Bride for hire

.

...

Anderson picked the bottle of whiskey from the bar he grabbed a glass and filled it to the brim, picked it up and then glanced at his phone, waiting for his call to go through.

"Hey man?" Jude's ruffled voice answered from the other end.

"Don't tell me you're still in bed!" Anderson lamented ruefully.

"I am," Jude yawned. "What's up?"

"Just rush down to my place as fast as you can. It's urgent." he said.

"Wait.. is something wrong?" Jude asked, getting alarmed.

"Yes. And I need your help so fucking get off your bed and come here, goddamit!" Anderson groaned, his palm tightening on the glass.

"Jeez.. I hear you. I'll be there as soon as I can" Jude said and disconnected the call.

Anderson dropped the phone on the pub table and took a long chug from the drink.

No matter how hard he tries to accept it, he still couldn't believe his father's words, his proposition just to get the conglomerate he rightly deserves!

 Anderson had worked his butt off for the conglomerate, he had done nothing but his best, he has deprived himself a lot of things for the sake of the companies. He could proudly say that neither Renard nor Marcus had put in half as much effort as he had for the conglomerate.

He had done everything he could so his father would have no doubt or skepticism when he fully hands i over the Horatio conglomerate to him legally. 

Hell, he is working as a substitute CEO in the conglomerate for two years now, in his father's absence, and Horatio has commended him greatly for it himself. Isn't that enough to prove his commitment and responsibility? His trust?!

Right from time, the headquarter of the Horatio's group of companies has been Anderson's eye-catch among the other assets his father owned. He didn't know why but he knew pretty much that he wanted the conglomerate.

Naturally, it is his inheritance as the first son and heir, his father had told him that years ago. But now he is willing to hand it over to his brothers who knew almost nothing about its management just for a wife? A wife!

Anderson took another long sip from the drink. 

He is in a stage of his life where the word 'love' no longer fits into his dictionary..

When Anderson gave it a space in his heart, the outcome of it still haunts him to this day, as if constantly reminding him why the word should not exist in his good book.

He doesn't know if that meant adiós to the Horatio's conglomerate; because the last thing on Anderson's mind is getting married, again,- but he hoped greatly that it didn't.

.

...

Katherine climbed down from the van after Yvonne parked it in the driveway. She went to the truck for her luggages but Yvonne beat her to it.

"I'll take them," she offered, unlocking the truck's door.

"Katy!" Her father's voice rang out as he walked with the aid of his crutches towards her, limping at intervals.

"Dad!" Katherine beamed as she covered the space between them, reducing Xavier's stress. Katherine hugged him carefully so she doesn't hurt him.

"It's so good to see you again, sweetie. You look even more stunning than before!" He complimented.

Katherine stared at him with a sad smile that she tried effortlessly to hide. She nodded repeatedly and hugged him again when the tears began to gather in her eyes. 

She wished she could say the same for him.

With her face behind him, she quickly blinked back the tears and forced a genuine smile as she pulled away from the hug. 

"How was your trip?" He inquired.

"G-great!" She said. "Why don't you go in first, dad. I'll go help Yvonne bring in the rest of my stuff" she said.

Xavier nodded and turned, heading towards the house.

Once his back faced her, she saw him limp, with each movement she mentally outlined how much pain he bore, she didn't feel it but she knew it was much, too much for his body to carry. She couldn't stop the tears, welled up in her eyes from falling.

It has only been four months since she left them in New York with a purpose to heal from her heartbreak after the divorce, and her father was already looking like a shadow of his former self.

She has always known Xavier to be very agile, his activeness is one thing that she inherited from him. After losing his wife due to complications from Yvonne's birth, he had single handedly raised them, uncomplaining.

Sacrificing his job to give them the utmost love of both a mother and father, he had tried his very best to make sure they didn't have many reasons to feel their mother's absence. It had cost him his source of income and their means of financial survival but Xavier was quick to find another way. As they grew, he took in several part time jobs to fend for them adequately and until now, even in their adulthood, he still always want to be there for them. 

