I gulped nervously as I tried to sit up straighter on the sofa. The boss narrowed his eyes suspiciously at us and I was certain that our little piece of good news was going to come as an unexpected yet pleasant surprise to him.
"Malissa and I have decided that we’re going to get married," Hayden stated bluntly but very clearly.
The boss eyes opened wide as he stared at Hayden for a moment before his eyes shifted to stare at me questioningly. Because I could sense that he was seeking for my confirmation to Hayden’s words, I nodded my head firmly once.
"Wow. Such good news on such a bloody shitty day," the boss said with a few nods of his head.
I had no idea what he had been through for the day, but I was glad that our news brought him some joy.
"Champagne!" the boss shouted as his finger reached out press a button.
Whoever had the misfortune to be on the other end of the line may need to consult a doctor after hearing that loud roar. The boss shouted so loudly that I thought the walls would crumble around us.
"Amazing! Wonderful news!" the boss continued yelling before he started laughing cheerfully while he clapped his hand to a tune that only he could hear.
I knew that he would be happy, but I didn’t expect for him to showcase it so clearly like this. After a short while, there was a knock at the door and after the boss shouted for whoever it was to come in, a tall thin man walked in with the champagne that the boss had ordered.
The thin man swiftly and professionally started pouring us each a glass of champagne before he bowed and took his leave as silently as he had come in.
Hayden smiled an angelic smile at his father before he started stating his conditions.
"Two very simple conditions. First, marrying Malissa does not mean that I will immediately take over as the next head of Torex. I will decide to take over within a year or earlier if I feel ready. Until the one-year mark after our wedding, you will remain the head of Torex. Two, I don’t want you or anyone pressuring Malissa to have a baby.
We will not have a baby until after I take over as Head of Torex," Hayden stated his conditions calmly while I stared at the boss to try to gauge his reactions.
The boss seemed outright disappointed with the conditions, and I could tell why. If I understood Hayden correctly, he was still trying to buy himself and his brother more time. The two conditions were set such that he didn’t have to commit to being the next Torex boss, not until the year came to an end anyways.
By asking the boss to continue working as the head of Torex for another year, he was giving Harvey more time to make his decision.
Within that year, Harvey could still return to take over the group if he wished because Hayden hasn’t taken over yet. The same goes with the second condition regarding the baby. If we got married and we didn’t have a child yet, then it was fine for Harvey to take over the gang when he decides to do so.
From all of that, I was certain that despite everything, Hayden still didn’t intend to take over the gang unless his brother really didn’t wish to return.
"Why do I have to live with so many delays?" the boss snapped.
"It’s just one year, dad. I’m marrying Malissa as you wanted so waiting another year isn’t going to kill you or anybody, right?" Hayden argued his case.
The boss seemed to consider it for a moment before his face dropped and he let out a resigned long sigh.
--To be continued...