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CHAPTER 14 Threats
"They're gone, Grandfather."
"Take a seat, Foxworth."
Fox sat as his grandfather had requested. Julian was standing behind his desk looking like someone had just pushed him in the stomach.
"Father, will you be alright?"
Julian gave Fox an empty look.
"Maybe you should sit down."
He looked around him and saw the empty bottles of liquor.
"How many of these did you drink?"
Julian sat down and put his head on his hand. Fox had never seen him like that and he felt scared.
"Grandfather, maybe we should do this some other time. Father looks like he's about to die."
"Well, let that idiot die."
Fox stared at the phone in total surprise.
"Julian, let's do this."
"Go ahead, Father I'm listening."
"Very well then. Foxworth, since Ethan is no longer a Crane, you are the new heir to the crown."
"I don't want it."
Julian looked at his son with disbelief.
"What's the matter with you. You always complained that all you were getting were crumbs and now you are refusing what we are giving you?"
"I don't want it Father."
"You will take it."
"No, I don't want it."
"Stop saying that Foxworth. You will do as we say."
"No, I'm not Ethan."
"We are well aware that you are not Ethan, unfortunately."
"If you are so sad about that why don't you keep him."
"Because Sam Bennett's bastard will never be the heir of my empire."
"Grandfather, I'm just not interested."
Julian was giving Fox puzzled stares.
"Is this because of Teresa?"
"No, Father. This has nothing to do with her. I just don't want to work for Crane industries, I don't want to be part of any of this."
"You leave me no choice, Foxworth."
"I really don't care if you disown me. I really don't care if you black list me."
"I already know all that, my boy. But would you care if I put the lovely and beautiful Teresa six feet under."
Fox was looking at the phone, stunned by what his grandfather had just said.
"You can't be serious."
"Oh, but I am."
"Father, say something."
Julian kept his mouth closed as watched his son with mixed emotions. On the one hand, he felt sorry for him been thrown in this just like that, on the other hand, they had to salvage the Crane family and name.
"I don't believe you'll hurt her."
"Really, I can put a bomb under her car. The silver car, you know the Ford."
Fox gasped.
"Or I can have her shot. Or beaten beyond recognition. I can hire someone who enjoys torturing his victims before he offs them. When I say torture, I think you know exactly what I'm thinking about. You know the worst thing that can happen to a woman. And the list of the things that can be done to her is endless."
"I will never let you hurt her. You'll have to kill me first."
"That I cannot do. It there was another male heir, sure I wouldn't have a problem doing it. But we know that it's not the case."
Fox got up and started pacing, trying to come up with something. He turned to his father.
"I have never asked you anything in my life, but please do something."
"I'm sorry, but my hands are tied. It's up to you."
"Up to me?"
"Yes, Foxworth. Come back in the fold. If you don't, she will pay. I know she the only thing you care about and I will take her away from you if you don't cooperate."
"If I do accept your offer, you promise that you won't hurt her."
"You have my word."
"Fine, I accept. But you'll rot in hell for this Grandfather."
He turned to his father.
"As for you Father, I'm ashamed that you are my father. You are nothing but a coward and I never hated you this much in my life."
"Enough with the chit chat Foxworth. You are leaving for Great Britain this afternoon. You will be heading the London offices. I've hired the best lawyers to support you."
Fox didn't answer. He left the library and wondered what to tell Teresa.
"I am so sorry for what I'm about to do to you Teresa."
CHAPTER 14 Threats
"They're gone, Grandfather."
"Take a seat, Foxworth."
Fox sat as his grandfather had requested. Julian was standing behind his desk looking like someone had just pushed him in the stomach.
"Father, will you be alright?"
Julian gave Fox an empty look.
"Maybe you should sit down."
He looked around him and saw the empty bottles of liquor.
"How many of these did you drink?"
Julian sat down and put his head on his hand. Fox had never seen him like that and he felt scared.
"Grandfather, maybe we should do this some other time. Father looks like he's about to die."
"Well, let that idiot die."
Fox stared at the phone in total surprise.
"Julian, let's do this."
"Go ahead, Father I'm listening."
"Very well then. Foxworth, since Ethan is no longer a Crane, you are the new heir to the crown."
"I don't want it."
Julian looked at his son with disbelief.
"What's the matter with you. You always complained that all you were getting were crumbs and now you are refusing what we are giving you?"
"I don't want it Father."
"You will take it."
"No, I don't want it."
"Stop saying that Foxworth. You will do as we say."
"No, I'm not Ethan."
"We are well aware that you are not Ethan, unfortunately."
"If you are so sad about that why don't you keep him."
"Because Sam Bennett's bastard will never be the heir of my empire."
"Grandfather, I'm just not interested."
Julian was giving Fox puzzled stares.
"Is this because of Teresa?"
"No, Father. This has nothing to do with her. I just don't want to work for Crane industries, I don't want to be part of any of this."
"You leave me no choice, Foxworth."
"I really don't care if you disown me. I really don't care if you black list me."
"I already know all that, my boy. But would you care if I put the lovely and beautiful Teresa six feet under."
Fox was looking at the phone, stunned by what his grandfather had just said.
"You can't be serious."
"Oh, but I am."
"Father, say something."
Julian kept his mouth closed as watched his son with mixed emotions. On the one hand, he felt sorry for him been thrown in this just like that, on the other hand, they had to salvage the Crane family and name.
"I don't believe you'll hurt her."
"Really, I can put a bomb under her car. The silver car, you know the Ford."
Fox gasped.
"Or I can have her shot. Or beaten beyond recognition. I can hire someone who enjoys torturing his victims before he offs them. When I say torture, I think you know exactly what I'm thinking about. You know the worst thing that can happen to a woman. And the list of the things that can be done to her is endless."
"I will never let you hurt her. You'll have to kill me first."
"That I cannot do. It there was another male heir, sure I wouldn't have a problem doing it. But we know that it's not the case."
Fox got up and started pacing, trying to come up with something. He turned to his father.
"I have never asked you anything in my life, but please do something."
"I'm sorry, but my hands are tied. It's up to you."
"Up to me?"
"Yes, Foxworth. Come back in the fold. If you don't, she will pay. I know she the only thing you care about and I will take her away from you if you don't cooperate."
"If I do accept your offer, you promise that you won't hurt her."
"You have my word."
"Fine, I accept. But you'll rot in hell for this Grandfather."
He turned to his father.
"As for you Father, I'm ashamed that you are my father. You are nothing but a coward and I never hated you this much in my life."
"Enough with the chit chat Foxworth. You are leaving for Great Britain this afternoon. You will be heading the London offices. I've hired the best lawyers to support you."
Fox didn't answer. He left the library and wondered what to tell Teresa.
"I am so sorry for what I'm about to do to you Teresa."