Seeing him this way broke Katherine's heart all-over, it shattered her and at that spot, she vowed to do anything to bring back the father that she and Yvonne knows; strong, active, pain-free and one who doesn't need support to aid his movement.

This time, she was back for good and not even her ex-husbands' threats would shake her decision. 

...

"..the conglomerate is supposed to be mine by right but now my father is turning it into a competition between my brothers and I!" Anderson complained to his best friend, grimacing as he found himself getting angry all over.

He truly has put in so much into the conglomerate, if he didn't deserve it by right then his commitment should be enough for his father to instate him fully as CEO.

He doesn't need a goddamn wife to prove it! 

"Okay, first of all I didn't expect that," Jude sighed, "you love that conglomerate so much-

"Like hell, I do! He knows that, they all know that and now I can't have it unless I get married" Anderson scoffed. "Ridiculous!" 

"What will you do now? Give up the companies?" Jude asked and Anderson flashed him a frown. 

"Give up the-," he paused, exhaling "I can't give it up. I don't know what to do but giving up on the firm is far from it" Anderson stated. 

"Well, you're here, try to think of something, Jude, that is why I called you over. I only have less than two weeks to present a wife to my father and that is if Renard doesn't beat me to it" Anderson added, getting up from the chair and standing by the table, his fingers drumming on it restlessly.

"Is Renard your only competitor? What about Marcus?" Jude asked.

"Marcus?" Anderson scoffed. "He's no competitor. He's just a Playboy. I doubt he's ever even thought of settling down one day, with any of his flings." Anderson said.

"Fling." Jude noted, an idea striking him. "Why don't you just pick a girl from a club and introduce her to your parents as your girlfriend that you'll be getting married to?" Jude suggested.

"A club girl? No way. My dad will never buy it. Remember Jude, this is someone I have to get married to and stay with for as long as I don't know until my dad is convinced enough to hand over the conglomerate to me. You think a clubgirl will be willing to do all that?" Anderson grimaced. 

"Yeah, you're right. Wrong move." he said. "Maybe you should just do as your father wants, sincerely fall in love and get-

Anderson stare was enough to stop Jude from completing his statement. 

"But seriously man, it's been four months. Isn't it enough time to move on?" Jude said, coyly bringing back the topic.

Anderson looked away from him. "Maybe it is. I don't know but I just can't. My heart's completely closed right now to give a second chance to any woman." he said. 

"And when will it be opened?" 

"I don't know," Anderson shrugged. "Probably, never. I just love my life of singularity now and I'm not ready to let it go," Anderson said. 

"Anderson-

"Drop the topic, Jude. Do you have an idea on how I can get the conglomerate or are you going to keep talking about my fucked up relationship life?" Anderson said, giving him a intent look.

"Okay, fine. I think I have something!" Jude said.

"What is it?" Anderson asked, getting interested and hopeful.

"I'll tell you but first, Do you have a laptop here?" Jude asked.

"I do" Anderson replied.

"Go get it," Jude said. Anderson left and returned with the laptop, handing it to Jude who opened it and began punching some of the keys, Anderson stood behind him, watching keenly yet confusedly.

"What are you doing?" Anderson asked.

"Creating a website for your bride seeking purpose" Jude said.

Anderson brows furrowed, he was even more confused.

"Can you explain this to me in details?" Anderson asked.

"Look, when I'm done creating a website for you, I'll place an advert on the internet and title it 'Bride for hire. Click this link to apply'

And you don't have to worry, I won't put out your identity.

Now, if anyone shows interest and click on the link, they get directed to your website that asks for their details. There, you get to see everything about them and anyone you find preferable, you pick," Jude said. "On contract basis, of course and the money-

"Forget about the money, I'm willing to pay anything as long as it works" Anderson said.

"Okay. Now to be sure that they won't budge out in the middle, a summary of the contract will be on the site and anyone who agrees with it gets to be interviewed by you and afterwards, you decide if they are befitting enough and do your thing to inherit the conglomerate and the contract will remain confidential," Jude said.

"You're positive this will work?" Anderson asked, skeptical.

Jude grinned. "With the ridiculous amount of money I'm putting out as payment, it has to!"

...