Vanessa
I would never admit it to him, his ego is inflated enough but Stephen had always been my exception.
Even when we were bickering or at each other’s throats, he could undo me with a single glance. So much so that ever since Ava moved to London to run the European division of their company, I've done everything I could to avoid any sort of interaction with him.
He made me do and say things that were so out of character for me, it’s unreal.
I know I acted too hastily.
First, with leaving his place without letting him know and as I finally walk into my shabby studio, my eviction notice clutched tight in my hand, I regret quitting my job so impulsively.
I needed that job. The pay sucked but the tips weren’t bad.
I had some money in my savings but it was only enough for a downpayment on a new place. How am I supposed to pay for rent, bills or get groceries now? I don’t even have a car anymore. I sold my piece of junk car that my grandfather gave me last month to back pay all the rent I had owed and the rest went into my savings.
I didn’t owe the landlord anything but I guess there was only so many times they were going to allow me to miss rent before they got fed up and evicted me.
Where the fuck do I go now?
It’s late by the time I make it down to Rancho Bernardo, a small city just twenty minutes north of San Diego. Since I had to ride the train, it took me longer to get here.
I applied for jobs online and looked up places to live all day yesterday before finally deciding today that my only option was to suck it up and ask for help.
I’m standing in front of my grandfather’s house trying to gather enough courage to walk up and ring the doorbell when a car pulls up in the driveway.
The driver steps out of the car and I recognize him immediately.
Grandfather’s lawyer, Raul nods his head at me gesturing me to follow him.
“Glad you could make it, Miss Lopez. I believe your grandfather is expecting us.”
Wait, what?
I have no choice but to follow him even while dread settles deep in the pit of my stomach.
We find my grandfather in his study. Raul sets his stuff down next to him, getting comfortable on the couch but I’m stuck standing in the doorway, my hand pressed against my chest.
I have not seen my grandfather in over two years since he disowned me and the sight of him, sallow and frail, stops me in my tracks.
Looking around his study, I spot the medical equipment and wheelchair set up in a corner.
What is happening?
“Grandfather?” I call out since he hasn’t once looked over at me.
He merely points at the armchair without even sparing me a look, “Sit down, .”
Atleast Raul has the decency to appear sheepish about Grandfather’s behavior but honestly after spending most of my life dealing with him, I’m used to it.
Perfectly numb.
I sit where I’m told and set my purse behind me. My fingers automatically fold on my lap, my back straight just like I was taught to sit my whole life. Atleast in his presence.
I watch the two men exchange looks before Raul hands me a folder.
Tentatively, I open it and gasp when I see the words, Last Will and Testament.
“Grandfa–”
He cuts me off with a raised hand.
“I am dying, . I have at best, a year to live. It’s time for me to get my affairs in order.”
My frown is immediate. This man has controlled me for most of my life. From the car I drove to the friends I could have down to who I dated. He was the reason I dated Dean in highschool. Dean, who was the son of a lawyer and came from a prominent family in our community.
Dean who was also abusive and a cheater.
Dean who then went on to not only assault me but my best friend, Ava as well.
What’s even more messed up was my grandfather cut me off after he found out I had testified against and was the reason Dean got thrown into jail.
Like it was my fault, I got hurt. My grandfather didn’t say it in so many words but he sure as hell implied it.
Fortunately I had Ava. We were at a Halloween party with kids from school when it all happened. She had not only saved me from an awful situation but she cared about me enough that when she recognized the signs, she didn’t hesitate. She confronted Dean. Then he hurt her. If it weren’t for her boyfriend Jesse and our other best friend, Ryder, it could have been so much worse.
Unfortunately, we were also surrounded by schoolmates who had cellphones and there was no way something like that wouldn’t end up online. Not in the age of social media where everything was recorded.
Ava gave up a lot for me that night. Until then, she and her siblings spent the majority of their life with their identities a secret. But in order to keep us out of jail, Ava had no choice but to use her status. It was only a matter of time before someone leaked the news and videos were put up. Within hours, what happened spread not only on social media but a media frenzy broke out. The Torres siblings were incessantly followed. People were saying horrible things about Ava, painting her as some loose girl since the only picture they had at the time was what had circulated online. The one of her at the party, in her Britney costume that had loosened from the assault she suffered in Dean’s hands.
