CHAPTER 96: IN-LAW VISIT

After the pseudo-confrontation with his mother, Ian finished sipping his tea. He did not touch any other meal because he had not come there for breakfast but had only wanted to see his family.

He got up and helped Shelby up. He glanced casually around and led Shelby out without saying anything to his parents.

"He is still the same! I thought a couple of years may have done him good in there but he is still the same. Remind me why I wanted him here so badly?"

Geneva let out a gentle smile at her husband, and they shared a knowing smile.

She was glad that Ian wanted to take over the situation, whatever that was with James, but they also needed to be there.

They finished their meal and hurried towards the receiving area after them.

If Ian had never secluded himself in the sanctuary of his room, he may not have noticed how homey the big estate was, but he still preferred the sanctuary of his room. It was as if he was no longer that comfortable being out in the open. It was like the open atmosphere, and the glass ceilings in the open areas and corridors were rather restrictive. The various potted plants around did give him as sense that belonged though. His constant hold of Shelby was more for himself than it was for her. She was now an existence he wanted around him all the time, whether his stubborn reasoning mind liked it or not.

In the room, he had not felt time pass as he had been too engrossed in his feelings.

But two years of his life was gone... forever.... never to be retrieved again!

Even his father now had grey hair and was going bald. That was too much for him to handle, in a way.

He had been this engrossed in thoughts, but the harsh words managed to seep through, as well as Shelby’s reaction.

First, he brought Shelby closer and wrapped one am around her briefly. He had to bend a bit to do this as he completely dwarfed her.

He kissed her temple and whispered, "Let me handle this..." He stepped into the open space in front but James and Katie had been so engrossed in the conversation and were yet to see them.

"What would you like to do to my wife?"

Currey, who had followed the couple closely, shook his head with a pitying look at James Wendover. His mind wandered back to the file he had pulled together on James for Ian.

The contents of James’s personal info they had received were just too valuable, that is, if they wanted to get him locked up. His rap sheet was too long. They could have just settled James by getting that file to the relevant authorities. James was not just a drug user; he dealt with it too, and he was very much at the top of that food chain. His other crimes even made the drugs pale up in comparison.

Ian, however, felt that handing him up to the authorities would be just too easy on him, and he also had Shelby to consider before he did anything, but he could say with confidence that he hated the man from the very bottom of his heart and he did not even know him as a person yet!

James stiffened up. His eyes landing on the owner of the voice that had been enough to get him on edge.

"Who ar-"

He stopped his question, knowing it was silly to ask of someone’s identity when he was the visitor.

Ian walked up to a large oversized chair, took a seat, and squeezed Shelby in between his legs on the seat.

She continued blushing deeply but noticed that none of the maids around had even paid attention to them. Currey walked up and stood slightly to the side of them. He had a file in his hand, and Shelby wondered what that was. She looked everywhere but at her stepfather.

Ian nudged her to relax against him just as his parents also came in, taking another smaller couch just to the side.

Shelby wiggled around a bit until she found a comfortable spot and leaned back against him not knowing the small havoc she had initiated.

By just the seating arrangement, James could guess the person’s rank. He looked long and hard at the young man, disregarding the fact that it looked disrespectful.

"Is that you, son-in-law?" He asked, still hoping that it wasn’t him, but he knew it was. Ian had someone changed in build and the beard also made him look slightly different. However, with the way he held Shelby in front of his parents, it could be none other than the groom.

Ian did not bother to reply to James but asked his question again.

"What would you like to do to my wife?"

"Errrrhhhhh.... Nothing. I think you may have misheard, I-"

"Do you think I am senile or just stupid?"

"It-s not that. I mean, why would I do anything to Shelby? She is my daughter, sh-"

A ridiculing smile played on Ian’s lips as he watched James scramble to explain himself.

Alex stepped in and asked, "What brought you here unannounced this morning?"

James heaved a sigh of relief and turned to the older man.

"I brought all the printed photos and the videos from the wedding."

Geneva frowned. "You came here this early in the morning for something you have given to your driver to deliver?"

"Eh- I also wanted to see my daughter..."

"Why?" Ian chipped in.

James lowered his head, trying to hide the irritation in his heart from Ian.

"She’s my daughter; I don’t think I need any reason to visit her!"

"She’s my wife, and you need permission to visit MY wife."

’You! What is a young man like you saying?’ That was what James wanted to say, but for some reason, he felt threatened and a little afraid of Ian in a way that he had yet to feel in his life. Even in his three-piece suite, he felt small in front of Ian Thornston.

Geneva exchanged glances with her husband, not understanding what was happening there.

"Is anything the matter at home?" Geneva asked, trying to feel James out and get his real purpose because none of them believed a word coming out of his mouth.

"No, Mrs Thornston. But does your son mean that I need his permission to visit my daughter? Why is that?"

"Didn’t you already sell her off?" Ian asked sarcastically as if he was bored of the conversation, but the cold glint in his eyes was what was a dead giveaway of what he was really feeling on the inside. He itched to tear James up into shreds! How dare he even think of touching his bride? The part that irked him the most was the part where James had tried to touch her when she was underage!

"Sell my daughter off? What do you mean by that?"

Ian chuckled and stretched out his hand, a small file was placed there by Currey. Without even looking at it, Ian threw it across the room, letting it land at James’ feet.

"Don’t you know that by agreeing for her to be a catalogue brides, you had relinquished any legal rights you had over her?"

This bit of information was a surprise even to Geneva and Alex. They sat up straight as did Shelby, but Ian brought her back to him and locked his arms around her securely.

"So, I don’t think that she has any parents, at least in my eyes."

"That can’t be! Did you do anything!"

"Watch your tone in my house!" Alex snapped.

James bent and picked up the file and flipped the one paper, quickly scanning all the details. His frown getting more pronounced by the minute.

"You look like the father of the year at this moment. This makes me wonder why you even put her up in that catalogue. As far as I know, brides usually put themselves up so this clause has never come into effect. But Shelby’s registration was totally done by you, and you successfully completed the ’purchase’ by yourself. With the conclusion of the process, you have successfully relinquished any hold you have on her."

"Bu-t that cannot be."

Throughout this James had remained standing so it almost felt like he was being interrogated. The snacks and tea served were still there untouched. Katie was now standing quietly behind Geneva who despite what she felt was her due diligence, she had missed a crucial point in the process. Thinking of many of the things and the actions of Shelby when she had come in, most things now made a lot of sense.

Geneva felt guilt cloud her up. Because from the line of questioning from Ian, what was becoming clear was that, Shelby had come in against her wishes but James had assured them that Shelby was happy to be the bride. Geneva had only thought initially that she was being coy. She needed to put up a firm front from the start but now, she started to regret it.

"What cannot be?" Ian asked quietly,

"What of the contract we signed? That should still bind right? You can’t just say that she is not m-"

"Just annul the contract!"

Ian did not let him complete the sentence and just landed the blow so big that James stumbled back in front of his audience.

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