The moment the taxi drops Avery, an anxious looking maid hurries up to him and informs him that Callan wants to see him in his study.
"Do you have any idea what you have cost me?" Callan yelled the moment the maid was out of the study.
"You were the one who set me up for a blind date without my knowledge." Avery argued.
"You had no right to insult Mr Anderson in that manner." Avery rolled his eyes.
"Insult him? I only told him plain facts." Avery scoffed. "It seems he has called you to tattle already."
"What has gotten into you?" Avery doesn't deign the rhetorical question worthy of an answer.
"You are going to call Louis and apologize for your uncultured behaviour." It will be over his dead body that Avery would do such a thing.
"I am not apologizing." Callan shoots to his feet, towering over his son as he glares down at him.
"You will." Callan says with finality. "Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to get you a suitor with your wild party animal, rude and arrogant behaviour; no Alpha wants you." Avery flinches at his tone.
"Thank goodness, I wasn't interested in getting married anyway." Callan clenched his jaw in irritation; trust Avery to start his rebellious streak at 23.
"Oh you are getting married." The air crackled with tension.
"You are old enough to get married and it's high time you stopped causing trouble in my house; your obsession with Dylan has become sickening, if you don't want Louis I have got a list of other suitors as well." Avery glared at Callan.
"You can't force me to get married." Callan chuckles — hollow and dark— he looks at Avery as though he isn't his blood.
"I can and I will; or have you forgotten who owns you Omega?" A dark expression settles on his face— he smiles menacingly when he notices Avery's eyes widen in surprise— good it was finally sinking in.
"Why are you doing this to me? If you want me to stay away from Dylan and Ian, I will." Its clear at a glance that Louis is no good man— Avery isn't keen on meeting the other men on Callan's list.
"If by the end of this month you can't find a man yourself, then you're going to marry one of my choosing; I am you legal guardian so I have the right to arrange your marriage, it's in the law." Avery's breathe stutters, damn this world and it's cursed rules.
In the original plot there had been no mention about Callan forcing Avery to get married; had his rebirth changed the plot? Or was this world sperated from the plot? Avery had to find out if this world followed the novels plot.
There's something about Avery that reminded Callan of his late wife: perhaps it was the green eyes, the freckles, the hair or the fire in their eyes— whatever it was made Callan detest Avery .
When Avery slammed the doors of Callan's study shut in anger he ran into Ian— wide-eyed, clutching some files to his chest and shuffling awkwardly.
For a second they both remained silent.
"Are you alright?" Ian's eyes settled on everything but Avery— which was strange seeing as his question was directed at Avery.
"I assume you heard everything?" Ian nodded— ashamed of eavesdropping, "good, then do you think I am alright?" Avery arched a brow.
"I..... guess not." Avery scoffed and breezed past Ian.
*********
Woodland Reserve was located at the edge of the city: a quiet area with a reserve of nature, only wealthy people could afford a land here.
Vicente Emerson was barley mentioned in the plot of the novel— he had been known as Avery's grandfather and firmly opposed Callan in the novel, later Dylan had used some underhanded means to force Vicente to transfer his shares to Ian, after which the author killed the character.
The former Avery had no been close to his grandfather; he had blamed the man for leaving him with his abusive father and not taking him away from the Ford Mansion.
Vicente was the only ally that Avery could find— one he was his grandfather and two he was SparkDigital's biggest shareholder— if Avery was to take the position as heir from Ian then he would need Vicente's help.
Like everything in Woodland Reserve Vicente's house blended in with the nature of the environment. The property was surrounded by a wall of stones— having been informed of Avery's arrival, the guards had let him in easily.
Stepping out of the car, Avery was awed by the elegant mansion before him; unlike the Fords which showed off their wealth, this mansion was a blend of elegance and nature.
The Mansion is nestled among lush greenery with towering trees, vibrant gardens, sparkling water features, wild life and a serene landscapes that creates a sense of tranquility and seclusion. Green vines creeped around the storm walls of the building.
The building was built with natural stones with curved lines, arches and irregular shapes. Floor-to-ceiling windows that framed the stunning view of nature and a natural pond that added to the natural beauty. A few courtyards extended the living space outdoors.
"Grandpa why are you waiting outside? The weather is cold." Avery said as he approached the older man who was waiting in front of the house: Vicente Emerson was a man whose face told his story; his face— once handsome— had become lined with age and experiences, with deep creases that spoke of a life of hardship. His green eyes seemed to hold a sadness— a deep loss that could not be forgotten—his hair had turned grey with age, despite his age and the lingering sorrow, he carried himself with dignity and an aura of elegance that revealed his background of wealth and privilege. He was dressed in a suit that was tailored to perfection. Standing beside him was a man of close age with a bald head, dark brown skin that shone in the light of the morning sun and his fitted body clothed in a navy blue suit— probably the butler.
"Nonsense." Vicente's laugh was boisterous for man his age. "The weather isn't cold." His voice was soft and his words measured.
"I asked him to wait inside, but he's too stubborn, he insisted on waiting for you outside." The butler ignored Vicente's glare.
