To cherish and To hold

2.

Marriage is a promise made by two lovers, to cherish and hold themselves forever. Wade called it bluff. To him it was the tool that would put his perfectly thought out revenge in motion.

No one ever hurt him and went unscathed. It has been years but this was the perfect time to strike. When he had all the power and his opponent was vulnerable.

Spinning in his seat he smiled to himself. This had taken years in the planning, and even a longer period of waiting. But today, he would laugh at his enemy and watch him beg on his knees.

There was a soft knock before the door to his office was pushed open. Benjamin walked in and closed the door after him, bearing a document in his hand.

Wade motioned for him to come closer. “Everything intact?” he asked.

Benjamin gave him a single nod before sliding the document to him. “It contains all their sales record in the last ten years. I’ve had every stock valued, even the ones bought under fake accounts.”

“That’s what I want to hear.” With a smirk he opened the document and glanced through. “They did do a good job at hiding their bankruptcy status from the press, I give them that. Too bad I’m the one they’re dealing with.”

“Are we going forward with meeting the investors?” Benjamin asked with his infamous blank expression.

The alarm on Wade’s desk went off. “Can’t back away now, can we?” he asked, but expected no response. He picked up his jacket from the coat hanger and draped it on his shoulders.

Anyone could tell he was a tad bit excited today, especially for someone that was about to ruin another’s life.

“Did they all agree to the buyout?” he asked Benjamin as they walked out of the office. Getting all the investors to his side wasn’t totally necessary but he wanted all the cards he could get in his hands.

“Not right away, they’ll still need a little convincing,” Benjamin answered.

They walked out of the building together, CEO and assistant, business man and bodyguard.

Benjamin opened the driver’s seat and Wade climbed in. “Is the presentation for Mr. Peter ready?”

“Regarding the marriage proposal?” Benjamin asked as he slid into the passenger seat.

“What other presentation would it be Ben?” His eyes crinkled at the sides. He and Benjamin had a funny relationship.

Wade had found him ten years ago, almost dead and abandoned on the side of the road. He was barely recognizable compared to the man he was today.

Ultimately Wade had saved him from starving to death when he had no one else. No one but Wade knew he was one of the reasons he fought so hard to build the empire he had now.

Over years an unspoken bond had grown between the two, pretty invisible but felt by the both of them.

Wade made sure he kept important details of his mission to himself but he let Benjamin oversee most of the procedures, like his wedding which was to hold in a couple days. If everything goes according to plan.

“In that case, everything is ready, the contract included. I’m confident Mr. Peter will sign right away, but his daughter? I think she’ll be a hard nut to crack.”

“Good thing I have my good looks and charm then, I’m confident I won’t have to try much in that category. Besides, which sane daughter would let her father’s hard work go down the drain?”

“A cold-hearted one.”

Wade spares him a rare smile when he stops at a red light. “Good thing she’s an angel at heart.”

That was what the reports about Rose Carmen had shown him. A dainty little girl that has never left the walls of the sanctuary her father had provided for her.

While Wade had been left to carter for himself and left to grow up with he harsh realities of life as a child, Rose Carmen had never know any hardship. That was about to change, he would make sure of it.

They arrived at the state building years later where the meeting with the Young Green investors was being held. Mr. Peter was the CEO and owner, but not for long.

Benjamin hurried to open the door for him, and side by side they strode into the building.

There was no need for Wade to introduce himself. Everyone across the states had already witnessed his fierceness in the business world.

Coming from a place of nothingness and building himself a business empire. The ruthlessness that came with it had already been felt by all.

Panic was the other of the day anytime he visited the state building because it translated to one thing, he was about to buy out another unsuspecting company.

The door to the conference room opened immediately and he walked in. The hard planes of his face illuminated by the sun rays coming through the windows. Everyone stood up in acknowledgement and sat down again when he motioned for them to.

There was no need to sit down himself, he was about to make this the fastest acquisition anyone has ever witnessed. He set the timer on his watch.

“I believe you’ve gone through the document my assistant sent you. All I need are your signatures and I’ll be gone.”

“You don’t expect us to turn our backs against the very company we founded. To think you’re trying to bribe us with such measly sum is not going to cut it.” It was Mr. Michael, with his bald head and rounded belly.

He was the last person Wade expected loyalty from, considering their relationship in the past and the things he witnessed him do. But that wasn’t what he was here for, Michael was insignificant to him.

“The measly sum,” Wade said in air quotes, “Is merely courtesy on my part considering the company you’re trying to hard to protect filed for bankruptcy two days ago. I’m the one being cheated out of my money if you ask me.”

