Diana

4. New Status

Lisa's spoon fell from her hand and Dan who wasn't really keen on the introduction before dropped his newspaper immediately.
"D.. Diana Krimson?"  Lisa's voice quivered.
Cole nodded while adding honey on the toast, missing his mother's grave expression although Diana did not.
"How did you know about her?" Lisa asked and that.. finally got Cole's attention.

"Well.. Dad's final wish for me was to look for her... said she's a family friend or something"
"Well, that's good then, she was the reason i called you to come home" Lisa managed to smile.
"Mum, you know her too?"
"Well if you had stayed behind for the will reading before setting off you would have known her too but apparently you already brought her, so i guess i won't have to waste my money to look for her then" Dan said coldly, glaring at Diana.
"What has she got to do with father's will?" Cole looked confused and turned to see Diana... with her head down, suddenly gaining great interest in the food on her plate and the cutlery in her hand.
"Everything! This bitch is getting almost all of Tony's property!" Dan shouted pointing at Diana.
"That's enough Daniel!" Lisa  hit her fist on the table and he went quiet.
"What is he talking about?" Cole asked cooly.
"Since everyone is through with breakfast, let's have a meeting in the study.. now" Lisa said and turned to leave.
"And you too, Diana" she said over her shoulder.

.......
The study had a very exquisite design, a tall bookshelf filled with books at a side, an office chair in front of a working desk in the window end of the room and opposite them were two 'three seater' sofas and a conference video call screen at the other side. Unlike the rest of the house floors which were tiled, the study floors were made of  brown polished wood.
"Diana, please have a seat" Lisa said bringing back her attention which had been carried away checking out the room.
Bringing out an envelope Lisa gave it to Cole, who remove the files in it and read.
Lifting up his face with a thunderous expression Cole turned to his mom,
"What sort of crap is this?"

"Same thing I thought when i first heard it" Dan said.

"Why would dad give the head of the company's position to a nineteen year old girl who is just in her second year of college"

"The girl you are describing
is right here"

"Shut up"

"Excuse me?"

"You're excused"

"That is no way to talk to a lady, son!" Lisa scolded.
Breathing heavily, Cole sat back into the sofa.
"Dear.." Lisa started

"You can call me Dee"

"Alright Dee, the news of your new position as CEO of Scarlet group will be broadcasted on monday morning a week from now, then there will be a press conference"

"wow wow! wait a minute, i never said anything about accepting it, what of my school and everything.. My life is in California not here"

"Tony sent me a timed email, he said that after going to the villa you'll understand that the position was yours from the beginning" Lisa said softly.

"You are not concerned or angry that a riff-raff just came and stole your son's supposed position"

"I am" Dan grumbled while Cole looked on, his face like that of an overripe tomato with a timed bomb in it.

Lisa turned and threw Dan a dirty look, "Tony has always being a man with a conscience, very honest and pure, so if he says that the position is yours then certainly it is.. Anyway I have my own properties that worked hard for. Don't you worry about a thing, i'm here, so is Cole and Dan... we'll all help you"

"Yes, to fail and get out" Cole said.

Lisa sighed, "Cole.. Shut up, i thought you have a meeting anyway, what are you still doing here!"

.......
In the evening when Cole came back, he ignored both his mom and guest and slammed his room door.
"Stop acting like a spoilt brat, Mr! and come down for your dinner now" Lisa yelled at the end of the stairs.

"I'm not hungry!" Cole yelled back.

"Okay then, fasting it is" Lisa said shrugging as she placed a dish in the table.

"Dee, Dan, let's eat" she said as she sat down and blessed the food.
Apart from death glares that silently wished for Diana's painful and maybe gruesome death from Dan, dinner went relatively smooth.
"Ma'am", a maid rushed as the three were already dispersing from the table.
"What is it, Chloe?"
"The news, the company" Surprised the three quickly moved to the living room and Chloe switched on the TV.

"For our news of the day, information from reliable sources has it that against the speculations of the general public on who the new president of  Scarlet Group is, the late president, Mr Antonio Philips has decided to give his position to his illegitimate daughter, a nineteen year old Diana Krimson, who is just a second year student of business administration in the University of California, Davis. And the concerns of the shareholders and employees of this renowned group is how this 'teenager' with no experience or achievement except success in academics, can lead them forward to greater heights.
What is your view on this  Richard?" the reporter said.
"I have always known Philips to make wise decisions, so it baffles me that he made such a grievous decision right at the end of his life, i mean an illegitimate child for Christ sakes!"
"I quite disagree with Richard, the Philips always had a clean record, he has won Most honest and trustworthy entrepreneur so many times, so we should get solid facts before coming to conclusions about this illegitimate child.."

The screen went blank as Lisa pressed the off button, a very ugly scowl on the pretty woman's face, her dark eyes looking darker as she turned making her brown straight hair almost slap Diana who was behind her.
"Dan, did you do this?"

"Do what?"

"There are only four of us who knows about Dee and that is me, you, Cole and Liam, so did you tell the press?"

"Of course not, I was home through out today... Besides, incase you've forgotten, there are maids here too who knows about her" he said 'her' as if he was saying trash. 
Both Diana and Lisa looked up the stairs the same suspicion in their mind, Cole.
Lisa shrugged and said loudly for Cole to hear,

"Since whoever it was that did it was stupid enough not to wait, we'll shift the announcement and press conference to this coming Monday. Be ready girl, I'm sorry it was this soon but it's time to face the world and fight your battles. Welcome to the real world, Diana Krimson"