He drew a deep breath as he stepped through the airport immigrations. He thoughtfully puts his passport back in his bag. Charles de Gaulle Airport is always a busy airport no matter what time of the year is. The people were of mixed races and it was as if he’s Superman with the super hearing. He’s been hearing many languages in which most are foreign to him. Grabbing his luggage from the conveyor, he started towards the main arrival area. He wanted to eat first before going to his destination. He spotted a posh restaurant inside the airport and went in. It is self-service. After placing his orders, he gives out a credit card to pay for his food.
With a grin, he finished everything in the counter and went to a nearby table to eat. He smiled at the thought that he used his father’s card for the first time. One million dollars credit limit, not bad. Maybe he’ll go shopping one of these days. He’ll take that half-sister of his with him. What’s her name again? Audrey. He smiled at the thought. He never had any sibling and although he didn’t like Nick, he wanted to get close with the only girl among them.
It’s been almost a week since his biological father died and it has been a shock for him and his mother that a lawyer came to their house and told him about his father’s codicil. He didn’t expect that a wealthy man such as Geoffrey Carter would remember that he had another son – and that he left something for him for that matter. A million dollar allowance for five months is enough but that’s just an allowance. This is Geoffrey Carter – the successful media mogul and shipping magnate. He’s a multi-billionaire and he couldn’t imagine what he will get as part of his inheritance. He shakes his head at that thought. He doesn’t want to think about it. The man is dead and he should respect him rather than thinking of what he will get from this. He isn’t as coldhearted as that of Geoffrey’s legal son, Nick.
Now, thinking of that man, his blood began to boil. He doesn’t like Nick. In fact, he hated him. He doesn’t like the way Nick paraded himself as some rich kid whose favorite past time is to spend a lot of his father’s money. He’s always around every hot party in town, have been with different kinds of women and featured in the headlines for misconduct against the authorities. He’s not jealous of that. He had his share of being in that phase but not as much as Nick did. Nick is notorious in what he does and seemed to take pride on it. Well, secretly knowing that he is Nick’s half-brother does not make him prouder at that.
And then he remembered laughing aloud when he read in the papers that Nick decided to pursue a law degree in Harvard. That was very original of Nick and he didn’t see it coming. But Nick surprised everyone when he proved himself more than as the rich, blonde and spoiled brat of Bel-air. He graduated last week with recognition from the prestigious law school. Everyone within the society and business circle had to say something about Geoffrey’s son.
He finished his food and glanced at his watch. There’s no definite time to arrive at Chateau Cordell. The lawyer only advised to be there today. He decided to go through this five-month codicil of his father out of respect for the dead. Otherwise, he won’t be here at all plainly because of Nick. After the night brawl with the younger guy two weeks ago, he doesn’t want to see him again. But fate brought him back within Nick’s radius and he wondered why. He doesn’t need his father’s money, if Nick will think he is. His own mother had enough for him, aside from a business he’s having right now.
As AJ hailed a taxi outside the airport arrival area, he wondered if he could stay here in five months with five strangers. Maybe, maybe not. It remains to be seen. His only wish is for Nick to leave him alone.
