Five days slipped by in a blur of preparation.
Luke and Teyana formally accepted their job offers, and Luke spent every waking hour studying for his new role as COO, learning the ins and outs of the business.
The atmosphere within the Hale household shifted noticeably—focused, tense, and expectant—because tomorrow was the day everyone had been waiting for.
The succession ceremony.
The Hale family was busier than ever.
Every staff member was on duty, every schedule packed to the brim.
The event was going to be held at a massive field owned by the Lincoln Group, a location chosen not just for its grandeur but for the statement it made.
This was exactly the kind of chaos Kaitlin Hale thrived in.
She loved being in charge of these things, so she was everywhere at once, barkng orders at the mansion and at the event center.
“Hurry up and wash the fruits!
I want everything fresh—handmade fruit juice only,” she ordered briskly.
“And someone tell me—what’s the update on the drinks?”
Staff rushed in and out of the mansion, balancing trays, answering calls, checking lists.
“Mrs.
Kaitlin,” Vennesa said, approaching cautiously with her phone still in hand.
She looked like the weight of the entire world had been dumped on her shoulders.
“I just got a call from the hall.
They’re still decorating, and the seating arrangement isn’t complete.
They also can’t reach the contractor.”
Kaitlin froze for half a second.
“Oh my God.” She pressed her fingers to her temples, then looked up sharply.
“Vennesa, can you—can you just handle it the way you always do?”
“Ma’am, but—”
“Thank you, darling,” Kaitlin cut in decisively.
Then she raised her voice again.
“And someone find William, Leo, and Levi!
Where have those three disappeared to?”
Vennesa nearly groaned.
As the head secretary and personal assistant of the entire Hale Conglomerate, she already had more responsibilities than she could count.
And now—once again—all her bosses had conveniently vanished.
Men being men.
While the mansion buzzed with urgency, the three men had made a strategic decision to escape the stress—specifically, Kaitlin’s stress.
They went golfing.
GOLF COURSE
At the golf course, the atmosphere was entirely different.
Calm.
Open.
Peaceful.
William sat comfortably under the shade while Leo and Levi took turns at the tee, competing more with themselves than with each other.
“Your stance is everything in golf,” Leo said confidently, positioning himself.
“Feet firm, shoulders relaxed.
Arc your back just a little—then shoot.”
He swung.
The ball sailed cleanly through the air and dropped neatly into the hole.
“Yes!” Leo shouted, throwing his fist into the air in triumph.
William laughed, clapping lightly.
Levi just shook his head, unimpressed.
“Why does this feel like a setup?” Levi muttered.
“You dragged me here.
I don’t even have to play.”
“Yes, you do!” William replied immediately.
“If you’re succeeding your father, then prove you’re good in all aspects.”
“And golfing is the proof?” Levi asked dryly.
“Just take the shot,” Leo teased.
Levi sighed.
“Well, I think golf is more than just stance.
Strategy and calculation matter just as much.”
He took his position, aimed carefully, and swung.
The ball flew beautifully—but missed the hole by inches.
William and Leo burst into laughter like schoolboys who’d just won an argument.
Levi exhaled sharply and returned to his seat, shaking his head.
“Don’t feel bad, son,” Leo said with a smug grin.
“With practice—and me as your coach—you’ll be as good as me in no time.”
“A heir who’s bad at golf?” a mocking voice cut in.
“You people sure he’s even your son?”
A bald, heavy-set man around Leonard’s age had approached them, accompanied by a younger man.
“Mason,” Leonard said flatly.
“Leonard,” Mason replied with a wide grin.
“Hardly see you anymore.
How’s life treating you?”
“All good,” Leo said coolly, then glanced at the young man.
“And you must be Phil.
How are you?”
“I’m fine, sir,” Phil replied arrogantly.
“Though I wish I could say the same about your son.
He sucks.”
“Now, now,” William said sharply.
“Watch your tone around your elders.
Why don’t you boys join us and have some fun?”
Levi sat frozen, stunned that someone would speak to him like that.
“No, no,” Mason said quickly.
“How about a little competition?
Just a friendly one—for fun.”
“Mason—” William warned.
“Oh, come on,” Mason laughed.
“It’s not like we’re going to hurt him.
Or is he scared?”
Father and son exchanged smug smiles.
Levi stood up slowly and stepped closer to Phil, towering over him.
He leaned in and whispered coldly, “You do realize I could beat you up right here if you keep talking to me like I owe you something.”
Phil swallowed hard and stepped back.
“If they want a friendly match,” Levi said aloud, turning to his father, “then I say we give it to them.”
Leo smiled proudly and nodded.
“Alright.
Let’s do this.”
The game began.
Mason and Phil took the first shots, confident and flashy.
But as the match progressed, Leo and Levi began to notice something—Levi was good.
Very good.
Shot after shot, he played with precision and focus, no longer holding back.
It became obvious he’d let his father win earlier.
This time, he meant business.
Hours passed, and by the end of the match, Leo and Levi had clearly won.
Mason and Phil stood in silence, embarrassment written all over their faces, as William and Leo laughed freely.
Levi met their gaze with a satisfied grin.
Without a word, Mason and Phil turned and walked away.
By sunset, the three men returned to the mansion. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
Inside, Kaitlin was still in full command mode.
The moment they tried to slip past unnoticed—
“Stop.”
All three froze.
“Turn around,” she said calmly.
“Slowly.”
They did, meeting her cold, piercing stare.
“I’m curious,” she said.
“Where exactly were the three of you that was more important than being here?
I truly hope it wasn’t one of your ridiculous leisure games.
And i hope—Levi, its a girl?”
They exchanged nervous glances.
“Mum, it was a meet—”
“Liar!” she snapped.
“Do I look foolish to you?
Vennesa was here all day.
Your schedule was empty.
I even called Alex—no meeting, not even with FAMILY.
So I’ll ask again—”
“Kait, enough,” William interrupted gently.
“Cut us some slack.
We’re back now.
Levi—go on, apologize to her for us.”
He nudged Levi forward.
Traitor.
Levi sighed.
“Grandma, I’m sorry.
They needed to be sure I was ready… maybe even better than my dad.
I might not be better—but I proved I’m ready.
And I’m not worried about tomorrow, because I know you’ll be there.
That’s what matters most.”
Her expression softened instantly.
“I don’t know what more tests they need,” she said, cupping his face.
“With or without me, you’ll do well tomorrow.
And if you had a girlfriend or wife, she’d be the one standing beside you—not me.
I stood for William, your mother stood for Leo.
So hurry and bring a girl home, hm?”
Levi chuckled nervously.
“Go upstairs and look at your outfit,” she added.
“It’s ready.
You two—do whatever you like.
Just don’t disappear with him again.”
As she walked away, the men burst into laughter they’d been holding back.
The day finally came to an end.
Later that night, Levi sat alone in his room’s living rooms.
His outfit stood perfectly arranged on the mannequin.
Files lay open on the table before him.
He glanced between them and the prepared speech in his hand, then he stood up and walked over to the suit, looking at it for a long time.
He let out a heavy sigh.
“It’s been a tough run,” he whispered.
“Grandma, I hope you see me.
I’m doing better.
And things are about to get even better.
The responsibility is a lot… so watch over me.”
He returned to the sofa, the weight of tomorrow settling quietly on his shoulders, but he was ready for the morning that would begin everything differently.