“You’re the one who wants the papers signed immediately” Charlotte griped.
“I still do” the grandfather snapped “but I appreciate a woman who isn’t cowed into signing something without looking it over. You would do well to learn that same lesson” he added with disdain.
“Look, Flair is a reasonable woman, I’m sure it will only be a matter of a day or two before she signs the papers” I interjected, trying to bring some calm to the situation.
The grandfather’s bushy eyebrows rose “Reasonable?” he said with a sneer “I’m quite sure that reasonable went out the window when you cheated on her.”
I swallowed hard and said nothing. The grandfather eyes us all, his eyes resting on his daughter-in-law who stiffened. “I rue the day my son married you,” he said with disgust, “he too cheated on his first wife, with the likes of you. I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” he grunted, shaking his head at his granddaughter who stiffened “like mother, like daughter,” he said contemptuously.
“Your son loved me,” Karen said irritably.
“My son was a fool” the old man sniffed “too blind to see past your beauty and the exterior to see what was underneath.”
Karen gasped in outrage, while Charlotte put a hand to her mouth.
“How dare you” Karen stammered, “I did everything I could to make your son happy,” she said indignantly.
“Wrong. You did everything you could to get your hands on his money you miserable harpy” the old man said sharply.
Karen tightened her lips. She looked away, her face flushed in embarrassment. I felt uncomfortable. It was clear to see how much contempt this old man had for not only his daughter-in-law but his own granddaughter. Rumour had it, he didn’t like his grandson much either though. Not that I had ever met the grandson.
I cleared my throat “With all due respect sir, I am in love with Charlotte, and I fully intend to marry her. I acknowledge that we could have gone about this better” I said, as the old man fixed his beady eyes on me, narrowing them “and I take full responsibility for the scandal in the newspapers. Charlotte and I should have been discreet or waited until I divorced my wife first.”
“Yes, you should have” the old man snapped “As it stands, I still need to have an engagement party for the two of you. If you don’t have this sorted by the end of the week, I will be choosing my grandson to take over the family company instead of the requirements I have in place.”
“Grandfather you promised that it would go to…”
“The first person to marry and provide me an heir,” the grandfather said loudly “I haven’t forgotten. I’m not old and senile” he barked at her as she widened her eyes “but I’m displeased with the way you are handling this whole mess and the way you are dragging down the infamous Deluca Name. You have no shame” he hissed, his jaw quivering with rage.
“I’ll get it done,” Charlotte said frantically “Don’t change the terms grandfather. That wouldn’t be fair”
“Yes, give her a chance to right her wrong” Karen pleaded on her daughter’s behalf “Don’t penalize Charlotte just because you’re angry Grandfather” she begged.
“Hmmph” he muttered, “what would any of you know about fair?” he demanded frostily, getting to his feet and glaring at the lot of us.
I shifted awkwardly in my seat. His eyes seemed to bore into me. There was a knowing look in his eyes. They seemed to be saying they could see right through me. He looked at his granddaughter and shook his head. “Make sure that this marriage is what you want” he advised her coldly as she stared at him expressionless “I advise you to think long and hard before you walk up that aisle. The both of you,” he said cruelly “because once the words have been uttered, they cannot be undone, At least not…”
“I know, not for at least a year” Charlotte interrupted him, rolling her eyes “I know Grandfather. I know exactly how long I have to be married for to meet your conditions on getting the company.”
“Is that right?” her grandfather said cryptically, a strange gleam in his eyes “Then I suppose there is no need to repeat myself” he said calmly “Not if you know what you’re getting yourself into.”
He proceeded to get up and move through the doorway leaving us to exhale in relief as we heard his footsteps heading for the stairs. For an old man, he was quite agile and sturdy, his body still remarkably strong for his old age.
“Mother” Charlotte wailed “What are we going to do? That old bastard is up to his tricks again. I’ve come too close now, to fail. How do I get Flair to sign the papers?” she complained, “we’ve only got a week.”
I reached for her hand. I had as much at stake as Charlotte. After all, I was relying on this marriage to open up more networks for my law firm and increase my own wealth. I gave her a reassuring smile “Flair will sign the papers” I said eyeing her consideringly “we just need to come up with a way to encourage her to do it.”
“We could kidnap her and force her to sign,” Charlotte said darkly.
I coughed not certain she was joking. “That’s a little heavy-handed. Let me speak to Flair again, alone this time” I added as Charlotte opened her mouth “I might have more luck convincing her if we speak to each other without you there” I said gently as she looked at me with blazing eyes “it will be for our sake love” I whispered, cupping her cheek.
She blinked. I saw her melt. She leaned into my hand and batted her eyelashes at me. “Speak to her then” she whispered, as I kissed her on the forehead, her mother silently watching “but if you don’t persuade her to sign the papers Johnathon, I’m taking things into my own hands.”
I dreaded to think what she might mean by that.
Flair POV
“Bring your right leg forward and then we move into Warrior Two position” I intoned, demonstrating.
I glanced at the man in the back whose face was a bright red, covered in sweat, and whose hands were visibly shaking. It was a typical-looking fit man, who had clearly never experienced a yoga class before and was finding it more difficult than his usual gym session. I fought back my grin as I continued the class, finishing up with a seated cross-legged position.
“Namaste” I intoned.
“Namaste.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.