was Sonia’s longer hair and more feminine facial features.

Margaret gave Johnathan the rest of the pictures for him to go through and he couldn’t get enough of them.

There were a lot of single pictures of his parents when they were a lot younger, pictures of the two together as a couple, pictures of when Sonia was pregnant with him, and finally pictures of all three of them as a family.

After the incident, Jaxon and Sonia stopped taking pictures completely. This was mostly because Jaxon was hospitalized and Sonia was too depressed to smile for the camera.

When Johnathan was finished he gave the pictures back to Margaret.

“They are beautiful pictures, thanks for showing them to me Grandmother,” Johnathan said, opening the jewelry chest and expecting Margaret to return the pictures to it but she didn’t.

Instead, she dropped the pictures next to her on the couch and then reached into the jewelry chest for something else.

Johnathan became confused because he didn’t think there was still something in there to bring out. He didn’t know that the box had a second and secret compartment.

“What are you looking for Grandmother?” Johnathan asked and the next thing he knew, Margaret pulled out a beautiful necklace with a cross-shaped pendant the size of a thumb on it.

“What’s that?” Johnathan asked, amazed by how alluring the necklace is as Margaret held it in front of his face.

“This Johnathan is our family’s precious heirloom. It’s called the Blood Cross and it’s yours now”