The Royal Contract

"Tell those doctors and Jefferson, if they want me to keep donating to this hospital, they will sign my release papers immediately," Ethan shouted inside his room, Jefferson, referring to the director of the hospital.

His voice echoed in the entire room, even at the nearby hallway and the nurse station not far away from his room. The nurses tried to calm him down, but it was to no avail.

He could not stand to be inside the hospital any minute longer. He already felt good. He was fine, and that was all that mattered. He demanded to be sent home with his wife, who had been exhausted, cooped up in this room with him since he was confined.

"But the doctors said that it would be better if you stay at least a week in this hospital so that they could monitor you more closely." Laura pleaded with her husband.

She agreed with the doctors that it was better to be safe than to realize, later on, that they missed something on his diagnostics. Ethan was no ordinary man. The doctors could not afford to make a mistake concerning his health condition.

But she also understood that being kept inside this room felt like a prison to him. He was not allowed to work, looked at his laptop, or signed papers. His second in command took over the company while he was recovering.

The pressure that it had on him, knowing that his investors were worried about his condition. He needed to show them that he was still as strong as ever, or the vultures would start feasting on his carcass.

"I don't care what the doctors said. I should know what my own body needs and wants, more than them." Ethan complained to his wife, still expressing his command for his release from the hospital.

This kind of incident was what he feared the most. Without an heir to take over his business, his enemies would be swarming on his companies like flies if something serious happened to him.

If only Dani agreed to take on the role and trained under him, then the board and the investors would have no fear if anything ever happened to him.

They would be at ease knowing that he left the company in good hands. But the problem was, he was still unsure to whom he would leave his legacy. That was until his grandchildren were ready to take over his throne.

"No, you are not going out of this hospital," Laura shouted at her husband. She had enough, and she had to step in and set her foot firmly on the ground.

At least, it stunned Ethan into silence. Laura rarely raised her voice, and if she did, the end of her ire never directed at him. Now, he wondered if he pushed her to her breaking point.

"You don't know what your body needs. It is the main reason you are here. You're not taking care of yourself. Your stress levels are too high, and you are killing yourself without you knowing it." She continued, not allowing him to interrupt her.

As much as she wanted to sympathize with his issues, she wanted her husband to be well and alive, to live long by her side until they grew old together.

If she allowed him to bully himself out of this hospital, then the chances that he might get another attack were very high. She could not permit that to happen.

"But..." Ethan was going for another tactic with his wife, but she shut him down with one look.

"No." She finally said when she felt calmer. "I won't allow you to kill yourself because of that company of yours. If I have to, I will burn it myself if you keep insisting on what you want." She threatened him.

However, they both knew that she would not physically, or in any other form, burn it to the ground. It was an idle threat to make Ethan stop.

"Fine, one week. That was all I am giving this hospital, and then we are out of here." He finally conceded peacefully to his wife, not wanting to see the worried lines on her face.

It was not that he was afraid of her outburst earlier. He was more concerned that she felt frightened of losing him. He loved his wife more than anything in the world.

He promised to give her the world, but she declined. She only wanted him by her side. She would not care if they were poor as long as he would never leave her.

"Finally, I thought you would never stop shouting." A voice by the door alerted them of another person entering the room. But she was not alone.

"Princess, I am glad that you visited your father." Her mother said, breathing a long sigh of relief upon seeing who came by to check on them. At least, she knew that her daughter would come to her aid if she needed back up against her husband.

"Well, I want to see if he is getting better. From the sound of it, he may need a few more days before the doctors can send him home for home bed rest." She knew that she was exaggerating and teasing him, but she could not help it.

"I would not be this stressed out if you would only take your place and be the head of our company." Ethan once again reiterated that she was his only choice to take his place.

"Dad, as I said to you before, I am not interested," Dani repeated her answer to him.

"What about you, Alex?" Ethan turned his attention to the man standing next to his daughter. "Are you interested in taking Dani's position and run my company for me?" He knew he put Alex on the spot.

He was interested to know what his reaction and reply would be. He did not plan it, but the opportunity presented itself for him. If he could truly trust this man, he would be the answer to his problems.

Alex could be the next head of his companies, and his children with Dani would be his heirs. His grandchildren would continue his legacy.

"Who would not dream of being in your shoes?" Alex told him. Honestly, that was all he dreamed of since he started building his company in this city. "But that will be a tough shoe to fill."

He knew, from the glint in Ethan's eyes, he was testing him, baiting him to answer him, studying his reactions and his words.

"But are you willing to fill that shoe for my daughter and me?" Ethan continued his line of questioning.

He wanted a straight answer from Alex, and hopefully, he would know this time if he was lying or telling him the truth. Could he trust this man for his daughter?

"Dad, Alex is not..." Dani was about to interrupt their conversation, but his dad stopped her.

"Let the man speak," Ethan said to Dani, not liking that she had to defend Alex against him.

"Yes, it will be my honor to help you run your company." Alex gave him a straight answer, not turning away or even blinking. He stared into Ethan's eyes, daring him to say anything that would discredit his words.

He knew that whatever his answer was might be taken as opportunistic. It would all depend on his delivery and Ethan's perception and interpretation of it.

So, nothing he might say could assure him that Ethan would like his answer. So, the only way to answer him was the only way he knew how.. Truthfully with no fear.