“How do you know about that? It’s not even public yet?” Someone asks.

“Sources,” is the only answer he provides.

“This is madness, Mr. Peter hasn’t approved yet-”

The dangerous glean in Wades eyes has them all quiet. “I wasn’t going to say anything but you’ve all pushed me to the wall. Michael,” he faces him. “Your daughter was recently expelled for drug charges, I’m sure it would be a shame if the media finds out.”

Mr. Michael’s face turns white as he struggles to speak.

Wade wasn’t finished, “Mr. Smith.” Pointing to the old man in the back who now has a panicked expression. “I hope you had a fun time at Las Vegas during the weekend, partying with teenagers must be what keeps you so fresh and agile.”

Little did they all know that Wade never goes into a battleground unprepared. Best part? He had ammunition, loads of it.

Everyone was too stunned to speak, but even more ashamed. Wade was about to let out some more when Mr. Michael raised an arm in surrender. “We’ll sign it.”

“Can’t hear you,” Wade said with a smug smile.

Blowing out an air of frustration, Michael repeated himself through gritted teeth. “We’ll sign it. The company is down in ruins, might as well make some money out of it.”

That was all Wade needed to hear. He gestured to Benjamin to hand out the documents and he did.

The timer went off. Two minutes, that was all it took.

“Thank you gentleman,” he said after they signed off all their shares to him. “It was nice meeting you all, we should have dinner sometime.”

Without waiting for their response he left the room, raised voices immediately filling the hallway.

The smile was gone from Wade’s face as they walked to the car.

“Should I have the money transferred to their accounts?” Benjamin asked once they were situated in the car.

“I’m not wasting my money on a bunch of scumbags.”

The only thing that could be heard was the sound of his car speeding down the road. He was off to conquer his next quest, and to God it wasn’t going to be easy.

Wade dropped Benjamin off at his company building before leaving. It was time to pay a visit to his long term enemy. The address was ingrained to his head as he raced down the road, even the earth could feel his excitement.

The Carmen residence was worse than he’d remembered it. In place of the bright flowers that decorated each side of the long driveway were now dead leaves that had turned brown from the long summer.

Seems like Wade was not the only one that has been suffering. Nothing was as it used to be, even the troop of maids that usually littered the house were nowhere to be found. The door was left open and unanswered.

In place of the castle-like structure Wade had always known was this building with peeling paint that needed an entire renovation.

Careful, Wade stepped through the threshold after he knocked loudly on the door a couple times.

“Hello?” he called in but there was no response. He entered what he assumed to be the receiving room, only to find all the chairs covered with fabric that had layers of dust on it.

“What are you looking for young man?” A voice asked, it was weak but still boomed through the space with authority.

Taking his pretty time Wade turns slowly to face the man of the hour. “Peter.”

Every hair on his head is white with a balding spot at the top. Age has taken a toll of him, starting with the sagging skin to the drooling eyes.

“You did not age well,” Wade said, all too pleased with himself.

“And you are?” Peter asked calmly, like he wasn’t just insulted to his face.

“There’s no need for you to know me. All that matters is that I know you, and I’m here to collect that which is most precious to you.”

The old man blinks once, twice before he bursts into laughter which ends up in a coughing fit. “Come on right in,” he said and led him to the dining situated outside the room. “I would offer you tea but Mary is off on an errand.”

Wade said nothing, his eyes scanning each corner of the house that was in his line of vision. This wasn’t what he had been expecting to say but he could use it to his own advantage. If his house was already in shambles then his enemy had so much to lose that he would easily agree to his offer.

Finally, he followed Mr. Peter to where he was and made himself comfortable on the chair in front of him.

“I’ll get right to the reason I’m here,” Wade started, bringing out the documents and handing it over. “I bought your company, all I need is your signature.”

A panicked looked crossed Peter’s face. He knew things had plummeted back at the company, especially since he stopped going in for work a year ago. They’d only declared bankruptcy but hadn’t made it know to the public.

“I’m not selling,” he replied in a gruff voice.

“Let’s be clear,” Wade and shifted to the edge of his seat, his voice taking a menacing toll. “I’m not in need of your permission.”

It was clear the man hadn’t come here for pleasantries, I mean no one ever visited but if they did nothing good ever came out of it.

Not only was he here for trouble he was also trying to take what was the second most precious thing to him in the world.

“I’m not sure you did your research before showing up here. But I’m not selling a that’s the end of it, if you’ll please show yourself out.”

He stood up to leave when Wade’s voice stopped him in his tracks. “I know you filed for bankruptcy two days ago.”

