"My father could not make it, but he does send his deepest regards. He also congratulates you on your wedding." Amanda spoke, in a rather honeyed tone. "A wedding gift is being sent to your mansion, as we speak."

"There's no need," I said.

"You must accept... on behalf of the Wyatt family. My father would be devastated if you returned the present. I personally made arrangements for the largesse. To find true love is rare but pure bliss," she spoke, and smiled.

"Okay I will accept it," I replied.

‭

"Great, now let's talk business. The project in New York. The constructions has prolonged, the structural engineer and the architect quit, with no appropriate reason. And now there's a strain on the capital, we both invested in."

"Why weren't they replaced immediately?" I asked her. She was in New York at the time, she could have them replaced easily.

"Well Mr Ahmed that's not my job. I am here to inform you that The Wyatt company is pulling out all its investment on the project, we can not have our money splurged without having any actual progress," she explained. I remained silent, trying to figure why she would abruptly decide doing that, without an earlier notice.

"You persuade me to buy the land and invest in it, in addition you put your own investments in, assuring me success. Now you pull out your investments, leaving the land the same way I bought it. No progress at all. Tell me Amanda does that sound like a business I can ever trust again?" I spoke, and stood up from my seat.

"I assure you it's nothing personal," she said in a low tone.

"Mhm, of course it's not. But this is, my company will no longer be working with yours. I do not like being screwed over and if you think for a moment you just get to walk away without recompensing. You underestimate me. I thought you would know me by now, after all those years of doing business together," I told her in a firm tone.

" I have done nothing illegal," she said in a flat tone.

"They can't build over that land Amanda, but you already know that. Why else would the structural engineer I hired, quit. I did pay him a lot of money. I am guessing both the structural engineer and the architect felt guilty or they were scared of a lawsuit."

"Yes it's true, they can not build on that land. I was not aware of this when you bought it, I would have said something..." I cut her of, and spoke.

"Or maybe this is all part of a scheme you planned from the beginning. Now Miss Amanda, leave my office before I call security. I don't want to take way the little dignity you have left," I said and turned to look at the view from my building. Skyscrapers side by side.

"Goodbye Mr Ahmed," she said. I turned around, when I heard the glass door swing open and close. I sat back on my seat, now making calls trying to find out how easily I was played, and how much money I have lost. I called the finance manger first, told him to have all the files ready for the meeting we are going to have today. I refuse to accept failure.

My phone starts ringing, I pick up my iPhone that was on the table. It's Layla, I answered the call. "Assalam alaykum," She greeted, in a quiet yet calm tone.

"Waalikum Salam," I replied.

"I was calling to ask if you will be coming home for dinner," she said.

"No," I replied. "Anything else?"

"That's all. Oh I almost forgot, there's a package that was delivered addressed to Mr and Mrs Damari. Should I open it?"

"Do not open it, because it's going to be returned. I have to go now, bye." I hang up the call. The secretary enters my office, holding a bunch of files she keeps them on my table.

"Sir your Uncle, Waheeb is here to see you. He's waiting outside," she says.

"Okay let him in," I said. I don't know when I'll get my work done. I wonder why my uncle is here to see me, he is my father's younger brother. They were very close, they did most the business together — from what I have heard. Though he started his own business later on, it wasn't hard for him he already had capital. But he retired, leaving all the work and most of the shares to his sons and non to his only daughter who is good at commerce.

Uncle Waheeb is a traditional arab, meaning he does not really believe that women should work. But his daughter changed his views when she made millions for a rival company.

"Assalam alaykum," he greeted as he entered the office. Carrying a document case, wearing his usual attire, thobe and the ghutra (headscarf) and the egal (rope ban) holding it in place.

"Waalikum salam," I replied, getting up from my seat, I walked towards him and shacked his hand. He pulled me in for a hug.

"Laqad amat abni. 'atadhakar eindama kunt mjrd tifl, 'ant alan tadir sharikatan walduk. subhan allah walan 'ant mutazawijun. Tahanina," he spoke, while he stoped hugging me. He prefers to speak in Arabic. I am not very fluent at speaking arabic, but I do understand.

[You have grown my son. I remember when you were just a baby, now you are running your father's company. Subhanallah and now you have married. Congratulations.]

"Yes it's not easy running a company but I manage. True uncle it's been long, since we last saw each other. I think it was four years ago, when we were celebrating Eid at the family house in Dubai," I spoke. I went back to my seat, and gestured for him to sit too, on the chair that's placed in front of my desk.

"Yes yes, I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye that day. I was told you have to rush back to America because of work," he spoke in a appealing manner, now talking in english.

"Yes there was a very important meeting that I had to attend the next day," I said.

"Tamamaan mithl walidak..."

[Just like your father.]

"So Uncle what brings you to America? Is everything okay?" I spoke, concerned yet curious to know of his objectives.

"kl shay' ealaa ma yaram abni. qabl bdet 'ayam 'atasil bi muhami waldak, wa'akhbarani ean 'iiradat walduk. waqal 'iina kula shay' tama alwafa' bih biaistithna' shayiyiyn,"he spoke in a low-modulated tone.

[Everything is okay my son. A few days ago your father's lawyer phoned me, and told me about your father's will. He said that everything had been fulfilled except for two things.]

"What is it?" I asked.

"He wrote down that 10% of the shares of his company goes to his last son's wife, his daughter-in-law. And that you gain all control of his remaining shares — most of them are hotels. Your father did not sell his shares, he wanted to gift you on your wedding day. Sa'id had his beliefs on marriage... But I think it is a way of him securing your future even if he couldn't be here," he explained, and I paid attention attentively. Some phrases even repeated twice in my mind.

"I can not accept and my wife does need to have shares of the company."

"I do not think you have a choice on whether your wife gets the shares or not. Ahmed I think you should re-consider, your brothers all have different occupations and earn well. Your father wrote in his will when he found out he didn't have a lot of time to live, securing your future first then his older children," my Uncle spoke, trying to reason with me.

"He should have left the shares for his other children. But I will think about it Uncle," I told him.

"Ahmed I didn't only come here to tell you about the will, I also had to come to see you. It's obvious you are the only child concerned about your mothers health. I am sure your father would be as proud to call you his blood as I am," he spoke in a low tone.

"Thank you Uncle Waheeb," I said.

"Hasananaan ya bny. sa'ughadir alan, wa'araa 'ana ladayk alkthyr min aleamal lilqiam bh. tahiat 'umuk li," he said.

[Okay my son. I will leave now, I see you have a lot of work to do. Greet your mother for me.]

"I will," I replied. Uncle Waheeb left my office, leaving me rather baffled. I can not think of anything else, except about my father's will. I have only known my father through stories and pictures. I don't know why I don't want to accept his gift, but I guess it would be better if he was here himself...

Layla getting 10% shares of the company. I wonder how she will react.

❤️