Chapter 2

DANIEL

" Mother, I've told you a million times that I don't need a girlfriend to show off to society, my private life belongs to me and not to others," he complained to me over my cell phone horn.

"It's about time you settle down son, your father has an eye on you about that," he pronounces, "that will help you keep your place in the company, he has said it.

I doubt that, until now my father was still the CEO of the Crawford Company, he didn't want to pass the position on to me because he didn't fully trust me. And she was doing everything to get me a girlfriend, so that way I could show my dad that I'm really taking my life seriously.

The only thing that matters to my father is business, that he gets to know that his son has fucked a large part of the women who live in London, that will only help to damage my reputation more in front of him, and I didn't want that.

" I must cut the call, the plane is about to take off," the fact was more than anything not to be hearing the same old thing.

It makes me tired to hear that at my age I should already be married and with children, that they don't understand that I'm not ready to take that step yet, or maybe I never will be.

After the end of the call I started answering some messages on my email, things related to the company. I'm surprised when I see some friend requests from a dating site, which I was missing.

My mother had invaded all my privacy. Now he has my email accounts and passwords in his possession and he could use them as often as he wanted. No matter how much I change them, my private life is getting disrupted again.

I liked Manhattan much better, I couldn't say that London wasn't beautiful, but there was nothing better than returning home.

Ten years outside the country and the family, although not entirely because they used to visit me, plus my mother. Now I was going back to my place, I left a little bit of me there, but no matter that, here I would start again.

I had to travel because my father had insisted that I return home. I have no idea what's going on, I hope I didn't get sick. My mom didn't want to tell me what was going on, I'm just rushing.

My parents' house comes into view as the car descends between the round green hills. The Crawford Mansion, it's too big for the two people that inhabit that place. Even if the site is taken away from domestic employees, there is still too much space to spare.

Although I have told my parents to sell it and buy something less ostentatious, for my mother it is like an insult to make that kind of comment or suggestion, she loves luxury and is used to living that way.

I get out of the car as soon as my mother's driver stops in the driveway.

"Leave it like that, I'll take it," I say to the man as he goes to the trunk and tries to take out my luggage.

I take it and head to the front door, before knocking, it opens and Josefina, the housekeeper and the only person who puts up with my mother, apart from my father, comes out.

"Young Daniel, he has arrived, it's a great pleasure to see him again," he greets me with a big smile.

"Fina, even after thirty years you still call me young, for you I'm Daniel, besides young doesn't go with me anymore." I hug her. "It gives me a huge pleasure to see you too.

"Excuse me," he says, turning away, with a sorrowful smile, "and don't say that you're still young, you've just turned thirty."

" Well, I feel old already." I smile, I don't mind admitting it.

" You're getting old and the train is running out if you don't get a girlfriend soon," my mother appears, standing on the threshold of the door, with her eyes fixed on me.

She sighed heavily and thinly rolled her eyes, something unusual about her, but she wins my attention and I let out a laugh. I don't know how he can stand her.

I love my mom, but she is unbearable sometimes.

" What a nice welcome, Mother. To see if I knew you were going to receive me in this way, I would have better gone directly to my apartment.

" Daniel," he pronounces my name in a severe way.

I walk up to her and put my arms around her after leaving my luggage on the floor.

" I missed you too mother," he lifted her up a little while I'm still hugging her.

"Put me down, Danny, you'll make me fall," he says between laughs, but still hugging me.

I know she likes it that way with her. My mother loves attention and more that of my father, my brother and me.

Once his feet are back on the ground, we enter his modest house. Pull me into the living room. Without stopping talking about things that I don't pay much attention to, because he only talks about dates, girls that I've never heard their names in my life and about the topic of my little brother, which he always complains about. It's getting late and I'm getting up to leave.

"Where are you going?" Inquiringly, at the same time he stood up.

"Home, to my apartment.

"You can't leave yet, you should stay a few days or just tonight.

"Mother, you know I prefer my privacy, and I'll never have that here.

She knows what I mean, I also got used to being away from all the family and friends that I still keep in this city.

