Chapter 3
Dakota Lennix
I walked into the hospital with 3 bodyguards behind me and everyone's eyes were on me. I hate that feeling but now all I want to do is to check on my grandpa. They led me to the VVIP room and I found my brother sitting outside.
"Cameron!" I called him and he turned to me. He got up from his seat and smiled. He gave me a big hug and we both looked at each other before we decided to walk inside. He opened the door for me letting me go inside first.
I saw my grandpa laying on the hospital bed completely pale and my heart broke. I thought he's joking but it's true. I walked to him right away and he smiled when he saw me.
"Catherina.. I was waiting for you." He said and I held his hand tightly. I bursted crying right away and he patted my hand.
"There there.. I'm still alive." He said and I glared at him.
"Can you stop joking.. you're in this.. condition!" I was completely pissed. He chuckled weakly and I hugged him.
"You'll get better soon, I believe that.." I said and he shook his head.
"I won't get better, the doctor said that I only have 3-4 months left." He said and my eyes widened. I turned to my parents and my brother.. they all nodded their heads and I looked at them disbelief.
"That's nonsense! I will talk to that doctor and-"
"Catherine.. no.. please." My grandpa said and I kept crying and crying.
"Stop crying please.." He said as he caressed my head. I cried a lot and he patted my hand until I started to calm down.
"Catherine, you have to listen to me.."
"What? Listen to what?" I asked as I wiped my tears. My brother gave me a box of tissues.
"Before I die.. I wanna see you get married." He said and I turned to him disbelief. It was like he's joking again.
"What?"
"I.. I.. when I was young, I made a promise to my dear friend, Joseph. You know him right?" He asked me and I nodded. I remember Joseph.. okay.
"He has a grandson and we made a promise to arrange marriage for the two of you." My eyes widened and I turned to my parents. They looked at me sadly and I turned my head back to my grandpa. He took a really deep breath with the help of the oxygen mask and he held my hand tightly.
"His name is.. Jacob Williams." My grandpa said and I sighed.
"Grandpa, I'm busy working.. I don't want to get married now. I still have my career and things that I want to achieve." I said because I hate the idea of arranged marriage. Besides I don't even know who Jacob William is. What if he's a psycho? Ugh!
"Catherine, I want you to get married and take over Ashton company."
"Grandpa, we have dad now. You don't have to worry."
"But I need to assure you that you will take over the company. I know that you will keep avoiding this topic!" He said in an angry tone.
"Grandpa, you don't understand. I love my job now and I don't want to get married to the guy that I don't know and besides.. I don't think I can love or like someone that you're setting me up with." I said seriously and he sighed. He suddenly started to breath weirdly.. My dad quickly called the doctor and my brother dragged me out from the room.
I kept crying and crying seeing my grandpa like this. My brother hugged me tightly trying to calm me down when doctors and nurses rushed over to my grandpa's room.
"Cameron! What should I do?" I cried and cried in his arms.
"I'll just give up.. I'll let-"
"No! You're not giving your dreams, Cammy!" I bursted angrily at him. He looked at me sadly.
"I don't want you to get married to someone that you don't even know either. I mean.. grandpa is crazy! Arrange marriage? It's 21st century for godsakes!" Cameron said and he hugged me again.
"Catherine, we need to talk." I turned to see my dad looking at me seriously. I nodded lightly and he gestured me to follow him.
He brought me to the rooftop of that hospital and we stood side by side. The wind was blowing making my eyes dry right away. I turned to my dad wanting to say something but he gestured me to shut my mouth.
"I think it's time for you to come back and take your place." He said and I crossed my arms in front of my chest. I closed my eyes feeling the wind hitting my face.
"Until when will you be a secretary? You're supposed to be the boss not a secretary!" He bursted angrily.
"I want to achieve something on my own, dad! I want to learn to stand on my own feet!" I answered him with a little bit of anger in it.
"5 years is enough, Cathy! You still want to stay in New York after seeing your grandpa like this? You rarely come home and check on him! Imagine how sad he is!" He bursted angrily again.
"You're going to resign and meet your future husband.."
"I'm not going to get married." I hissed coldly.
"If you don't, then come back and claim your throne. It's you or Cameron.. you two decide." He said and he left me alone. I closed my eyes and there's a lot of things going on in my mind right now.
I love my job back in New York and I can't believe that I have to leave all of that behind. I can't believe this! I ran my hands through my hair, frustrated.
"Catherine." I turned my head and my mom already opened her arms. I cried again and hugged her tightly.
"Mom.. what should I do?"
"I can't decide it for you, honey. You have to make the decisions." She said as she patted my back.
"I love my job back in New York!"
"I know.. but.. you know your grandpa won't get any better so.. I suggest you to come home." She said.
