DECEPTION: A Stolen Legacy

Evelyn Lance walked in, and instantly his hair stood. "John, my son. How are you?" She tried to give him a high but he stepped back. She looked at him and chuckled. 

"Oh come on John, let's leave the past in the past. Yes we may have had our differences, but I realize my wrong now. I got you something you always loved, my home made orange juice. Freshly squeezed by yours truly."

Dazed, he took the cup and made a mental note not to take a sip. It was most unwise to take a drink from the devil, especially when the devil herself prepared it. His heart fell as he heard the click of Mrs Lance locking the door behind him. He wished he had told Sarah how much he loved her that morning, for all he knew it could be his last day on earth. 

Peter Lance came and put his arm around his shoulder, and he visibly shuddered. "Come my son, I want us to have a chat. Let's go upstairs and have a man to man conversation."

John relaxed a bit, he was sure Peter Lance would not kill him, a statement he could not make about his wife. Or could he? He followed him upstairs to a private sitting room, one that he remembered so well. He had hardly ever entered it in all his formative years growing up there. 

This was where Peter Lance held his meetings with his business partners and entertained his CEO friends. Whatever Mr Lance wanted to discuss with him must really be very important. He saw two seats with a table in between. He silently prayed. The devil's freshly squeezed poison was in a jug on a tray on the table, with two glasses beside it. Mr Lance motioned for him to sit and sat on the other chair. 

Ungodly silence brewed between the two before Mr Lance broke it. "So how are you John? And how is my daughter?"

John was shaking. "We are fine Sir, and she sends her greetings."

Peter Lance launched forward with an alacrity that nearly made John scream. "Let us take a trip down memory lane John. Around twenty years ago, you lost your parents in a car accident. You had no one to take care of you, and I offered to adopt you, purely out of respect to your father, who was my business partner. I could have decided not to adopt you, but I did. I was there for you when you had no one. Do you understand John?"

John nodded in the affirmative.

Peter Lance continued. "I sent you to school with my own money, I raised you like my son. You know what they say, one good turn deserves another. I've done you a whole lot of good John, and I expect you to do the same. So let's cut to the chase. We both know why I called you here. My daughter told me you wanted a job and I promised her to give you one if you adhered to my one condition."

John swallowed. "I am very grateful for your benevolence sir. It is a rare trait, and I am most grateful that you were able to help me, your son in law get the job of a cleaner in your reputable company sir. I do not take it for granted sir. My wife and I..."

Mr Lance cut in. "Oh, don't be salty John. That phrase, my wife and I is my problem. Tell you what, I'm willing to make you a manager in my company and pay you a mammoth salary, but on only one condition, you have to divorce my daughter."

For a while, John was dumbfounded. "Is this the condition you promised your daughter sir? We have been over this before. I'm afraid I cannot agree to this. I love your daughter very much and I...."

Peter cut in again, this time with a little more bile in his voice, and John could suddenly see that Evelyn Lance was spying on them. His end was certain, he knew it!

"My business is going down, and I badly need investors. There is someone who is willing to pay off all our debts and invest into Lance industries, but he wants to marry my daughter. He has a good reputation and intends to keep it that way, so he cannot afford to have anything to do with a married woman. It would give him a negative reputation, but if my daughter were to be 'unmarried', it would be a most welcome development. Do you get my drift John?

John was boiling within. It took all the self control he could muster not to explode. "I do not understand you sir."

Peter Lance shook his head. "I always thought you had a bright head on your shoulders John, but you are turning out to be a big disappointment. In plain terms, I need you to divorce my daughter so she can marry the man who will save my business. Do you understand now?"

Something snapped within John. He had endured numerous insults and embarrassments, but it was time to take a stand. "With all due respect Mr Lance, your daughter is not a commodity to be sold for money. She is not a tool for negotiation or for saving a business you singlehandedly destroyed by your own foolishness." 

He ignored the widened eyes of his father in law and continued. "I love your daughter, and I will only leave her if she decides to leave me. She is an adult, capable of making her own decisions. She has the right to choose who she wants to be with, and she has chosen me. I think it is time you respect her decision and leave us alone!" 

He stood up and stomped out, then he turned as though he remembered something. "If you or your devilish wife ever disturb the peace of me and my wife, you will hear from the police. Goodbye!"

"John!" called Mr Lance. "You are very foolish, in fact you are the most foolish person I have ever met, but know this. I will not let a chicken like you let my business go down. It will not happen! Never!"

With that, John stomped out. He walked outside the house, fell on his knees and wept. His life had just gotten more complicated. He had no job, and no way to take care of his beloved wife. To make matters worse, his extremely powerful in-laws had sworn to make life miserable for him and he did not know what to do. A buzz in his trousers brought him back to reality. It was his phone. Damn! Sarah had told him to brief her on the outcome of his meeting with her father. It had ended very badly, and he did not know how to tell her. He didn't feel like answering the call. Whoever it was could definitely wait.