Author's Note:

This is a sequel to the story "Till Death Do Us Part". Special thanks to the wonderful group of Charmes4ever and I Love Guinea Pig. Your support is truly overwhelming! Thanks for the characters and ideas you provided to conceptualize the plot of the story. Truly you are my partners! Kudos.

It was 22 years after the reunion of Percy and Annabeth. The Jackson Empire now stretches around the globe from hotels, shopping malls, medical centre, and now pharmaceutical business. Main characters are now the third generation Jackson and Blofis kids.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything.

Prologue:

She had not taken a sedative, because she wanted the pain. She owed that to Percy Jackson. She would be able to bear it because she was his daughter. Because she was a Jackson. The Jackson blood ran in her veins. Lily Lyde Jackson is the daughter of Percy and Annabeth Jackson, who owned a multibillion dollar dynasty! How could they leave her? And so she lay there, at the Jackson Hotel, all day and all night, thinking of nothing, then thinking of everything, remembering, feeling. She laughed and she cried, she supposed she was in a state of hysteria. It did not matter. There was no one to hear her. In the middle of the night, she suddenly became ravenously hungry and went down the kitchen and devoured a large sandwich and then threw it up. She felt better. Nothing could ease the pain that filled her now. Her mind kept going back, back over the years with her father and mother. Back over the years with the memory of her great grandfather Jim Jackson. Through her bedroom window she watched the sun rise. It's time to face the Blofis family. Shaun Alexander Blofis, whom she had not seen since boarding school. Good. Because she hated the idea of seeing him. It made her feel so sick. Could his family have something to do with her parent's death? They were partners in the family business. Jim Jackson had trusted them. He trusted the Blofis with his life. But Shaun. She did not trust him. Since the day she saw him dating that daughter of their competitor. Was he selling the company's secret for the sake of love? How could he? Now she trusted no one. Everybody was watching her. And one of them was her enemy. Could he or she be one of the employees? Sometime later, one of the attendants knocked but Lily apologized and sent him away. Once the phone rang, and her heart leaped and she reached for it, thinking. It's her father. Then she remembered, and snatched her hand away. He would never call her again. She would never see him again.

A bottomless crevasse. Bottomless. Lily lay there, letting the past wash over her, remembering it all...

Chapter 1 - Another Jackson Girl

The birth of Lily Lyde Jackson was a tragedy. A major tragedy because Lily was born a girl. Just like his grandfather Jim Jackson, Percy had always wanted his eldest to be a son, a son who will carry on the reins of the business. But what's wrong with having a girl? The business world is tough. Too tough for a girl! But no regret at all, thought Percy. Anyway, hadn't Sally Jackson been a girl? And she had put Jackson Group to where it is now.

For nine months, until she emerged from the darkness of her mother's womb, she was the most eagerly awaited child in the world, heir to a colossal empire, the multibillion-dollar giant, Jackson Group of Companies. The suite room at the San Francisco Medical Centre was full of flowers and cards from hundreds of well wishers. The best doctors were all there. She was surrounded by nurses ready to give a hand in case anything will happen. Lily slept peacefully that night. The first visitors were the baby's grandparents, Sally Jackson and Poseidon who were more excited than the mother, followed by Nico di Angelo and Thalia Grace, San Francisco's best surgeon Dr. Luke Castellan with Moriah, Dr. Sedfrey Winefield, the Jackson's family doctor, the Blofis and many others. Sally's cousins, the Harrolds came all the way from England, and cousin Eleonor Jackson Bane, daughter of Jim's elder sister Virginia just arrived from France where she was based. All in all, the suite which could have occupied five beds was filled with family, friends, relatives and business partners.

Annabeth, Percy's wife carried the baby all evening in her arms. For who will not rejoice with the birth of the lucky baby? She got her mother's hair and her father's sea green eyes. Annabeth was a woman of surpassing beauty only equalled by the beauty of a royal princess. She was a woman of substance. But then Percy was also too good looking. Many women had tried and dreamt of marrying him, for his position, his prestige, and his wealth. Annabeth, a famous painter, had married him because she had fallen in love with him. Annabeth Chase aka Sophia Johnson would have married Percy Jackson even if he was a pauper or a poor peddler in the market.

