Rise of the big bad son-in-law

Chapter three.

Jamal exhaled a deep breath for the umpteenth time since the drive began, and the lady suddenly casted him a quick glance from the side mirror and chuckled softly.

"My name is Evelyn, and I'm your grandfather's personal assistant." She suddenly blurted. "You look scared so I figured I'd start making things clear." 

"Grandfather?" Jamal repeated. "I don't have one, my parents were all I knew, and they died a long time ago in a car crash," 

"It wasn't a natural car crash, Mr Collins Lincoln, your father was going to take over the company from grandpa Lincoln, but Andrew, his junior brother wanted it so much, he did some pretty bad things, I don't want to renew old wounds." 

A sudden cold shiver jolted through Jamal's spine as a Evelyn's words replayed in his head. She knew his father's name, she couldn't be wrong. "Why are you telling me all this now?" His voice quivered. 

"Grandpa Lincoln is dead, he willed his possessions to you Jamal, so you have to take over now." 

For a moment, Jamal forgot how to breathe; her words sounded so foreign in his ears. "You are here because he's dead? Where were him when I was in foster care at age three? Where were all of you when I suffered my way through life? When I truly needed saving?" Tears flooded his eyes as he lamented bitterly.

"Grandpa Lincoln was only trying to keep you safe from your father's stray brother, Andrew, with your father out of the way, you could've easily been his next target, keeping you away means keeping you from him." 

Jamal was quiet for a minute, as much as she was making sense and he hated it; he had his own emotions to deal with. "What makes you think he won't come after me now?" 

"You're a grown man now, and you have right to your decisions; you can choose to take the money grandpa Lincoln left for you, or take everything, including his investments and face Andrew." 

Again, Jamal was thrown in a dazed state, unable to collect his thoughts, he needed time to process everything. 

He didn't say any more word to her throughout the ride, until they finally pulled up at a gate so massive, Jamal thought for a moment it might be the entrance to a royal palace. The black iron gates stood twice the height of the SUV, elegant lion heads were carved into each panel, Ivy vines coiled along the outer pillars, and in the center was a bold, ornate crest embossed in polished brass: “L” for Lincoln.

As the gates creaked open with a nearly soundless move, Jamal’s breath caught in his throat. 

The driveway alone was wide enough to fit tons of cars side by side, on either side of the driveway, neatly trimmed hedges ran the length of the road, and quite expensive looking decors.

When the car turned towards the main courtyard, Jamal lost his voice.

Before him stood a house... no, a mansion, stretching wide and tall with towering windows framed by cream-colored stone columns. Balconies wrapped around the upper floors, the front doors were grand enough to belong to a cathedral, double-paneled, engraved and inlaid with fine silver.

Everything shimmered... Jamal stared in disbelief, eyes wide, his heart pounding like a drum in his chest. The world he knew... The Smiths mansion, his before mansion as a struggling business man, it all evaporated in the face of such beauty.

Jamal's leg's wobbled as he stepped down from the car, looking around frantically like a lost puppy. 

He couldn't believe his grandfather owned a place like this and yet, he had to beg for crumbs from the Smiths. 

"Come with me please," Evelyn's voice broke through his chain of thoughts. 

Jamal nodded sheepishly and followed her in.

Just as they stepped inside, a well looking young man, who looked almost his age was climbing down the stairs, but surprising to Jamal, he had a frown on his face. 

"This is Adolphus, your grandfather's nephew,"  

Adolphus stopped midway down the staircase.

He was dressed in a perfectly fit black suit, no tie, the first two buttons of his white shirt undone. His hair was neatly styled, sharp jawline, expression unreadable. But his eyes… cold.

His gaze swept over Jamal, slowly from his slightly worn shoes, up to the fresh clothes given to him at the station. 

A faint smirk touched his lips.

“So,” Adolphus said, his voice carried an edge to it. “the grandson finally surfaces.”

Jamal stiffened by the unwarm expression. 

Evelyn stepped slightly forward. “Adolphus, this is Jamal Lincoln. Mr. Lincoln’s rightful heir.”

“Oh, I see,” Adolphus replied calmly.

He descended the remaining steps.

Jamal suddenly felt out of place as Adolphus stopped in front of him, surprisingly, he stretched forth his hand towards Jamal for a handshake. 

“Welcome home, cousin.”

The word cousin felt strange to his ears.

Jamal hesitated for half a second before shaking it.

Evelyn cleared her throat. “Mr. Lincoln left everything to Jamal. The board has already been notified, we'll start the handover process immediately.”

Adolphus’ eyes flickered.

Just for a second.

“There’s no rush,” he said smoothly. “After all… Jamal just got out of prison.”

Jamal’s jaw tightened noticing how everyone, including the servants close by stiffened hearing that.

“I was cleared,” he said.

“Of course you were.” Adolphus nodded mildly. “Money has a way of correcting… misunderstandings.”

Jamal felt something stir inside him... It was anger, despite how hard he tried so hard to keep himself in check, but Adolphus is really pushing it, Jamal was confused why he's acting that way, they haven't met before yet he was acting like there's an underlying rivalry going on between them.

Evelyn suddenly cleared her throat. "That's enough Adolphus, this isn't how to welcome your cousin, we talked about this."

"C'mon Evelyn, I'm sure he can take a little heat, that's how we men connect, how will he handle the company if he's a softie?" Adolphus blurted.

Evelyn rolled her eyes at him and turned towards Jamal.

“Your grandfather prepared everything before his passing. There will be a formal reading in few days with the board and legal team, I will continue the explanation tomorrow, for now, you should rest.”

“Rest,” Adolphus echoed softly. “Yes. You must be exhausted. Prison beds aren’t exactly… luxurious.”

That did it.

Jamal’s eyes locked with his. “You have no idea what I have been through, I'll appreciate it if you dropped the side talks." He gritted calmly.

There was silence.

Adolphus blinked once.

The faintest surprise flickered across his face.

“Well, well,” he said after a moment. “Maybe you won’t bore me after all.”

He stepped aside.

“Show him his quaters.”

Jamal turned sharply to Evelyn. "Quaters?”

She smiled gently. “The west quarters has been prepared for you. It’s yours.”

The word felt unreal.. having a place prepared for him specially, he has never experienced that before.

As they walked up the staircase, Jamal felt Adolphus’ gaze on his back.

He knew that something was making Adolphus mad, and whatever it is, seemed to be tied to him.

**Later at night**

Jamal stood in the center of the room.

The west quarter was bigger than the entire Smith mansion.

Among other fancy details was a private lounge. Fairytale bathroom. Walk-in closet already stocked with designer suits.

Two months ago, he had been kneeling on a prison floor.

Three months ago, he had been begging to ride in his in-laws’ car.

Now…

An heir to an insanely affluent legacy.