Chapter 20

Daniel was seated in his study room. He was examining some files, sent home to him by the Smith's company. He barely went to the company and his scarce appearance left his duty piled up. Sometimes he would pay some people to do his job while some times his personal assistant would handle his works. The files had something about the deals proposed by rivals and neighbouring companies. What had he to do with the files? He did not know. Seeing the pile of files on his desk, it got him disturbed and a bit uncomfortable.

A knock sounded on the door. Daniel already guessed that the person who was knocking was the woman he loathed so much. The knock persisted and he wondered why Whitney would be disturbing him at this ungodly time of the day.

Infact the knock became too unbearable for him.

"Come in!" Daniel shouted, after he had cleared his throat.

The door slightly opened and a maid walked into the study room.

Daniel turned at once to see the person that was disturbing him. There was this type of look on his face, a false expression. He was a bit surprised at the person who came in. Apparently, his guess was wrong and really bad. 

"Hey what do you want? How many times do I still need to tell you that I do not want to be disturbed or distracted anytime I am in my study room? What part of that order can you not understand?"

"I am so sorry sir, I just came to give you a good news," the maid voiced out.

"There is no good news that I need right now, other than my peace and you are depriving me of that peace. Tell me whatever you want to tell me and leave from here immediately," Daniel said in a bit of haste and anger.

"Well sir," the maid said looking all happy, despite Daniel's nagging. "Your dad is back home and sir...

"What!" He exclaimed, he was really doomed.

"What is today's date?" He asked her, looking a bit petrified. "Where is Whitney, Cherry?" He asked, sounding anxious.

"Your wife, Whitney is at home, in your matrimonial room. As for today's date, it is 16th of December," the maid answered his questions, quite correctly and intelligently.

"Damn," Daniel wheezed. "I specifically told him to come back tomorrow. Why did he come back today? How do I manage to tame my wife and put her under control?" He snarled under his breath.

The maid's eyes popped out, "did you say something sir?"

Daniel stared at her with red eyes. "Why are you still standing there? Get out of my room and make sure that you do not relate anything I had said in the room, to anybody. Do you understand?"

"Yes," she answered and started to walk out quickly.

"Hey wait there, I have one more thing to say to you," Daniel spoke up. The girl stopped walking and turned to him.

"Make sure to tell the maids and servants not to relate to my wife, that my father is back home. I would love to give her the good news myself," he said, flipping through a file. "You may take your leave."

"Yes sir," she answered and bowed, after that she left.

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Daniel pushed his room door open. "Whitney!" he called out in a loud soft tone. 

"Are you there?" 

 "Yeah," Whitney said coming out of the bath tub. "I just took a shower."

 Daniel walked to her. "Whitney I want to tell you the truth, for the past four months I have been testing you," his words sank into her head. 

"Testing me?"

 "Yes, I am my dad had planned it to know if you could really prove how ideal and faithful you can be."

"Wait you mean all those times you acted strange, do you mean it was all a test?" she had tears in her eyes.

"Yes and I'm happy you endured to the end I know I behaved badly, coldly and hostile towards you and I apologize but I was only putting you to a test to know how much you love me and I am really impressed."

 "You really love me and I love you more, I'm sorry for giving you a tough time my love but I couldn't disobey my dad."

"Dan, I can't believe you were testing me. I had feared for the worst in fact I thought you would even divorced me so I began to act up so you didn't get to find a reason to divorce me."

"Dan, my love. I really loved you and I will go to any extent just to prove my love for you," she said bursting into tears.

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 Daniel walked close to her and held her shoulders, "I do not want to be the reason for you to cry so stop crying."

 She hugged him, "I won't cry but promise me you won't try such a hard test on me ever again."

 Daniel cupped her face, "I won't my love."

 Whitney smiled, placing het hands around his neck then she kissed him. 

"I love you Dan and I will forever love you."

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"I have good news."

 "What is it?" She asked,with a wide eyes.  

"My Dad is back," he said.

 "Really?" 

"Yes and that means that the test is concluded and completed he wants to see you," Daniel said brightly and forwardly. Whitney smiled, "can't wait to meet the father to my handsome husband."

 Daniel smiled, he took her hand.

"Dress up, we can't keep my dad waiting for any longer and in case he doesn't open up to you about the test, do not tell him about it like that sure you bring the topic about it that is always conscious about whatever he does and sometimes he can be cryptic."

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Whitney giggled. "Ok Dan. I will go get dressed."

"I'll be waiting," Daniel said and rolled his eyes. He walked to the other side of the bed and sat down.

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 As for Whitney she went into the closet and picked out something nice to wear, a khaki shorts and a crew neck sweater in a jiffy. She was through with dressing.

She wore a light makeup then walked to Daniel.

"You are looking great," Daniel said with his face down cast.

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" I shall freshen up to and we both can I go to my father, my love."

 Whitney nodded and watched him stand.

"Please be quick Dan, we can't keep your dad waiting for so long. Daniel hissed but it was a quiet one.

Some minutes past by..

