The Prodigal Returns

Wednesday, the 4th of May.

10:05am

Skyline travelling agency was usually a busy place, attracting a whole lot of people and occasionally, the media, but today was not like the normal busy days, today the media and the people who flocked outside the building were more and the news that brought them here was the rumor of the returning son of the Hunt family, the one that was always referred to as “The Heir”. The first grand son of Mr. Colin Hunt, grand father of the Skyline group, was returning today after years of being away.

The head lines were juicy and some were just exaggerated, it would be the talk of the business world for a couple more days; The Return Of The Prodigal Grand Son.

From a distance, they could see the escort cars racing to the front of the building and every media personnel got their cameras and micro phones ready, struggling to be at the front of the crowd to get a better view and better chances of briefly interrogating the returnee.

The cars pulled up to the font of the building and even before he could get down, the cameras had begun to flash, the reporters were already screaming out their numerous questions and extending their micro phones. The door was opened and a man in a dark blue suit stepped out ever so carefully, the way he appeared raised even more questions.

Chester Hunt stepped out of the car, fastening the button on his dark blue suit. He looked around and frowned at the number of people present there, he had never liked the media life for anything and now, his grand father was pulling him into it. He took a sharp breath in through the nose mask he had on, which covered almost half of his face, his deep black hair was combed and gelled sleek all the way back. He looked totally different and his expression was that of a ruthless business tycoon, his facial expression even colder than that of his grand father.

He took the stairs two at a time into the building, with body guards on either side of him to hold the media at a distance. Chester picked up the pace, wanting to get away from the cameras, the flashes and the media as fast as he possibly could and into the building.

“Mr. Chester Hunt, what made you return now?”

“Mr. Chester Hunt, is it true that you had left the Skyline group because of your grand father?”

“Mr. Chester Hunt, are you here to stay for good?”

“Mr. Chester Hunt, will you be taking over Skyline businesses?”

“Mr. Chester Hunt, are you here as the heir to the business or as a business partner?”

The noise of the media faded away slowly as soon as he got behind the closed glass doors of the building and he heaved a sigh of relief but he still had all the attention on him. The workers in the building were all looking in his direction, standing at a distance. He could feel their gazes bore into his body and he hated that feeling. They came to a stop in front of the private elevator and one of the body guards pressed the button for the elevator, it “dinged” and slid open after a few seconds and they ushered Chester in.

“Who called the media over here?” Chester asked them as soon as the door to the elevator closed shut.

“Grand father did.” A man answered him curtly.

Chester sighed and nodded. “Of course he did. It had to b him. Where is he right now?”

“In the office, that is where we are taking you to right now.”

“As per his orders?”

The man in front of him nodded without turning to look back at him. “As per his orders.”

Chester leaned back, allowing his back rest against the elevator wall, this was one of the reasons he had left home in the first place, his grand father’s controlling and domineering nature would always be a part of him and it was something Chester could not take, he could not live under his grand father’s strict guide lines and watchful eyes. Although he knew that being a son of the Hunt family and the first son at that, his grand father would never let him out of his sights, but still it was better being on your own and not knowing that you were being watched, than to live in a cold house under the control  of someone.

“Why am I here?” Chester whispered to himself, the guy in front of him twisted his head just slightly to the side, towards Chester. Chester shook his head. “Not you.”

The elevator doors dinged open to a long hallway when they got to the last floor of the building and the guards ushered Chester out. Chester took his time in walking the hall way, he could hardly remember the last he was here but he was still able to locate his grand father’s office because no renovations had been made here, it was all still the same.

As they approached the door to the office, Chester could feel his heart beat rapidly increasing, he took steady breaths to calm himself down, not quite sure why he would be feeling this way. Maybe it was because of the fact that he had not seen his grand father in eight years, and Michael. A guard grabbed the door handle and twisted it, pushing the polished and well decorated wood in, Chester took a deep breath and stepped in.

The room was bright with all the curtains drawn to the side, a single large desk was at the far end of the wall, leaving a huge space in between that and the other sofas in the room for guests. Grand father sat at the edge of the desk, a lit cigar held in between his thumb and index finger, a huge man dressed in dark suit stood a distance from him and focused his attention on Chester. His gaze was disturbing and Chester immediately looked away. He had come here, he would have to deal with that.

“Chester!” Grand father called out to him rather excitedly, walking up to him with both arms out stretched like he wanted to hug Chester. Chester stood confused for a bit, was his grand father really coming in for a hug?

“Grand father.” Chester too greeted and walked towards grand father, meeting him half way. They hugged briefly then grand father seized him by the shoulder and held him still, admiring him head to toe and then back up.

