AVATAR is DRAWN BY ELSA. Humbly modified and colored by me. Thanks

-pPpp

CHAPTER 1

Albert had been a good and worthy descendant of the Ardlays. He worked hard and did many good things for the company. Like his ancestors, Albert believed that the Ardlay enterprise should be based on family values. He tried to engage all family members to actively participate in the enterprise. Albert initially worked closely with Archie. But, Archie had been busy with his growing family so he chose not to be too active in the corporation. On the contrary the younger nephew, Neal, who was still single worked actively in the company. Since Archie had been loosening his duties, Neal had been working closely with Albert.

Albert had been working for many years as the head of Ardlay enterprise and started to have enemies too. The most dangerous one was Larry. Larry was the head of the council who took care of the Ardlay enterprise before Albert was announced as Sir William. Larry was very dissatisfied when the enterprise was finally handed over to Sir William just because his name wasn't William Ardlay. Larry believed the enterprise was his considering years of efforts he had spent to manage it. But of course, no matter how much Larry disliked it, Albert was the legal head of the enterprise. Larry had been making many legal lawsuits to the enterprise which Albert and Neal needed to face over and over again. Just recently, Larry just lost yet another legal battle against him. He was very angry and started to make personal threats to Albert. Albert ignored it. He didn't know that Larry had decided to fight him at all cost. Larry decided if he couldn't get the enterprise legally, then he'd illegally take the wealth and ran away with a new identity.

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Albert never gave up his love for his trips. One day, he decided to go on a trip again. When he's away, Albert trusted all the corporation decision making to Neal. As usual, Albert didn't plan on telling anyone about his whereabouts nor leave a contact number for anyone to reach him. Neal had been worried about this. He persuaded Albert to allow at least someone to check on him once in a few days for security purposes considering how important he was. But he refused. Forever having a free spirit, he insisted on going alone without any contact to anyone. He wanted to just disappear and enjoy his privacy.

On that day, carrying a backpack on his back, Albert went to the train station. He left early in the morning when there wasn't too much crowd to avoid being identified. As he walked along the empty street, he felt something hit his head hard. It was so hard until he lost his consciousness.

When Albert woke up, he found himself tied up in a chair. In front of him was Larry.

"Sir William, how do you do?" Larry said with a little smile in his lips. "Finally you're up, I have been waiting for a long time."

"Larry?" said Albert. He had a very big headache, he wondered if he's dreaming.

"Precisely," he said coldly. "And I think you know the reason why I kidnapped you?"

"No," said Albert pretending he didn't know.

"You get another amnesia, don't you Sir William? My person hit your head a bit too hard, didn't they?" he said cynically. "Then let me remind you. I want to be in control of the Ardlay enterprise."

"Larry, your name is not William Ardlay. I'd give it to you happily if you were a William Ardlay."

"Enough," he shouted impatiently. "Let me tell you my plan, I'll get all your money by force from the fool you left in charge of the company and leave you back in charge of a ruin enterprise with zero money. "

"Don't do that," said Albert. "That enterprise was built by using many generations of efforts. We should collaborate for its future instead of destroying it." Albert was trying to make a deal with him.

"Collaboration for the sake of your own pocket and fame while the rest of us left penniless in obscurity." He sneered to him. "Forget it."

Albert made more efforts to persuade him but all hit a dead end. Finally Albert said bluffing, "Neal will block your attempt. Your effort will be ruined and you'll end up in jail. Think about it."

Although Albert said that, deep inside, he's not sure if Neal could do that. Neal was still young and was on his first time experience to be his replacement. Neal had worked with him for sometimes, but not as the head of the whole enterprise. Besides he wondered if Neal was willing to risk his life to save him. That's a big expectation to make and what a task to accomplish.

Larry laughed at him. "Even you don't truly believe what you just said, do you? That Legan boy! With a baby like that in charge, I doubt the enterprise will survive for another year, even without my interference."

Albert started to regret he didn't follow Neal's precaution advice. What Larry said was correct, Neal was smart and cunning but he didn't have enough experience to handle an intricate conglomerate like the Ardlay enterprise. It harbored more than pure business operations but also the various intrigues that entangled within it. He should have waited a couple of more years before executing his plan to take one long serious trip.

Larry laughed, totally believed he'd win and left the room, still laughing.

On one evening...

Candy was on the way home from work in the hospital when a car stopped by and pointed a gun to her forcing her to enter the car. Frightened, Candy complied and entered the car. As soon as the door closed, the car moved.

"Where are you taking me?" asked Candy frightened.

"You'll see soon, don't ask," one man replied.

Candy kept asking but no one responded so at the end she just watched and waited anxiously. After a while, they blindfolded her eyes so she couldn't see her whereabouts. She felt the car stopped, and she stepped outside of the car. They opened the blind-cover. It took her a while to adjust to the light. But she recognized she's in one elegant study room. She saw one man sat in front of her. She recognized him.

"Uncle Larry?" asked Candy, surprised.

"Yes, Candy Ardlay. How do you do?" he asked, still sat in his chair. "Do you know why you are here?"

"No," answered Candy curiously.

"I want you to do something for me," Larry said while sipping a glass of wine. "Do you want some?" he asked coldly offering the wine without looking at her.

"What do you want me to do?" asked Candy ignoring his cold offer. Her heart started to beat hard nervously. This couldn't be good, she sensed that while examining his calm but cold face.

"As you know Sir William is not in the his office. I want you to be closed to his representative, the one who substitutes him while he's away. You need to follow him closely and make sure he will follow my request trough you."

"Why?"

"I am not here to answer your question. You, however, need to follow my order," Larry said ignoring Candy's question.

"Who is his representative? I am not good at attracting people, what if I can't make him befriend me?" asked Candy wondering why Larry asked her to do all this.

"Neal Legan. That fool who once proposed to you. He's totally bewitched by you which I could see during that engagement party and all other family gatherings. You have to be nice to him to make sure he entirely falls under your spell. It won't be hard. I will tell you what I want you to do later."

"What if I refuse?" asked Candy.

"Albert will be dead. He's in my hands."

"I don't believe you," said Candy.

"No? Then listen to his voice." He handed a phone to Candy.

"Hello?" said Candy cautiously anticipation what to hear.

"Candy is that you?" she heard the undisputedly Albert's familiar voice.

"Yes, this is Candy. Albert, how are you doing?" asked Candy starting to panic.

Albert said, "I am fine. Whatever Larry said or make you do, don't listen to him, Candy. Especially don't make Neal follow his order. Larry is a dangerous threat to our family…" at this point Larry put his finger in the phone button to cut the connection. The phone got hung up.

Candy called Albert's name again and again in vain. She was really worried about him. "Albert, ... Albert." But no one answered.

"Do not harm him," Candy said to Larry with eyes flashed with anger. She's worried about Albert more than her own safety.

"His well being entirely depends on you. Now go, and get Neal to fall on his knees. He'll have a birthday day party soon. You can use that as an opportunity to start contacting him again. Don't try to mess around with me. Don't tell the police, don't tell Neal, or Sir William will be dead," threatened Larry.

They took Candy back to the car, blindfolded her and put her back where they took her. Candy felt like having a nightmare. She tried to wake up from it. Unfortunately, she couldn't because it was real. She was trying to think how to make out of it. She decided to start by going to Neal's birthday party. She really had been trying to avoid him and really didn't feel like interacting with him. But it seemed there's no option.

Oh well, as long as Albert would be fine, Candy thought to herself.

That would be her first visit to Neal's birthday party ever. That would be her fist time to talk to him in years too. They met occasionally in family gatherings, but she always tried to avoid him.