Chapter Nine
Rain
This past week has been full of work for me since having full ownership of the company. My attention is needed everywhere –interviews, conferences, evaluations and photo sessions.
I still haven’t met with the boys since Anton sent me the text saying we can’t all hang out because Knox is still unavailable. He’s mostly the reason we barely hang out. He’s always occupied and none of us can blame him for it.
I’ve found out through Tea For You , a popular magazine based in Florida, that my net worth has now risen by thirty five percent. Sometimes, it bothers me how they know things like that. The last time I gave an estimate of my net worth was three years ago in an interview and since then, they haven’t stopped calculating every time I seal a deal.
I’ve also found out that I passed Derek Fallon of Derek’s cargo, a logistics company, and Martin Jackson of Two AM, a nightclub, on their ridiculous list of Richest Age Thirty Bachelors. Derek Fallon and I are usually known to switch positions, but this time, he’s two names below me.
My car’s AI twitches with a dim blue light, signifying a phone call and I wait for it to announce the caller.
“ Renzo calling. Accept or decline ,” it says, and I reply with ‘accept.’ A small beep sounds, followed by Renzo’s voice.
“Hey, Dad wants us to come over.”
He returned to his house a few days ago and the sound of different car honks tells me that he’s on his way there.
I take a sharp right turn, switching direction to my parent’s estate instead.
“Do you know why?”
“I’m not sure,” he says and I tut. That’s exactly what Renzo would say when he’s completely sure about something.
“Renzo, why does Dad want to see us? Did you tell him anything about that woman?” I ask, trying my best not to snap.
He hasn’t stopped talking about her all week, not sure what brought back her memory after he let it rest for a while. Hazel this, Hazel that. He still thinks it’s a good idea if I take her to dinner once.
I don’t know what he plans to get out of it, because he, of all people, knows I can never fall in love again. It’s been five years and I’ve kept that vow. I can’t wrap my head around why he’s expecting a woman I met by sheer coincidence to change that.
“And why would I do that?” he asks and I almost believe he didn’t tell him about her. Anyone would have believed, but he’s my brother. We’ve lived together for half of our lives.
“Tell me what you told him and I won’t be mad.”
He scoffs. “I didn’t tell him anything, believe it or not.” He hangs up before I can say anything and I let out a shaky frustrated breath.
I bypass a black Venza and take a left turn into my parent’s estate.
With calculated steps, I make my way into the mansion. The house helpers acknowledge me and one of them accompanies me to my Dad’s home office. I meet Renzo present already.
“Tea, coffee or wine, sir?”
“Tell my Mom I’m around.”
As the door closes, my Dad sits up and claps his hand once. “Ah, both my sons are here. Aren’t I such a lucky man?”
I’m not buying it. I will not buy it. “Why do I feel like I’m here to be interrogated?”
He chuckles and removes his glasses. “That’s because you are.”
I groan and throw my head back.
God please remove me from this one somehow. I’ll do whatever you want afterward.
“What’s wrong with you, Rain? In one week of attaining ownership, you withdrew our shares from Starlinq Industries, rejected the second biggest shares in the company, and missed the meeting that the board members called to talk about it. Do you want all backs against you already? You can’t do it alone.”
“The company is better off without people like Stone, Dad.” I argue. “You’ve tolerated them long enough because they’re your ‘friends’. I’m in charge now. I’ll handle it.”
“Well Stone isn’t the one in the company, it’s his shares. I pacified the board members this time, but you’ll have to handle it yourself next time.”
Silence reigns for a few seconds, before he breaks it again. “So when are you both bringing your wives home?” Renzo and I share eye contact before we return our attention to our Dad. He points his hand at me and I hate the imbalanced speed of my heart rate. I swear, I’m not accepting an arranged marriage again . “You … you once had a girlfriend.” He returns the finger to Renzo. “But you, I’ve never seen you with a girl.” Dad pauses and squints his eyes. “Are you gay?”
An involuntary twitch comes to my lips and I purse it when Renzo glares, daring me to laugh.
“I’m not gay, Dad,” he calmly counters and Dad huffs as though it’s the most absurd sentence he has ever heard.
