3

The day of the trial, which I’m obviously going to win. No one in their right mind would give all this money and the businesses to some upstart, someone who stayed in the shadows all his life and then decided to show up and take what my stepfather left me. I don't want to stress about it, so I had my linden tea first to relax and not get worked up. I tend to be very hyperactive and a bit crazy sometimes. But today, so the judge doesn’t see me as crazy, I need to appear sane.

"Take me to that trial, Leonard," I told my driver as I got into the car.

The ride was a bit tense; to be honest, I'm nervous. The worst part is that Luke is incredibly handsome, and sometimes I stumble over that blond hair falling across his forehead and his bad-boy demeanor.

Ugh.

I already hate him.

I hope I never see him again after today.

When I arrived at the courthouse, I got out feeling empowered, although deep down, I felt like a defenseless kitten about to cry. I appear strong because of my job and because I'm the boss, but I’m really a weakling. At the same time I got out, another car parked next to mine.

Ugh, it can’t be.

It's that jerk Luke, the imposter.

"Good morning, darling," he says, trying to mess with me. "Ready to lose?"

I didn’t respond, just shot him a dirty look and hurried inside.

"Seems like we’re in a bad mood again today. Are you always this rude?" he asks as we enter the elevator.

"Only with people I don’t like," I finally said.

"So you do talk. I thought the cat got your tongue today," he teased.

"Immature," I muttered.

"Crazy girl," he replied in the same tone. I pressed my lips together to keep from telling him off and to calm down. The doors opened, and we arrived at the courtroom. Everyone was there; I went straight to my lawyer and sat beside her. The judge was reading the papers and analyzing the case, I think. The last time I was here was when they gave me the inheritance.

Everything was going wonderfully until this idiot came and ruined it all. Look at him, with his businessman demeanor and sought-after bachelor status. I looked away immediately when I noticed he looked back.

Idiot.

I hope he didn’t notice I was looking at him.

I cleared my throat and took a sip of water.

Fool.

I just hate him.

I looked over at him slowly again, and he was already watching me.

Damn it! I need to be more discreet.

I fanned myself with a folder because the situation was making me hot.

"I’ve read and analyzed all these documents," the judge finally said. We all paid attention. "There’s not much to say, really. Mr. Grayson had a son many years ago with a woman in the United States. The woman never told Andres that Luke existed, which is why Luke doesn’t appear in the will..."

I’m going to pass out.

"But, being Andres’s legitimate son, as the DNA test confirms, the fair thing would be for his inheritance to pass into his hands."

I’m going to faint. My heart is racing. Someone hold me.

"But... Miss Amanda Grayson is also the adopted daughter of Mr. Andres. In his original will, he named her as the sole heir. In cases like this, the inheritance is divided and goes to both parties. My decision is that you two live together for a year, under the same roof, working together, and that your relationship becomes the best it can be. Only then will I be able to give you the inheritance in equal parts. If not, and you continue to fight and argue in every hallway, the inheritance will go to charity. That’s in the last clause of the will, in case Miss Amanda doesn’t want it."

WHAT? I HAVE TO LIVE WITH THIS IDIOT?! I refuse.

"Excuse me, Your Honor, what do you mean by living together under the same roof?" I asked, dreading the answer.

"That Mr. Luke will live with you for a year, Miss Amanda."

I looked at Luke.

He was smiling.

I wanted to die.

"Session is adjourned," the judge said, gathered his things, and left.

Everything seemed to stop at that moment; everything seemed unreal. I’m dreaming, no, I’m having a nightmare. I grabbed the glass of water and splashed my face to wake up. But no, everything was still there. My lawyer was talking to me, but I wasn’t listening.

Until...

"So, dear sister, shall we go home?" Luke appeared in my vision, wearing a triumphant smile—not because he was getting half of everything, but because it annoyed me. And he loves to annoy me.

My eye twitched.

"You’re not living with me," I stood up and faced him.

"Tell that to the judge, and you’ll end up with nothing. I have nothing to lose," he winked at me.

"I’m going to blacken that eye if you do that again."

"So aggressive," he mocked. "See you at home." With that, he left me seething with rage.

"Amanda, calm down. I think it’s the best and fairest decision. If the judge had wanted, he could have left you with nothing and given everything to Luke for being his only blood child. You have to endure this. So far, you’ve done a good job with the company, and I think that’s why the judge wanted you two to work together—you’ll make a good team."

"I can’t, Roberta," I grabbed my bag, feeling defeated. "They came to invade me, I feel... awful." We both walked out.

"Admit it, Luke is way too handsome; it won’t be torture living with him at all. You’re lucky," she said.

The worst part is that it’s true.

"I know, and that’s what infuriates me the most. Why couldn’t he be ugly?"

"You like him," she teased.

"Of course not," I adjusted my hair. "I can’t like someone who declared war on me. But I won’t let him win that easily. This is my territory, and I know everything about the company—he won’t be able to."

"Good luck with that, girl. Just remember that the deal is to get along, not kill each other while living together. That’s the only way you’ll each get half. It’s that or nothing," she said. "I have to go, Amanda. We’ll talk later."

"Take care," I got into the car and headed back home.

God, my head hurts. That tea didn’t have the desired effect.

When I got home, I was stunned by what I saw. There was a moving truck unloading furniture and decorations and taking them into my house.

Someone, please kill me.