CHAPTER TWO

I cried quietly in the limo on my way back to my father’s mansion, it’s been five years since I was last there, only my grand mother lived there now, my father passed away the second year of my disappearance and although he wasn’t the best father in the world, the news hit me like a storm.

“Hello Grandma.”

I said as I stepped into my grandmother’s room. She was a famous business tycoon that retired some years ago but was still highly influential and looked a decade younger.

“Rosa?”

She gasped, immediately recognizing me. Unlike everyone, she called me Rosa—my mother’s name.

“Yes Grandma, it’s me.”

I muttered, tearfully as I hugged her.

“Oh my Goodness. How come?”

She asked, her green eyes filling with tears.

“It’s a long story, Grandma.”

I said, sitting beside her.

“I almost died of worry, child. I thought I would never see you again.”

She told me, holding my hands in hers.

“I’m here now.”

I assured her and her smile brightened my heart.

“Have you seen your husband? Did you come with him?”

“I am divorcing Gabriel, Grandma.”

I announced to her and she looked surprised.

“Why? You know your father’s will and you love Damasco.”

“Not anymore.” I shook my head. “Not after everything.”

I muttered, staring blankly into the air, my head filled with plans.

“Were you really abducted, Rosa?”

She asked, her eyes demanding for the truth.

“We’ll talk about all that later, first, I need to see Hernandez.”

I told her.

Hernandez was our family lawyer and a famous profession one at that. I needed a meeting with him.

.

.

.

Hernandez arrived my father’s mansion soon after my Grandmother made a call to him. We all sat in the small lounge for a meeting to discuss the way forward.

“Divorcing Gabriel Damasco automatically disqualifies you from your inheritance.”

Hernandez told me.

To hell with that gibberish!

“I will divorce divorce him, I must. We need to look for a way to retain my inheritance after he signs the papers.”

I said to him.

He sighed and adjusted his glasses

“Well, there is a way.”

He told me and I shifted in my seat in hope that it was a possible way.

“If you can get a husband after you divorce Gabriel then you can retain your inheritance.”

I turned to look at my grandma after hearing this.

“It’s true Rosa, you can only access your inheritance if you’re married.”

My Grandma said.

“But I was married before and had no access to my inheritance because my husband is a selfish cheating bastard!”

I spat.

“Calm down, Imelda. That can change ”

He said.

“What do I do then?”

I asked, ready to do almost anything to bring Gabriel Damasco down.

“We need allies , strong allies.”

My lawyer stated.

“Allies?”

I asked, thinking of who could be an ally to me. I wasn’t into the family business just because I was a girl so I knew no family business partners.

“Madam Juliana can help us with that, can’t you ma’am?”

Hernandez asked, smiling at my Grand mother and she smiled back.

“Oh of course I can, Hernandez. I was a serious game player in my youth and I still know the ropes of it.”

She said with confidence and I was so glad I had Juliana Del Monte as my Grandmother.

.

.

.

Easton Grant was a name that rang a bell, his name was associated with wealth and power. I remembered when I was little, my Dad was always reading magazines about him and wishing he would be the next Easton Grant. If only he was alive to see me sitting in his living room siping an exquisite aged wine with the multi-billionaire Easton Grant, all credits to my influential Grandmother.

“Your Grand mother, Juliana is a an old friend. She used to give me a hard time bagging contracts because she was a tigress in the game.”

Easton Grant told me.

I smiled on my drink, watching the old man. His hair was all grey and the corners of his green eyes lined with age. He was in his early sixties but could pass for a fifty something year old and he had a striking resemblance with George Clooney so one could say he was a handsome aged man who must have been a heartbreaker in his youth.

“When I was little my Dad used to look up to you. You were his idol.”

I told him and he laughed.

“Oh Jonathan would never admit to that, he never agreed to contract meetings, he just wanted to be on top with no allies and that isn’t a very wise strategy, you know.”

He said.

Speaking of allies, I needed to get to the business of the day.

“Well, I am here to become an ally if you would consider me fit for one.”

I told him, politely. He was a top dog, one that his bark could send Gabriel running into the corner. I needed him.

“Any relation of Juliana is fit for an ally. A lioness does not give birth to a kid.”

He told me with a smile and I was happy to hear that.

“I want to divorce my husband.”

I stated and he furrowed his grey brows in concentration.

“Why?”

He asked.

“Because he is not the kind of man I want to be married to anymore.”

“Then why did you marry him?”

“My father arranged it. In his will, my access to my inheritance depended on me getting married.”

“If that is the case, if you divorce your husband, you lose your inheritance.”

He stated out the obvious.

“And that is why I need your help.”

“Continue.”

He urged me on.

“I need you to buy my father’s corporation and put my name as a shareholder not my husband’s, that way, I become a sole shareholder.”

I told the business tycoon my plans.

Easton Grant hummed and took a sip from his wine.

“Don’t you think that is less than what you should get?”

He asked and I blinked, confused.

“I don’t understand.”

“Being a shareholder to your own inheritance. You should be sole owner, my dear.”

He said.

“But, it’s not possible for you to buy the corporation and give me all shares. What would you gain from it?”

I asked.

Easton Grant gave me a small smile before speaking;

“Let me propose a better offer.”

He said.

“Marry me and become sole owner of your father’s Empire.”

The world seemed to stop for a few seconds, as if I had just drifted into trance.

“What?”

I blinked.

“I’ll make it even better. If you marry me, we join Empires and become as one, the company will be new and bigger and I put you as sole heir. That way, Gabriel Damasco cannot touch your inheritance and you my dear, will be queen of New York.”

Easton Grant said, blowing my mind.

Oh my God.

This was a king offer!

The biggest offer I could ever get!

What do I say to this!?

Could I do this?