Chapter 17 Varney Nixon
Chapter 17: Varney Nixon
Varney went into his study to prepare for his meeting. He’d spent the weekend out of state meeting with business associates and had barely made it home in time. He would have regretted it if he wasn’t here to see Golden bring a friend home.
When Florence mentioned that Golden had called and asked the chef to prepare dinner for an additional guest, he was stunned.
His virtual briefing with NGH’s renewable energy division had been scheduled for 6 p.m., but it was pushed back to 8 p.m. so he could have dinner with Golden and her guest.
For so long, Golden had worn a forlorn expression, and Varney hadn’t known how to get her smile back. Friday had been especially hard: she was stood up on a date and humiliated in front of the entire school online. She had even tried to see Dr. Velez—a quack cosmetologist with more failed procedures than successful ones, before Florence intervened.
He remembered rushing her to the hospital and staying by her side for two weeks. He had always been there, cleaning up the messes life threw at her. Not that Golden was a destructive child, but insecurities had plagued her for years, especially regarding her weight. He was her anchor, her protector, and he never left her side.
Once upon a time, he had been a carefree second-generation heir to a multi billion dollar franchise, running his own successful tech company. Then his parents died, and he inherited Nixon Global Holdings (NGH)—a diversified multinational empire with divisions in real estate, renewable energy, logistics, retail, and pharmaceuticals.
At just 28, he juggled more than most men twice his age. The carefree young man who used to enjoy car racing, video games, and nights out was gone. Meetings back-to-back had replaced parties and hobbies, and the only gatherings he attended now were business-related.
Golden had been homeschooled for most of her childhood. When she transitioned into physical school, Varney transferred to OCU to help her cope. He had been there when she first attempted suicide, the only one home to stop her and rush her to the hospital. Those two months she spent in a coma were the longest of his life.
And today… seeing Golden smile, seeing her splash in the pool with her friend, Varney felt a weight lift off his shoulders.
He walked to the balcony, watching the sunlight glint off the pool as the girls laughed. He hadn’t smoked in a while, but the craving came strong. He opened his drawer, pulled out a cigar, and took a slow drag, savoring the taste. The familiar smell brought back memories of a simpler time, night drives, occasional clubbing, carefree evenings with no responsibilities.
He remembered taking Golden to her first club for her high school graduation, the look of excitement on her face by the next morning… followed by her polite request never to take her again. Then came the accident. Varney had meant to accompany her and their parents to a Christmas ball.
The roads were slick with melted ice. Their car slipped, crashing into an electric pole. Their driver and his father died instantly. His mother had shielded Golden, dying on the way to the hospital. Golden lay unconscious in a coma for weeks, and Varney had been terrified he would lose her too.
When she woke, the light in her eyes had dimmed. She turned to food for comfort, and no matter what he tried, he couldn’t bring back her smile. He sacrificed his social life, attending only to business and family, giving up the carefree world he once knew to be her anchor.
And yet, today was different. Today, Golden laughed. Today, she played. Today, she was genuinely happy.
Florence knocked softly on the door and entered, holding his coffee.
“Sir, I brought your coffee,” she said, setting it on the table before stepping out to join him on the balcony.
Varney took a sip, letting the warmth settle. “She looks really happy. It’s been forever since I’ve seen Miss Golden like this.”
“You can stop worrying now, Master Varney. I think everything will be okay,” Florence said gently, patting him on the back. Her guarded eyes held unspoken thoughts, and she left him to his quiet reflection.
Varney inhaled the smoke slowly, watching the girls in the pool, feeling the tension in his chest ease for the first time in years.
For the first time in a long while, he believed that maybe, just maybe, everything would be alright.