come after you once he realises we don’t own the land. If he were to take it from you, we would have no option but to move.”
“He can’t take this land from me, my boy. It’s fully paid for. I have no outstanding debts. The only costs I pay out are bills to feed the rest of our livestock and to maintain the upkeep of the land. All of which aren’t something he could use against me. You technically rent the land you are on. I have that as extra income.
“Whatever you decide to do, I fully support you. Never question that.”
“But what do you suggest we do? What would you do if you were us?” Jaxon asks, running a hand over his face.
He’s conflicted as much as me. It’s too good of an offer to pass up, but what right do we have when we didn’t earn it.
He’s also stressed because he is desperate to get back to Lily. She is still getting morning sickness. He would have invited her to the meeting since she now owns Jaxon’s share too, but he doesn’t want her at risk if Andrew ever turns up here.
Mum takes a long look at each of us, her gaze darting around the room before settling on Jaxon. “If everything is given the okay by our lawyer, I would take the offer. Whatever Mr Yang’s motives are, this is a gift and a blessing he’s giving you. You’ve worked hard to get this company successful, so I understand your reluctance. You made it from the ground up. But sometimes in life, you have to take help, opportunities, and this opportunity is too good to pass up.”
“And you can get the homes built here like you wanted us to do from the start,” I add, smirking at Mum.
She laughs, standing up from the desk as she wipes her hands over her apron. “Well of course. This is family land. It’s been passed down for generations, and although I had hoped that one day one of you could run it the way it once was, I know that isn’t what you were born to do. You all have spirit and motivation, and you have made this land great in your own way. You have taken your father’s name and made him proud. The only thing I ask is that you keep to the land they suggested. I don’t want the beauty of it ruined by construction. I’d love to meet this Ru woman because that land has gone to waste for generations. I was going to sell it since it runs up the back line of the Cornell property and we don’t need it. She had to have known I would never agree to you building anywhere else on the property.”
“Why was you going to sell?” Paisley asks, stepping forward.
All of us are shocked. Mum always made us promise not to sell the land if anything were to happen to her, or at least, not the original plot our family started with. As firstborn, it went to Jaxon, but he agreed to give shares to all of us. But if one of us ever wants to sell, Jaxon will have to approve it. Not that we would.
“Because you all have dreams. I knew Paisley needed more money towards her business and the land was just sitting there. We haven’t had live cattle on that plot of land, and from what I remember, your grandfather didn’t either. It was bought fifty years ago during a feud between the us and the land to the south, which is now owned by the Cornell’s.”
“Never expected that,” I mumble. “So, you think we should take the offer?”
“I’m not telling you anything. Whatever you choose to do is your choice. Not mine. I’m proud of you either way. I only have that one condition. Your father and I made promises to each other. We knew that one day, you boys would inherit the land, and although it isn’t in the way we had hoped, I believe he would still want this. We knew there could be a chance none of you would want the farm side and we agreed that we would compromise if that day came. I’m compromising. As long as the land you marked is the only land you build on, I’m happy with it to go ahead.
“Now, I have a dinner to finish. I hear we have an extra guest,” Mum announces, glancing at Evie, who’s oblivious, concentrating down on