CARTER
"Carter? Are you still there?"My grandmother's high-toned, querulous voice came floating over the phone."Yes, Grandma," I said. "I'm here."I had gone over to the little calendar kept on my desk. I ran my fingers along the dates twice to be sure. I wasn't mistaken. Today was a Friday. Every Friday evening, without fail, my grandmother went out with several of her friends to play bingo. Grandma was a creature of habit. So, what on earth had changed her routine? Why was she demanding to see me on a Friday? What was so important and urgent enough to disrupt her routine? And most importantly, what did I have to do with it?"I'm here," I said again."Then you heard what I said?""I did.""Good. Remember, this evening.""You're feeling well?" I asked.It had just occurred to me that perhaps something was wrong with her health, although her voice was as strong as ever."Of course I am. What else do I pay those overpriced doctors for? Don't keep me waiting, Carter."She rang off. I was so curious to know why she had sent for me that I left the office by five and arrived at my grandmother's mansion a few minutes before 6."She's in her room," said Flora, my grandmother's personal maid, who met me at the front door.My grandmother's room was sort of a combination of a sitting room and a bedroom. Paintings, mostly from her time, adorned the walls. In the corner by the huge glass window, was a grand piano. Seated on a Queen Anne chair, which was furnished more like a throne, was my grandmother, a short, thin, white-haired woman, immaculately dressed. One would think that she was either attending or returning from a function after seeing the numerous articles of jewellery adorning her throat and fingers. The thing was, she could be this well-dressed and still decide to lounge about the house all day. With an introspective look in her eye, she was staring at a life-size portrait of her when she was about four decades younger. It was the latest installation in her room. I stood by her chair and stared at the portrait also."Nice portrait, gran," I said. She shrugged indifferently. "You look-""Very different from what I am now. I know." I was about to comment that wasn't exactly what I wanted to say when she added, "Someday, that will be you, sitting in this chair or another one, looking at a picture of a younger you, and wondering where the time had gone."I raised a brow. She was undoubtedly in a very strange mood today. What exactly was going on? I began to wish I had thought to ask Flora before coming in.Finally, she roused herself and glanced at the clock."You're early," she remarked."You sounded... urgent."She shifted in her chair and offered her cheek to me, which I kissed dutifully. That ritual being dispensed with, she leaned back in her chair."It is urgent. Take a seat." I drew one up, placed it in front of her and sat. "I'm getting old every day, Carter. That means I'll die soon.""But you said you were fine-""For now." She snapped her fingers impatiently. "But that doesn't mean I'll be around forever.""Ah. I see. And why are we being morbid today, Grandma?""Because, my dear grandson, it's high time you got yourself a wife."I let out a laugh. "A wife! Is that what you cancelled bingo for?""Bingo can wait," she snapped. "And this is no laughing matter. I'm dead serious about this. You have to get married so you can get children to carry on your name-""I'm well aware of how the cycle of life works," I said dryly.Her voice drowned out mine. "You also have to get married if you want me to leave the company to you."It took a few seconds for what she had said to sink in. I stared at her incredulously. She stared right back without a hint of a smile on her face to show that she was joking."What?""You heard me. I want you to get married and have children before I die. If you don't, you will be cut out of my will." Her expression softened a little when I continued to look appalled at the idea. "It's actually very simple. Just find a girl you love and ask her to marry you.""Love? Oh, please, Grandma! I don't believe in love, that sentimental rubbish. Besides, what has falling in love got to do with the company? You and everyone else know how good I am at running the company. I can keep doing that without falling in love and getting hitched."She gave me a pitying look. "I don't think I'll ever understand what you've got against love, Carter. Love brought you into this world, remember?""Oh. That's different," I said dismissively."How is it different?""Look, grandma, I'm not just cut out for that sort of thing. You can't force me to get married now, can you?"Her weathered face hardened slightly. "I'm not forcing you. But if you'd like the company to fall into other hands..." She shrugged.My fists clenched involuntarily. I knew who the 'other hand' was- my cousin, Ollie. He had always been jealous of my successes right from childhood. That