Sinclair grabbed his phone from the bed and looked at the caller ID 'grandfather' he should have seen that coming after leaving the old man's house. Sinclair face palmed knowing there wasn't an escape except he just pretended not to see his calls.
"Hello grandfather." He succumb and picked the call, sounding very bored and grumpy.
"How are you doing Sinclair, I hope you aren't too stressed out?" Carter greeted his grandson like he hadn't seen him in a while and they were having a long time chat.
Sinclair fought the urge to give his grandfather a tight retort because he was still head of the family's property and his only ticket to owning Yoshi's inc.
"You saw me two hours ago, why are you sounding so loving." Sinclair said to Carter using the same boring voice as always.
"Yes I know son, I just wanted to know if you are already at home." Carter's kind voice says. Even though Sinclair didn't like the way Carter shows his affections, he knew the old man was true to his words.
"Yes I am, you don't need to keep tabs on me every time." Sinclair confronts him politely.
"Yes don't. I hope you did not open the envelope before you got home, just as I told you?"
"Yes I did-- I was about opening it when your call came in." Sinclair flips the letter in the air before catching it.
"That's my boy."
"I am not a boy anymore."
"If that's what you want then fine. You are now a grown man, that I can't deny."
"Is that all you wanted to say? It is getting late you know…" Sinclair emphasized to Carter for him to end the call instead of doing so.
"I know but won't you like it that way?"
"Thanks grandfather but I am tired right now."
"Yes-- yes, I understand. Goodnight Sinclair."
"Goodnight grandfather. See you in the morning." Sinclair quickly say which resulted in the grandfather chuckling lowly under his breath.
"Sleep well, without dreaming of my workers." Was his farewell.
"Seriously you saw me leave without any right?"
"Yeah, I Know but please stay away from my female workers at all cost."
"I've heard you." Sinclair scoffed and hanged up before Carter would fill him with more talks about staying away from his female workers.
"Now where were we?" He walked back to his king-size bed to check through some files he brought from the office. After going through dozen of them Sinclair forgot about the envelope and doze off on his bed.
::::::::::::::::::
{The next morning}
"What is the meaning of this grandfather?" Sinclair barged into Carter's office in the middle of the day with his clothes looking rough, his face red and burning with intense anger.
"I don't think it has come to this Sinclair, that you barge into my office without knocking, you are acting like an animal right now, Didn't I teach you to have manners?" Carter scolds him.
"Don't turn this on me grandfather I very well know how to behave, but YOU! are a cunning person, how could you do this to me?" Sinclair accused.
"What have I done Sinclair?" Carter looked at his aggressive son in the eye without an ounce of worry.
"This!!!" Sinclair waved the same yellow envelope Carter gave him the night before. He shows the old man what made him very pissed at this hour of the day. "You sly old man, you deceived me with a crappy letter! You knew what was hidden in that envelope but decided to play it calm." Sinclair completed his sentence with a slap on the mahogany table.
"Deceived you with what Sinclair? I never tricked you into something, and if was to do something like that, I won't let it tarnish my reputation in the public." Carter came up with a smart idea but it didn't sit well with his grandson.
"You are a man for the people." Sinclair said with disgust.
"Yes, that's me." Carter replied proudly.
"What was the need when you already know what you want huh?"
"You are supposed to be begging on your knees in thanksgiving, I handed you the solution to your problem, if you want to, and you know you want this company then you must complete the requirements listed there. Simple as you can imagine them."
Sinclair's chest rose up and down in fast rhythm, his fingers clenched so tight together it popped out veins. He then shut his eyes for some time before opening them in the direction of Carter.
Carter chilled back on his favourite recliner chair, calmly observing his young grandson, he waited for him to grasp everything he just released to him before continuing.
"So you expect me to go along with this just so you can fulfill your pride?" Sinclair asked through gritted teeth.
"Not my pride but to make you a responsible fulfilled man." Carter replied but Sinclair wasn't buying it.
"After these requirements are met I am free to do as I want?" Sinclair asks his last question before choosing to agree with Carter's requirement. He wanted to know if he was bound by any hidden law or oath before agreeing to the old man's proposal.
"Of course."
"And the company belongs to me completely?"
"Yes."
"There are no strings attached?"
"None." Carter answered each question with care and patience.
"Then it's done." Sinclair tossed the papers on the desk and head out the door before Carter would say something to ruin his mood.
::::::::::::::::::::::
Last night Orva had to face Mindy's cranky attitude when she got home late, Mindy knew Donald always made Orva leave the restaurant late at night but tends to act as the responsible adult and blame Orva for her lateness each and every night.
The curtains in her room were drawn together but the window was open. Orva eyebrows creased in confusion when looking at the open window, she did not remember leaving her widow open last night or when she left for work, but she did remember locking her door that night to prevent Mindy from barging in. The open window means Mindy might have cracked her lock, Orva was tempted to go downstairs and start a late-night conversation with Mindy then she remembered she had better things to do and decided to let it slip.
Mindy has been a living pain in the ass for so long it turned out she was more of a liability than an asset. Donald over pampering is what to this silly mess Orva had to bear for years, enough to cause someone a seizure. She made sure to do some checking inside the room, to see if anything was stolen so she knew how to bring it up in the morning when Mindy was sober.
…
{Morning time}
Nothing seems strange out of the ordinary, everything was kept in place just as she left it last night. Orva was relieved and relaxed to know her room was safe and uninterrupted, she went ahead to strip off her clothes and take a warm shower only to discover the heater in her bathroom had been removed. Orva cussed out so much she knew neighbors would hear and cringe.
Who in their right mind has the courage to burgle into her room and steal her water heater? Orva did not know what to do with the people living around here, things were either getting missing or destroyed. If it isn't Mindy then it would be a thief that has been watching her window for a long time. This part of the city was full of little thieves hungry for the slightest stuff. Everyone wants to live in a rich place like Beverly Hills.
When thinking about her condition compared to other free kids Orva felt envious of them, especially the rich children staying in the nice part of the city, they did not need to be bothered about money, freedom, or their heater being stolen. Orva walked to her window that was slightly open again and stare out at the sky that was starting to clear. She squints a little from the dense sun rays brightening the sky and the cool morning breeze caressing her skin.
Orva thought to use this free time to drink in the warmth of the weather and put her plans together. First of all, she plans to gather enough money and buy a new steamer for herself that will be removable then, maybe plot her escape from her uncle and mistress for life. The plan sounded great but very difficult to go through. Forty-five minutes after showering and changing into a baggy t-shirt sleep came hitting on the door, Orva did not object to fighting the sleep and embraced it, drowning herself in her own world forgetting it was already morning