“Then what are you? Queer? Bi? Pan?” He chuckles and continues, “Your Mom and I have talked about it. I hope you know you can tell us anything.”
“You and Mom have talked about what?” Renzo shakes his head. “I’m not discussing that with my Dad.”
“Who would you rather then? A therapist who pretends to know more than everyone?”
“Are we here to discuss our sexualities? because I can assure you both that I have better things to do.” I stop their bickering and they both throw death stares at me.
“Fine,” Dad starts again, his face hard this time. “I want daughters-in-law from both of you, and I want it soon.”
I stare blankly at him.
“We don’t even have girlfr—” Renzo starts, but Dad shuts him up with a raise of his index finger.
“I’ll have a talk with your brother first and get back to you.” He turns to me. “Rain Dacosta.” I wince, but he ignores my tight expression and continues. “When are you bringing home a wife?”
“I don’t even have a girlfriend,” I complete Renzo’s sentence.
“Well, why don’t you? I don’t understand, do you never want to get married? You got the company now, so you have a responsibility. By now, you should have a wife and a child. You’re the first Dacosta bachelor to be given ownership.”
I flinch slightly, my fingers rolling into balls. I don’t know if it’s intentional, but he’s poking at my pain. A pang of hurt hit me at the realization that he’s right. I could be married now with a child.
Renzo frowns at Dad and shakes his head. “Wow. Dad, don’t go that route.”
Dad kisses his teeth and Renzo shuts up. He only does that whenever he’s furious, which means he’s so mad at the moment that he can’t control his mouth.
“It’s been five years. Whatever happened was in the past. You can’t remain a celibate for life because a girl broke your heart.”
“Dad.” It’s Renzo still talking because I can’t bring myself to say anything. My fists are so curled that my fingers begin digging moon-shaped marks into my palm.
Dad knows it was more than that, and the fact that he’s still disregarding it as just a girl breaking my heart hurts even more. He keeps bringing memories that I’ve never forgotten.
I lost hope in everything, and if it wasn’t for Renzo, Anton and Knox, I don’t know what version of myself I’d be now.
“You know it’s more than that.” My voice shakes as I manage out. I clear my throat. I am Rain Dacosta. I’m a perfect man.
“If you plan to never get married, then who will you be handing the company over to? Do you think I’ll sit back and watch the legacy end with you?”
“I’m just not ready yet, that’s it.” I should have known that acquiring full ownership of the company will put burdens on my shoulders. Burdens like having a wife to give me an heir I’ll be passing the company down to.
This is why I like knowing things beforehand. Having full knowledge that I would be getting full ownership of the company would have given me time to plan and reject the offer for the time being. I’d always been cool with co-owning it with him.
“What’s done is done. You’ll not remain single all your life because of one woman when there are many more.”
“So what do you want him to do then? You want him to go out there and pick any woman from the many more ?” Renzo jumps to my defense, as I’m still silent, trying not to utter any words I may regret later.
“That’s exactly what I want.” I snap my head to my Dad, my brows meeting in the middle. I’m still not accepting an arranged marriage. “I’ve made my decision. You have two weeks to find a woman who is a potential candidate for a wife, or I’m taking the company back.”
“Oh for God’s sake, Dad!”
What’s happening today?
“You can’t do that. I already signed.” I state the obvious. Of course he knows I signed. He won’t say this if he doesn’t have a trick up his sleeves.
“Yes, you did, but the papers had a clause. Haven’t you read it yet?” he asks with a sly smirk despite knowing the answer to that.
No, I haven’t because he still has it.
I should have known everything. From the way he didn’t ask for my opinions about it, to how he rushed to call the conference meeting, then how took the papers with him to make his own copy even though he knows it’s business rules to have up to ten copies of a file before presenting to anybody.
“What clause is it?” I ask, my voice resigning as I hold no emotion in my eyes.
He opens his drawer and brings out the stack of papers, throwing it on the table. I pick them up and Renzo shifts toward me to get a glimpse.
“Page seven, third line.”
There it is. The clause that’ll change my life forever. It’s typed in what looks like a Times New Roman, font size nine.
I read it over and over, refusing to lift my head to look at the man I call my father.
Please note that this is a test copy and is reversible in the span of six months.
