Love for Belle

Chapter 1

             

      Blake Black was exhausted, he had just spent the last 10 hours having meetings after meetings, with clients and directors. It was now 18 PM. His secretary and his staff are long gone, but he just finished a video conference with a new investor in France and he was back in his office.

Loosening his tie, throwing his jacket and file onto his desk, he reached for a glass and the bottle a scotch, he kept in the bottom drawer of this desk for the hard days. Blake poured himself a drink before approaching his office windows, looking out on Seattle. Slowly as the amber liquid began to course through his system, Blake started to relax. Leaning back on his desk, he let his thoughts take him back to a night a few months ago, to a certain redhead with mischief in her eyes.

"What are you dreaming about, brat?" said a familiar voice. 

Blake sighed in resignation and looked behind him.

"What are you doing here, Gramps?"

His grandfather, Theodore Black, founder of Blackbird Inc. entered his office and seated himself in one of the large armchairs and waited for him, silently bossing him into sitting with him.

Obeying the silent command, Blake left his desk and moved to the armchair in front of his grandfather.

"What can i do for you, Gramps?"

Theodore stayed silent, observing his eldest grandson, for a moment.

"You are quite handsome", Theodore said nodding his head.

"What?" asked Blake confused.

Yes, his grandson was tall and dark, he inherited his mother's grey eyes, a chiseled jaw, wide shoulders and he exercised every day, keeping himself fit.

"What are tou talking about?" 

"Nothing. So how do you like your new job?"

Blake frowned at him suspiciously.

"You know I love it. I have been waiting for this day, since I was 7 years old and Dad put me on his office chair and you declare that everything would be mine someday".

Theodore nodded "Yes,yes", looking out the window thinking again.

Blake had no idea what his grandfather was up to but he had a bad feeling about it.

"Would you like to keep the job?" Theodore asked.

Blake looked at him astonished.

" If I would like ... Are you joking? What do you mean?"

Blake was furious at his grandfather's question, his father retired and handed over the reins to him months ago and Blake believed that he had done a stellar job up until now. But now, he felt like all the things, he had worked so hard for, was going to be taken away.

"It's an yes or no question, brat."

Blake gritted his teeth.

"Yes"

"Good, then all, you have to do is get married."

Blake stared at Theodore, speechless.

"What?"

"You are now 33 years old and you never brought a girl home, your mother and grandmother fear that you will be alone all your life."

"What? That's ridiculous!"

"Ah, Ah, Ah, the time for excuses are over. I agree with them. At your age, I already had your father and when Nathan was your age, your mother was already pregnant with your brother. Now, I believe its high for you to settle down and start a family.

Blake started to protest.

"You have two choices, either you marry someone you choose or you marry someone we choose and you keep the job, as simple as that."

"You can't do that."

"I can and I will, this is still my company, remember . So, what will it be? You must at least have someone you like, don't you?"

"I..."

Red hair and chocolate eyes, flashed through his eyes.

"I need time." said Blake in a defeated tone.

"You have until the end of the month."

"That's in two weeks!"

"Tough luck"  Theodore said as he stood up and left Blake's office.

Blake stared at door, Theodore left through.

"Sh*t"

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