Alexander POV
I heard a loud bang..!
On hearing such a sound, I rushed to my father's office, it was the sound of a broken glass, he shouldn't be angry.
His heart was already fragile, but the incident from the opening was serious, enough to warrant the broken glass.
I opened the door and walked in, he was with my cousin, Kelvin. Mrs Bella stood by him, her hand in his arm, which I was grateful for because she would at least calm him down.
"I gave you this project because your aunt assured me you would do your best, is this your best, a fucking dead secretary in my hotel on opening night" he roared and I sighed. The dead woman was more important in the larger scheme of things.
"The girl," he asked.
"Resolved" he replied, grinding his teeth.
"Good," my father turned to me with a small smile.
"You should learn from Alexander, he's been cleaning up all your mess since the beginning of this project" he scoffed and I winced, those incidents were not brag-worthy. But Mr Turner was a rough man and I knew that he'd grown up in a time when everything you had was gotten by fist and bullying.
I am his son, and maybe if I'd been raised with him then I'd have had the same mindset, but I'd lived with my mother for most of my life until her death, Thus, I was different.
Mrs Bella, his new wife, was a fussy woman but she was kind to me, or as much as she could be, I didn't ask for more because I didn't need it.
"Get out" he ordered, I pulled out of my musing and turned to him, he gestured for me to sit as Kelvin stalked out of the apartment. I sat down.
"Boy what do you think about settling down, in some time, you'll be running this place," he said and I sighed softly.
"I'm not ready for that," I said softly.
"I want to focus on my job" I finished and he sighed looking at me and then at Mrs Bella.
"These boys will be the death of me" he grumbled his brows bunching, she smiled taking his hands in hers.
"They'll sort it out" she assured and he sighed.
"Isn't there any girl you like?" he asked and I started to nod, but paused as I remembered brown eyes with golden flecks in them,
"There is someone" he huffed excitedly and I smiled. It was funny how my presence or absence of a love life could influence the old man.
"Not yet but maybe soon" I placated and he nodded.
"Go then" he muttered. I stood nodding my greetings and turned to the door. I took the stairs down to the floor of the accident. It was clean, the blood had been wiped off and everything looked pristine like nothing had happened here, like no one had died here, I turned to the room and sighed.
I was going to make this work, Turner's name would never go through this scandal again.
**************
Five years later
I signed the Files in front of me, closed it, then the next one I opened it and opened the next one and signed it. My secretary took the files and offered me a small smile as she walked away.
I leaned into my chair, I was tired but I did need to get to work. My father was getting antsy, he called me yesterday asking to meet once I was done for the day, I was delaying that meeting for as long as possible.
I rose from my desk and pulled on my jacket. It was likely the wife thing again, he had been on that for the last Five years now.
I strode to the elevator and picked the highest floor.
Turner Hotel had grown over the years, we now had six locations all over the country, three outside and a fourth on the way, we had branched into construction because I refused to let the past repeat itself.
The elevator opened on his floor and I strolled into his office, Mrs Bella was leaving.
"How are you doing?" she asked and I smiled.
"Fine, how is he?" I asked and she grimaced.
"He's a little cranky but you don't need to worry" I nodded and she smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners, I walked into my father's office and sat at his desk. He hummed softly and handed me a file.
"That is the contract I signed with Peter Norman, an agreement that is detailed towards your marriage" he replied and I sat up, reaching for the file, I opened it and sighed, the old man wasn't joking.
"We need a good Lawyer in the family, he seemed like a good enough addition" he offered and I sighed.
"And the girl agreed to this"
"Yes."
I stood, striding across the hall. This was not ideal, I knew marriage was definitely in the cards for me. My position as heir made it a requirement but I had expected to choose my wife or at least have her love me. It would make the marriage easier. He must have seen the look on my face because he scoffed snapping me out of my thoughts.
"I'm not sending you to the lion's den, you can meet her tomorrow in fact" he beamed and I sighed.
"Where" I asked and he rattled off an address.
"Fine. Will you go for your checkup now" I muttered and he nodded. Satisfied with his reply I walked away from the table, with the file in my hand.
He watched me walk away without saying a word. I didn't know much about Peter Norman, only that he had a daughter from his marriage and had divorced for over Five years now. There were rumors of a stepdaughter he cared for, some said the girl was his child but no one knew, she was very quiet. I stared at the picture of the daughter, there was none for the step daughter. But, her low profile didn't surprise me.
I took the elevator to the first floor making a call as I went along.
"Get the car, I need to get downtown" I instructed.
The car was there by the time I arrived, I got in, tossed the file on the chair, and glared at my assistant Richard.
"Did you know?" I asked and he groaned.
"I knew you would fuss over nothing" he muttered, I arched a brow and he sighed.
"Fine, he asked me not to mention" That was far more plausible but equally annoying. Richard had been my secretary for over Seven years, but the fact was my father was the king and Lord of this castle, and getting over his head was something no one tried to do.
I never bothered because it was exhausting.
"Fine, do you know if she's arrived," I asked and he nodded,
"She's been waiting for a little over six minutes" She was either eager for the marriage or she wanted this over and done with either way I would know when I met her. We pulled up to the restaurant of one of our franchises and I got out of my car.
"I'll call you when I'm done." I said to Richard.
I made my way into the hall and was greeted immediately. That was the perks of having so much money you didn't know what to do with it.
I strode towards my table and caught a glimpse of brown hair, with caramel highlights, streaking through it. That was not Nancy Norman. I walked to her at the table and sat on the chair opposite hers. A familiar brown eyes, filled with golden flecks, stared back at me.
"Well if it isn't my groom-to-be" she whispered and I huffed a small laugh, it seemed I had just been played for a fool. This is obviously not my supposed bride.