"You are too riled up Gary." Tobias looked at a pacing Gary.
"You are too calm." Gary stopped his pacing and looked at his grandfather. He wondered how the old man could be so calm given the situation.
"Showing you are worried or bothered will do nothing to help you." Tobias broke into his thoughts.
"What do you expect me to do?" Gary asked, his hands spread out in front of him at a loss. Helios industries was getting recognized, what started out as a small company would soon threaten their empire and his claim on it all if he didn't do something, fast.
"If you want to be my heir Gary I need you to be calculating, I need you to thing." Tobias said calmly.
"I am thinking." Gary scowled at the old man.
"Then stop fuzzing like a child. Stay calm, take a step back and come up with a solution to this little issue." Tobias scowled at his grandson from his place at the chair.
Tobias thought about how he had failed the boy. He had tried early on to teach the boy how to grow a backbone and be ruthless when it came to achieving his objectives but the boy remained a ninny.
"I am looking for a solution. I even tried calling Darion off but the man wouldn't bulge." Gary admitted.
"You fool. You tried to bribe Darion when he is revelling in his new found power?" Tobias roared, losing his cool for the first time.
"I was desperate." Gary admitted.
"You are the heir to the Hay empire, you shouldn't be desperate for anything." Tobias bit out and Gary remained silent.
"While you were making a fool of yourself I was making an actual plan to secure your position." Tobias revealed and on cue a knock interrupted them.
"Come in." Tobias called out and a second later the door to his office swung open.
"You wanted to see me grandpa." Devra stood at the doorway but made no move to enter.
"Is that how to greet your old man?" The scowl on Tobias' face made way for a soft smile.
"What is she doing here?" Gary sneered but backed down when Tobias gave him a scathing look.
"Come in my dear." Tobias ushered Devra into the office and bugged her to take a seat.
Devra stared between Gary and her grandfather with suspicion. Her gaze lingered on Gary who openly glared at her but she didn't care.
"Why am I here?" She asked when Tobias took his seat behind the table.
"Merely because we disagree on somethings that doesn't mean we still aren't family." Tobias pointed out and if Devra didn't know her grandpa for the conniving man he was, she would have thought him honest and contrite.
"What is it you want grandpa? I have a company to run." Devra looked down at her watch. She didn't mean to sound rude or hasty but that was the truth, she had a meeting in an hour and she couldn't linger.
"A company which should be under the Hay empire and under my control." Gary spoke up for the first time since Devra walked into the office.
"Under what grounds? That company started from my sweat and blood. I invested everything I had there and you expect me to simply hand it over because you feel threatened?" Devra glared at Gary.
"I'm not asking you to hand it over and walk away. I'm asking for a merger, we merge both of the companies and you retain your position as CEO of Helios industries." Gary made the offer sound so tempting, like she wasn't really losing anything. He was cunning, that was what made him a good businessman.
"But then I would be your subordinate right? I would be under you and you would have more power over my own company than me." Devra pointed out angrily.
"Enough, both of you." Tobias interrupted their squabble.
"It was unfair of us to ask you to hand over a company you worked your ass off for. I see now that our actions were stupid." Tobias announced, looking directly at Devra and Gary blanked.
Tobias didn't spare him a glance but addressed Devra directly.
"You can keep your company." Tobias continued.
"Am I meant to thank you for your kindness?" Devra quirked a brow at her grandfather and he smiled.
This what he liked about Devra, she was always sharp mouthed and quick witted.
"No, of course not." Tobias shrugged.
"What do you want in return?" Devra asked.
"You were always a sharp one, I see why you were meant to inherit my empire." Tobia looked at Devra with a proud smile on his face.
This was how the world worked and she understood that.
Gary scowled at Devra from where he leaned against the wall. Feelings of jealousy spread through his chest and he gritted his teeth but remained silent.
In the end it didn't matter who his grandfather thought was more brilliant or worthy to rule his empire. It would all be Gary's eventually.
"You have always been unhappy in your marriage to Darion." Tobias commented.
"How does that have to do with anything?" Devra quirked a well shaped brow.
"I'm offering you a way out, I'll help you get divorced." Tobias explained.
"And what makes you think I need help getting a divorce?" Devra probbed further.
"Come on Devra, if it was that easy to rid yourself of the man you would have done it a long time ago. I know he has been a thorn to your side and has refused all your attempts to separate." Tobias pointed out.
"It's a win win situation for you. You get to keep your company and you get the divorce you've wanted for the longest time." Tobias pushed on.
"How would my divorce from Darion serve you?" Devra asked. She knew her grandfather never did anything unless it benefited him.
"This has nothing to do with me but everything to do with you." He gave her a sly smile and she knew he had a plan.