If this is a test copy, then why did he call a conference meeting? Why did he call the media press?
Immediately I ask that, the answer hits me.
He planned this. He intentionally called it a surprise because he didn’t want me to have time to go through the paperworks. He deliberately called the press so they could spread the news. So that when this time comes, I won’t be able to do anything.
He handcuffed me with my own signature.
“Why would you do this?” Renzo and I chorus. I look up at him and whatever he sees in my eyes has him sighing.
“I’m helping you, Rain.” Helping me lose my reputation that took me years to build? Of course. He continues, “You’ll thank me after six months. I can’t let you keep living like this. You live alone in a sixty seven million mansion because a woman once broke your heart. Sara hurt everyone too.” It’s mostly about me, but sure . “She hurt your mother, she hurt me, she hurt Renzo, she hurt Reina, she even hurt your friends.”
I ignore whatever he said. “What do you want?” Renzo turns to me with a shocked look that says ‘ you don’t have to do this ’. But I have to.
I have to do whatever it takes to save my reputation.
If it hadn’t included the press, I would have been more than happy to give the company back. Like I said, I was okay co-owning it with him, and due to tradition, I’m going to get it eventually. But he has planned it well, and I give that to him.
“You get married and live with your wife for six months. Whatever decision you make after that, I’ll accept.”
I raise an eyebrow at him. Whatever decision I make? Is my Dad expecting me to fall in love with whoever I marry? Is that why he’s so sure and saying ‘ whatever decision you make ’?
“You promised us you wouldn’t force us into an arranged marriage after what happened with Rain. You promised us freedom.” Renzo says.
“Apparently you’ve had too much of it. Your cousins are all married, but you’re still here because you have ‘freedom’. You know how your mother feels about having to change ancestral traditions. And come on, it’s not like you still don’t have freedom. I’m not forcing any woman on you, I’m giving you the chance to choose whomever you want.”
“Get married and live with a wife for six months,” I repeat the rule. “And after that?”
“And after that, you hold the ball.” I give him a curt nod, throw the papers back on the table, and stand up.
Get married for six months. He didn’t say ‘shower her with love’ or ‘care for her’ for six months. It’s time for me to find a housemate.
The door opens and my Mom stands there with a tear-damped face. She throws herself in my arm and I hold her to myself, her body shaking against mine.
I don’t like it when she cries, but I already know the cause of her tears. She heard everything we talked about.
She releases herself from my hold and looks at me. “It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have introduced you to Sara. I just … I thought she was a nice girl. And you liked her, so I thought … I’m sorry, Rain. It’s my fault you’re like this.” My hands tighten around her with a pained expression.
“Why are you self blaming for someone else’s mistake, Mom?”
“I know she hurt you so much, but can’t you try again once for me? It’s only for six months. Ti prego figlio mio, hm?” she rasps out, her voice thickening with emotion.
I cup her face in my hands, a small smile on my lips. “Ho uno scelta, mamma? Tuo marito mi ha messo all’angolo.”
“Jessica Falton,” Anton calls, as he holds on to a piece of paper.
“Anton, be real. He left this girl on the road. I specifically told her to tell her driver to leave after dropping her at the restaurant so Rain could drop her off after the dinner, but he drove off as she was about to open his car door.”
“Ashley Singh.”
“She’ll never agree to this. He made her cry. You know how soft and sensitive those heiresses are. Do you know how awful you have to be to answer a business zoom meeting in the middle of a date, making a governor’s daughter feel bad?”
“Don’t forget that woman whose credentials he asked for,” Knox butts in.
“Ahh, Jarvis De Santis! Till now, I still don’t know what Rain needed her credentials for in the middle of a date.” Renzo turns to me, ignoring my vexed expression. “Will you tell us now? Were you trying to employ her to be your wife?”
“If you’re done, can I leave?”
In Anton’s hand is a piece of paper containing the names of the blind dates that Renzo set me up with, and the escorts I’ve ever gone to functions with. When I got a text from Anton saying we were meeting at his personal hotel, I would have declined if I knew they were up to no good.
After that awful day with my Dad, I’ve been checking my phone for an apology, and maybe a silly excuse of how he was on crack that day, but the more hours pass, the more convinced I am that my Dad really did drop that clause, and I need to find a wife if I want to save myself—which I desperately do.