"There's no need for you to wait outside." Avery smiled.
"I had to." Vicente said firmly. "When you called me and said you were coming, I was shocked—"
"Shocked is a mild word, you clung to the phone for hours and kept asking if you were dreamin—"
"Matthew." Vicente glared at his butler. "It's been so long since you came to visit and a part of me felt it wasn't real." Vicente's eyes reddened.
"Grandpa I am real." Avery could feel Vicente's hand trembling in his grip— he stared at their joined hands as though he couldn't believe Avery was touching him.
"Can I...can I....hug you?" Vicente's voice shook as he spoke.
"Of course." Avery allowed himself to sink into the warmth of the hug; he was aware that he wasn't the real Avery— this love, this warmth didn't belong to him— yet it felt right.
"I am sorry. I am sorry I wasn't there. Forgive me." Vicente cried— for the grandson he finally held.
Avery nodded as he cried— for Tamara, for Maya, for the life he left behind— funny how a hug was all it took for him to breakdown.
Matthew wiped a silent tear— only he had been aware how the old man had thought he would die without this day ever happening; die without his grandson forgiving him— he silently thanked whatever God up there had made this moment possible, maybe now that Avery had forgiven him Vicente could finally forgive himself too.
**********
After spending an embarrassing long time crying in each others embrace, they entered the house.
The interior was a sophisticated blend of reclaimed wood and walls painted in earthy hues. The windows and sliding doors allowed natural light to pour in. Paintings and sculptures were installed all over the house and the chairs were arranged comfortably.
"Your grandmother made all of them." Vicente smiled when he noticed Avery's lingering stare on the sculptures and paintings.
"She was very talented." Avery's eyes lingered on a painting: it was a painting of four— a family— a handsome man with golden brown hair and brown eyes had his arm wrapped around the waist of a beautiful woman with black hair and green eyes that radiated with light; standing in front of them were two children— the boy a sculpture of his father, dressed in a white suit and his features squared into a sharp look that looked cute on his childish face, and the girl a replica of her mother— dressed in a white princess gown which was matched with a tiara, yet her green eyes shone with mischief.
"Your mother had always been a mischievous one since she was young." Avery had an inkling who the young girl was— the shared resemblance was unmistakable— Vicente's words only served to confirm his suspicion.
More paintings filled the walls; some were landscape, others of the Emerson family— with the woman missing as the children few older— and most of them were of Avery's mother.
"Funnily enough, I always thought it would be Laura who would take after her mother's art skills, yet it turned out to be Liam." A look of nostalgia filled Vicente's eyes before the sadness returned.
"I ruined my family with my own hands." Avery held Vicente close as the old man cried.
Once upon a time the Emerson's had been a happy family with — Vicente, his wife Emerald and their son Liam— then Emerald became pregnant; a surprise as Alpha females tended to struggle with conception; everything seemed well until Emerald became ill— the baby was killing her— the doctor suggested an abortion, but Emerald having seen the sadness in her husband's eyes chose to keep the baby — Laura Emerson was born during summer and since her birth the Emerson Mansion never stopped shining, she radiated with a light that nothing could compare to— yet Emerald's body become weaker, until one winter morning she passed away quietly in her sleep.
Vicente blamed himself for her death — not even her words of assurance before her death had eased the guilt in his soul— he loved his children, did his best to raise them right and everything seemed to go well until it didn't— Callan Ford came; the son of his business partner and close friend— it was only right that Laura marry him.
Liam was the first to raise alarm; there was a darkness in Callan's eyes that he didn't like, his disapproval of the marriage was an open secret. Laura wasn't happy, but she forced a smile and accepted her fate; at first everything seemed fine, it was Liam who noticed the light in her eyes receding, her spark dying, replaced by a darkness — hollow, weary and crying for help. Vicente had became alarmed after the first sucide attempt, but Laura said she was fine— and she seemed to be; rehabilitation and pills.
Soon she did it again, until the third one claimed her life— Vicente realized too late that he too was a part of Laura's death as much as Callan had been, and Laim had made sure to remind him everyday.
Then Laim and Vicente quarrelled— long overdue from the strain the Laura's death had brought— Liam was dating an Alpha, a male— Vicente was appalled by the relationship; he told Liam to leave his house if he wanted to continue with that abomination— rash words spoken in anger— Laim left and never returned.
Vicente became hollow, he couldn't bear to look at Avery— a child that was a mix of Laura and Emerald— he could see his late wife and daughter judging him through the eyes of the child— by the time he came to his senses from avoiding the only family he had left— Avery no longer needed a grandfather and had grown to loathe him.
Funny how Callan thought he was interested in ruling SparkDigital, he was only an old man with a few decent years left in his body; what would he use the company for? Who would he give it to? He had already willed all his properties to Avery; he could burn them or give them to charity is he so wished.
"I failed you a lot in life Avery, tell me something I can do for you to appease this thing that constricts my soul, that makes it hard for me to breath." Vicente rasped.
"First I want you to forgive yourself— hard I know— but try and secondly I want SparkDigital."