He sat back down. “That doesn’t change anything.”

“Actually it does,” Wade answered with a sinister smile as he proceeded to pat him arm. “Right now I’m the largest shareholder in your company. The sole investor, if I might add.”

“Nonsense,” Peter flared up. “I can have you arrested for trespassing and spewing nonsense on top of that.”

“It’s not trespassing if the door was open.”

“I didn’t you invite you in.”

“You said it yourself, you would have offered me tea.” Wade ran his finger along the edge of the file. “So technically you invited me in.”

Realizing this was much more serious than he had estimated, Peter leaned forward and asked, “What do you want?” he had to get this over with before Rose got home.

“YoungGreen. To be specific, your company.”

It starts from the redness in the tips of his ears and spread through his entire his face. The laughter pours freely from him when he processes the nonsense spewed in front of him. “I can’t believe you walked in here to waste both our times.”

At the back of Peter’s mind he knew this day would come, he had tried to avoid it as much as possible. But it seemed like it was time to confront of his fears. “Like I said before, I’m not selling.”

Wade wasn’t ready to go in for the kill yet. “It would be more beneficial to you,” he said. “The money will be enough to fix up this hellhole before it caves in on you. When you think about, I’m doing you a whole lot favour.”

It was hard for Peter to see. “Taking a man’s livelihood can barely be called a favour.”

“Take a look around you Mr. Peter, literally.”

With a confused expression on his face, the old turned around unsure of what he was supposed to see. “I’m in my home son, what exactly am I supposed to be looking at.”

Son. The word alone made Wade’s skin crawl, who was he to use such a term for him? If he had considered even as a decent human being all those years, he wouldn’t have been through hell as a child.

“Everything is already falling apart Peter.” He made it a point to look at the chairs and rough floors that had lost their prime. “The best advice I can give you is to safe the little things that you can. Your home, your status.”

This man in front of Peter knew something that nobody else knew. Everything he ever had were at the brink of ruin. The company, every land that he owned. The only thing that gave him a ray of sunshine was his daughter, she was the only thing that brightened her day.

Rose. Named after his favourite flower. She was the only one he had interest in saving, not even himself.

That was why he needed to hold onto the company, he’ll work so hard to build it back up even if it required his blood. He knows he hasn’t done enough for her, but he also knew he didn’t have much time left.

“Take whatever you want from me, but leave the company alone. I’ll never sell, it’s mine to do as I wish.”

“I’m afraid that is where you’re wrong,” Wade said and finally thrust the documents towards Peter. “Starting from 2pm this afternoon, I became the largest and sole shareholder in your company. That gives me enough rights to say you sell the company.”

“What do you mean?” Peter tore through the papers. The man wasn’t lying. “Hopeless sons of bitches,” he cussed under his breath. To think all the people he had considered friends at one point had sold him out. All for what?

“How much did you offer them?” he asked through gritted teeth. He stood up abruptly, slamming the papers on the floor. “I’m asking how much you offered these money sucking leeches!”

Wade adjusted the collar of his shirt as he bent down to pick the papers. Taking his sweet time, he straightened himself to full height. “Much more than you can ever offer them.”

It’s always funny how fast life gets at someone.

Peter could feel his chest drowning in its own misery. He hit his chest a couple times to ease a little air in.

Holding the arm of the chair, he helped himself down. All those years behind him and karma finally caught up with him. He was going to lose everything that he had.

But Rose- he still had her.

“Why are you doing this to me? There are many companies out there that you can invest in, why mine?”

Wade shook his head in mock disbelief. “It’s nothing personal. All I see is a man in need, and I’m only trying to help.”

That was a lie, they both knew it as they stared into each other’s eyes.

“No one is going to invest in a dying company Peter. Your company stocks are in the reds, this is the lowest it has ever been in the past ten years. Why not save whatever dignity and just sell the company before it turns into dust.”

This was a lost battle. How ever will he have the heart to tell Rose he had lost it all. It was one thing knowing you were a failure but it was a whole cruel level having your daughter realize you were one.

“You can use the money to fix the house, take a vacation and live the rest of your life without worry. Trust me when I say you’ll never have to worry about money, I’m a very generous man.”

If there was one thing Peter knew, no one business man ever wanted to lose money. It was all for the profit.

“What’s in it for you?” he asked Wade. “Surely, it’s not the money.”

With a small smile he stated his mission. “Rose.”

He almost sprang out of his chair. “What about her?” He could take everything from him, but not her, not his only child.

“I’m going to marry her.”