2. Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Jonathan
T he last thing I want to do is leave Emma alone, yet I’m so furious with her that I vow never to speak to her again. And still she haunts my thoughts: the way her face flushes when she’s angry, how her eyes flash when she tells me off, and the fact that she’s back.
I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about her since she left for the big city. It was easier to think about Emma less when she was far away. But now, early in the morning, she occupies every corner of my mind.
I stride into the office building a few minutes late—something I shouldn’t make a habit of, considering the responsibilities ahead of me. I’m not there yet, but the inheritance is mine by right. With my grandfather gone and me as the eldest grandkid, I’m poised to take the helm of his business.
Reed, my best friend and coworker, meets me at the door, worry etched on his face. “Have you heard? There’s a board meeting called, and a lawyer’s even here.”
“A lawyer?” I ask, frowning.
Reed nods. “It’s about your inheritance. Zain’s arguing he should be the one in charge.”
“Zain?” I echo, perturbed. “What’s he doing here?”
Zain—a cousin whose poor decisions have derailed more of Grandfather’s ventures than I care to count—wears a smug expression, as if he’s already won. Reed shrugs. “He wants the company. You and I both know if Zain runs it, it’ll go straight to the abyss.”
I can’t allow that. With a curt nod, I follow Reed into the conference room. The room is filled with familiar faces, including Zain, who practically oozes confidence. If he thinks he can wrest the company from me, he’s in for a rude awakening.
I’ve spent my life learning every strength and flaw of this company. I have a plan, and I’ve been groomed for the role of CEO my entire life. I’m no quitter, and I won’t let someone like Zain take everything I’ve built without a fight.
“Oh, good thing you finally joined us,” Zain drawls as I enter, his tone dripping with condescension. I shoot him a glare. “I was beginning to think you wouldn’t show up.”
“Perhaps we’re all surprised you’re here,” I reply coolly while adjusting my cuffs. I refuse to be rattled, though I can’t shake off his unnerving confidence. I watch him carefully, waiting for his next move.
Zain narrows his eyes, then turns to the lawyer. “Let’s begin.”
I take my seat beside Reed. The lawyer clears his throat. “In light of your grandfather’s passing, we’ve uncovered a clause in his will that changes everything.”
“What are you talking about?” I demand. Gramps has been gone for over a month, and the will was already read. Reed squirms—I sense he knows more than he’s letting on. The lawyer hesitates, shuffling his papers.
Seizing the moment, Zain speaks up. “It means I’m now the rightful owner and CEO, not you.”
I give him a dismissive look. I can’t fathom that we overlooked a clause that hands the company over to Zain. The company would go up in flames under his mismanagement.
“Is this some kind of elaborate prank?” I ask, voice rising. “It’s not April first. Tell me what’s really happening.”
Silence. Every pair of eyes avoids mine. Then, the lawyer meets my gaze. “The clause states you cannot inherit the company because you’re not married. It deems you unfit, so it must go to your brother Zain—who, by contrast, is already married.”
I cut in, “My cousin, not my brother. And honestly, can you call it a marriage when his wife spends more time away from than at home?”
The silence deepens. The lawyer’s face pales as he clears his throat. “The stipulation is clear: to serve as CEO, you must be married or at least engaged.”
It sounds absurd, like something ripped from an ’80s rulebook. What does my marital status have to do with running a company? Then I recall a conversation with Gramps in his office a year ago.
He’d taken a swig of his signature whiskey-tea blend and said, “Son, when you’ve lived as long as I have, you’ll understand the value of companionship. Find a woman who makes you happy, and watch your world change.”
I scoffed at him. “I don’t need a distraction,” I argued.
He smiled knowingly. “A distraction sometimes keeps you grounded. Without it, you risk straying too far off course.”
But now, faced with this absurd clause, I can’t help but feel trapped.
Zain smirks, leaning back in his chair with an air of certainty, his fingers tapping idly against the table. The lawyer shifts in his seat, his gaze flicking between us, his expression carefully neutral—but something in the way his brow furrows tells me he’s already questioning my claim. Even Zain, despite his bravado, stills for half a second before his smirk returns, sharper than before. “Grandfather must have known you weren’t cut out for this. Shame, really. If only you’d been responsible enough to settle down, this wouldn’t even be a discussion.” He lets the silence stretch before finally saying, “Looks like your time is up. Unless, of course, you’ve suddenly decided to settle down.”
I stare him down, my mind racing. I could deny it, try to argue my way out, but with every second that passes, I see the certainty growing in Zain’s expression and the lawyer’s quiet scrutiny. No other option will keep me in control. I exhale slowly, leveling my gaze. “What a shame…because I am engaged. I have someone I love, and we’re set to marry. This meeting is moot—I’m still the rightful CEO.”
Zain’s jaw drops. “You’re lying.”
Truthfully, I am lying. I have no fiancée. I blurted it out in desperation, knowing that if the lawyer uncovers this sham, I’ll lose more than just the company. Confidence, however, is a potent disguise.
“I’m not lying,” I insist calmly. “I prefer to keep my personal life private. But if you must know, I am happily engaged to someone I love, and we have a future together.”
Zain’s face reddens with fury, so much so that it seems he might explode. “You’ll have an invitation to my wedding in less than a month,” I add with a wry smile, then adjust my cuffs, leveling Zain with one last pointed look before strolling out, leaving the tension thick in the air behind me. I can’t help but feel a flicker of triumph.
***
Later, Reed bursts into my office, concern etched on his face. “We both know you’re single.”
“Of course I’m single,” I reply, sinking into my leather chair while twirling a pen between my fingers. “But you didn’t expect me to sit back and let Zain take over, did you?”
Reed exhales sharply, running a hand through his hair. “So when’s the wedding? Should I book the venue?” His smirk fades as he shakes his head. “You realize you’ve just set up a wedding without a bride, and you’ll face legal fallout for lying.”
I purse my lips. “I’m confident I can find someone willing to marry me in a few weeks. All I need is for the lawyers, Zain, and the board to witness the ceremony, and the company will be mine. I won’t be bound for long.”
“But you can’t just divorce immediately,” Reed reminds me. “I know you’re ruthless, but it’s a different kind of coldhearted if you just toss someone aside right after the wedding.”
I hadn’t thought that far ahead. I only blurted out the engagement to safeguard my future. I groan—marriage has always been the one thing I’ve avoided, especially when so many women only seem interested in my money. I vowed never to marry, yet here I am, cornered by circumstances I can’t ignore.
Covering my face with my hands, I mutter, “Aren’t there brides for hire or something?”
Reed stares at me, incredulous. “No, Jonathan. You can’t just marry for a company takeover.”
His tone carries a note of judgment that I don’t appreciate. He means well, but sometimes his sanctimonious air grates on me. Checking his watch, he sighs. “My sister should be in town by now—I’m heading out to pick her up. We’ll talk later about this little dilemma.”
At the mention of Emma, I straighten instinctively, my grip tightening around the pen as a faint heat prickles at the back of my neck. For a fleeting moment, an old memory surfaces—her laughter echoing in the summer air, the way she once looked at me like I was worth something more. I shake it off before it takes hold, burying the image as quickly as it came. I can’t confess that I saw her this morning, or that my pulse races at the thought of her being nearby. The one thing I can’t afford right now is a distraction…especially not her.