JASMINE’S POV

After Keith and Kolton were laid to rest, I was still feeling strange about the whole thing.

I thought of Angelina and her outburst during the burial. She blamed Henry for Keith’s death but she also blamed me for leaving him.

I mean I understood that it was uncomfortable to bury your son and his potential killer at the same time. I lingered on the word ’potential’ and a another wave of guilt hit me.

In the following week after the funeral, I finalized the documentation process for custody of Marco. I was fully prepared to take care of him.

Escpecially Marco was fully supportive of the decision and so was Tony. I didn’t want to break the bond they appeared to have. They seemed to have grown close during their time at Kolton’s home. He had no immediate relatives that he could be sent to aside from Henry Acland.

However, Henry didn’t refuse when I stepped up. I was glad.

Now I had to figure out what I was going to do with my life and raise the two boys. Louis had said that if I wanted he could get me employed.

Inorder to slowly lift our mood and gradually work our way through everything I had them

I think I could do something else. I had earned quite a bit of money from working for Louis and from my father. I honestly felt I could do think of something new to venture in.

I received an email from Henry to meet at the Acland HQ in the coming days. Following up on what he had told me at the funeral.

**********

"Mr Acland," I greeted him upon entering his office. To think this very office has been Keith’s. I absolutely

"Just call me Henry, please," he told me. "Please have a seat."

I sat on the guest seat at the desk. "Have you been holding up?" he asked me.

"I’m trying to get by and you?" I asked.

"I guess I’m the same," he replied.

"I don’t know what was going between you and Keith. But it seemed after the veil was lifted from his eyes about Diana he was able to see the error of his ways and wanted to rekindle things with you. He treasured you dearly and said he was working on annuling the divorce," he told me.

My eyes narrowed. He knew what Keith was doing to me and he didn’t give a damn. If he were alive he wouldn’t have stepped in at all. I was already bored with this meeting however, I was curious about what he was going to say.

I recalled how he’d spoken to me at the the burial. His tone told me it was important. I knew it had something to do with Tony.

"I see."

"Anyway, I wanted to discuss the future of the Acland group with you," he continued.

"Alright," I answered. I knew it.

"For the last four generations the company has strictly been run by family members," he went on.

So naturally you were going to say you want Tony to be the heir aren’t you? I wondered.

Due to Keith’s behavior I wanted him nowhere near my son, since I felt he would be safe around Keith. Even if it meant him not being the heir to the Acland Group. I wanted to offer Keith more. However, things were different now.

"At the time of Keith’s passing you were still legally his wife and Anthony was still listed as his heir," he went on.

"Yes?"

"And so naturally now that Keith has passed on, that mantle should be passed on to Anthony who is still under age and cannot take on the role yet." he brought his hands together as he contemplated his next words.

"I have taken control of the company for now. I don’t want to give the rights and role to anyone else who is not a part of the family. Especially after whats happened. I fear that if someone else were given the position they might attempt to keep the position for themselves like Kol..." he trailed off. His voice sounded pained.

I waited for him as I processed his face of regret. "What exactly are you asking me Henry?" I broke the silence after a moment.

"I would like to ask you to work with me. I am old now I don’t how if I’ll still be there when Anthony is over 18. There will be so much to teach and if I were to pass on before that he wouldn’t be abe to take on the role properely. Unless of course there was someone I could trust to be able to do that ."

He took out a large folder and opened it. They were reports about me. "I have been thinking of what I to do since Keith’s passing. You have been working at the Carrington’s company as an assistant havent you?" he asked.

My eyebrows sprung up. If I remember correctly he’s one of the most mysoginistic men out there. I recalled his words to Keth at the Acland estate where he said; ’Dont you know how to control your women!’

"Yes, I did work as his assistant," I replied.

"I would like you to work with me as my assistant and help Anthony for the time he takes over," he went on.

Perhaps Henry was desparate now to fix everything in the company that he was willing to ask me if he had to. I contemplated for a moment what I should say in response.

"Then I accept I am will take the offer," I accepted. "I have terms and conditions which we’ll discuss."

"Very well..." Henry agreed skeptically.

"I know I didn’t decline when you offered to take Kolton’s child into custody but are you sure it’s a good idea for Anthony and Kolton’s child to stay together?"

I had planned to be respectful to Henry but on this one thing I wanted to be blunt.

The reason this Kolton and Keith situation occured is because of your negligence as a parent," I stated. I didn’t know the full details about Keith and Kolton’s upbringing but I knew Henry wasn’t present.