jealousy had grown and matured as we got older. Ollie would want nothing better than to take over the company I had worked so hard for all these years. Thanks to my acute business sense, the company has grown in leaps and bounds ever since my grandmother handed the reins to me."Grandma. Think what you're doing," I said desperately. "Ollie is going to destroy all I've worked to build if you hand the company over to him. That company is a legacy, and Ollie's a fool. Sorry, but it's true. Fools destroy legacies. Isn't that what you always say?""Your cousin is not such a fool as you think, Carter. He's divorced Iris, and now he wants to marry a more successful woman. He's planning for the future, you see."Ollie had divorced his wife? That scheming jerk certainly had something up his sleeve. I couldn't let him win. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I did. I needed to be in control of that company. But how? When I looked into the steely blue eyes of my grandmother, I knew there was no other way. Some way, somehow, I needed to get a bride. Still, for the last time, I had to try. With a sigh, I leaned forward."Grandma. Can you please reconsider this decision of yours? I know you want what's best for me, but this isn't how to do it.""My decision is final," she said.I fell silent and appeared to mull over what she had said, even though I had made my decision minutes ago."I'll get a wife," I said tersely as I pushed to my feet."You have a month to get a wife. If you don't get one by then, everything will go to Ollie."I glared at her. She met my stare with defiance. Angrily, I stormed out of the room. A month! How was I supposed to get a wife in a damn month? I was so furious I could hardly think straight. As I hurried over to my car, I decided to go to a bar and drown my troubles in booze, at least for today.IRISWith a scowl, I shifted on the barstool and resumed contemplating my drink. Was I on the tenth or twelfth glass now? I couldn't remember. I didn't care either. I just wanted to get drunk enough to forget why I had come here in the first place. I threw back my head, gulped the drink, shuddered as it hit the spot and poured another.I stared right into the depths of the amber liquid in my glass and wished that I could somehow drown myself in it. Thoughts of ending it have been creeping up on me lately. Oblivion had to be better than this gut-wrenching pain I had to live with daily, right?"Hi, baby. Can I buy you a drink?" said a voice beside me.I squinted at the stranger as I tried to bring him into focus. He was tall, dark and wearing a peaked cap that obscured most of his features."No thanks," I said.He sat beside me and draped his arms around the back of my chair."Okay then. So what's a pretty woman like you doing alone at a club?"I shrugged. "I'm just having a night out."
CARTER"I have done what you asked," I said.Grandma Martha raised a brow. She took a bite of toast before she asked, "And what is that?""Getting a wife, of course. I have finally found the woman I intend to settle down with. I'm getting married to her in four days."She choked on her cup of coffee, spluttered and had a protracted coughing fit."Easy now," I murmured.The maid who had just served her tea immediately darted forward. She poured my grandmother a glass of water, dropped it in front of her and hovered uncertainty, her hands fluttering helplessly over Grandma Martha, who eventually twisted her fingers impatiently in her direction and shooed her away."You- what did you just say?" she said in a voice made hoarse by the coughing.I glanced at the glass of water at her elbow. "Maybe you should take that first before-""I'm fine. I'm fine. Did you just say you're getting married?""Yes.""In four days?""Yes."We sat in silence for a second, two, three. The corners of her mout
Iris could feel the cold stare from Ollie across the table. She instantly got cold feet about the whole idea, making her question the decision to marry Carter. What if Grandma Martha wouldn’t bless their union? Would she think of her as a whore instead? "Was it a wise decision?" A voice in her head questioned.Her mind raced with thousands of questions and unsettling thoughts about what people would say about her, a woman who had divorced her ex-husband and was now marrying his cousin.Feeling her unease, Carter softly ran his fingers over her arms, still within his grasp. Placing his hands on the small of her back, he guided her towards the dinner table with a reassuring touch.“Iris darling come sit beside me," Grandma Martha called for her in a sweet voice. Iris immediately felt intimidated by Grandma Martha and the wealth around her as she took the seat next to her. She was dressed in an expensive lace garment that fit perfectly. Her tennis bracelet twinkled under the grand cha
