The Royal Contract

The first couple of days of the new week had been hellish for the lovely couple. They had been expecting it, but still, it did not prepare them for all the eventualities. 

"Are you sure that you don't want me to stay with you?" Alex turned to her side on the passenger seat as they cruised in the busy street on their way to the hospital. "You know I will drop everything if you need me."

He had offered to wait with her in the hospital while her father had his operation, but she refused. She insisted that she and her mother would be just fine.

"You know how much I want you by my side all the time, especially in moments like this. But as you told me before, you accepted the position my father gave you because you wanted to help him." Dani reminded him.

As much as she wanted him at her side, she already that she could not monopolize his time with all the other responsibilities already riding on his shoulders.

"Your Dad could have chosen a different date to set up the board meeting, but he had chosen today during his scheduled surgery." Alex shook his head as if he still could not figure out how Ethan's mind works.

Although he could see the urgency and the necessity of it, a day would not have mattered. But canceling his first board meeting would not sit well with the board and the entire stockholders.

He could not ruin his first impression by making the first wrong move as the new head. He could not disappoint Ethan and Dani by messing it up on his first day on the job.

"Exactly why I told you to reconsider your decision." She tapped him in his arms as he steered the car. She was not mocking her, more on being sympathetic in his plight.

She warned him, but he did not listen. Now, he was in a situation that might or not be under his control. She just hoped that he learned to adjust to the new position fast.

"Noted, but I'm sure you are still very proud of me for being the knight that is helping your father." He glanced at her quickly, grazing her with his boyish smile while he continued to drive to their destination.

Once at the hospital, Alex could only make a quick visit to Ethan and Laura but could not stay for more since he had a meeting in an hour.

"Don't worry about anything, Ethan. Just concentrate on making yourself better."

Alex wanted to assure Ethan that everything would work out just fine. His company was in good hands in his administration, hoping that he would not think he made a wrong decision in giving his company to him.

"Of course. I am not dying yet. You can count on me, checking on your every decision once I recover from this." Ethan said, which earned him a sharp glare from Laura.

He was not about to surrender to death without a fight. It was the reason he agreed with Alex's idea. Now, he would beat this and recover as soon as possible.

"Stop thinking about that damn company and concentrate on getting better." Laura admonished Ethan, including Alex, for bringing it up.

She loved Alex, and she could not wait for her daughter to marry him and for him to be an official part of their family. But it still did not excuse him from her wrath if he crossed the line with her.

"I'm sorry, Laura. I did not mean to bring it up." He smiled at the mother of his future bride. He was glad that he was marrying a great woman but also a good family.

He made his way to Ethan's bedside and tapped him on the shoulder. "I guess I better leave."

"Yes, you should. Don't make the board wait for you." Ethan reminded him, still using a firm voice on him.

He could not show any weakness even in a time like this. He needed Alex to believe that he was still in charge despite the situation. But once he recovered from this, he would make sure to supervise him until he was ready to take his position.

Dani escorted Alex out of the room and into the elevator. She knew he was still worried about leaving her, but she wished to reassure him that she could manage to survive the few hours of the torturous wait while her father was in surgery.

"I can still stay. Last chance." He insisted as they waited for the doors of the lift to open.

He placed his hands on her shoulders and stared into her eyes, studying her condition. But all he saw was the strength of her conviction to go through this without him.

"No. Mom and I will do just fine. Go and make those board members fall in love with your charms." She teased him as she locked her fingers around his neck and kissed him.

But the ding of the elevator broke their kiss, leaving them to say their final goodbyes before Alex rode the box that took him away. Now, she was alone in the corridor staring at the closed door.

Slowly, the reality of what was about to happen was sinking in, and a little bit of fear crept in, but she knew she had to push through. It was not the time to show her weakness, not in front of her mom.

"Stop thinking about Alex and your company. I am sure that Alex will do his best to take care of it for your daughter." Dani heard her mom say to her father while she stood by the door. 

She was glad to hear that her parents trusted Alex enough to consider him in the position. Sometimes she did feel guilty for declining to take her place as her father's heir, but she knew it was not for her.

"Ok. I promise I will only concentrate on getting better." She finally heard her father assure her mom. That was good enough for him.

She walked into the room only to find that her mom was kissing her dad passionately. Although this would not be the first time she should catch them in this position, it did not make it less awkward.

She decided to knock on the door to alert them of her presence, which stopped them from their activity. Although she would love them to continue, she already saw the doctor in charge of his surgery on the way to the room.

"Are you ready, Dad?" She moved close to his bed and started caressing his hair while her mom stood on the other side, watching them.

She knew how happy her mom was to witness this scene. After the years of separation and misunderstanding, Laura finally saw their reunion as father and daughter.

It was a familiar scene in their house when she was growing up. But now, she planned to continue doing it after his recovery. She firmly believed that he would pull through this.

"Now that you are here. Nothing frightens me anymore." Ethan said. Although, he kept saying that he would fight the call of death. He was not naive that there was a possibility that he might lose.

He was not afraid of dying because he had accomplished so much compared to an average human being. The only thing that frightened him was leaving his family without a man who would care for them.

But Alex had proven many times that he could rely on him. He was now putting his faith in him that he would deliver on his promise. It was the only choice he had, and he believed it was worth taking a risk.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Ethan, but I think it is time." The doctor that would operate on him interrupted them when he walked inside the room.

A family friend, one of the best doctors in the city, was the only doctor he would trust to touch him. The doctor, together with his team of doctors and other staff, discussed the operation in detail.

"Then, let us proceed. I don't want to stay a minute longer in this hospital and this bed if it is not necessary." Ethan agreed with the doctor, making Laura and Dani nod with him.

The sooner the operation took place, the earlier he would recover. But the reality was, recovery would take some time to heal. His willingness to get better would determine his rehabilitation time.

"You got this, Dad." Dani kissed her father to show him her support.

She would camp outside the operating if allowed. But that would not help. All she and her mom could do was stay in the waiting room with the rest of the family undergoing the same situation.

"Well, if in case things did not work out the way we planned, make sure to take care of your mom," Ethan whispered in her ears, not wanting Laura to hear his last words.

"I will, Dad. But please fight for us." Dani also whispered in his ears.

She was not fooling herself by denying the truth that his father was going through a fifty-fifty situation. One of his feet was already outside the door once he entered the operating room.

He could only nod as he turned his attention to his loving wife, who was keeping it together as bravely as she possibly could in front of him.

He could not be prouder of the two girls that had manipulated his life into their tiny, little hands. If there was someone who had brought him to his knees, it was his wife and his daughter.

But now, he was kneeling to a higher power, hoping that he would grant him another chance.