~Chapter 38~

Mr. Rudben started to explain; "Your father was the founder of the L Company and when was starting it in his youth, he came to me, for the position of investor. I too had inherited my company from my uncle as well. I liked his proposal and saw no reason to reject him. I invested my money and true to his promise the profits were huge. Soon, the company grew and slowly it extended its branches to different fields as well. Then, your father got married." He paused because the food has arrived and he had to focus on the young boy's expression. Till now, he seemed interested. Those green pupils stared at him unblinkingly with interest. He was somewhat reminded of his granddaughter when she used to request him to read her a story book before going to bed.

"You were born the next year itself. Then fast forward to the year you were kidnapped, you were gone for 6 long months. I don't know what happened, never asked my friend but the next abrupt thing that I know is your sudden disappearance with your grandmother, your father's failing health and Syndie's, I mean your mother's, subsequent rise to the position of CEO of L Company with the temporal transfer documents of that position with your father's signature and his departure to his personal cherished villa in front of a lake. At present, the L Company is deteriorating, dying in a more literal sense. Your mother's effort, if she's putting it in any way, is not working."

"Then why don't you go to my father?" Rio chewed his carbonara.

"I would've gone had he not been diagnosed with paralysis in both of his legs that makes him incapable of walking or running around just like he used to do while he was still managing the company." Mr.Rudben took a deep breath; "Knowing him, he'd never sit down, relax in an air-conditioned room and order around his employees. He'd rather walk around the entire office building and supervise his employees and help them out if needed even though he had hired people for that. It's...it's just he loves being and mixing with everyone, be together with everybody while working. To him, he's not just a CEO, he too is another employee."

"Does my father know any of this?" Rio finished his meal and kept his fork on the plate.

"It was informed to him but given his condition..." Mr. Rudben sighed; "...his paralysis is apparently spreading and one day might come when his entire body will be paralyzed, he is in no condition to leave his villa, communicate with the outside world at all except phone calls and emails. I doubt he'll be able to do anything. Not to mention, your mother had posted a number of bodyguards around his villa to keep a watch at him. Only the doctors are allowed in there and nobody else. As a shareholder it is indeed beneficial for me to put representative from our side on the CEO's seat but I have witnessed it with my own eyes how much effort my friend put in to establish that company, which is why I'm trying to save it in any way possible."

And that 'any way' happened to be me. "Okay. So where do I come from?" At Rio's emotionless question, the old man scrunched his eyebrows.

"What do you mean? You are the next heir to the company."

"Am I?" Rio raised his eyebrows. "I didn't think I was when I was kicked out of that house all those years ago only for my grandmother to collect me."

"Listen kid, there are several information that I'm missing and I know all these years of separation from your parents—"

Rio laughed.

The people in the room were astonished at such unexpected behavior.

"I don't know if you're sugarcoating the truth or simply denying the reality but I wasn't separated exactly I was abandoned. Abandoned for the sake of saving face of the Lancaster family." Rio got up from his seat signaling the end of this conversation.

"Rio I'm sure—" The older man also got up from his seat. But Rio cut him off.

"No I am done with this conversation and I'm done with them as well. I don't care if their company fails or dies or whatever the heck happens with them." Mr. Rudben opened his opened mouth but once again Rio cut him off. "This conversation is over and I'd be happy if you leave me in peace." He proceeded to the door of the private room. "And if possible drop me off back to where you picked me from."

"You sure you don't want us to leave you at your house's doorstep?" the secretary on the driver's seat asked the spectacled boy in the back seat.

"Nope. School is fine."

"It's not a problem—"

"I can't have complete strangers know about my house, can I?" Rio smiled sarcastically making the driver shut his mouth.

The black sedan stopped in front of the school once again for the day, before Rio could get out from the car he was handed a silver card from the quiet old man beside him. He was about to refuse when Mr. Rudben said; "Keep it with you. You never know when you'll need it."

Oh, I'm pretty sure I'll never need it.

So, by the time he returned to his house, it was past midnight. Rio was exhausted. He just wanted to get done with the shower and sleep on his bed. By the time he was done with shower, dark clouds had started to gather around the sky. Maybe this rain will onset the winter. He turned on his phone, got bombarded with several missed calls and messages. Some from his girlfriend and Luke who were worried because of his early departure from school and him being unreachable through phone. He looked at the time. It was close to 1 o' clock. He promised to call them the first thing in the morning; he simply replied to their messages and relayed the same.

In the middle of the night, a phone buzzed annoyingly in a bedroom. It was dimly lit with a night lamp. The girl on the bed groaned and turned away from her phone. The buzzing stopped. Two seconds later it again started to buzz, this time successfully making the girl crack one of eyes open. She blindly searched for the source of vibration, got hold of it, received the call and before she could even utter any word, the voice from the other side of the phone made her wide awake.

"Emilia! Mia! Please! Help me!"