Chapter Seventeen
Carol packed as Max told her to do. She was ready in forty minutes. Max too was ready. They had chicken sandwiches for lunch. After closing the doors and windows securely they left for the helipad.
They reached Montgomery after six long hours. Carol had fallen asleep on the flight. When she woke up, they were about to land at a heliport in Montgomery. There was a car waiting to take them to her parents house.
As they sped through the city, nostalgia hit Carol. She showed Max the familiar sights of her childhood city where she grew up. She showed him her school as they passed by it. She showed him her favourite shopping mall, her favourite restaurant, her favourite movie hall where she used to come with her parents.
They reached her parents' home in fifteen minutes. The house hadn't changed one bit from what she remembered. The hedges were a bit overgrown since she last saw. Her mom always was a perfectionist. For her everything needed to be in perfect order, even the hedges.
"Nothing's changed here," she said and Max held her hand tightly as they walked up the porch and rang the doorbell. Carol repented listening to Stanley and moving away to Huntsville. Her life would have been so much different if she stayed back.
"Who's there?" Said her aunt's voice as she opened the door wide. She looked at Max and stared blankly at him. Then her gaze fell upon Carol. Recognition flashed in her eyes and a sob broke out of her mouth.
"My dear girl, you've come home at last," she said, coming forward and clasping her to her bosom.
"Aunt Cecilia, I've missed you so much," she said.
When they gained a little control over their emotional outburst, Carol introduced Max. "Aunt Cecilia, this is my husband Maxwell Stephens, " she said. "Max meet my aunt Cecilia. "
Aunt Cecilia hugged Max too. "Welcome home, son," she gushed."Please come inside. I hope you two will stay with me for some days," she asked, hesitantly.
"Yes aunt Cecilia. See, we've brought our luggage too," said Carol with a dazzling smile.
They took their luggage inside. "You both can occupy my bedroom tonight. Tomorrow I'll have your old bedroom cleaned. Ok?" Asked aunt Cecilia.
"Yeah, don't worry aunty. Tomorrow we'll clean it ourselves," said Max.
Aunt Cecilia smiled."I'll ask the boys to help you," said aunt Cecilia. They both agreed
"Where are they?" Asked Carol, looking around.
"Brent's gone to work. He's a CPA working for a small company nearby. Trenton's gone for an interview, but not returned yet. I don't get it why did they schedule an interview on a Sunday? Kenneth has gone out to the library for research on his project work," said aunt Cecilia.
"They're your cousins?" Asked Max and Carol nodded.
"Let's go to your office Carol. We'll come back and meet them," said Max.
"Aunt Cecilia, we need to visit dad's office, immediately. We'll come back and catch up with all," said Carol.
"Is everything ok?" Asked aunt Cecilia worriedly.
"Yes, don't worry. We'll come back and talk," said Carol.
They left the house and went to her dad's office. It was a twenty minutes drive away. The sun was setting and they had to hurry before the office closed down. They reached the ten storeyed building and went straight up to the eighth floor where her dad's office was located. They were an engineering company which produced commercial water filters, drainage systems and equipment.
Max showed Carol's ID proof as well as her dad's ID Proof and partnership papers to gain entry to the office. They sat in her dad's office room waiting for the finance team to report to them.
The finance head rushed in with his laptop. A few other men also came carrying some files. Max had called a lawyer whom he knew. He arrived in ten minutes while they were going through the files.
The finance head, Gerard Morgan's mobile phone rang and he took the call,"Yes sir, they are already here," he spoke into the phone urgently. He disconnected after whispering a few things into the phone.
"Stanley sir's on his way here. Can we wait till he arrived, please? We could see the accounts in his presence," said Gerard, nervously.
"Let us do our work. When he comes we will talk," said Max, looking at the figures on Gerard's laptop while Carol sat beside him, looking at his screen. His lawyer, Tony Banks too looked at the figures with them. They discussed the loopholes in the accounts sheets.
They checked the profits the company made as well as the expenses of the company. The door flew open and an agitated Stanley entered the room, trembling with anger. "You were supposed to arrive here tomorrow. How did you come so soon?" He demanded angrily.
"Why? It's my dad's company. I can come here anytime I want. I will be turning 21 next month. As per my dad's will I will be inheriting his share next month, " said Carol.
Stanley looked at her with hatred. "What's the need for you to work? Your husband is loaded. Isn't he?" He sneered.
"That's out of the question Stanley. What's rightfully mine stays mine. If you want it so badly, pay me my share, as well as the profit the company's been making for the last five years. You can deduct my educational and other allowances that you bore till now. Pay me and I won't bother you anymore, " said Carol.
"Yes, my lawyer and I would like to see the expenses that you had to spend upon Carol," said Max.
Stanley opened his laptop and grudgingly showed Max everything, her educational charges, her monthly allowances, her necessities, food, etc. He had been cornered and knew there was no way out than do as asked.
After studying everything, Max said, "Look Mr Goldsmith, from what we've seen so far, the profits are five times the amount you spent upon Carol. You have to pay into her account the balance payment else I will take legal action against you. We are here for five days. You have 3 days to make the payment," said Max and Stanley's face fell.
"Also, I want my cousins to work here on my behalf, since I would be living in Vegas. They would be representing me and should be respected as equals, " said Carol. She wanted Brent and Trent to work here instead of some small firm somewhere. Kenneth could also join when he passed out of college. She didn't have any interest in this engineering company and wouldn't come and settle here ever.
Stanley shrugged his shoulders in defeat,"Fine, " he said in a poker face.
They left the company and returned to her house. Aunt Cecilia was waiting for dinner. "How did everything go at the company dear?" Asked aunt Cecilia.
"Fine aunty," said Max.
A tall, well-built man with dark brown hair like Carol came into the room. He grinned at Carol as she ran and jumped into his arms," Hey Car, you've grown up," he said.
"You've got hitched or what?" He asked eyeing Max who frowned at them. He was jealous of the guy who was hugging his wife. Was he an ex-boyfriend? He glared at them as his blood boiled.
