Lincoln shot him a frosty look. "The descendants of Stewart Enterprise have the right to inherit the shares handed down by our forebears. However, the portion each receives is determined by the elders, based not only on their whims but also on the candidates' performance over a specific three-month period. That rule hasn’t changed, right?"
Dean was momentarily stunned.
"Nope, it hasn’t changed," Uncle Frank chimed in. "The patriarch might be bedridden, but his mind’s as sharp as ever. He’s been waiting for you, Lincoln, to come back so he can finally choose an heir. Now that you're here, I’d say let's kick off the competition. How about starting next month?"
Dean glanced over at his father, Regan, who nodded in encouragement.
Feeling confident, Dean said, "Alright, let's go head-to-head. But let’s get this straight, Lincoln: if you don’t achieve anything, you’ll have to leave the Stewart family empty-handed."
Lincoln met his gaze. "And if none of you from the main branch achieve anything, then you all have to pack up and leave the Stewart family."
Dean nodded, "Deal."
Lincoln added, "We should get this in writing to avoid any misunderstandings later on."
Just as he said that, Bradley stepped up with a contract in hand.
Lincoln signed it without a second thought.
Dean scoffed, "Brother, you might want to give yourself a way out. The Capital today isn’t like it was twenty years ago. Now, the elite only acknowledge our branch."
Lincoln replied confidently, "We'll see about that."
Once the agreement was signed, Bradley sealed it away and reminded them, "The patriarch wants this challenge to be witnessed by everyone. So, this contest will be open and transparent, for the world to see."
Lincoln agreed, "Alright."
Dean couldn’t quite grasp where Lincoln’s confidence stemmed from.
He picked up the pen and signed his name.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Reborn From Oblivion (Nellie and Cameron)
Can you please convey this to the person who owns this website? Update “find me in your labyrinth” novel please...author is MIA for several weeks......AND VERY INCONSISTENT...