“I am offering the control of the company, is it not what you wanted for the last five years?” Yes, Jacob had wanted it, but he was not sure he wanted it at this cost. Grant Spencer had an empire to be proud of, and Jacob definitely wanted it. Jacob had worked for Grant as his right-hand man for five years, he worked hard and wanted to buy shares, but Grant had never offered them before, until now. So what exactly was he offering Jacob wanted to know.
“I’m not sure I like the terms you’re offering,” Jacob said.
“It’s simple I will give you fifty-two per cent of the company when you marry my daughter. My daughter needs to be – for lack of a better word – tamed. She is out of control, and I know she won’t want to take over the company, so I want someone who is ready and able, and I can trust. It was never meant to go outside the family so if you want these shares you need to become family. What do you think?”
What did he think? Hell, right now he didn’t know what to think. He glanced at the photo of Alex on her fathers’ desk. A picture he had often admired. She was perched on a large tree stump, the long red dress she was wearing covering her knees as she hugged them close to her chest. Her head rested on her knees, and her green eyes looked as if they were searching for something or someone. She wasn’t smiling however that did not take away the brilliance of her plump, luscious lips. But that was the Alex he knew not the one they were now talking about.
“Is she just willing to marry me, she is happy that you arranged a marriage for her? It doesn’t sound like her.”
“No, she does not know. However, she will do as she is told.” Jacob was not so sure about that. He had never known Alex to do as she was told. If memory served him correctly, she did the exact opposite of what she was told.
“That doesn’t sound like the Alex I know.”
“Ah, Jacob, you are right, but I believe the Alex you knew doesn’t exist anymore. I believe she is very different now. A child can change so much in one’s life.” That’s right the child! Did he want to raise another man’s child?
“And what if the father shows up, how do we know Alex won’t run off with him?” Jacob was shocked to find out that Alex has an affair while in a relationship with another man, and then ran off to Tuscany to get away from the fallout. She moved back here recently with her six-month-old little girl. He hadn’t seen her since her departure overseas.
“That won’t happen it’s impossible, trust me on that one.”
Jacob thought a little, this was what he always wanted he would have the controlling shares of the company. He would have to marry Alex to get them; he can’t imagine she would be happy about that. There was a time five years ago that it would have been what they both wanted, but now, he knew she would not be happy.
“Five years ago, I remember you offering me a slightly different agreement, that involved me staying away from Alex.” He also remembers when he had to break her heart and tell her. Beautiful Alex with her shoulder length golden blonde hair, her perfect oval face, lush pink lips and those fiery green eyes. Those green eyes were full of tears begging him not to leave her. He wanted to stay he wanted that so much.
“Yes and at the time that was necessary. Alex was a young girl, and I wanted her to experience life. I needed you to be able to concentrate on the opportunity I was offering you and not my daughter. Now, things have changed my daughter has made mistakes which could cause possible scarring. She may never get the chance to marry. You have seen the way Kevin acted when he found out. I just want her to be taken care of.”
Jacob remembered Kevin; he hated Kevin with a passion. Although given the circumstances, Jacob would probably have acted the same way Kevin did. He wasn’t sure he would have forgiven Alex for having an affair.
“Can I think about this?” Jacob asked.
“You can,” Grant said. “However you have twenty-four hours, and then my offer is no longer available. I need to work fast. If you say no, you’ll work for whomever I get to replace me and never be allowed to purchase shares. Go now and see her. I’ll see you here tomorrow at nine with your decision. Jacob,”
Jacob walked away and wondered how would he feel if another man married Alex? He remembered how he felt when Kevin came to Grant and asked for Alex’s hand in marriage. He remembered his heart crumbling into a thousand pieces. He wanted to throw Kevin through the wall. The scene played back like it was yesterday.
“Well Kevin, you want to marry my daughter?” Grant clarified with Kevin.
“Yes, sir nothing would give me greater pleasure.” Jacob stood watching Kevin with rising fury. This man did not deserve Alex he was a gold digger, Jacob was sure of it.
“Indeed you know she comes from great wealth. Do you think you could provide for her as I do?”
“Sir I may not make the sort of money you do, but I have a lot of ambition and Alex, and I love each other and will do anything to stay together.”
Jacob heard his words and thought he may have used words like that himself if he had the chance to ask for Alex’s hand in marriage, but he had been warned off long ago.
“I hear you words Kevin but my daughter will be twenty-two shortly and I promised to send her and her friend to Tuscany for a while as a reward for her top scores at University. I tell you what when she comes back if your both still keen I will allow it.”
“Certainly, sir. I can appreciate your position, and I thank you.”
He got up and shook Grant’s hand and left. Grant turned to Jacob.
“You disagree with my decision Jacob?”
“It’s not my position to comment,” Jacob responded respectfully.
“I disagree, you advise me on a lot of things. I want to know your position here.”
Jacob took a deep breath he needed to be careful how he worded this.
“Grant, I don’t believe he could possibly make Alex happy. I think her money is an interest to him. I think if you were to offer him a sizeable amount he would walk away from your daughter without a second glance.”
“And this opinion has nothing to do with your feelings for Alex?”
“Grant, I walked away from Alex some time ago. I have no feelings for your daughter other than general concern.” Grant didn’t look convinced.
It never crossed Jacob’s mind that Grant would do as he advised.
Jacob was happy that Kevin had gone, but now there was a baby! He wasn’t sure how he felt. He took the envelope Grant had given him with Alex’s monthly cheque in it and did what he was told to do. Go see her and deliver it.