Pride and Promises ✔

Chapter 28

"Be reasonable, Nick. How can you just move away? And for how long?" Daniel Stone shook his head at his friend. He was trying hard to convince Nick to change his mind but the determined expression on his friend's face told him that he'd made his decision.

Nicholas White rubbed his eyes tiredly as he took a gulp of brandy. The two friends were sitting in the study of Whites' residence, nursing their drinks as they talked about their impending future.

"You know my brother, Dan. He's not going to let me be in peace. He got everything that had been mine and I had no problem with that. But I can't let him take away my family from me. Lily, Eve and Eva are my responsibility. He can take my rights, but I won't let him take my responsibility away from me. He's taken my home, but my family will remain untouched."

Daniel sighed in reply. As much as he hated to admit it, Nick had a point here. Nicholas had been disowned by his family for marrying Lily when he was already engaged to a daughter of their business partner against his will. So his younger brother, who was the only other child got all the inheritance solely.

Nicholas had worked hard day and night and had built his own empire in the business world because he was hellbent on keeping his wife and children away from all the hardships. He would have taken over his father's place in their family business if he had gone with the engagement. So even penniless, he had his knowledge and expertise to lead him to success.

His brother Dylan, on the other hand, was a different story. He had brought their family business to ashes and managed to get himself bankrupt. Now he had his eyes on his brother's hardwork and had resorted to threatening his own brother for money.

"You could just keep him behind the bars, Nick. Why are you even agreeing to his whims?" Daniel questioned him with irritation.

He didn't want them to go. He had found a good friend in Nick and their family was like his own. Another reason was, he knew his son would be devastated if they moved away. Their children spent every waking hour together and he was afraid the separation could hurt his boy deeply.

"I've tried, Dan. But he is good at hiding his traces. Don't worry, though. Just a little while now. I'm almost done collecting his evidences. Just give me a few years and everything will be alright. I'll be back here soon and that time, it would be permanent." Nick said with conviction. He was not letting his brother get away easily. Just a few years more, he told to himself.

Sensing that the conversation was going too depressing for his liking, Daniel decided to change the topic, but only managed to bring another equally depressing one, if not more.

"Have you told Eve about your decision?" He asked, although he knew the answer. Just as he guessed, his friend shook his head slowly and sighed.

"I'm not crazy, Dan. I know that she'll never agree to move. She never objected it before, but I could still see sadness in her eyes when we had to move every time, although she didn't have much friends. But this is the longest we've stayed in the same place so I know she's not going to like it. Not to mention, she's too attached with your boy. She'll be crushed this time. God! She's going to hate me forever."