Kyle DenverI got off the car and Dakota greeted me right away. She gave me my iPad for me to see her reports about the construction site. She started to tell me my schedule for the whole day and we both entered the lift together."Set me up a meeting with John Travis tomorrow, tell him that we need to talk." I said to Dakota and she's writing it all down."What should I get you for lunch, Mr. Denver?" She asked as we walked out from the lift going towards my office."Buy me my favorite steak and don't forget extra mashed potatoes." I said as I entered my office. She followed me towards my desk and my eyes landed on a resignation letter on my desk."Anything else, Mr. Denver?" Dakota asked and I picked up the resignation le
Dakota LennixI looked at my daily journal that I put into my box sadly and I looked around my office that's completely empty now. I brought my last box out and closed the door. I felt so heavy leaving this place and I don't know how I feel either. I walked towards my boss' office and knocked on his door two times. I put down the box and walked inside.Mr. Denver was currently busy reading some files and when he saw me entering. He gestured me to sit down on the chair in front of his desk."I'm disappointed, Dakota. I can't believe you suddenly just throw all your responsibilities like this." He said as he turned to me."I'm sorry, Mr. Denver. It's something that I can't control. I have to go back to LA as soon as possible because I don't want to risk anything." I
Catherine AshtonI looked at myself in the mirror, I let out a little smile. At last, the real Catherine Ashton is here. I'm not Dakota Lennix anymore and the hiding is over now. I'm back with my blonde hair, my own fashion style and just be Catherine. I'm glad that I decided to come back even though I loved my work back in New York.I looked at my watch and I quickly walked out the hotel room to go downstairs having dinner with a man named Jacob Williams that my grandpa wanted me to meet. Instead of meeting in LA, he has work in Vegas so he said he wanted to see me.I walked into the restaurant and the waitress asked for my name. I told her my name and she led to a private room. I opened the door and yes, there's a man my age already waiting for me. He stood up and smiled at me when I entered the room. He
Catherine AshtonFirst day of work.My grandpa got me a secretary that will be helping with all my works just like my old occupation. He introduced me to her and her name is Tiffany Brooks. She told me that I can call her Tiff.She led me to my office and told me a lot of things about the company that I should know. She's been working with my company for 3 years and that's why my grandpa decided to assign her for me.I looked around the company to get to know everyone who's working with me and get to know the meeting rooms and etc. I'm a little nervous though but I think I can do it. I need to continue my family's legacy and this is the only thing that I can do.Tonight, I will be taking a flight to Toronto with my grandpa
Catherine AshtonI woke up early this morning to take a long bath because I really need it. I couldn't sleep last night and I just need time to relax. After taking a 40 minutes bath, I walked out of the bathroom getting ready. I dried my hair first and curled it with my curling iron. I put on my dress and started to put on my makeup.After finishing my makeup, I put my earrings on and necklaces. I put on my white ankle strap heels and checked myself on the mirror to see how I look. I took my LV bag and wore it checking it again on the mirror. I checked the time and I still have 10 minutes left. I turned on some music and started to dance weirdly. I mean.. I bet you all do that at home or somewhere right?After 10 minutes, I went downstairs to the lobby and waited for my grandpa. He walked towards me with h
Kyle Denver"The wedding is in a month and Catherine will be staying here in Toronto until then. We will have the wedding here before the two of you move to LA for good." My grandpa said in a serious tone. I looked at him completely not liking the idea that he just gave us."We'll give you two a time to talk now." Tim Ashton said. He and my grandpa walked out the room leaving me with Catherine or should I say.. Dakota, my ex-secretary. She moved to the seat in front of me and we both looked at each other completely speechless."I never thought we will meet again in this way, Mr. Denver." She said and I started to observe her more since she's sitting in front of me right now. She dyed her hair blonde and they way that she dressed completely different when she was my secretary. She was proper and I can see h
Jacob WilliamI walked towards the kitchen to get water and I saw Catherine currently on the phone with someone. I took my water and I looked at her raising my eyebrows.Last night, my grandpa insisted Ashton stay at our mansion. I hate the idea but I can't complain about it. She's staying in the room right across the mind and I know the elders obviously tried to arrange it that way.I drank my water and started observing her again. How can she turn into a completely different person in a blink of an eye? She was calm, kind and really caring when she was my secretary but when she's Catherine, she's fierce, tough and really proper. It was weird to see that, it was like seeing 2 different people instead of the same person.She ended the call and she walked into the h
Catherine Ashton"This park is really beautiful." I said as I looked around."I used to go here with my parents." He said and I turned to him. He looked down to the ground sadly."I'm sorry." Jacob's parents passed away in a car accident around 8 years ago. I know about that and he only has his grandpa for now."It's okay, it was a good memory here." He said smiling to me."So what do you want to talk about?" I asked because he brought me here to talk about the arrangement."How are we going to make this work? Our grandparents are not dumb so it will be so hard to fool them." He said and I stopped walking. I turned my body fully to him."We