"How?! How can that jerk still be alive?" Karen screamed at Mr. Bradley for the umpteenth time this year.
"May I ask why you are so eager for Mr. John to leave this world? And what do you plan to do with his inheritance? You already have an allowance of 50 thousand dollars each month. Isn't that enough? Do you plan to start a company that requires more than 50k?" Mr. Bradley's words dripped with sarcasm, but they seemed to have little effect on Karen's tirade.
"Ugh! But that girl, Sherly! She spent more than 200k on trips to Singapore and Las Vegas!"
"Doesn't she have a job? Perhaps if you worked hard, you could get one such trip," Mr. Bradley retorted, instantly regretting his words as Karen settled herself down, prepared to continue complaining.
"I am an actress who sold over two million copies ten years ago. Why won't these stupid film directors hire me? And I've been training for the role in Silent Huntress, but I failed the audition. I hope that film goes bankrupt upon release. So annoying."
Mr. Bradley could only nurse his headache, wondering how Mr. John remained so composed, at least on the surface, dealing with Karen. Even during his daughter's graduation ceremony a few years ago, Mr. John had managed his wife's antics with surprising calmness.
"Anyway, did you know soccer player Kevin has a dinner appointment with me? So, I have to go. See you, Mr. Bradley. Remember, three more years! Max! I want the inheritance documents prepared for me ASAP."
"Only if Mr. John passes away, ma'am."
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"Hello, Mr. Jack. My name is Jennifer, and this is my spouse, Mr. Alex. I heard my father was admitted here. Am I unwelcome?" Jennifer boldly entered Jack's office.
"Greetings, Jennifer. Of course, I would welcome Mr. John's daughter anytime."
"So, about my father, did you cure his illness? I heard his disease was incurable?"
"Ah, yes. His disease was incurable. So far, I have only been able to prolong his life. He was so eager to attend your wedding, you see. However, the process was a little bit experimental. That's why we can't show you anything."
"If you can prolong his life, why can't I see him?"
"I normally don't divulge my patients' data. However, seeing as you are his reason for enduring, I suppose I could tell you. He is currently in cryostasis. When he was frozen, his disease froze with him. And thus, he could live longer. He wanted to attend your wedding, and that's why he paid quite a bit of money to me to use the machine."
"I see," Jennifer muttered, a smile creeping up on her face.
"Thank you for the information, Mr. Jack. I will take my leave now."
"You are welcome. I shall await the day of your wedding. Mr. John would be delighted to attend it."
"Thank you, Mr. Jack."
After that, the two visitors gathered in a restaurant. Alex, still babying Jennifer, began to speak.
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
"So, what's the plan?"
"Dunno. I mean, I am already the CEO and have a salary. Even if Papa outlived me, he couldn't do anything. He couldn't even take over my company when he only had a few months between waking up."
"Well, yeah. How about our child, though?"
"We don't have a child yet! Ugh! It's all your fault. Why use cheap condoms! I am now pregnant, and we have to speed up our wedding!"
"Oh, we are going to speed it up? Society doesn't judge us much for it anymore. I think it would be okay and safer to have the wedding after the birth."
"Well, I guess so. I will write to Mr. Bradley about this."
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"WHAT? Cryostasis?" Karen screamed at the news Alex and Jennifer messaged them. She had eagerly anticipated her husband's demise, hoping to gain access to his inheritance with her daughter's help. However, now that her husband was still alive, her plans were thwarted. Beside her sat her lover, Kevin. Karen believed she had concealed their affair well, but unbeknownst to her, Mr. John was aware of her infidelity and had accepted it due to their prenup agreement. This agreement mandated DNA tests for any child conceived by Karen, leaving her with no option but to terminate any pregnancies resulting from her flings.
It annoyed her to no end that her husband always seemed to be one step ahead of her plans. Initially, she was overjoyed at having her needs fulfilled. She was a poor and failed actress, and only her looks warranted recognition. However, greed and avarice soon consumed her. Her husband seemed to have bound her with the prenup, which included clauses such as DNA tests for birth certificates, separation of wealth, and no alimony. If she were caught having an affair, she could face divorce and be left destitute on the streets.
That's why she felt the need to seek out another potential marriage candidate. She was insecure about her financial freedom and sought stability through relationships. She began dating her producers, hoping to secure her future. However, a scandal emerged, and her producer left her stranded. This left her and her producers off the hook, but she found herself without any movie offers thereafter. Now, she has turned her attention to Kevin, the CEO of one of John's rival companies.
Their relationship had begun when Kevin visited John's house under the guise of business negotiations. Despite being rivals, business interests trumped personal grievances, leading Kevin to deceive Karen by presenting himself as a major shareholder in John's company.
As their bond deepened, Karen and Kevin shared ambitions of merging their companies, yet their relationship was fraught with power struggles. Both desired to dominate the other, leaving their companies locked in a stalemate.
Through Karen, Kevin learned of John's condition, and he began treating Karen like a lover, a role she accepted readily. It was easy to persuade Karen without even resorting to lies; their goals were aligned. If John were to die, the inheritance would pass to Karen and Jennifer. With that, Kevin could simply give Karen the dividend from John's shares while retaining control over the shares' voting power. Little did she know that the dividend would yield her less income than she currently enjoyed. Kevin aimed to reduce the dividends paid by his company to its shareholders, believing that this money rightfully belonged to him as the CEO.
Kevin believed he would acquire John's company within a year, as the death neuralyzer disease was deemed incurable, and most patients did not survive more than two years. This disease primarily afflicted older individuals and was thought to be caused by some form of virus, although its mode of transmission remained unknown. Some speculated it was a computer virus that compromised a person's brain, but the truth eluded everyone.
Despite his expectations, John continued to live. Growing impatient, Kevin searched for information, convinced that John was already deceased and merely concealing it. Learning of John's attendance at Jennifer's graduation shattered Kevin's assumptions. Upon questioning Karen about John's health, he finally discovered the truth about cryostasis. This revelation upended Kevin's plans to take over the company; with cryostasis, John could potentially live indefinitely. Moreover, John had recruited Alex, Jennifer's spouse, into the fold. With Alex and Jennifer poised to inherit John's company and shares, Kevin's hopes of a hostile takeover dwindled.
"Ugh, damn it," Karen cursed. "So, what should we do, Kevin? With cryostasis technology, I have no means to access his money."
" I'll consult with my lawyers. Relax, honey. It will be fine."
In truth, Kevin had no concrete plan. He considered getting closer to Jennifer, but she was fully committed to Alex. She viewed Kevin strictly as a business partner. He realized he might need to take drastic action soon.