Chapter 1 Make It Work

• JORDAN CHASE
• “Where is my son?” I heard my mom’s voice before I saw her and instantly stopped in my tracks. I retraced my steps and turned back to the directions I came from.
• “Uhmm, he, he...” someone stuttered.
• “I asked for my son, not for you to stand there like a wet duck and waste my precious time. Where the hell is my son?” she did not stop yelling. Her sudden presence that morning told me all I needed to know. She had just turned my day upside down, but I made my way to my studies before she saw me. Then poured myself a drink and gulped it all in before turning to my sit. I instantly turned to my cellphone and began rearranging all I had scheduled for the day.
• Leona Chase, my mother, walked in a few minutes later and closed the door with a lot more energy than what was actually needed. I didn’t bother looking at her and just focused on what I was doing. She stood at the door for a while and waited for me to say something or even look up at the door, but I didn’t and she gave up on trying to get my attention. Left to me, it would be better she got upset and just left.
• “I am not to be disturbed...mom,” I entered the moment she let out an aggravated sigh.
• “Shut up son, I am not here for one of your let me be drama,” she snapped and sat down at the empty seat opposite mine. Having no say in the matter, I remained quiet and continued to interact with my secretary.
• “Jordan....” she called out my name when I did not pay her any attention.
• “Jordan Chase Henry, look at me right now,” she banged her hands on the desk hard. I took a deep breath and turned to her.
• “What is it, mom?” I asked, hoping this would end quickly.
• “You haven’t seen your mother for a long time and the first time you are laying eyes on me, you won’t even ask me about how I have been fairing,” she pouted and crossed her arms over her chest. I stared at her, even less concerned about what she was talking about. I could just leave, but knowing her, she would just come back repeatedly until the house feels like hers instead of mine. Therefore, it was easier to sort out why she actually came than to run from it.
• “Mom, I have more important stuff to take care of. Would you mind going to the point?” She sighed.
• “The properties left by your grandfather would be coveted by the end of next week if you don’t claim it,” she began and I stiffened.
• “What properties?”
• “Jordan,” she called out, clearly in disbelief.
• “What properties?” I asked again.
• “The properties you couldn’t access, the properties that were handed over to you by your grandfather.”
• “Okay.” I simply said and turned back to my phone.
• “You know exactly what these properties are. You know about the will and how important they are. Quit acting dumb.” She snapped, and I turned back to her.
• “Yes, I know about them, so what?”
• “The government will take over these properties in two weeks and....”
• “Let them have it. I need to work,” I interrupted.
• “You will be throwing away all of those things like that?” Those properties were like a treasure island and that was exactly why they were so important yet unattainable.
• “Your grandfather left those to you, you have to get access to it, your company needs this property, you can’t....” I banged my hands against the table before she could finish what she had to say and I regretted the moment I did. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. If I knew that this was what she came to talk about, I would have run away and avoided her all my life if need be.
• “I am not ready to get married.” I rubbed my hands at the side of my head. I could feel the migraine coming.
• “You are 28 years old. How can you not be ready for marriage?” She said in a calmer tone, knowing fully well that raising her voice on me would only irritate me.
• “Jordan, you need to get married to get access to those properties and more.”
• “I don’t want those properties,”
• “Jordan…”
• “You do realise that once you get these properties, you become number one in the chain, and it would take years for your rivals to get to where you are and by then you must have risen globally,” she spoke the only language I understood, business.
• “You have worked day and night and you are still working to be number one all by yourself. Don’t you want to have that anymore, to be known globally?” My jaws clenched, and I closed my hands into a fist. She knew what I wanted, the very reason I became independent of my father, of the Chase wealth, to be a man of my own, far away from the umbrellas of my father and his influence. She knew my goals and aspirations. I knew my goals and aspirations and my grandfather had indeed left behind a shitty will that I would prefer never to look at if not for my mother popping by, but those goals and aspirations were still there and in the face of an opportunity, they stood strong, pulling me from side to side, to make a decision that might forever damn me.
• “Don’t you want this before it becomes too late?” she added and my heart fell. The things I wanted before they became too late were uncountable and I had come to accept that I would never get to live as others. But the very reminder that I was working and living by time was more agonizing than she realized. Yet, I put up a front and simply stared at her. Hiding away the emotions, the fear, the anger, the dread.
• “I can’t spend the rest of my life with just anybody,” I gave in. A silly smile spread across her lips and for a moment there, I regretted my decision. Nevertheless, it was as well be my only opportunity.
• “You don’t have to spend the rest of your life with anybody. I am your mother. I will pick a girl you will like,” she entered excitedly, and I shook my head.
• “You can’t just pick any girl. I will divorce her within two days.”
• “Son…” she frowned.
• “I know you read the will. Whoever you are getting married to will remain married to you for five years or you lose everything. It’s the only way your grandfather made sure you wouldn’t rip him off his assets.”
• “But I can get a girl you can be with for five years. Just trust me.” She smiled mischievously.
• “I want Samantha Brandon,” I entered before more wheels spun in her head and almost immediately, her smile disappeared. A frown settled on my face and the deal or plan I had came crumbling down before my eyes. She had never liked her, but it had been so long, I thought her reaction would be lesser. I was wrong. When she had a grudge, she had a grudge.
• “I can only get married to Samantha Brandon and no one else,” I added, ignoring her looks and feeling about the matter.
• “You can’t be serious.”
• “I am.”
• “Make it work, mom. Get me married.”