Taking back a signature of ownership after it’s been announced to the public is a disgrace, and I’m not willing to take that insult.
Despite my relief that I’ve been allowed to pick a woman myself, it’s been hard finding one. Arranged marriages have to be mutually beneficial, but I don’t know of any failing company with a heiress I could strike a deal with.
All I know is, everyone has a price and if I find a willing woman, I’ll pay.
“What about that redhead who–”
“Stop it, Renzo!” Aside from being my best friends, they’re also infuriatingly annoying. It’s a wonder our friendship has survived this long, considering the chill I barely have for humans.
Renzo and I met Anton and Knox in college under amusing circumstances. It started as a mix up after we received each other’s delivery packages.
At that time, Knox and Anton were best friends and roommates after meeting through a mutual family acquaintance. So Renzo and I set out to track down the intended recipients to take back our pre-ordered custom laptops, and it wasn’t long before we crossed paths with Knox and Anton, who were on a similar mission.
I don’t recall the exact moment our friendship bloomed, but I know it happened remarkably fast. Within three months, we requested for a bigger apartment to live together, despite being in different academic departments.
“What are you so mad for? You have to do this, you have no choice anymore.”
“At least let me think!”
“We’re only trying to help you, Rain,” Knox says calmly as always and raises his wine glass to his lips.
“You can help me by not saying anything.”
“How then will you find a wife?” Renzo asks, but I don’t miss the amusement in his voice or the mischievousness flickering in his eyes. The asshole is enjoying this, but I can’t wait for his turn. Knowing our Dad, he wants to settle with me first. The tables will be turned soon.
“Renzo, what about that girl you told us about?” Anton asks and my head snaps to him. I swear if they mean Hazel Wilmer–
Renzo draws air through his teeth to get Anton’s attention, but the latter continues obliviously. “That Hazel.”
I’ve never been so close to murdering a family member.
“Me?” Renzo drawls and puffs. “I didn’t … I didn’t tell him anything.”
I can’t believe this. I spend a few hours with a random woman by mistake and her name becomes a household name in my circle. I don’t know Renzo’s problem with this woman, but I’m getting fed up.
I shouldn’t have told him about her.
“Why don’t you try it out with that woman?” Knox suggests and I scoff.
“I can’t stress this enough, guys. I. Don’t. Know. This. Woman. I don’t know who she is, or where she–”
“Come on, you’re just getting married to her. You don’t have to actively share conversations with her.”
Yes. If you think I’m heartless, try Anton. He puts the heart in heartless, that’s why he has none.
“You need professional help, Antonio. Why won’t he talk to a woman he married?”
“Actually, he’s right.” I shut Renzo up and straighten on my seat. “Dad didn’t say ‘ take care and love your wife for six months ’, he said get married and live with her. If I get married to a woman, we’ll have different rooms and after the six months are up, we can go back to our lives and forget we ever met.” The boys have different looks on their faces by the time I finish. Renzo looks irritated, Knox looks confused and Anton looks proud.
“You’re crazy,” Renzo huffs out after a few seconds of silence. Anton chuckles and Knox rubs his forehead.
“Your Dad’s plan is to make you try love again. How will you do that if you stay in different rooms?” Knox says.
I stare blankly at him. “So you want me to stay in the same room with her.”
“What’s wrong with that? You’ve stayed in the same room with her before and you didn’t die.”
God he’s still talking about Hazel.
I snap my head to Renzo and bark at him. “You Told Them The Details?”
He gasps and dramatically places his hands on his chest. “You planned to keep it from them? Guys, I can’t believe he planned to keep it from you. Say something.”
“I blame our schedules for that. We’re drifting apart,” Anton mutters as he refills his and Knox’s wine glasses with the Domina Reserve Wine.
I rub the tip of my nose with the back of my index finger. “We’re not … drifting apart . We’re just busy, don’t be dramatic,” I argue. Truly we haven’t had our get together in months, but that’s because we’re busy. With Renzo and Anton’s travels, my meetings, Knox’s business and daughter, it’s damn near impossible.
