The Rose villa was the official residence of his mother, Clara Yates. It was built for his grandmother, who was very partial to roses, as an anniversary gift. She then gave this precious place to her only daughter Clara when she graduated with honors. Clara had lived here for almost three decades from what he knew.
It had always been a beautiful place, but it was evident that it was a gift clearly cherished by his mother with how well taken care of it was. He even heard that its rose gardens had been listed as one of the best in the city. The place had a slight rustic feel to it, with its arched windows and slightly antique furniture. There were fresh flowers in the vases, and the furniture complemented everything in the room beautifully. The house managed to look both pristine and lived in at the same time.
Like the perfect home.
Lawrence had barely managed to hold back a scoff.
He observed the place quietly as he followed behind his mother. The place felt familiar, but had also undergone quite a few changes with time. As he walked along the corridors, he was taking everything he saw in. It would be all his eventually after all.
His mother had not said another word to him since they entered the house. There was a complicated expression on his face as he stared at her back. She still treated him the same way as before, and he was certain she would find a way to get rid of him if he did not prove his worth to her.
'Some things just don't change after all.'
They stopped at a large double door he remembered to be her study. Her assistant opened the door, and she stepped in. He followed behind her quietly. He had only been in her study a few times from what he could remember, and nothing much had changed. There were two large floor-to-ceiling windows which let in natural light, and fully stocked bookshelves. There was a large oak table with a chair, which served as her workspace from what he could tell. There was also a sofa set with a coffee table which served as a lounge most probably.
The door was shut behind him, and her assistant was nowhere to be found. From the looks of it, they were about to have a private conversation. One had been long overdue between them for many years.
She let out a long sigh and slumped on one of the sofas unceremoniously.
"Don't stand on too much ceremony around me, Lawrence. I am your mother. You can have a seat."
His tense posture from before relaxed visibly. He smiled, then moved to sit opposite her. After all, to be in her good graces, he needed to obey whatever she said. He had to impress her.
Still slumped on the sofa, she stared at him, as if she was observing his features. He could not help the slight tension he felt, as he had been told many times he looked like his father. It had been one of the reasons his mother ignored him in his childhood. Another topic he had to tread very carefully on.
A slight smile formed on her face as she sat up, seemingly satisfied with whatever she saw. Her expression then turned serious.
"You do know that you are the promised heir of your grandfather, right?"
Lawrence nodded quietly. This was common knowledge in his family however it was not truly taken seriously. There were a lot of competent people, and if he could not outshine them, him going to claim a promise that happened before he was born would simply make him a laughingstock. There was also the argument that he was not really a part of the family. His mother with her foresight had changed it and wiped all traces of his father. His surname was Yates, so he was undoubtedly a part of the family.
"It is good that you know. However, I don't just want you to know, I want you to know that your cousins have worked in the company for far longer, and are more familiar with the shareholders here. You are at a great disadvantage here no matter how promising you may seem. Which is why as of now, you should be building your own network of allies to aid you. I am behind you, so no one dares to cross you. But you also need to stand out. You are to become the patriarch of the Yates family. It is not a choice you must make. It is something that has been reserved for you."
His expression turned pensive. Everything she said was nothing but the truth. However, he also knew why that her only motive was to control him and the company. She never wanted what was best for him, it was just about herself in the end. He was definitely going to listen to her and do as she said, but he was also going to take everything she loved and worked hard for away. It was a promise.
"Yes, mother. I will do as you say."
"Right. There will be a gathering to welcome you. I hope I do not need to tell you to leave a favorable impression. You will start work on Monday. There is a project I need you to work on. It holds a lot of promise. Do not mess this up."
Lawrence at the moment felt as if he was with a boss, not his mother. She was just giving him instructions to follow, and he was nodding his head off like her lapdog. But what should he have expected? She was the same before, and she had not changed at all. But he was surprised she had not mentioned one very important thing yet.
"Yes, mother. Is there anything else I should know about?"
She raised an elegant brow.
"Why yes, my son. Your childhood fiancée, Iris Clayton will definitely be at the event. I want you to get to know her. The backing of her family would greatly aid you.''
There it was.
"Don't worry about that, I would still have to see her eventually wont I?"
Clara nodded slowly.
"She could refuse to be with you."
"I doubt her father would let such an opportunity like that slide."
"We never know what could happen, you need to be ready."
She then sighed quietly.
"I'll leave you to go get something to eat then. I'm very sure there would be something you would like to eat among the various dishes. Oh, and don't forget to bring a suitable gift to your grandfather."
"Don't worry about a thing, mother."
Lawrence got up and left his mother to her thoughts. There were a few things he had to prepare for after all.