MY CUP OF TEA

Chapter 1

"This is insane! I will not tolerate this medieval bullshit. I will not be tied to a woman I barely know and have her claws on the company that I work so hard for!" Jaith is now fuming.

"I deserve an explanation to all this craziness", he continued.

"Be comfortable then, because this story may take a while", his grandmother said.

"No, go ahead my Acci, I'm all ears" he answered.

"Okay then, it all began in China", his grandmother started.

"What?! What has China got to do with all of this? Our family has never ventured to China!", he protested.

"Ah, Jaith, always so impulsive. Are you ready to listen or do you want to form your own opinion?" his grandmother asked.

"Alright. I'll listen and I'm sorry. All of this just doesn't make sense", he added.

"Okay then, let me continue", his grandmother said. "In 1966, China is already a great country even after the war. The government formed reformation projects to improve the country's economic situation, but all this didn't prevent deaths for most Chinese. Many people were dying because of crime and starvation and because of this, a lot of them wanted to go away".

"It was during that time when a Chinese woman named Ying and her family left China and migrated to Sri Lanka in the 1970s to try their luck in small businesses", his grandmother continued.

"At that same time in Sri Lanka, our family has always lived like aristocrats; having ancestors who started the tea industry and having British blood to our lineage. Even before, I have always been very free-spirited, and even as a married woman, I hated the constant bodyguards that followed me around. One day, I escaped from them and walked the streets alone for the first time. But the happy and exciting feeling I felt for my newfound freedom slowly turned into fear as men, women, and children started following me around. It was a very scary experience - I've never seen the look of poverty before and with my clothes and jewelry, I stood out from the hungry-looking crowd. As people started catcalling, I became frightened and I ran. I was near a street corner when a guy already grabbed me and at that moment, I knew I would be mauled and robbed".

"But two figures suddenly appeared and called a stop to it. A bloody fight followed and I was in awe of my protectors fighting skills. The figures turned out to be the Chinese woman named Ying and her mother, and from that day we formed a friendship, which of course extended to your mother and Ying's daughters, Fei and Nian".

"So, all this shit was because you were grateful?" Jaith nearly shouted.

"Of course not. Let me finish the story", his grandmother answered.

"Okay, but just be quick about it, will you please grandmother?" he pleaded.

"Ying and I were an odd pair to look at, but we had fun and just like us, your mother and Ying's two daughters became close friends. They were inseparable and even when they got married and had families of their own. That was always the case, until that fateful day in August of 2006. You and Daniya were 19 years old then and were away at university with your own sets of bodyguards, but what happened that day changed all of our lives forever."

"We were eating and chatting happily in Ying's family-owned Chinese restaurant when a roadside bomb blew up. Later we learned, it was a political attempt to kill an ambassador. Amidst the chaos, our people found Ying and me under the debris. In the nearby table, we found your mother, Nian, and Fei. Sadly, Nian didn't make it. We found her covered with blood as her body was thrown across your mom, shielding her from the blast. She didn't have to do that you know, but she did. That day, she saved your mother's life as well as my sanity".

"There was nothing to be done. Ying and her family were so grief-stricken, they packed their belongings and left for another country in the Pacific. They said, they have to move and start anew or they will never be able to get over the pain of losing one of their daughters".

"Before they left, your grandfather gave them a share of our company. Now, before you start complaining, you have to understand that the company was not yet this lucrative business it is now. But, we were well off even before and can afford it. Besides, your grandfather and I, felt it was a small price to pay for saving the life of our only child- your mother. We made a written agreement binding our families and made it legal, awarding 35% of the company's shares each to both you and Ying's eldest granddaughter Lee."

"So, we parted ways and lost track of each other. With your business sense, our tea business grew into a big corporation. Over time, the profits doubled and gave jobs to more people and this gave way to the family electing the board of directors to ensure that business-wise, we make effective business decisions at all times."

"It was only now that the board of directors started questioning the legalities of our ownership. Over the years, we believe in being the sole major shareholders, and you being the CEO for our company. Now, the board of directors wants to meet the other major shareholder. Our people found her, she's Lee Diaz from the Philippines. She holds that other 35% share in our business. You have to go to her as I'm afraid that soon, other people will take advantage of her and break this company apart."

"To get the 35% share back, you really have to honor the other agreement on the contract and marry her", his grandmother declared.

"But what about me? You know I have always been independent, and I have a girlfriend who's been with me for a long time now. What about how I feel?" Jaith demanded.

"You and your sister Daniya will always be my priority. If you feel that this is too much, then let us sit down with the board of directors and decide on how we can split the company. It's too big anyway, even with the shares broken down, we know even our future generations will never starve", his grandmother stated.

"But I worked so hard for it with literally my own sweat and blood, I just can't hand it over Acci", Jaith reasoned.

"Then find a way to make room for this girl in your life", his grandmother concluded.