"I look forward to us working together, Mr. Hawthorn." Elijah shook his hand firmly, sealing their new business venture.
Somehow, Elijah reminded him of his young self.
The grit. The passion.
His youthful, naive determination.
"So do I, Mr. Thompson." Frankly, he was impressed with his pitch. Even at a young age, the whiz kid showed great potential.
With the right support and guidance, he believed Elijah had a bright future.
Once his office doors closed, he got back to work. It had been a long morning, yet he still had tons of paperwork and several appointments lined up on his calendar.
"Sir Julian, Mr. Whitman is..."
"It's ok, Elly…" He said, dismissing his secretary when he saw Jarvis by the door.
But before Elly left, she informed him of his next meeting.
And—
"Your mother wanted me to remind you about your dinner date with Ms. Randall tonight." Then, Elly was out the door.
Hearing his mother's message, he couldn't help but sigh in exasperation.
"Another date?" Jarvis asked, scrunching his brows into a frown and snapping his fingers as if thinking. "What is that… your third this week?" His friend started counting with his fingers, purposely being annoying.
"No… fourth." He corrected, closing the file in front of him. Then he stared at his friend, crossed his arms, and leaned back in his chair, acting like it wasn't a big deal.
As expected, his friend laughed, a big bellowing laugh.
"Damn, Julian!" Jarvis looked at him as if he had just waved the white flag. "Are you seriously considering marrying her?"
"Why not? It's just an arranged marriage." He had no problem with that. After all, this wedding was inevitable.
His family and the Board had been pushing him to marry and produce an heir.
On top of that, to inherit the remainder of his father's shares in the company and keep his position as CEO, he had to be legally married.
"Besides, Tanya suited the optics." He added, thinking about what his union with the Randall heiress would bring to the negotiation table.
The Randall family had a big influence in the political scene. A marriage between their families would unite two powerhouses and secure the Hawthorn's future.
"You're acting like your marriage is just another transaction." Jarvis's tone didn't hide his objection.
"Marriage is just another elaborate contract. Isn't it?" He tried to rationalize his decision.
It could be either a good deal or not.
It could last long-term or end early.
So for him, this marriage was no different from a billion-dollar transaction. It could be a high-risk, high-reward business deal.
"You're missing the point. What about love?" Obviously, his friend didn't agree with his view. "What if you meet the right woman?"
"Love?" That was full of baloney.
He had seen what love could do to a person, how it could destroy someone and drive him to the brink of madness, bringing nothing but heartbreak.
No! He would never fall in love. He would rather use his head, not his heart.
"That's rich coming from you." He almost laughed at his friend's hypocrisy.
Jarvis was known as the modern Don Juan, a notorious womanizer. He believed his friend changed women, just as fast as he changed his shirt.
"Hey, I'm not as cold as you." His friend argued. "I believe that someday I will find the woman I'll spend the rest of my life with."
"In the meantime, I'm taking my time in searching for the right one," Jarvis added, as if that should justify his means.
Unlike him, Jarvis fell in love with women way too easily.
But in fairness to his friend, although his affairs were short-lived, Jarvis had never lied about his intentions or made false promises. He even treated his flings exceptionally well.
"Well, loverboy, I hope you truly find love and not something else." But he doubted that.
In his case, he would rather settle for a contract.
With specific stipulations. Clear expectations. No drama.
"Anyway, I ask you here to draft a contract for Mr. Thompson." He instructed, quickly changing the subject before his friend could ask more stupid questions.
Besides being his best friend, Jarvis also managed his legal team. His friend handled most of his business dealings and personal legal matters.
"Julian… You're no fun," Jarvis complained, but immediately got down to business.
For several minutes, his friend discussed the contract.
"Don't you think you're putting too much faith in that nerdy kid?" Jarvis asked, sounding slightly unconvinced. "We're talking about ten million in investment here."
Indeed, it was a lot of money.
"Well, it is a gamble I'm willing to take." Sometimes, to win, he had to take risks, even if the odds were strong against him.
"I trust Elijah to deliver on his promise." He understood his friend's skepticism. But he had a feeling about the young man's vision. And usually, his instinct had never stirred him wrong.
A few minutes later, Jarvis zipped his bag. "If there is nothing else…"
"One more thing…" He cut his friend off. "I want you to draft a prenup and arrange the necessary papers for the marriage license."
To secure his position in the company, he needed to fulfill his father's last condition.
