Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad by Scarlett Rossi
Chapter 139 -

James.

I wasn't really sure what to expect when my uncle told me that he wanted me to come to this family gathering where they were going to have food and drinks and reminisce on certain things before he made his big announcement. But I can tell you right now, the last thing I expected was for there to be a turnout the size that there was.

At least 100 people were present. Even several people my uncle did business with were here.

This wasn't something that typically happened in our world, and in fact, I had never been or heard of an attendance like this. Perhaps it was only a few people that he did business with, yet, my uncle meandered around the room in his designer three-piece suit, looking absolutely spiffy as hell. I couldn't help but wonder what he was up to. The man was a mystery I was still trying to figure out.

"It's going to be a grand announcement. Are you ready, cousin?" Ronaldo said as he stepped up next to me. I wasn't quite sure what he was referring to, but glancing over my right shoulder at him, there was a bright smile across his face as if he had just won the lottery.

"What are you talking about? What grand announcement and ready for what? I have no clue what's going on." Of course, I knew about the event, but I played stupid about an announcement. I wasn't sure what it was, but I couldn't give way that I had seen my uncle behind Ronaldo's back.

At least not right now, not until I knew what he was up to.

Ronaldo gave me a quizzical look before laughing in my face. "To say that he's stepping down and putting me in charge, that he can live out his last days doing whatever the fu*k it is that he wants to do, that's why we're here."

Ronaldo actually thought that the reason why we were here was because his father was stepping down. It was a naive thought to have, considering everything he had supposedly been doing behind his father's back. Which led me to realize how idiotic my cousin really was.

Did he honestly not think his father knew what he was up to?

I only hoped whatever it was that my uncle was doing was not going to end up being problematic because, honestly, I didn't want to deal with Ronaldo if he ended up having a meltdown. I saw what happened when he got upset that I was speaking to his father without him being present.

I didn't have the time, nor the energy to deal with it. And honestly, I didn't have the time actually to be here watching this grand announcement happen. I needed to replace out who it was that was going after Becca, and I needed to do it quickly. The only reason why I agreed to it was that my uncle informed me that there would be people here today who would in turn, help me solve the problems that I had.

"Oh, I didn't realize that he was doing that so soon. Congratulations, cousin."

I kept a positive look on my face as my cousin clapped my back repeatedly with a smile on his. The last thing that I wanted to do was give away the fact that I knew the truth. However, for some reason, I felt like today wasn't going to be about naming the new leader for the family. I had a feeling it was going to be something very different.

When the time finally came, and I watched my uncle walk up on the small balcony with a microphone in his hand, looking down upon everybody who had come in attendance, I hesitated, holding my breath-waiting to hear what he was going to say.

"Thank you, everyone, for joining me today. I'm so pleased that we were all able to come together for this special occasion," he said quite loudly, everybody clapping and smiling as they admired the man who had been their boss for as long as they could remember.

"As you all know, I'm getting up in age, and eventually, it's going to be time for a takeover. One very particular man has shown me that he is beyond measure when it comes to handling business. That even though we all have a small part of our past, that is a little bit shadowed by the evil of this world, we still replace a way to overcome it, and we stand strong-"

As my uncle continued to speak, apparently praising my cousin, who was going to take over the business, part of me wondered what it would have been like if my father had had a family business like this, with a father who actually cared about

me.

I would have done things differently back then. Would I've had people turn to? Hell, I didn't even know that my uncle existed until after my father died. And by then, I was a man.

"I didn't realize my father had such sentimental words to say toward me," Ronaldo said, chuckling in my ear. "I guess I'll have to ensure that he's put into a great facility to be able to live out the last of his days once he turns the company over to me tonight."

My cousin continued with his remarks casually throughout the entire conversation. But the moment that he got ready to talk about the important stuff, he looked directly at me and Ronaldo.

"Now, to get down to the business of things. For years, I have kept a solid foundation, and for years, with that solid foundation, I have created a world that we thrive in. I know everything that happens within this country, with every business, every negotiation. Anybody. Every member of my family knows that. I know every single move they make before they do it."

Upon my uncle's words, I looked at my cousin once more. His face seemed a little more pale than usual, and as he swallowed, taking a sip of his drink, his eyes never left his father. It was my uncle's way of letting my cousin know, very subtly, that he knew exactly what he had been up to.

"That is why I'm pleased to announce that the heir to my company is actually going to be my nephew, James Valentino."

Collective gasps filled the room, and with wide eyes, everyone turned to stare at me. I wasn't entirely sure what was going on, and I could have sworn that I had misheard what he'd said, but by the way, everyone was looking at me, I knew what I'd heard was accurate.

He had just left me everything, and I would be the one to take over for him.

Was this what he was talking about by being able to get help with my entire situation? Whatever it was that he was planning, I felt the pit of guilt in my stomach as I turned to my cousin, who didn't dare turn to look at me. Instead, his shoulders heaved up and down as he took in deep breaths before finally turning his gaze toward me.

"You planned all of this, didn't you?" he gritted out, his brows narrowing and angry. "I actually thought for once that you would do right by me."

"Do right by you? What are you talking about? Do you actually think that I wanted this? I had no idea what your father was doing," I stammered, not wanting him to think that I had any part in trying to take over the position he'd always assumed would be his. That wasn't what I was trying to do at all. All I was trying to do was get by so that, one day, I could get back to Becca. The last thing I wanted was to take over the family business.

"Don't you dare lie to me. After everything I did trying to help you and help your woman and your children, this is how you're going to act? It's disgusting behavior, and you should be ashamed of yourself. My father is a fool to think that you are the future."

His words cut me deep, but I didn't allow him to see that he did. Instead, I stared back at him, my hand gripping the glass from which I had been drinking. How was it that my uncle thought this was a good idea? I knew that me being the heir would give me more resources from people around us to be able to help me with what I wanted. But I didn't want to steal anything from my cousin. That was never my intention.

Before I could say anything else, my cousin turned and stormed off, disappearing through the crowds of people who were quickly coming together around me, including my uncle, who had a smile on his face as he clasped his hand across my back.

I wasn't sure if this was the right thing, but what was I to do? I couldn't turn around and tell my uncle no. He had just publicly announced that I would be the one to take over his business, everything that he owned, once he stepped down or passed away.

I wasn't the legitimate heir, but I was his chosen one. The people around us seemed to be happy with the notion, considering quite a few had met me recently. I could be an unpleasant man when I wanted to be, but the most important thing was that my business ethics were impeccable.

Or so my uncle had told me quite a few times, which is why I honestly believed that he did not pick my cousin. I had no doubt in my mind that my cousin was going to go to war with me over this, but I just needed to make sure he understood that there was a reason why we were doing this and that he didn't have anything to worry about because I didn't want it.

"You're going to do great things for this family in the future, James. And even though you're technically supposed to be dead, we can change that future for you, including bringing your woman and the kids over here."

My uncle's words struck me deep, and as I glanced at him, I saw the twinkling amusement and understanding in his eyes. "How are they going to be able to help me figure things out with the woman that I love when she is currently being hunted?"

"Oh well, that's easy, son. There are many people in this room right now who have ways of getting things done. If someone's following her, we'll quickly replace out."

All I could do was hope that he was right because the last thing that I wanted to do was sit here and shake hands with people when her life was in danger, when my child's life was in danger, and my grandson's life too.

They needed protection more than I needed it at this position. They needed to have a life more than I needed to have my own. Yet, I would do what needed to be done to ensure they could have that. Even if that meant being the heir apparent.