Throughout all that, Ava protected me. She made sure her team kept my name hidden from the media and that I was never a part of any documentation. The kids at school never found out what had transpired between Dean and myself either. Ryder and Jesse had kept me away when they went after Dean at the party. The only people who knew were his close friends and they were not going to out him when that would mean they were compliant in his crimes.
But when it was time to go to trail, Ava gave me a choice. There was no way in hell she was going to allow someone like Dean to walk free but she let me decide whether or not I wanted to be a part of the process. The obvious answer was yes because what kind of person would I be if I allowed Dean to do what he did to me to another woman?
I had kept a diary during the time I was with Dean and I was smart enough to write down everything he did to me. It was the final nail in the coffin and since Dean was eighteen at the time, he was tried as an adult. Ava used all the resources she had to ensure he paid for his crimes. And he did.
Then my grandfather found out. After he was found guilty, Dean’s mother went on a social media tirade, claiming I was a liar among other things.
And apparently that warranted being disowned. I embarrassed my grandfather and that was unacceptable.
Which leads me to wonder about the timing of all of this.
How did he know I was coming? It also seems unlikely that his lawyer just happened to arrive at his house with all these documentation at the same time I do.
Not to mention, my eviction.
I look back down at the paper and read the contents of it. As soon as I get to the part where I’m included, my eyes fly up to his.
My hand flies to my chest and I can’t breathe.
This man. He can’t be serious.
I say that out loud because it bears repeating.
“You can’t be serious, grandfather.” I jump to my feet and throw the folder on the table. I make a move to grab my purse because I would rather beg Stephen for my job back. Anything but this.
“Sit down and listen, .”
“Grand–”
“Sit down!” He yells, smacking the couch’s armrest.
I flinch but I sit back down. At the very least, I want to hear his reasoning behind all this.
Raul clears his throat before going on a spiel, “As stated in the will, after his passing your grandfather bequeaths this house, the bar and two million dollars to you on the condition that you are married before his death. You are required to stay married for atleast one year, if you fail to do so, the bequest will be void and passed on to Dean Logan.”
Halfway through, I start shaking my head. My hands grip my knees as I try to keep the panic attack at bay. As if it’s not bad enough that he gave stipulations but to attempt to blackmail me into what he wants by threatening to give my inheritance to Dean is abhorrent even for him.
I’m livid but I’m also at a loss because I’m not even the least bit surprised. My grandfather has always been vindictive. This was his way of punishing me.
“Did you… Were you responsible for my eviction, grandfather? And are you having me followed?”
He smirks, his back now resting on the couch as he folds his hands on chest and shuts his eyes. Like he’s damn proud of everything he’s been doing.
“Yes and yes. How else would I get you back here, ? You haven’t been home in years nor have you even called to check on your grandfather.”
“ You-you disowned me. ” I sputter out in indignation.
He continues like I never said anything, “I’ve done everything for you. The least you could do is pick up the phone. And you should be thanking me for getting you out of that dump and for even giving you this when you don’t deserve a dime.”
“Giving? Grandfather, you are ordering me to get married. You are also threatening to give my abuser everything. How can this possibly be something I should be grateful for?”
“Because you have nothing.” He sits up now, staring me straight in the eyes as he says the words he’s said to me my entire life. “You are nothing without me.”
My chin quivers but I fight against the onslaught of tears. I refuse to give this man any more than he’s already taken from me.
“Now you will do this and you will do it within the timeline.”
“Why marriage?” I whisper, letting his words wrap themselves around me. Suffocating me with their weight.
“Because granddaughter, you’re incapable of doing anything on your own. You need a man. I trust you're capable at the very least of finding some schmuck to marry you. ”
“And if I don’t?”
There’s still time. Maybe he can find it in his heart to change?—
“Then we give the Logan family what they deserve after what you did to them.”