Iris couldn't still believe that she would marry Carter only after some days of meeting him. It felt surreal, like something out of a fairytale. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, savouring the moment before the whirlwind of the day ahead. "Don't worry, I’ll personally take care of every detail of the wedding," Carter reassured her. Those were indeed some piece of nerve soothing words to hear."Seriously?" She had whispered, unsure if he meant those words, her pupils dilating in genuine appreciation. Carter's eyes softened as he reached out to gently cup Iris's hand in his own, his touch a comforting anchor amidst the storm of uncertainty swirling around her."Absolutely," he replied, his voice filled with sincerity and determination. "I meant every word”.Iris's heart fluttered at the genuine warmth in Carter's words, a flicker of hope igniting within her. She searched his eyes, seeking reassurance in their depths, and found nothing but unwavering sincerity staring back a
Carter cleared his throat, his expression serious as he laid out the terms of their contract marriage."Alright, Iris, let's go over the ground rules," he began, his tone businesslike."First and foremost, no emotional attachments. This is strictly a business arrangement." "And if you break that rule, the consequences will be severe." Carter's eyes bore into hers, emphasising the seriousness of his warning. "We both have too much at stake to let feelings get in the way.""And remember, emotions have no place in this partnership."Iris couldn't help but chuckle at the irony of it all, knowing that their emotions were already tangled up in this mess."No emotional attachments? That's rich," she remarked, a wry smile playing on her lips as she met Carter's gaze."Considering we're about to pretend to be a married couple."Carter raised an eyebrow, his lip twitching in amusement. "Yes, well, we can't let our personal feelings get in the way of our professional agreement," he replied, h
As the first rays of morning light filtered through the curtains, Iris stirred in her bed, her mind heavy with the weight of the previous night's events. She lay still, feigning sleep, unable to face the reality of the situation. She heard the faint sound of movement as Carter, with a tired sigh, rose from his makeshift bed on the floor, his footsteps echoing softly in the quiet room.With bated breath, a mix of relief and anxiety swirling within her, Iris waited until she heard the door click shut behind him before she finally dared to open her eyes. Relief flooded through her as she realized she was alone at last. She let out a heavy sigh, feeling the weight of tension release from her muscles as she sat up in bed, the soft strands of her tousled hair brushing against her fingertips.But just as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and prepared to face the day, the door creaked open once again, and her heart skipped a beat as Carter stepped back into the room.Iris froze in
Iris's heart pounded in her chest as she watched Carter beside her, his demeanour calm and collected despite the recent confrontation.Determined to unravel the enigma that was Carter Barclay Windsor, Iris made a split-second decision. Carter's gaze followed her movements, his brow furrowing in mild curiosity as she approached the water's edge. He watched silently as she paused for a moment, her eyes locking with his before she plunged into the cool, refreshing depths with a splash.Iris relished the sensation of weightlessness as she submerged herself underwater, the cool liquid embracing her, muffling the sounds of the outside world. As she surfaced, gasping for breath, Iris's heart raced with anticipation, and she stole a glance at Carter, hoping for a reaction.To her surprise, he remained unmoved, his expression unchanged as he watched her from the safety of the poolside. A flicker of amusement danced in his eyes, a mysterious glint that eluded her understanding. Iris bit her l
Carter sat on the balcony of their honeymoon suite, the soft sea breeze ruffling his hair as he stared out at the endless expanse of ocean stretching out before him. His laptop lay forgotten on the table beside him, the glow of the screen a stark reminder of the work that awaited him back home.With a heavy sigh, he picked up his phone and dialled one of his trusted business partners, hoping for a brief respite from his honeymoon."Hey, man" he greeted, his voice laced with weariness."Hey, Carter! What's up?" came the cheerful response on the other end of the line.Carter hesitated, unsure of how to tell his colleague that he rather be at work than on his own honeymoon. "I was just...thinking about work," he admitted reluctantly. "I know we're supposed to be on our honeymoon, but I can't help but feel like I'm falling behind.""There's so much I have to do and so many people counting on me"There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before his partner spoke again, their v