"Marriage before I turn 28?! That's like a week and a half from now. How am I supposed to get a husband in a week?!"
"You go on blind dates that I'll set for you," the old woman nonchalantly replies as if her solution isn't flawed.
"Excuse my manners mothe—ahem—madam Lopez, but isn't getting married to a random stranger going to be bad for her in the future?"
"I remember Alora marrying you in the name of love and even cutting ties with her mother only for her to try and commit suicide not too long after," Grandma hisses at him and Dad immediately lowers his head.
Man, she hates him. Loathes him with passion so evident if Grandma were part of the mafia my father would probably be rotting in a make-do grave somewhere in the woods by now. I'm with him on this one though. I don't want to be married to someone who'll treat me the same way Amelia treats Dad—manipulative, overbearing, and cold-hearted.
"Isn't there another way? Like extending the duration or something," I ask, turning to face Grandma.
"No can do honey. This isn't any normal transfer of shares or marriage, I'm sure you know that much at least. I'm testing your business skills too. Are you able to convince someone to do your bidding with your words? Face? Body? Whatever you use, I don't care, as long as you manage to secure a husband in this short period. Mind you I've been sending you these letters since last year."
Since last year?!
I turn my head to glare at Amelia. "So you've been tearing a year's worth of papers huh?"
Wait. If she'd been getting them for a year now doesn't that mean she's read them? Then she'd know I was supposed to get married to inherit my grandmother's shares. Now hold on for a second.
"Briana."
"Y-yes," the brat stutters facing me.
"Please leave her out of this. She knows nothing about the envelopes," Amelia begs.
That's all I need to know before I start cooking up a conspiracy theory in my head. Both mother and daughter were in this together and if I'm right that'd mean her betraying me and sleeping with Noah wasn't a coincidence at all. That'd also mean that my catching them in the act wasn't a coincidence too. After all, I did dress up quite nicely before leaving to have brunch with Manon. Anyone would've figured I was going to meet my boyfriend sometime later.
"Ah, I forgot about her taking the envelopes away from you," Grandma sighs, rubbing her temples.
I turn my head to face her, a little hopeful she'll change the conditions now that she knows I wasn't ignoring her. Why would I ignore such an offer when I'm desperately hoping to escape from this hellhole of a house? She of all people should know this much at least. I mean, she does look sharper than I had imagined. She's the owner of a billion-dollar restaurant chain after all. No one can reach her level if they're not smart even in intuition as well.
"So...can you twerk the conditions a little?"
"No. I did say if you can't meet them then you can't inherit my shares."
"But—"
"I never go back on my word, honey. Your mother should be proof enough for you to know I mean exactly what I'm saying."
Right.
She's the strict lady who cut ties with her daughter and lived up to it. To this day, I've never heard of her stopping by the hospital to check on her brain-dead daughter. She's popular enough to have the news talking about her the moment she steps out into the public eye. Seeing as how there's no news about her visiting a hospital means she's never even bothered to check on her daughter at all ever since they severed ties.
"Either you find you a man amongst the dates that I set for you—because I'm not taking a poor freak who'll use you for your money as a possible mate—or you bring home a self-made millionaire. End of discussion. Now which is it?"
A fake cough comes from Amelia's side drawing our attention to her as she adjusts herself in her seat. "Isn't that a little too pressuring on her Madam Lopez?"
Grandma cackles. Her laugh is sharp. Taunting. Mocking as she claps her hands as if to applaud Amelia's hypocrisy. Even though I'm not a fan of her strictness, I like the old woman. I want to be exactly like her. In this cruel world where money and power rule, I also want to be the boss lady with two guards on her sides whose aura can make people bow just at the mere sight of me.
"Well, aren't you a funny one, you scrawny whore? You hid the letters from her for an entire year and suddenly you act as though you're concerned she can't fulfill the conditions in the contract? Surely you don't think I'm stupid enough to believe you didn't read the contents and had to do everything in your power to make sure the girl doesn't get more power than you in the company now do you?"
Amelia breaks a sweat, looking down at her coffee mug. I have to agree with Grandma. She said exactly what's been running in my mind the moment I considered the possibility of Amelia and Briana working together. Such evil should only be left for fairy tales but alas, fairy tales are based on real events sometimes.
"I'll go on the blind dates," I answer grandma, determination fueling my very sense of being as I look at the old woman square in the eyes.
She studies my face for a moment before smiling. "Good call. At least you know better than to defy the person who wants the best for you...unlike your mother," Grandma glares at Dad and he shifts in his seat.
Man, I'm enjoying watching them get uncomfortable a little too much.
"One of my boys will come and pick you up tomorrow afternoon around 2PM. I'm sure your date will be ready for you by then. Dress how you want to be perceived, I won't tell you how because I consider fashion to be an entire sense of being." Another glance at my family as she scrunches her face.
Go, savage granny!
"Just so you know, your date might've done background research on you. My friends are that cunning. Unfortunately, I don't have the pictures of the boys you might meet so I can't help you with that. But just be ready to have them ask you questions about your past. Answering honestly where necessary will work in your favor you hear?"
"Yes, Grandma," I reply.
"Please, call me Maria."
I beam at her as we both stand before she pulls me into a hug.
"If they try and hold you back the moment I leave this building, don't hesitate to give me a call. I'll show them what happens in New York when you mess with the sharks," she adds, pointedly looking at Amelia.
Good. That'll ground my family for a while. At least until I get married that is. If I manage to secure a husband in a week.
"That said, good luck finding a business mate dear."
"Ahem!" Amelia fake coughs again, standing from her chair. "Not to intrude on your moment, madam Lopez but can you set my Briana here for a blind date too—"She stops when Grandma raises her hand at her.
"Your daughter looks like she'll be fine with those dating apps. I'll tend to my bloodline whilst you tend to yours. How's that for hiding my letters from my granddaughter for a year?"
"Too cute of a punishment, I'd suggest you blacklist her from the business world," I mumble before I can stop myself.
Grandma turns her head slowly to look at me, smirking. "You'll make a good successor. I can feel the aura in you already. Now send me off whilst I tell you how to handle the blind dates you're going to be facing in the coming week."
I don't need to be notified twice before I'm walking next to her, leaving a bemused Amelia and jaw-dropped Briana behind. My dad's a ghost at this point with how pale he is so why even bother with him?
I'm fucking free now!
Well, soon to be free. If only I can find a man kind enough to be my business partner in marriage. I did say fuck love quite a lot the past few days. Now look at me looking forward to getting married for business.
Yeah... Mother Nature is a jokester sometimes.