ODDS OF LOVE : SEASON ELEVEN

Episode 36

" Father, are you really serious about this whole moving of the company thing ? ," Alexi said as he stood before Nicholas in his father's book and antique filled dark paneled study.

Nicholas looked at his son. He loved the young man but he wished he could be less set in his ways. With every aspect of his life Alexi was always so careful, so routine, so staid. He had no imagination. No creativity. No appreciation for adventure. Not like himself as a younger man or his own father. Even Maxim had an eye for adventure. Which was one reason he was keeping his middle son in London and moving Alexi to America with the new headquarters. He wanted to shake things up a bit. With the company and his sons.

He wanted Alexi to move beyond his rut. The only thing he had ever done out of the ordinary was inviting that reporter to dinner last night. Although Nicholas had not completely accepted Scott Sands being there he liked that Alexi was being freer in at least one aspect of his life. Of course he planned to watch Mr. Sands very carefully from this point on.

He wanted to give Max more freedom to fly and recognize his own business abilities without his brother around to hinder him.

And he wanted to offer Nigel the life that by right should have been his if not for that mother of his.

Jenessa had warned him that he might be barking up the wrong tree with this plan but she was the same way with her own children. She had told him being a doctor was more her plan for DuBuis than his own. That she approved of Sylvia's business interests. That she wished Faith would leave the police department and return to school to study something safer.

" I am very serious. Alexi , stop fighting this. Progress occurs every day whether you accept it or not, son. Consider this progress. The company was getting stagnant. It needed to be shaken up a bit. "

Alexi pursed his lips in disapproval. " Fine but do I have to work along side Roman and..... him ? He has absolutely no business experience and Roman is odd. He has always been. Truthfully I'm wondering if that drunken man was right about him. Maybe Roman is stalking him. It's his ..... usual after all. Remember that man in Sweden he saw on the ski trip? The one you had to pay off to keep his mouth shut? "

Nicholas sighed. " Nigel has not accepted my offer yet. He may. He may not. We shall see. And Roman has promised me that he has changed his ways. He says he doesn't know the Anderson man. And Lyle Anderson has no proof that Roman is stalking him. "

He didn't completely trust his nephew but he was determined to protect the young man who was more of a son to him than a nephew since his parents, Nicholas's sister and brother in law, had perished in a plane crash when he was five. Roman claimed to have changed and the report from his therapist was promising so perhaps it was true. He was another one Nicholas planned to keep an eye on.

Alexi pouted. " Well as long as you don't interfere with my plan to buy Dennis Electronics. Zipp Dennis is being very difficult though. I promised that he could stay on as president. What more could he want? "

Nicholas nodded. " That's a solid plan. I have no intention of interfering with that. Sweeten the pot with a little more money. Everyone has a breaking point. Even Zipp Dennis. "