The Devils Of New York

Chapter Thirty Five

Spending the morning on Yana's yacht had been calm, and relaxed which for the past few days was a rarity and yet I couldn't care less. I had been letting myself only ever have small moments of relaxation now I was back on shore and driving towards Derbyshire to see the Winters Estate which was being renovated for some reason that my parents hadn't mentioned until I was alerted to an article about the renovation of Winters Manor.

As I got to the pristine and likely replaced wall around the estate with it's steel gates, and various security camera's and lights I pulled through the gate that had been opened then deactivated so that it wouldn't close. 

Black suited PPO's wandered the property through the forested area that was being changed to have paths and a more natural feel to the entire property, the lake had been drained into twenty large petroleum tanks so that a heated concrete inverted done could take it's place and be covered in rocks, and sand to seem natural though that looked to be half complete. The actual driveway that was once very crushed pebbles was now pavers with marble lining the entire driveway. Looking up to the hill where the manor was built I saw that it had girders built around it to change out the outside and I wouldn't be too surprised if the inside was being changed too.

For one hundred thirty-five years the manor remained unchanged, unaltered, and uninterfered with. It was our beginning the marker to the new generation of Winters, it had been the home to every generation since to some capacity, and now it was being tweaked slightly. I knew it wouldn't look any different at least except for maybe colour palette and what electronics were put into the home but it would certainly fit exactly what the world expected from the Winters Family.

Not like it hadn't been that way since it was first built.

The home by equivalent cost an eighth of a billion dollars by modern standards and now it would be refurbished and likely cost twice that. Mostly what I wanted to know was what purpose it would hold to my father who already owned a vast portfolio of assets and of course because of the Winters Family Trust he was the owner of the massive twenty-one thousand square meter structure. Not like there wasn't two hundred fifty rooms in the palatial manor.

Driving up to the motor court that now hosted a three level marble fountain while statues of rearing elephants made up small ridges around the lip of the fountain along with more that were to be used on the actual building itself instead of the gargoyles that had taken perch in many places.

There was all the tones that my parents like to and the whole place the longer I looked at it made me wonder if this was how Lawrence Winters had felt when he had the original built it took ten years to construct but still it was put here where all future Winters could look over the surrounding area.

Finding a place to park that was out of the way which said something when the motor court was designed to comfortably part nearly fifty vehicles, I got out and spotted the figure of my father on the steps of the building talking to a man all while my mom was reviewing colours and tones in a tarped gazebo that would protect from the elements.

"Mr. Winters they only make so many of those statues in a month" an engineer was saying to my father who was the last person anyone every told no to when it came to something he wanted.

"Then tell them to send the designs here, I will pay for the most skilled artisans in Europe to come and make the required amount but this needs to be done by June, that's the deadline, and that is more then what was quoted by your construction lead" my dad says hovering well over half a foot above the poor man who likely had to tell him that, and if not was stupid enough to think he'd get any other response.

"Dad, what in the hell is going on here?" I ask drawing attention away from the engineer to me which did the trick and my dad walked down the steps towards me which was when I noticed that the jacket he was wearing had a bunch of white stitching on it.

He's getting a bespoke suit fitting while assessing the renovation of his family dynasty's home. Of course.

"Renewing the home, it's over a century old, and as much as I like it, a home that is this old is going to have problems so I'm having a do over and your mom was kind enough to help put it all together, it's beautiful don't you think?" he says giving the structure a look of stoic pleasure.

"It's grand, what are you even planning this for?".

"I want to have a picture done of all of us, the whole Winters Family in the lobby of this home to hang in the living room as a way of saying we're the new generation of Winters. I want to immortalize it to see my family happy and at ease for the first time in decades" he says.

"That might have to be put on hold" I interject and my dad gives me a look one of intrigue, caution, and the same cold look that we shared. He knew what I was talking about and I wouldn't be surprised if just from my expression he had deduced what had happened.

"Someone broke into Winters Group and stole digital information about how much I make and since it was showing up by minute it could be calculated to what I make a year thus exposing what WGI could be worth" I explain calmly and my dad nods.

"Do you want my opinion?" my dad asks guiding me towards the garden which was already redone which told me that he had worked on the landscaping first before getting to the house.

"Sure".

"Let it become a legal dispute, let them think they have you in a corner then when they release that you have ex number figure, use your connections and have them tracked down prior. I learned young that if no one knows anything about you then they have nothing to use against you. You also have very few enemies which I am proud of you for. However you will always have people who want to hurt you, or get to your family" my dad says giving me a soft smile.

"Guess that's the reality of being more successful then people around me monetarily. Decades we've given to help others, and a select few have to make it so that security, and guns are everywhere around us" I scoff.

"I used to say that envy is the greediest form of jealousy. It is also unfortunately the most level minded form of a negative desire" he sighs, something I never found surprising was that at fifty-one my father only had a few stands of silvery hair, and looked more striking the older he got. He was always intimidating even when he was younger I could tell in the pictures that he had the same imposing aura.

At least I know I get to keep my hair with age.

"And if I don't find out who is behind this?" I ask looking over at my dad who flexed the muscles in his jaw in thought.

"People when they are envious will do anything to achieve whatever it is, and because someone stole financial information, which could expose Winters Group what do you think this person is trying to do, also consider timing, and past events. Don't answer now either, think about it. When you get back to your home pour a scotch, and just sit by your fireplace and think about all the details. It'll come to you eventually".

Stopping in a gazebo that had been built in the middle of an artificial rectangular pond and looked around the area where I could see the  surrounding forest and the fields around the estate.

"Dad why is it that new money wants to be seen and people like us want to be unseen and unacknowledged?" I ask since it had always been a key thing that I grew up with and found weird that people wanted to always be in the spotlight.

"Because most people grow up wanting to be known for something so they let everything be seen. To us privacy and secrecy are our greatest tools. If people only know our names, or even just occasionally see our faces most people will never see us. We're just another name instead of someone who people will be constantly following the life of" he replies crossing his arms and leaning on the railing beside me.

"Just know that no matter what happens I will be here for you, Nathanial. I didn't get a great father experience so I hope I've done enough" he adds and I give my dad a smile.

"I hope one day I'm the father you were" I say and I see a soft expression rise onto his face.

"I'm sure you will be when the time comes".

We then went back to silence and looked out at the world from high up on the hill of the Winters Estate.
     
    
Done yay, I'm actually really happy that I got this done early, so hopefully I get a fair amount done for tomorrow's update, comment, vote, and share, also I thought I'd remind all of you who read how grateful I am for all of you. Anyways.

Peace✌️