CHAPTER ELEVEN
Grandpa was buried and the ceremony was held in the mansion. Mom and dad went home and his other relatives are here as well. The entire mansion was almost filled with the amount of sympathy that sent grandpa to his the final destination. From the first day until now that grandpa was buried there was no exhaustion of sympathy. Now that the funeral is over there are still people here.
I am now sitting not far away is his adopted daughter who is now my wife. She’s looking nowhere and seemed to be in deep thought. Since we came here we haven’t talked. I also don’t want to waste my time talking to her or paying attention to her.
I am with my friends now while sitting on the veranda where grandpa often sits. It’s like we’ve been talking here lately. I may be an asshole to him sometimes, but I love my grandpa. Not because of his money but because he is my grandpa who always supported me somehow.
“Phoenix,” Manang Tasing called to me so I look at her.
“Yeah?”
“Can you help me to convince Hailey to eat? Since the both you came here, she’s been drinking only water. If she eats just a bite of fruit, she doesn’t finish it either. I am afraid she will get sick.” I looked at that woman who was just sitting not far away.
“Be a human sometimes,” Jace said and drank some tea.
“Phoenix,”
“Fine, Manang.” I don’t care if she’s hungry or not. It her problem either she will eat or not. She’s overeacting. but I still followed Manang and approached the stagy woman.
“Hailey, you can it,” said manang Tasing.
“I’m not hungry.” Her eyes were swollen and even though she wasn’t looking at me I noticed that it’s red also. I came closer to her so Manang won’t hear us.
“Don’t be too over dramatic, people here are worried about you. I don’t care if you will eat or not but don’t let them worrying because of you.” She looked at me then stood up.
“I’m sorry.” Then he bent down and approached Manang and go with the old woman. “Come on, Manang, I will come with you in the kitchen.” Manang smiled at me and I did the same to her then I went back to my companions.
“At least you have a little conscience.” I smirked because of what Blaze said.
“What’s your plan?” Dane asked so I frowned.
“Plan about what?”
“About this marriage, now that your grandfather is gone, what are your plans?” They looked at me so I gasped.
“I’ll just skip forty days and file an annulment.”
“How about your inheritance?” Jace asked. “‘Won’t you return the 25% you got when you separated with her?’ he added.
“I will give it to the her.”
“Are you sure?” Dane asked.
“Why? Grandpa passed, so there is no reason to stay in this fucking marriage.”
“Poor creature,”
“What are you saying, Jace?”
“Don’t mind me.” Suddenly a car came and we all looked on. Enrique got down from here and walked quickly. I thought he was in Korea, why he is here now?
From here I have a view of the kitchen. He went straight there and when he saw that woman he quickly approached her. The woman stood up then they hugged and that woman cried on Enrique’s shoulder. As it caressed the back of that woman.
“It’s supposed to be you, and not anyone else.” I looked at Dane who shake her head.
“I don’t care about her, Dane,”
“You said so.” Not even one of them spoke.
I saw Enrique still caressing that woman’s back. Too silly, and overdramatic. Well, I don’t care about them. After all maybe they will end up together after that woman and I separates our way. But poor Enrique because I am the first who claimed that woman.Nôvel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.
Later, grandpa’s lawyer approached me.
“Phoenix, can I talk to you?”
“About what?”
“About what your grandfather properties.”
“Sure,” I answer.
“Let’s go in his office.”
“I’ll follow him,” I said to my friends. He walked over there first so I followed. We caught up with mommy and daddy is there so I set beside them. Later, that woman entered with Enrique.
“Why are you here? This is just for the family,” I said.
“Your grandfather requested that he should be here. He knows about it,” the attorney replied. My forehead frowned but I just didn’t pay attention to them. They sat next to me. Enrique and I put this woman in the middle.
“It’s straightforward because everyone already knows it and you are the only one who doesn’t know Phoenix.”
“What do I not know?” I looked at mommy and daddy.
“Your grandfather has no wealth.”
“What?” I can’t believe at what he said.
“The money that works on this land and in other businesses here is Hailey Paredes’ money.” I looked at this woman who was bowed.
“Is this a fucking joke? Or did you manipulates grandpa to transfer his property to you?”
“Phoenix,” daddy scolded me.
“What? You won’t be angry, dad?”
“I’ve known it for a long time, let the attorney explain.”
“Damn!”
“Your grandfather went bankrupt then and Hailey’s grandfather lent him. But what he borrowed went bankrupt again so Hailey’s grandfather lent him again. Coincidentally, Hailey’s parents died in an accident. At the same time, your grandfather business went bankrupt again. Your grandfather has no one to turn to but Hailey’s grandfather. Hailey’s grandfather was ill at the time. In order for Hailey’s life to be well, he left her to your grandfather, Don Alejandro. In return, he will handle the money of Hailey. ”
I looked at daddy with no reaction on his face.
“Don Alejandro held Hailey’s money as his grandfather wanted until she will came to the right age. At the same time, your grandfather invested Hailey’s money in another business, and it grew. The money revolved around Sebastian are Hailey Paredes’ money. Hailey’s grandpa knows how good your father is in business, he’s really short to the previous ones that is why it didn’t work. ”
“Dad?” I call dad.
“That’s true son, your grandfather doesn’t have any money. So if you think he’s being mean to you and he’s giving more of what Hailey wants, that’s because it’s really Hailey’s money. It’s as if we’re the ones dipping into the Paredes’ money.”
“But, don’t worry, Phoenix, what you and Don Alejandro agreed on can’t be changed. You’ve already got 25% percent, and you’ll still get 25% when you have children.”
“Why did Hailey marry me? So that I can have an inheritance too supposedly? So that I don’t look miserable, is that so?”
“No.” He looked at Hailey who remained stooped. “For Hailey to have protection. As you can see, Hailey is aloof, she’s not friendly and she doesn’t like a lot of people if she doesn’t know them either. So she married you so she can have someone in life. Now, if she has children and you left her, at least she have someone on her that she can call her own. Hailey’s family from both sides doesn’t want her because they think Hailey is of no use to them. There is no wealth, just greedy, but if they know they she have this money, they will take care of her. ”
“I understand everything, are we done here? Because I want to talk to my wife,”
“Phoenix,”
“I want to talk to her, dad, alone.” The lawyer stood up and so did mommy and daddy.
“I’ll be outside, princess.” The frantic even squeezed this woman’s hand. When they got out I confronted him.
“Have you known this for a long time?”
“Sorry,”
“So, you’re one of the ones who played with me. I am not mistaken of my judgement. You’re manipulative. You manipulate all of them to follow you.”
“That’s not true,” she said tearfully.
“That’s true. Even grandpa you used. You manipulate them by pretended you’re kindness, pitiful, and need sympathy. If you can fooled them, then I’m not. Because I know you and now I’ve proven what you really are. You’re a manipulative, deceitful woman. You’re nothing but worthless trash. Is this what you want, to play? Game Begin. ” And I left her alone crying.
I will not leave you. You start, then finish it. I will not leave you and I will take the money agreed upon. You just fooled me, but I will make sure I won’t lose.