“You scoundrel,” Charles said in a warning tone. “Why are you screaming?”
“Because this was not what we agreed on”
“What did we agree on?” Charles asked turning his face to the side. Cade was right, he had changed his mind but not because he wanted to just change it for no reason.
“You told me that you were going to name me the heir as soon as I got married and now I have to earn it? and by what? A child?” he asked shifting to the edge of his seat as his legs shook violently.
“What can I do? I have to do all I can to protect my company. I worked hard to make it what it is today. I have to choose the right candidate” Charles said.
“But…” Cade trailed off because of the sudden warmth he felt from his trousers. He looked down at his legs and saw Ophelia’s hands running slowly across the length of his legs.
“Grandpa” Opehla said slowly and silently causing his face to turn to her and soften. “You can not just change your mind” she added.
“I know that but I had to, and what is the big deal about having kids? You are already married, no one would crucify you for having them” he said clearing his throat and dropping his hand to his lap.
“We know that but can we ask why you have decided to change your mind?”
“I have heard that some people are plotting to take over the company and they want to make a case that they would only give the company to the most deserving fellow”
“But you are the chairman” Cade said his leg shaking more.
“But the company was not only built by me, it was built by the sweet of these other people as well” Charles responded. “How can I be silent to their pleas? If I try to do that they would just vote me out and appoint a new chairman”
“But…”
“They are afraid that, if we do not make sure that the company is inherited by someone who has a child, it might end up in the hands of a stranger who is not aware of what we had to do to come to where we are” Charles explained.
Ophelia understood what he was saying even though she knew that it all sounded like something that should be pulled out of a book from the nineties. She knew that she could not back down now, she was not going to have a baby either. She needed a plan, what if she agreed to try and then came back after a while claiming that she had a medical condition that was not going to allow her to conceive? Would they buy that story? Was this going to end her marriage? Was Charles going to ask her to divorce her and take a wife who could bear children?
She thought she had a solid plan but it seemed as though it was full of potholes she could not see straight, maybe she needed to take into consideration having a child. If she was ten when her mother left and she understood what was going on, maybe her own child too would be able to understand what was going on. She stopped her mind from producing thoughts because they were clouding her mind and she could not think straight again.
“Grandpa” she let out and he raised his head to her.
“What is it? Do you have more questions?” Ophelia could tell that she had somehow warmed her way into his heart. “I know that you are pretending for the media and I have no problem with it, it is allowing our stocks to rise every day and it is giving us a good public image but this is something else that you need to do, just do this once and I won’t ask for anything more”
Ophelia opened her mouth to talk but Charles overtook her before she could say anything. “Having a child is not too hard, I want to give this company to Cade, he had always been my choice but my hands are tied. As long as we can talk of you having a child, the transfer would happen”
“We will do it” Ophelia said stopping the man from going on and on. They just needed to have a baby right? How hard can it be?
“A DNA test would be done for the baby so it has to be a Vale” Charles added.
“Of course, we do not plan to scam anybody” Ophelia added.
Cade tried to look at her face but could only see a side of her face, he wanted to know why she would agree to say something like this when she had made her stance clear from day one. If Charles was aware of their marriage conditions then they could tell him about the kids as well. Maybe it was time for him to give up as well. Maybe he had been too greedy trying for what could never have been his.
Her hand kept going up and down his thigh and he was sure she was doing so because she was nervous. He held her hand to stop her and she whipped her head to take in his face. “Grandfather, we will think of it and let you know what we decide” Cade said rising to his feet with Ophelia’s hand inside his as though he was holding a walnut.
“Ophelia, I hope to hear some good news” Charles said and Ophelia nodded.
“Of course,” Ophelia said dryly.
“I am glad I got to discuss this with the two of you” Charles said turning his chair and rolling it to the table where he was sitting before they came in. Ophelia missed the person she was before she stepped into the room. “Also Ophelia, tell your dad I said that we better have a meeting soon” he added as he aligned with the table and put on his glasses.
“I will,” she said and then they were out of the room faster than they were in.