 Daniel had freshened up. He took his wife by the hand and let her out of the room, down to the sitting-room. 

Mr Smith was drinking coffee and reading a newspaper. 

Daniel turned to Whitney. "Wait here, I shall confirm from him to know whether I should introduce you to him, now or later."

"I guess, I should go to the room," she said.

"For the meantime," he said to her.

 Whitney returned to the room. Daniel walked down the stairs. 

"Good dad, welcome. I see you are enjoying yourself without me and it's good."

 Mr Smith's stood up, "come and give me a big hug son, I really missed you."

 Day rushed to him and hugged him. The hug lasted for a while.  They hugged as though, they had not seen themselves for a long period of decades. Mr Smith ran his hand on Daniel's hairs and released them. "My son stayed without his father for more than five months. Wow, you are really a big grown-up."

 Daniel laughed loudly, "if you keep on teasing me, I might end up whimpering like a child. It seems you have forgotten, your child can be emotional sometimes, so you better don't tease me."

Mister Smith sat down. 

"I shouldn't tell you to sit in your own house should I?" Daniel reluctantly sat down. "You haven't changed dad, still the man who speaks rudely to people, you can't ever be polite, can you?"

Mr Smith smiled, "son, your dad is really tired and your questions ain't helping. I want__"

Dan intruded..

"You want to see my wife right be faster than your shadow doesn't make you a genius keep quiet and listen Dan. I do not want to see your wife yet, neither do I intend on asking of her. I'm only interested in your marriage certificate, besides you are still the same man who scheduled me to meet my daughter-in-law on my birthday. Just like I proposed. I'm not in a haste. 

"My marriage certificate is in your study room dad and I have kept some CDs of our wedding so you can watch," dan said, purely. Apathy showed in Mr Smith's face. 

"Son your uncle thinks I have willef out everything I have to him and only kept a few for him and I didn't tell him about that but why would he be so interested in my will. He has a lot of money and he has started building his business, yet he works in the Smith's company. His smith π company is still in progress. Why then will he br interested in my will?"

"Your brother is a greedy and deceased man. He can never change. He is just a schmo and a Shylock. If I were you, I would have arrested him the moment he slipped in my business. He's such a nuisance____"

"I shall not have you talk about my brother anyhow, even if you do not respect him respect the fact that is my younger brother," Mr Smith said ruefully.

"I wished he thought his son how to respect you as his elder brother, the way you teach me to respect him as a younger brother. For the sake of God, that man is a beast and it doesn't care about you and I'm sorry to say this dad," Daniel said concisely.

"When will you be altering your will and have everything transferred to me except a little for your brother and his son and also for charity?"

"Very soon but it won't be on the day of my birthday. I shall speak to my lawyer alone and just to inform you the altering of my will shall not pass this month by. And as for the company's name, I shall change the next kin's name from your uncle to yours, two days after my birthday. I want everything to go well with my birthday and I leave everything in your hands son, make me proud and keep buying your licence and ticket to more than half of what I own," he said and stood up. 

"I've got to rest so I will meet my idol daughter-in-law on the day of my birthday as agreed I do not want anyone to know about conversation. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes dad," Daniel said standing. "Thanks for trusting me dad."

"I do not trust you, Dan my child. I only trust the fact that with your wife as a companion and partner, nothing I put in your hands will crash when your mum left me I was devastated, so was my business. The only strength I had was you and I'm sure you won't fail me. I'm going to my room."

"Thanks Dad," Daniel said, walking to him. "I shall see you off to your room."

"I'm going to my room not to any random place I know my way around and I can help myself so do not bother."

"You mustn't be rude dad, a thank you can do," Daniel said, exasperated.

 "I'm sure it's either Clinton or your wife that has changed you to become a gentleman, you didn't know how to say thank you before. In fact you never knew how to use the five magic words. Son please help me tell your wife to be patience and bear with me. I shall see her but it will be till my wedding," Mr Smith climbed up the staircase. "Dad?" Daniel called out. "Mum never gave you strength, you had the strength all along," Daniel said courageously.

"Well to be Frank son," his dad stopped halfway through the staircase.

"Behind every man's success is a woman and behind every man's success is a loving wife and mother. Make anything out of it, the choice is yours and not mine and please do not let me remind you that I had only a little before I married your mum. I am so glad that I married your mum." 

Daniel groaned. "If only my dad knew what his wife was doing behind his back before she died, he would never have good words for her," Daniel muttered to himself. The worst woman he ever knew apart from Whitney was his mother. 

In fact she wouldn't be classified as a human being. She was nothing to write home about. Mr Smith retired to his room.

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As for Daniel, he headed to his own room.

When he opened the door, Whitney was short of words.

"Whitney," he called

"My dad will see you but it'll be the day after tomorrow."

Whitney thought for some time, "why Dan?"

"He has his own reasons which I can't tell for now."

"Alright I do not mind then," she said looking a bit depressed.

"Thanks my love," Daniel said fumbling on his words. 

"You are such an understanding companion," he struggled to say.

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