“I know. One of us is always busy. Especially Knox.” Anton throws an accusatory glare at Knox.
“Try taking care of a three-year-old daughter yourself.”
“I told you to get a nanny for her.”
“And I told you, I don’t trust a nanny with my daughter.” He sighs as he sips from his glass and sets it down. “Anyways, let’s go back to talking about your wife, Rain.”
I groan. “Let’s not. I don’t want to talk about it anymore. And can you not say ‘my wife’? Say the woman I’ll be getting married to.”
They laugh.
“That’s what English calls a wife.”
“So, Hazel.”
I hit my fist on the table. I’ve never gotten so irritated over hearing someone’s name, but I’m done. I’m convinced they have a name kink, because why are they acting like this when they’ve never met her. “I swear, if anyone mentions her name again, I’ll lose my shit.”
“Okay, let’s compromise,” Renzo starts. “Find her and ask her on a date. Talk to her about the proposal and if you don’t like her after that, we’ll find someone else.” He raises his eyebrows as if asking what I think about it. “Surely you have to marry anyone for six months, but it has to be someone you can stand, right?”
“How do you know I can stand her? It was one night.”
“That’s exactly how I know. Listen, you don’t seem to understand this matter, do you? I’ll explain it to you, my dear brother.” I glare, but Renzo dismisses my reaction and continues. He points his middle finger in the air. “So this is you, right?”
“Why am I your middle finger?”
“Focus!” he hushes and continues. “You’re totally heartbroken by something that happened five years ago and as a result, you’ve shut your heart. Once a party requires you to bring a plus-one, you sort the escort service out and dismiss the woman in a not-so-nice way. One day, you meet this girl…” he holds up his index finger. “Mind you, you don’t know who she is. You don’t know if she’s a criminal or a serial killer, but you took her to your house. In your house actually, made her sleep on your bed, beside you. Do you get it now? The first girl in five years.”
“It’s like you trust her. You slept beside her, Rain, beside her. Whatever happened to caution?”
I straighten. I didn’t think about all these. It didn’t cross my mind that she could be a serial killer or that she could harm me and … and I took her to my house.
“I’ve been friends with Ren for ten years and this is the first time I’m admitting that he’s smart.” Knox jabs and Renzo flips him off, earning a chuckle from Anton. “Try it with her, Rain. You never can tell.”
I sigh and three pairs of eyes turn to me, waiting for a response –a positive one. I down my entire glass of wine in one gulp, refill my glass and repeat the motion.
“You’re wrong. I can’t stand her. She was so infuriating. She got drunk on her first day in the country, with only one percent battery on her phone. What if something had happened to her after her phone went off? How can a woman be so careless like that?”
Anton shakes his head with a wry smile. “Do you even realize what you’re doing right now?”
Knox shakes his head at Anton, almost like he shared a silent conversation with him, and I wonder what that was. “If that’s the case, then why don’t you do it out of clear dissent for her? You’re sure you won’t fall in love with her, so what’s the problem?”
The problem is the woman. She has no reason to marry me. I’m a stranger that she met twice by sheer coincidence, I’m nine years older than her, and above all that, she said it’s her first time coming into the country.
Of course she didn’t come from wherever she came from, to be a six-month wife for someone who can never love her.
She must have forgotten who I am. That woman has a low retentive memory. She forgot my name in a matter of hours. It’s been weeks, I doubt she even remembers I exist.
I shut my eyes and wish I can time travel back to that day I signed those ownership transfer papers so I can tear them instead.
“Fine, I’ll ask her to dinner. But if she says no, I’m not pushing.” I mutter and for some reason best known to my soon to be dead friends, they decide to tease me about it.
“Did Rain say something?” Renzo starts and I glare, my face jerking in restless anger. I would have loved to tell him to screw himself, but I can’t. I’m the one who has everything on the line. My reputation, my dignity, my pride, and the respect that took me years to earn.
They, on the other hand, have nothing to lose.
“I don’t think so.” Anton plays along, while Knox folds his hand on his chest, watching and enjoying the drama.
“Stop,” I warn.
“Sorry, Rain. I thought I heard you say you’ll take Hazel to dinner.”
“That’s what I said. I said I’ll take her to dinner, don’t make this hard for me.”