"I turned to your maternal great-grandfather and said that I would marry your grandmother. Before we went into Civil Affairs, your grandfather had me sign several documents, which I struggled to understand, but did so, because I wanted to help your grandmother and knew that we would separate, and she could have the life she wanted."
"It took me just weeks into our marriage to know that your Grandmother was the love of my life, not only did I have through the act of my father but that I almost threw away because I did not want to be controlled by elders. It took your grandmother a little bit longer to admit how she felt."
"Your maternal great-grandfather, in all the documents he had me sign before I married your grandmother transferred to us his company that he called Meng Group. After his return home from being saved by my parents, he took the small business he had, renamed it, and started to develop it for his only child. It was in his later years he told me that he wanted to ensure that your grandmother and I had a financial base in case anything happened to him, so that your grandmother's relatives would not attempt to take over. The only proviso in the documents is that I could not take over until he made the decision, I was ready and retired from his positions as CEO and Chairman."
"I started working in the Meng Group as a cleaner, while with your grandmother's encouragement I went back to school to complete my education, while she entered the company in a lower management level, after I insisted to her father that she was better placed at the time to learn the business. At that time, a female manager was a rarity in business, but your grandmother was a strong woman, who could handle the business world as it existed at that time."
"When she fell pregnant with your father, she decided that she had proven herself to every doubter and retired from working to be a stay-at-home parent, while your grandfather quickly moved me up through the levels of the company, much to the chagrin of your grandmother's relatives who believed a farmer's son, had no place in the business world. With your grandmother's support I soon not only repaid the faith your great-grandfather had in me, but started to expand the business, so when your great-grandfather retired, I took over as CEO and Chairman of the company."
"As the years went by, your grandmother and I, each anniversary, quietly went away and reaffirmed the commitment we made, somewhat blasé to each other. As your grandmother always insisted to me, it became our way of recognising that we had been so luck to marry each other. Initially she wore the dress that she had worn when we married, with the same jewellery she had on with the addition of her wedding rings, and a bracelet that is also in that box. After a few years, the dress became too fragile for her to wear, and on three occasions before her death she had a replica of her original wedding dress commissioned. See that box over there?"
Abigail looked in the direction her grandfather was pointing, nodded, and said "Yes."
"As you are a different in body shape, I had commissioned for you a replica of the same dress to be made. It is there for you to have a look at."
Carefully Abigail handed the boxes containing the jewellery she had been given to Cole, and moved to open the box he pointed to, lifting the dress out from it examining it, quietly saying "Grandfather, it is beautiful."
Smiling Cole said, "I am glad you think so."
At that moment, the car came to a stop, and Cole added "If you are willing, would you put the dress on for me?"
Abigail turned and looked at Cole, saying "You have something planned grandfather? What is it?"
Cole said "Could you please put the dress on for me? I would like to see you wearing it, as you look so much like your grandmother."
Seeking the look on his face Abigail nodded, and Cole added "One of the guards will accompany you into the hairdressers, where they will style your hair for you, and they have agreed to allow you to change."
As she could see the happiness on Cole's face, Abigail nodded, and quickly left the car, with one of the guards leaning in, taking the dress box, and the jewellery, saying "Take care boss. We will look after the young miss."
After Abigail entered the hairdressers, Cole noticed his assistant climb into the car, and handing him a folder saying "It is ready boss. Are you really sure that this is the right course of action?"
"I have no choice. We both know, based on my diagnosis that I do not have long to live, and this is the only way that I can protect her and the company particularly. While it is understandable that my son and daughter-in-law are bias to the child they raised, I fear without me around their biological child will be destroyed. And I know the limits of my son's capabilities, so I have to ensure that the company and its staff are protected."