Chapter 12 - 12

After having lunch with his family Ian promised to let his sisters stay the night in his new place once he had it fully set up. His sisters also volunteered to help him shop for the other furnishings and items he would need for his new home.

Ian was extremely happy when he left the restaurant and headed to Jas' apartment to tell her the good news and show her his new car.

"Jas, babe." Ian said as he got out of his car and crossed the street to the building of Jas' apartment.

"Hey, what time will you be back?" Jas asked. "I wanted to celebrate you getting a job. I was thinking we could have dinner and drinks."

"I'm crossing the street now, I'll be up in a bit." Ian said happily as he reached the building entrance.

"See you." Jas said as she dropped the call.

Ian smiled as he looked down at his phone. He felt like the luckiest man in the world at the moment, he was dating an amazing woman and he had the best job possible.

His experiences of losing everything seemed to be a distant memory now.

As Ian stepped into the elevator he couldn't help but think back at how different his life was now compared to when his family first fell.

Years ago

"What do you mean it's all gone dad?" Ian heard his father shout in a painfilled tone.

When he had noticed his father arrive home angrily and ask to speak to his grandfather in the home office, Ian couldn't help but sneak up after them and eavesdrop on the conversation.

Ricardo Lim's home office was on the second floor of their home. It had a thick double door, but Ian had made sure to stick a piece of cardboard in between so that he could listen in.

"Dad, properties and money don't just disappear like that. What happened?" Richardo asked his father slowly.

"Son, it's just gone." ian heard his grandfather say as he refused to give the reason.

"Did you accidentally send it all to one of your mistresses?" Richardo asked, shocking Ian.

Ian didn't know that his grandfather had other women aside from his grandmother, this was news to him.

"I know you have mistresses dad, I know you have children with them, stop denying it and just tell me the truth." Richardo said angrily as he slammed his hand on the table.

"I don't know what you are talking about son, and that is still my business and my money." Ian heard his grandfather answer back in an equally intimidating tone.

"Yes dad, the business is in your name but do not forget that my brother and my sister and I were the ones that worked our asses off just to bring it to the level it's at now." Richardo said. "And with regards to your mistresses and illegitimate children, when will you come clean dad?"

Ian could hear the frustration in his father's tone, it seemed that this issue was not a new one, rather it seemed to be an ongoing problem.

"I've told you many times Ric, I've only ever been with your mother and no one else." Ian heard his grandfather say.

"Dad, I thought you would tell me the truth this time." Richardo said with a sigh as Ian heard something thud on the desk, as if it were dropped on top.

"Ric, what are these?" Ian heard his grandfather ask.

"You tell me dad." Ric answered as Ian heard his father's chair being moved.

Ian assumed that his father had sat down behind his desk and was now looking at his grandfather.

"I won't ask again son, what are these documents?" Ian's grandfather asked in an angry tone.

"Don't take that tone with me dad!" Ric shouted as Ian heard his father's hands slamming on the desk and his chair hitting the wall. "You know exactly what those are! Don't play innocent!"

"I have never hidden anything from you, what are you saying?" His grandfather answered back.

"Do I have to spell it out for you?" Ian's father said with a barely audible sigh. "Two weeks ago you transferred thirty percent of our assets to a certain Cao-Co Trading industries, then last week you transferred twenty percent of our properties to your cousin Rene."

"Where did you find out about this?" Ian heard his grandfather's shaky voice.

"Dad, I practically run the company at this point, don't you think I would know?" Richardo asked his father. "Dad, you need to step down, decisions like these will be our downfall. What did your cousin promise this time?"

"He had a business venture in the province, in his hometown." Ian heard his grandfather say. "Don't worry, I had someone look at it and he said it was a promising project."

"Rene will never have anything promising dad!" Richardo told his father angrily. "I thought you were giving him these projects because you pitied him."

"He is a good businessman." His grandfather said. "Remember five years ago when he had us invest in."

"Dad, that was one out of fifty projects you have given him." Ric said with a groan. "Enough, you will stop giving him projects to manage. We as a company have lost hundreds of millions because of him."

"You aren't the president and CEO yet, Ric. These decisions are mine to make and I trust my cousin." Ian heard his grandfather insist.

"You know what dad, fine, it's not like you can give him so much money that it would drive us into bankruptcy." Ian heard his father say as his footsteps drew closer to the door.

Ian panicked and quickly ran down the hall, not wanting to be discovered.

Present day

Ian sighed at the memory as the elevator doors opened and he stepped out.

Back then it seemed like just an ordinary argument between his father and grandfather, little did they know that his grandfather's trusting nature would lead them to lose almost everything.

Ian who had been born with a silver spoon, knowing nothing but comfort would soon after that be forced to face the harsh realities of life.