Get married and have a kid.
"Fine! It's your funeral, not mine." His friend clicked his tongue. "Don't say I didn't warn you."
***
Loosening his tie, he turned his chair toward the wide window behind his desk and stared outside for a moment.
After his last meeting, he just needed a second to breathe.
Since his father's heart attack and his return home seven years ago, he had been working nonstop.
When he took over the Hawthorn Group, the company his father had worked hard to build was already on the brink of bankruptcy. Vultures had started circling, waiting for the perfect opportunity to tear it apart.
Without its captain, it was just a matter of time before everyone abandoned ship. Then, nothing would be left but its remnants on the ocean floor.
"Julian, it's time." His father said, taking a sharp intake of breath as he lay on the hospital bed, fighting for his life.
With no choice, he stepped up, took the helm, and steered the ship out of the storm.
Now that the company was back at the top, just as he had promised his father, it was time to take the next step.
But instead of thinking about his upcoming engagement and wedding, his mind thought of his friend's words.
"It's your funeral." The words rang loudly inside his head.
As he gazed at the white clouds hovering above the tall skyscrapers, an image suddenly appeared before his eyes.
It was the past, a memory buried seven years deep.
Yet, no matter how much he tried to forget, the image still occasionally resurfaced.
Haunting.
Leaving him drowning in an ocean of what-ifs.
What if he knew her name?
What if he never left so abruptly that morning?
What if he tried to search for her?
But—
He had chosen not to. He thought it was better to forget all about her.
"Stop it, Julian. It has been years." Besides, he thought the chance they would cross paths again was nearly impossible.
Nil. Null. Zero.
After all, he was about to propose and get married soon.
On the other hand, that woman might be married and have children by now too.
***
"Oh my God…" A gasp. A shriek.
Loud applause.
Whispers.
"Julian finally proposed." Tanya blurted excitedly to their parents, relatives, and friends who gathered around the large ballroom.
Then a series of congratulatory remarks ensued as his fiancée wiggled her finger, showing off the 10-carat emerald diamond ring he had given her earlier.
Several minutes later, the story about the two powerhouses' union was in every newsroom, gossip column, and media outlet.
In an instant, their upcoming wedding was the talk of the town.
"You're so lucky." One of Tanya's friends said, clearly envious. "Julian is a real catch."
"Julian's also lucky. Tanya is every man's dream." Someone else countered.
Tanya was indeed a social butterfly. She was lively, charismatic, outgoing, gregarious, and enjoyed being the center of attention.
Moreover, her beauty was undoubtedly unmatched. And her family was one of the most respected names in their social circle.
Aside from that, she had terrific business skills and political sense.
He had to admit his fiancée wouldn't be just a trophy wife, but someone who could stand beside him.
"But honestly, they are a perfect match." Adeline, his mother, said.
Perceptively, his mother approved of this union.
"A real power couple." Another one commented.
Everybody agreed.
On the other hand, he watched like a spectator at his own engagement, unable to feel anything, not even a tinge of excitement.
To him, this union was nothing but a merger between two families to gain more power and wealth. Nothing more.
"So, when is the wedding?" Terry, his fiancée's mother, asked eagerly.
The socialite in her early fifties cradled her daughter's hand, admiring the large ring as if it were the most precious treasure in the world.
The question caught everyone's attention. Then, they turned to him, looking expectant.
"We haven't come to discuss it yet," Tanya said with a gracious smile. "But we will surely announce it as soon…"
He barely heard the rest of his fiancée's explanation when his phone suddenly rang.
"Excuse me." He gently patted Tanya's arm. Then he walked toward the empty balcony, away from the crowd and the noise.
"What is it?" He answered without looking at the screen, but the call suddenly ended.
"I called you…" His friend's voice spoke behind him. "We need to talk… alone." Emphasizing the last word.
Surprised, he turned and glared at his friend. "What's wrong, Jarvis?" He asked, sensing that something was troubling his friend.
"Well…" For a split second, Jarvis hesitated. "I don't know how to explain it, but…"
"Spill it out…" He was more annoyed with the suspense. He had never liked waiting.
"It seems like…" Then, his friend stopped again. "I mean… Julian, the records showed that you are already…" Again, another pause.
It was the last straw.
But before his patience snapped, his friend finally finished his sentence.
"Married."
For a second, he thought he had heard him wrong.
"What?"
"Me… Married."