Page 89 of Devious Gambit

She nodded. “Of course, I knew. I work alongside him.”

“Have you undergone treatment?” Max asked the obvious.

“Every treatment known to man and all of them as useless as tits on a bull,” Grandma answered.

“I’m sorry,” was all I could say. What do you say at a time like that?

Grandpa shrugged. “There’s nothing to be sorry about. That’s life, or should I say death. It happens.”

“How much longer do doctors think…?” I couldn’t finish off the sentence.

“They’re not sure. Maybe six months maybe a year.”

“You don’t even look sick,” I argued.

“Looks can be deceiving,” Grandpa told me. “And that’s likely to change once it advances.”

“It does, however, change our plans for the company somewhat.” My father took another long sip of his cognac and swallowed. “Everything will stay as it is until Gramps is too unwell to work. Since we can’t give an estimate on when that should occur we’re taking precautions.” He turned to address me. “Jace, we’d like you to finish off your year at KVU and move back home to work for the firm.”

I opened my mouth to protest, only for him to hold up his hand to stop me.

“I’m aware that you still have two more years after this one before you graduate, so you’ll study online. We’ll give you a study day every week, so you’ll only be working for Luxon Soap four days per week until you’ve achieved your degree in business and management.”

As he spoke, it felt as if a black cloud set up camp in my body draining the happiness out of me. There was nothing left. A void. Empty. The thought of working the rest of my life in an office talking over soap sale numbers made me want to slit my throat.

“What about me?” Erin asked. “Where do I fit in?”

My father smiled. “You’ll be promoted to my position in the company while I take over your grandfather’s role.”

“Oh wow!”

“Congratulations!” I said to her giving my small, bony sister a hug.

My father added, “When Jace arrives he’ll take over your position and work his way up.”

“Normally, we would call for a celebration, but under the current circumstances I feel it’s a little inappropriate,” Mom spoke.

“There’s nothing for me to celebrate,” I bit and the table fell quiet. “You said I could have a gap year after I’ve graduated to travel the world. Cody and I have been planning it for over a year.”

“Jace, you’re being selfish!” my mom spat.

“Selfish? How am I being selfish when I’m prepared to sacrifice my entire life for the family, yet you won’t even give me one year. And what about the Hawks?”

Erin leaned in and whispered, “This is neither the time nor place to debate this.”

“Some kids would kill to have your life!” my father hissed.

Anger stirred my blood. I glanced at Max, who looked as guilty as sin. It was supposed to be him. My father and Grandpa had it all planned out for Maxwell jr to step up into a senior position when he graduated college. He ruined everything when he veered off into a different direction, against my father’s wishes. I remembered the conversation like it was yesterday. I was only twelve and had my ear pressed against my father’s home office door. “You’ve still got Jace,” Max said to my father. That was Max’s only way out of the Luxon chokehold to remind my father that there’s still one more child to mold. At that stage, we weren’t sure how quickly Erin’s health would deteriorate. Therefore, she wasn’t even considered for a role in the Luxon company, yet she was by far the better option out of us three kids. She had the personality for management and a brain for numbers, whereas Max and I liked being outside getting our hands dirty.

“This is true,” my father stated to young Max, sounding frustrated.

I’m all that’s left. If I decided to turn my back on the clan, it’ll kill them. I clammed up, letting my family’s disillusionment ride over the top of me as I thought about my carved out future. I have six more months at KV before I return to Chicago to work in an office whiling finishing off my degree in business, which I hated and wasn’t particularly good at.

Gloom descended upon me. It felt as if the guts had been kicked out of me, leaving me with no fire for life.

“I better get going,” I heard Max say. I was lost in my gloom, staring at the table, struggling to speak. I didn’t even bother looking up to acknowledge him.

“You’re not staying for dessert?” Mom asked him.

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