"Mommy, why are you staring at Papa?" five year-old Lily asked. Percy was reading in his favourite chair.

Annabeth just smiled at her little girl. "Because I love him very much. When you grow up, I want you to marry the man you love, not just somebody arranged for you. Your papa and I's love had been tested by time. When you're old enough, I will tell you a story," and she smiled as she remembered those days when she waited for two years for Percy to come and look for her. It was an extra ordinary love story.

Lily grew up in the shadow of her mother but she was closer to her father Percy. Her nursery room was filled with educational toys ready to train her for the business she will someday inherit. But Lily was not simply interested. She preferred dressing up Barbie dolls and reading fairy tales and playing musical instruments.

Shaun Alexander Blofis was another story. Together with the Jackson, they make up the Jackson Group. Shaun belongs to a family of bankers. Aside from their minority share to the Jackson Group they own the International Bank of New York and another one in England and Switzerland. Lately, his father started a branch in Istanbul, Turkey. Where the Jackson always wanted a son, the Blofis always wanted a girl, because most of the Blofis clan were males. The Blofis males are jetsetters. They dine in the finest restaurants and date the most beautiful girl in town. They have always been a good catch because when you date a Blofis guy, you will surely land in the social pages of magazines. Two of the Blofis' are working for Jackson Group. When the Jackson Group ventured in the medical centre business, they also put up a pharmaceutical company. And Lander Heinrich Blofis handled the plant in Germany. It had been a very profitable business because after two years another branch was opened in Zurich where it housed its vast plant. Experiments were being held there every day. Another Blofis, Tyler Hale Blofis, manages the Hotel in Switzerland. Shaun was trained to handle both a bank and a hotel. Those were his parent's plan. He represents the family as board member of Jackson Group. Paul Blofis is the second husband of Sally Jackson, Percy's mother.

Lily Jackson had always hated Shaun Blofis. For he always overshadowed her during social gatherings. Shaun had been the smart guy, tough, confident, alive and bubbly while Lily was the shy type. Shaun loves to show off his talent while Lily loves to sit in a corner and read books. Shaun plays hard rock electric guitar, Lily plays conservative, classical piano. When Shaun was sailing in a yacht dating super models, Lily was in a boarding school. To him, she was a bore, too plain, too reserved. They were sun and rain, opposites, both existed but never did they harmonize.

San Francisco, California

Saturday, September 4

Nine p.m.

Nico di Angelo was seated in the dark, alone, behind the desk in his study at the Jackson San Francisco Office. He has dark hair and sparkling eyes. He was seated here for over an hour now, thinking, shocked with the news. He had received a telephone call from Brazil an hour earlier.

"…A terrible accident! Believe me, Mr. Di Angelo, we are all devastated. It happened so quickly that there was no chance to save them. They were killed instantly…"

There was no way they could be dead. Percy and Annabeth were still too young to die. Their only daughter Lily Jackson had just finished school and she was still not well adapted in running the business. In fact, in all her teenage years, Lily did not seem to be interested in the business. She led a too comfortable life, lavished by the wealth around her that she never knew how to value hard work and money. Percy had always worried about her lack of interest but Annabeth had always an excuse.

"She's still too young dear. She will learn at the right time." But that right time never came until now…time had run out…

The lights in the office suddenly flashed on and Nico looked toward the doorway.

"Mr. Di Angelo! I did not know anyone was here."

It was Annabelle Wise, the company secretary who was assigned to Percy whenever he was in San Francisco. She had been with them since the completion of San Francisco Medical Centre.

Nico just looked at her without saying anything. "I returned to finish some letters for Mr. Jackson." She added softly, "Perhaps there is something I can do for you?"

"Yes. Where is Chris Santos?"

