Marcus was still lost in his thoughts when the door of his room was pushed open.
He tilted his head toward the door and spotted a man entering the room. The man appeared to be in his early sixties, around 5 feet 8 inches tall and his hair had turned grey with age. He was dressed in formal black pants and a white shirt and was carrying a tray in his hands with a glass on top of it.
The man was Ralph, the private secretary to Tracus Clifton. When Ralph entered the room, his face had a neutral look plastered on it.
Marcus have had a stormy relationship with this old man. The reason- that Ralph had always insisted that Marcus move away from all his bad habits and take a new lease in his life in the right direction. And Marcus could not bear some interfering with his life.
Ralph, on the other hand, was an extremely honest and loyal man who had been a pillar of support for Tracus Clifton. He had worked for his father for around 4 decades- twice the age of Marcus.
"Young master," Ralph said as he approached the bed.
"Uncle Ralph," Marcus greeted politely.
He knew that at this moment, his relationship with Ralph was at rock bottom. After the death of his father, Ralph had tried to explain things to Marcus and had urged him to take command of Clifton Enterprise. But Marcus had been too stubborn and foolish, and after a heated argument, things had worsened between them.
The previous night before he went to indulge himself in alcohol and drugs, he has had another argument with Ralph.
Although Ralph was slightly surprised by the politeness in Marcus's voice, he did not show any outwards reaction.
"Lemon water for you," Ralph said, still with an expressionless face as he placed the tray on the side table by the bed.
"Thanks," Marcus muttered as he picked up the glass.
Ralph was about to depart when Marcus interjected, "How did I reach here?"
An expression of slight anger appeared on Ralph's face, and he clenched his fist in frustration.
He sighed deeply and answered, "I brought you here."
Ralph did not explain further how he had found Marcus or where he had been found and Marcus did not press the matter. Ralph must have his own ways.
Marcus nodded in return.
"Uncle Ralph," he said, his voice steadier than before, "please meet me in Dad's office in an hour."
"Until then, prepare the reports and all recent happenings at the company," he added.
This request greatly surprised Ralph, who thought it was nothing more than a whim, knowing that Marcus could not really take any interest in these affairs.
Even so he gave stiff nod, "Yes, young master," and walked away.
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After sending Ralph away, Marcus took a breath and freshened himself up. Despite his great physical transformation, he felt mentally fatigued, and the hot shower made him only somewhat refreshed.
He then dressed in a casual T-shirt and trousers and took a stroll around his house.
The house in which he and his father had lived—the Clifton Manor—was located in one of the posh areas of Malwani town.
It was a two storey house. On the ground floor were the main hall, a dining hall, the kitchen, and few other rooms including guest rooms and rooms for the staff.
On the first floor were Marcus' room, Tracus' room, his study and office, and two additional rooms.
Marcus's father had been an admirer of flowers, so the garden around the manor had been adorned with various exquisite flowers and plants from all over the world.
Apart from Ralph, the Clifton Manor housed three other staff members—a cook, who was a middle-aged woman, and two maids to take care of the other chores.
After his stroll around the Clifton Manor, Marcus returned to the first floor and entered his father's study. His father's office, or study, was quite a large room.
At the far end, directly opposite the door, stood a large wooden table with a luxurious push back chair behind it. Two more chairs were placed on the other side of the table.
The wall to the right of the entrance was lined with wooden shelves filled with numerous books and documents, while on the left, a small fireplace had been built with two chairs and a small round table around it. A glass window near the fireplace offered a view of the garden and the city beyond.
Marcus walked to the window as he traced his fingers along the chair and table. After gazing outside for a few minutes, he approached the large wooden table, finally making his way to the chair and taking his seat.
Although the table was large—6 feet long and 4 feet wide—it was nearly covered by stacks of files, documents, and notes from his father. The monitor of a computer had been placed at the centre of the table.
Marcus picked up and opened one of the files. It contained a report about Clifton Enterprise. He was rummaging through the pages when a knock on the door drew his attention.
"Come in," he said, and in walked Ralph.
The moment Ralph entered, an expression of shock crossed his face, which soon turned to disgust.
Marcus knew very well what it was for.
Occupying the chair meant taking on the responsibilities of Clifton Enterprise and inheriting the legacy of Tracus Clifton- a task for which Ralph believed Marcus was utterly unqualified. Marcus did not mind in the slightest this reaction from Ralph.
"Uncle Ralph," Marcus said, "have a seat."
Ralph nodded and sat directly opposite Marcus.
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