Homecoming of the Guardian Father

Chapter four:- ASHCROFT INVESTS IS RELOCATING FROM COUNTRY X TO COUNTRY Z

Robert Orwell was all alone in the rundown apartment.

Everyone had gone out for the day, even his daughter had gone to work. So Robert was alone in the kitchen, washing the dishes. For the past week, this had become his routine — cleaning, washing, sweeping, and keeping the home tidy as a whole.

It was quite degrading for a man his status, but he didn’t have a choice either.

His phone sat on the table beside the sink. It was a small, old-fashioned phone. It suddenly started ringing.

Robert wiped his wet hands and looked at the screen. The caller ID was: Brother Asher

Brother Asher was his cousin, Asher Ashcroft who was the first son of his uncle Peter. He was one of the heirs of his uncle who instigated his uncle into throwing him out of the firm.

He didn’t answer. He simply placed the phone back on the table and continued washing the dishes.

A few moments later, text messages began to roll in one after another.

Robert gave a quiet, humorless chuckle. “Return what you owe me? Interesting.”

It was then he decided to finally pick up the call. “Speak,” he said calmly.

On the other end, Asher’s voice sounded tense. “Robert, please can we meet? Today.”

“I’m busy,” Robert replied. “I don’t want to meet.”

“Did you not get my message? I sent that I’m going to return what I owe you,” Asher said urgently. “For that to happen let’s meet.”

Robert didn’t say a word.

“I will send the location and time,” Asher quickly said. Then he hung up.

Seconds later, a text arrived.

Robert finished the dishes. He wiped the counter, dried his hands, switched off the lights, locked the house, and left.

Broomstone Café

Broomstone Café was well-known in the city.

From the outside, it looked like a regular café with people buying drinks, chatting, working. But inside, there was a hidden back area. During the daytime, rich clients came here to discuss business privately.

Robert walked in with calm, unhurried steps. His face was utterly blank and unreadable.

A waiter led him to the private lounge and Asher was already there.

As soon as he saw Robert, he stood up, forcing a smile. “Robert. You came. Thank you.”

Robert sat down without reacting. He was simply calm, and that alone made Asher uneasy. This Robert was not the Robert he used to know.

“You’ve grown a lot in these eight years. I mean… you have such an intimidating aura. Haha.”

Robert stared blankly at his cousin, still refusing to say a word. This time he folded his arms calmly and quietly.

Asher took a breath. “I know we’ve treated you badly,” he began. “Me, my brothers… and Father. After you worked with us for some years, Father sent you away… that was not the right thing to do. And then for a few years, we never contacted you after sending you away. That wasn’t fair to you.”

Robert looked at him steadily.

“Some years? A few years? You all never contacted me for eight years after throwing me out like I’m nobody. And it was twelve years I worked for you all like a man slave. Get it right,” he corrected quietly.

Asher lowered his head. He couldn’t deny it. He could only quickly change the topic. “Anyway… there is something I came to give you.”

He opened his bag and carefully pulled out a thick file. He placed it on the table and pushed it toward Robert.

“This is for you.”

Robert opened it and scanned the documents. It was a company registration for ownership papers.

Asher explained slowly, “This company, Ashcroft Invests, was your mother’s. You may already know this… but your mother was a very wealthy elite in Country X where she was based. She had married your father that is why she left home and came here to Country Z. This company is located in her hometown in Country X. It’s very successful. Very powerful. And it belongs to you.”

He gently slid the file closer. “Father wants to finally return it to you.”

Robert stared at the documents for a moment then he looked back at Asher.

“After twenty years uncle Peter suddenly decided to be kind? How can I refuse?” He mocked.

Asher couldn’t say a word.

“He kept my inheritance company from me for twenty years and he thinks he’s doing me a favor? He sent me to law school not for me, but for him. So I would work for your family’s law firm and increase his fame. I worked there for twelve years, day and night. I built things, improved systems, won cases after cases and never lost to an opponent lawyer; not even once. I turned your family’s law firm into a city of milk and honey.”

He continued.

“Clients could live there, relax there, feel rich there and that idea was mine. The reason people called it a ‘city firm’ was my idea. That firm rose into a top trend and a golden example for both law firms and business enterprises to emulate. And it was all thanks to me.”

Asher brought his head down in shame.

Robert went on. “And after twelve years of all these services, Uncle Peter threw me out. There was no warning, no thanks, nothing just threw me out without a cause and blocked my access to anything. Then for eight full years, you all gave me silence. Like I never existed.”

He tapped the file lightly.

“And now, suddenly, he remembers me. And he returns my mother’s company?”

Asher swallowed. “Father only wants to make things right now.”

Robert studied him for a moment. Then he picked up the pen. He signed his name without any hesitation.

He closed the file and stood up.

“Well, tell Uncle Peter I wish him a safe recovery,” he said calmly. “But if this is a test to see whether I can run a company on my own and without his help then tell him this…”

His eyes hardened slightly. “You all underestimate me. And it’s disappointing.”

He turned and walked toward the exit.

Robert felt it was unfortunate that the same people who saw him build an empire out of a tiny law office, would underestimate him like this. He would show them exactly who he had become.

He would show them his quiet strength.

He pulled out his phone from his pocket and dialed a number. “Hello, Deputy officer Charles.”

“Commander! I never expected you to call back so soon,” the man on the other line picked up immediately.

“Deputy Charles, I have a task for you.”

“Speak, Commander.”

Robert instructed. “I do not care how you do it. I want information to be spread out by tomorrow. And this information is that the multi-million dollar company: Ashcroft Invests, will be relocating from Country X to Moone City in Country Z.”

Robert could hear the deputy stomp his feet on the ground from the other line. “Will comply, Commander sir!”

“Good.” Robert ended the call.

The next day, a shocking announcement sent shockwaves through Moone City.