"Just for today," he insists, "at least until your father talked to you, there is something very important that he must tell you.

He sighed. I had forgotten that.

In the end I decide to spend the night at the Crawford Mansion, since my father was late today and we would have our family chat until early tomorrow.

I stare at the ceiling of my old room for a moment after opening my eyes, while I think. What is that so fundamental that my father should talk to me today?

Finally, I get up and go to the bathroom, and then I walk to the window to open the heavy curtains. It's barely cleared up and a white haze is hovering over the meadows.

At this time I dream to go for a run and do other types of exercises, I could do it in the gym that is here in the mansion, I know they keep it by request of my little brother Acher

I take an hour and a half in the gym, using the treadmill and the pulley machine to exercise my arms. In London I used to go out every day at five in the morning to run, this place is also nice to take a few minutes working out, more here among the hills, but today I decided to give the time to the gym, remembering old habits.

I take a quick shower and already dressed downstairs, where my family is already gathered and waiting for me.

As soon as Acher sees me they get up from their seat and immediately approaches me with their open arms.

"Brother," he says, I receive it in the same way, "what a joy to have you here again.

We greeted each other with a big hug of brothers. Even though I saw him last month when he was visiting London, I missed him. Our relationship as brothers is very comfortable and full of trust. The little troublemaker is one of the few people who mean a lot to me.

"Father." I say in greeting mode as I approach, I sit on the left side of him.

Mother is on her right and Acher takes a seat next to her, both of them being in front of me. Father is at the head of the large table made of fine bone-colored oak.

" It's good to have you here again," he nods towards me.

Anthony Crawford, is a serious, severe, upright man, with everyone, even with his children. I have never received loving attention from him, not even when I was a child, of course I don't expect that now, but at least I wanted to see some joy on his face for my return. However, it did not happen, he will never show anything, only his anger when something bothers him.

We eat in silence for a few long minutes. Apparently something bad had happened with Acher, maybe some of his crazy adventures put him at risk again and our father was more severe with him this time.

Neither of them look at each other or talk to each other, Acher is looking down at his plate all the time and my father pretending to be focused only on his food while he eats and drinks. I'll talk to my brother later and ask him what's going on between them.

"Tony," my mother's voice stealing her husband's attention. "It's about time you told him, it will be later and they must be at the company before half past eight.

My father clears his throat and takes his time, then fixes his green eyes identical to mine on me.

"I've decided to give myself some time, today will be my last day as the CEO of Crawford Inter. Len, "announces.

" How? I'm not understanding." I say surprised," who will be in charge of the presidency? The company could not stay without a boss in its head.

" And that won't happen. That's why I've already chosen who will stay in my post.

My brother and I see each other, he smiles at me. Acher is too young and older to be in charge for a position like that, and the rebellious and irresponsible behavior of my younger brother, makes him very far from taking a place in Crawford companies.

" I hope it's not Uncle Willy," just let go.

Willy is my father's first cousin, he works as the head of the public networks, he takes care of the suppliers, the deals with other companies and the chain of stores that distribute our merchandise which is women's and men's lingerie. It is one of the largest industries in the country, because we export all over the world in millions of establishments and also daring internet sales in most of the most recognized clothing websites.

"No, he has his position and it will remain the same, just like Fabián's," he names Willy's son, my cousin and with whom I have a friendly relationship since childhood.

" I still don't understand.

"There is not much to understand, you just have to try harder and work twice as hard as before, more than when you did it in London," he informs me, and I raise my eyebrows in surprise. "You will be my replacement in the presidency.

If it were not for the back of the seat I would go backwards because of the impact that his word caused in me. I didn't expect that, don't consider that my father would choose me, so many things he had told me before, how disappointed he was in me and how immature he thought I was. But in the end he has realized that I don't need to get married and have a family in order to be someone responsible, and leave myself at the head of the company.

I did not expect it, however I had dreamed a lot about this moment and today it was coming true. Today I was going to introduce myself as the new CEO of Crawford Companies.