Annabelle shook her head regretfully. "He has left for the day." She smoothed the front of her dress with the palms of soft, clever hands. "Can I help you in some way?"

"Yes," Nico said. "Find him."

Chris Santos is the country manager for United States and he has his office in San Francisco. He had been a vital figure for Jackson Group.

Annabelle was apologetic. "I will try. But I'm afraid I…"

"Explain to him that it's very urgent Annabelle."

The expression on her face changed. "I will see what I can do, Mr. Di Angelo." She started towards the door.

"Turn off the lights."

Somehow it was easy to sit in the dark with his thoughts. The image of Percy and Annabeth kept intruding. The mountain should have been an easy climb this time of the year, early September. Percy had tried the climb before, but storms had kept him from reaching the peak.

"I'll plant the company flag up there this time," he had promised Nico, jokingly. Percy had always loved the water and they had been surfing the waves since their high school days but lately, Percy and Annabeth had found thrill in mountain climbing . They set off for Brazil two days ago before Lily would come for their grand vacation in Rio de Janeiro after Lily's graduation. Nico was supposed to climb with them but last minute he called off because his wife Thalia was blazing hot with fever and he couldn't bear to be away from his wife.

And then the telephone call a short while ago. He could hear the agitated voice on the telephone."…They were doing a traverse over a cliff…Mr. Jackson lost his footing and his rope broke…His wife tried to save him but they both fell into bottomless crevasse…"

Nico could visualize the couple's body smashing against the cliff, hurtling downward into the crevasse. He forced his mind away from the scene. He couldn't bear it. He started to compose himself and tried to worry about the present. The relatives of the Jacksons had to be notified and the board of directors who were scattered on different parts of the world. A press announcement has to be prepared. The news was going to travel through the financial circle like a shock wave. It is very important to have the impact as minimal as possible. Percy had been his closest friend, his comrade ever since their teen years and they were never separated. Until now…

The office lights blazed on again and Chris Santos stood in the doorway. He was a tall guy physically fit and athletic. He too was into diving lately maintaining his tan together with Percy and Nico scouring the coral beds of Palawan last week.

"Nico!" Chris was exclaiming. "Forgive me! I had no idea you were still in San Francisco. You were on your way to catch a plane, and I was having dinner with…"

"Please sit down Chris. This is very important. I want you to send messages to the different directors in company code. They're going to different countries. We will be having an emergency meeting at our office in New York." And he handed him a copy of the message he had crudely handwritten in a piece of paper.

"My gods!" he said as he read the note. "Oh my gods!" He looked up at Nico's pale face. "How…how did this terrible thing happen?"

"It was an accident." Nico replied.

Chris sat in a chair in front of him unbelieving. He shook his head and stared at Nico. "Are they positive? It could be that they're just missing and were still alive." He shook his head his face white with shock. "They were still too young…"

"Yes, I know." Now, for the first time, Nico allowed his thoughts to go to what he had been pushing away into his consciousness a while ago. He had been trying to avoid thinking about it. Lily Lyde Jackson, Percy and Annabeth's only daughter. She was twenty two now, fresh from school. How will she going to take it? From an ugly duckling, she had developed into a lovely woman inheriting her mother's beauty and intelligence and her father's smartness. Yet, she was not yet ready to take the reins of the business. She still needs training. She's still prone to…Ah; he will worry about that later. She had become too close to Percy, a daddy's girl. Nico knew how deeply she will be affected by the news.

Two hours later, Nico di Angelo was flying on the company's jet, headed for New York.

Acknowledgements for this story:

Thanks for the following who submitted their OCs: (List of OCs in this chapter ONLY!)

OliverWoodFanForever – Lily Lyde Jackson

I Love Guinea Pig – Shaun Alexander Blofis

Princesspb – Annabelle Wise

Santos56 – Christopher "Chris" Santos

AnotherReviewer - Lander Heinrich Blofis

I'maversatileperson - Tyler Hale Blofis

THANKS GUYS!

R&R!