“It is good to see you again Chester.”

“Good to see you too grand father.” Chester managed to smile.

“Don’t just stand there, come in, have a seat, we have a whole lot of talk and catching up to do and a business to get back to.” He patted Chester on the back and pulled him to sit.

Chester glanced over at where Michael was, he stood by the window with a glass of liquor in one hand and the other hand shoved into his pocket, he kept gazing out the window and seemed like he was in deep thoughts but Chester knew that he was just tying to avoid looking at him. The bad blood between them was still running and Chester knew that Michael would love for it to continue that way.

“How was your welcoming?” Grand father asked Chester, drawing his attention away from his half brother.

“You called the media over here grand father?” Chester asked.

“Well of course I did. My grand son is returning and I want every one far and near to know about that.”

Chester sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. “But why grand father? You of all people should know how much I do not like all this paparazzi media nonsense.”

“Is that why you had come dressed like that?” Grand father said, pointing out the nose mask which he still had on and his hair style. Chester sighed and looked away, ripping the nose mask off his face.

“Do not worry Chester.” grand father waved it aside. “You are here now, you will get used to it in time. Plus we have to talk about you getting married to…”

“No.” Chester protested. “I do not want to get used to it. I do not want to get used to this lifestyle, I am already comfortable with the one I am living in now, and please, do not start now with the whole marriage thing grand father.”

“What? You are comfortable as what? As a coffee shop owner? A lowly life as such is comfortable for you?” Grand father fired at him. “And why not talk about your marriage now? Clarice is still…”

“Grand father!” Chester yelled, then calmed down with a sigh and plopped down on a seat, unbuttoning his suit. “such life might be lowly to you but it is comfort to me. And please do not bring up Clarice.”

“Alright then, I will not bring up Clarice for now but you are a Hunt. You are Chester Hunt and this…” Grand father twisted his hand in the air. “…all this is yours. Your inheritance and you will have to start getting used to this.”

“We both know that I am not here for this inheritance you talk about.” He rolled his eyes, glancing over at Michael who had suddenly picked up interest in what they were arguing about and he smirked.

“Oh…? so why are you here then?” Grand father asked.

“I am here because you had called and asked me to come.”

“And why did you think I called you to come Chester? So we could sit and chat over a cup of coffee?”

“As far as I know, the business is in good and capable hands, how much profit did you guys make last year?”

“Over two billion…” Michael suddenly made an input and Chester turned his head at his direction, briefly looking at him.

“Right…” He faced grand father. “I still do not know what else you need grand father when you have him.”

“I need you and you know why, so do not make me say it.” Grand father spoke and rounded the huge desk to go sit on his large chair.

“Don’t make you say what?” Michael questioned grand father, slowly walking up to the desk. “Don’t make you say what grand father? That I am the illegitimate one and he is legitimate? That he is capable and I am not?! is that what you do not want to say grand father?!”

“Michael!” Grand father yelled for him to keep quiet but Michael would not stop.

“What? I have worked my ass off all these years trying to prove myself to you, I have done virtually every thing I have had to do so that you would see me as a capable person but still you prefer a run away over me? Why? Because I am the illegitimate one?!”

“Michael, that is enough!” Grand father thundered, pounding his fist on the desk.

“Yes,” Michael nodded his head, slowly backing away from the desk. “That is enough. Have fun with your legitimate grand son.”

“Michael, come back here!” Grand father ordered but Michael was already out the room, slamming the door shut as hard as he possibly could.

“I will go and get him.” Daniel, grand father’s right had man said.

“No, leave him. He would need some time to calm down. He would not be going any where any way.”

“Is that how you use people?” Chester asked his grand father, shocked at his lack of care for his own grand son. Grand father looked at him but did not answer his question, rather he went back to his cigar.

“You know, you are the very reason why Michael hates me.” Chester said to him calmly.

“What?”

“The only reason why there is this bad blood between two brothers is because you are always comparing… no, praising me and placing me above him.”

“Well, you are above him.” Grand father shrugged his shoulders.

“Exactly! That is what I am talking about.” Chester stood up from the sofa and began pacing the room. “Everything I do is good for you and I am allowed to make mistakes but not him. He has to be perfect but is still not enough for you. You already have what you want in Michael, I do not want this life.”

“Enough of this back and forth talk. My word is law.”

“Grand father!”

“Enough!”

Chester raked his fingers through his hair and placed the other hand on his hip, focusing intently on his grand father who had now given all his focus and attention on the cigar he was smoking.

“You are an impossible man to please grand father, I hope you one day don’t end up alone.” Chester said and walked for the door, opening it and stepping out, gently closing it behind him.

12:15am