The Royal Contract

"Are you sure that partnering with Alex in this venture is a good idea?" Laura questioned once again her husband's decision, watching him walked out of the bathroom and into their closet.

She remembered too well when Ethan placed Nick under his wings and trained him because he was the perfect candidate to be Dani's husband and the next in line to take charge of his business.

She feared that her husband was going on the same path. Although Alex seemed to be a good man, they still barely knew him. Nick also appeared to be a perfect gentleman until her husband discovered his true colors.

"I think this is the best way to get to know him as the future husband of our daughter. At least this time, I have learned my lessons. I know what to watch out for." Ethan assured her wife that he had control of this situation.

He moved around the room as he prepared to go to the office. He could not wait to meet with Alex and talked about his proposal. 

"But I think you should have consulted Dani about this. You know how she feels about you, meddling with her affairs." Laura could not help but worry about what Dani would feel about her father's plans.

Dani and her husband had barely worked out their last issue. She only wished that this would not worsen their father and daughter relationship. 

She moved closer to her husband and picked a tie that would go with his suit. Since they got married, she had made it her obligation to help her husband looked good. In her opinion, he did not have any fashion sense.

"It is not as if I am setting up Alex to fail. In truth, it is he who would benefit more from this transaction. I want to spend more time with him to get to know him more. I'm sure that Dani is mature enough to understand that." Ethan defended his actions, not seeing anything wrong with his idea.

Although he had every intention to uncover the real intentions of Alex for entwining himself to his daughter, he was not about to divulge that to his wife. It was a secret that he would have to keep to himself for now.

"Fine. I wish you know what you are doing." Laura finally gave up as she reached for her husband's tie and helped him fixed it. "Off you go. Don't want you to be late for your meeting." She tapped on his chest after aligning his collar. 

"What would I do if you're not here?" He pulled his wife closer to him, kissing her gently on the lips.

"You will surely be lost without me." She kissed him back before letting him go.

She walked away from him to prepare for her day too, but before she could put a distance between them. She suddenly felt a slight slap on her behind that made her jump a little in surprise.

"You're going to pay for that later," Laura warned him as she continued on her way to the bathroom.

"I'm looking forward to it," Ethan answered her back with a wide grin, shaking his head.

Until now, he could not believe how lucky he was to be so successful not only in his business but, most importantly, with his family as well. He only wanted that for his daughter, a man that would love her unconditionally and happiness that would last for a lifetime.

After an hour, he anxiously waited for Alex's arrival. Although Alex still had twenty minutes to spare, he believed that being early was a good trait. He would expect but only the best from the man that would take his daughter away from him.

"Sir, Mr. Princeton had already arrived and is not on his way up." His secretary informed him.

"Send him in as soon as he arrived." He instructed before returning to the graph he was studying.

At the lobby, the receptionist, upon recognition, immediately assisted Alex to the private elevator that would directly lift him to the CEO's floor. 

Alex followed without apprehension. He already prepared for whatever Mr. Hamilton was about to throw at him. He knew what the man was planning. 

If his assumptions were correct, Ethan would make him underwent a process of proving his worth for his daughter's hands. After learning what Nick did to Dani, he was sure that Ethan had already learned his lesson.

He believed that Ethan would make sure not to make the same mistake again. If he would put himself in Ethan's shoes, he would probably do the same. But he would prove Ethan wrong because if he and Dani winded up separating in the end, it would not be because he used her for his interest.

"You can go inside, Mr. Princeton. Mr. Hamilton is already waiting for you." The assistant that greeted him at the elevator ushered him to the big double doors that led to his office. He opened it for him and quickly closed it when he was already inside.

"Good morning, Alex. Please come in and take a seat." Ethan looked up from his files and pointed to the chair in front of him. "Thank you for indulging my request that you come and visit me today. I know that you are a very busy man."

"Good morning to you too, Ethan." He moved to the chairs and took a seat. "Not as busy as you, I supposed, but I am glad to be here." He knew that pleasantries were necessary for this matter. 

"Laura and I would like to extend our gratitude for the warm welcome and an enjoyable stay we had experienced while we were at your home," Ethan told him. 

"It was our pleasure to have you as our guests. You can come back anytime you wish. I am sure my parents would love to have you again." He told him.

"Anyway, I asked you to come today because of a business proposition that I felt would be lucrative if we join forces," Ethan said as he lit up a cigar. "Would you like one?" He offered.

"No, but thanks." He declined. Smoking was another vice that he did not plan to try.

"Good for you." Ethan knew it was a bad habit, but it was hard to quit.

"What is this proposition you had in mind?" Alex had a busy schedule lined up today, but he prioritized Ethan. Something that Marcus was not particularly thrilled about when he heard his plan.

"If you are willing to hear me out, then maybe we could further discuss it in the conference room where my team already prepared a proposal," Ethan informed him.

"I am already here, so I don't see any problem in hearing more about it." He knew that he could not simply turn him down.

If this proposal proved to be beneficial, he could not see a reason to decline it. If Ethan intended to get to know him better, it would be his opportunity to impress him. 

He also believed that this arrangement would be advantageous for him. It would give him a chance to work and learn from the master.