The Rise Of Nicholas Hensaw

Chapter 18

Earl noticed Nicklaus staring at his pocket, so he looked down and saw his gun was visible.

"That's for protection—you don't need to be afraid," Earl said, noticing the concern on Nicklaus's face, though he tried to hide it.

"Oh, that... yes, okay," Nicklaus said, attempting to appear nonchalant.

Unknown to Nicklaus, Earl had undergone extensive training. There was nothing he couldn't handle—he could resist any temptation, no matter how alluring.

They arrived at the villa and parked in front of the house. As they got out, Nicklaus marveled at the mansion again. He followed the men until they reached the entrance.

Nicklaus swallowed hard, his heart racing, but he managed to maintain composure.

Earl led him directly to the old man's room. The moment the door opened, Nicklaus was shocked.

Not only was the old man present, but there was also a middle-aged man in the room.

"This must be Linda's father," Nicklaus thought, until he spotted another man who looked exactly like the first one.

"Is he the one?" one of the men asked, pointing at Nicklaus with a frown.

Nicklaus scanned the room looking for the old man but couldn't see him anywhere. He remained calm because, for some unknown reason, he trusted his instincts. As he stood before the men he assumed were Linda's relatives, numerous data analyses appeared before his eyes.

Suddenly, a cough from the bathroom door caught everyone's attention, and the old man emerged fully dressed.

"You must be Mr. Nicklaus Henshaw," the old man said, and Nicklaus nodded in response.

"You saved my life, and my two irresponsible sons summoned you here to say thank you!" the old man declared.

Nicklaus was confused—not because the old man seemed gruff, but because he felt like something was missing. Linda wasn't in the room. Initially, when he didn't see her, he assumed she'd be wherever the old man was, but she was nowhere to be found.

Old Man Fin extended his hand and said, "Come here, I'm going to reward you! You accomplished what no doctor could do. Because of you, I'm here, able to speak again." His voice was strong and clear.

Nicklaus wondered how a sick person could suddenly have such strength after just recovering today.

"I've been desperate to feel my body again, to be able to talk again," the old man explained. That answered Nicklaus's question—desperation could accomplish remarkable things without external motivation.

As Nicklaus was about to speak, there was a soft, gentle knock on the door that caught everyone's attention.

The door opened, and Danila, Linda, and her male cousin entered carrying a tray of chicken soup.

"You're here already?" Linda said with a bright smile.

After placing the soup on the bedside table, she moved closer to Nicklaus and hugged him. "Because of you, I'm actually glad I was sent to prison—that's how I met you. Without that, my grandfather might not be alive."

Nicklaus smiled warmly and nodded in agreement.

The old man smiled and extended his hand, signaling for Nicklaus to come forward. "My boy, what do you want me to do for you?"

He searched his mind, trying to think of something significant enough to show his gratitude, but couldn't find anything adequate.

Nicklaus had heard many negative things about Old Man Fin from his father-in-law. He'd been told that Mr. Fin often smuggled items from government offices and was incredibly rude.

The Mr. Fin he was seeing now wasn't what they had described—he appeared humble to his core.

Without much thought, Nicklaus responded, "Don't worry, sir. I don't want anything."

Everyone in the room was stunned, including Linda. She couldn't understand how anyone could want nothing in return.

"Don't be ridiculous—even rich people want something. I know there must be something you desire," Linda said, but Nicklaus shook his head.

"I truly don't want anything."

"Nonsense! I won't accept that!" the old man said, attempting to stand. As he tried to get up, he winced and sat back down.

"I'm still experiencing some pain. I'm sure in a few days I'll be better. Since you're a doctor, you'd recommend medication, right?"

Nicklaus nodded. "Yes, I need paper, Linda. I'll write a prescription for you."

Without hesitation, Linda hurried to the bedside table, retrieved paper and a pen, and handed them to him.

He wrote several medication names and gave the prescription to the old man. "I'm a medical laboratory scientist, and trust me, we can do many things you might not know about."

"I can see that," the old man said appreciatively.

"I want to offer you a life-changing opportunity, son," the old man said, beckoning Nicklaus closer.

"Okay?" Nicklaus murmured.

"I own many hospital facilities, numerous properties—so many things I could offer you!" the old man declared. Since he obviously hadn't finished his point, Nicklaus waited patiently.

"None of my children are doctors or medical professionals, yet that was my original field. While my business conglomerate will go to Linda, I had planned to put my hospitals worldwide under the care of my assistant before he passed away shortly before I fell ill." He paused for emphasis.

"Now, I want to give them to you!" the old man announced.

Silence filled the room. Finally, Nicklaus responded, "I'm sorry, but I'm not interested."