Chapter 2: Chapter 2

<Azaria>

"Do you already know the gossip, dear? Don's grandson is in jail."

"Come with me to my office," the old man said to me, and I obediently followed.

"What do you want me to do for you? I can't promise immediate payment," I told him as we entered his office.

"What are your plans in life?" he asked me as his first question.

What are my plans in life? Well, I don't really have any!

Life should be lived spontaneously!

You just have to enjoy life as it comes!

"I can't handle the things you're doing anymore. You might be the cause of my death," he said.

Wow, the old man is being dramatic.

Dying right away? Can't he have a heart attack first?

"Azaria! You're still young! Why have you grown up like this, huh?! You bring problems to this family! You won't mature until you learn your lessons!" he yelled angrily at me, but I just let his words go in one ear and out the other.

I sighed in front of him, but he caught me.

"Your brilliant grandson has already left, right?" I changed the topic.

"I'm old, and when I die, there will be no one to take care of you," he dramatically said.

"Your parents don't want you either because you bring them problems."

I didn't listen to him.

"When are you going to straighten up? You even borrowed money from your friend. Have you no shame? Bring some dignity to our family! Because of you, one of the investors backed out from the company, and it's fortunate that Nick is capable," he bragged to me again about his adopted son.

A lowly adopted son!

Hmmph!

"You haven't done anything right!"

He's being too much.

"Can I just go to sleep for now? I'm tired," I made an excuse.

I will regain what I lost. For now, I need to find a way to rise again.

Poor lowly me.

"I want you to marry Nikolai."

My face turned serious upon hearing his words.

"What?!"

"You really have no respect!"

He slapped my arm.

"What did you say?!" I asked, ignoring his insults.

"Marry Nikolai," he said firmly.

My expression quickly changed.

"I don't want to!" I quickly refused.

And why would I marry that lowly adopted son?!

He took everything from me.

He was favored by our grandfather, always in the spotlight.

Everyone adored him.

All those lowly hacienderos like him because he's supposedly talented and knowledgeable.

He was found in a pile of carabao dung, and that's why our grandfather adopted him.

I won't marry that man.

"Has he come back home?" I asked, but he ignored my question.

It's better if that man was sent to study abroad.

I used to play with him when we were kids, and we were close. But when I noticed that he received more attention than me, I grew angrier with him. I was even more furious when I found out that he would be sent abroad to study.

There's too much favoritism here.

They say he's intelligent, so he'll study abroad.

It's not like I'm stupid, just slightly less intelligent.

I'm actually smart because I scammed someone.

"When I die, there will be no one to defend you. I want you to marry him before I'm gone."

"But I don't want to!" I quickly refused.

"Marry him, or I'll send you back to jail," he threatened.

"You owe me a lot," he added.

I gave him a disdainful look.

"You've been spoiled too much, that's why you act like this. Now it's my turn to be in control. Marry Nikolai, and you won't have any say in the matter. When you have problems, he will be the one you turn to. I won't be by your side forever."

What is this old man talking about?

I don't want to rely on that man because I've already accepted that he's superior to me.

"Just give me other tasks, not that one! I'm only twenty-five!" I replied irritably.

All I want in life is to have fun. Party, go out, and have flings.

I have plenty of ex-flings.

He hit me again on the arm with his stick.

"Whether you like it or not, you will get married soon," he said definitively.

"Fuck! I don't want to!" I cursed and glared at him.

"You can't do anything about my decision, Azaria. I'm doing this for you, for your future. I want you to be with a man who will take care of you and not neglect you. I want to secure your future," he said.

"And you chose your adopted son to marry me?!" I replied in annoyance.

I'm furious with that man because he took everything from me.

Our company is now his.

He handles all of Grandfather's businesses. Ever since I sold one of our haciendas, everything has been given to him, and since then, I can't sell anything or touch our properties.

I can't forget the anger of the people when they found out that I sold one of the haciendas. They came looking for money, but there was none left. I spent millions in just four months.

I had already replaced the money with receipts.

That man is stingy.

Our last conversation was when I asked him for the documents regarding one of our resorts in Davao. He was abroad when I called him.

He even woke up because of my call.

"Where is your adopted son?! I know he's already back!" I boldly asked him.

"Azaria!" the old man called out to me as I walked out of his office.

I will confront that man.

Perhaps Grandfather told him about our marriage before he even told me.

I know he knew about it before me. He's always ahead of everyone else.

"Nanny! Has Nikolai come here yet?! I know he's already back," I asked.

I heard a lot about that man when he came home. I can't even remember when he returned because I didn't care.

"Oh yes, ma'am. He was here yesterday and he left earlier today," she replied.

"Do you know where he went?" I inquired.

"I only know that he usually goes to the hacienda and the company. He was wearing his work outfit earlier. He might have gone to work, ma'am," she answered.

I didn't respond to her and just left.

I'm really rude when talking to people. That's how I was raised.

"Good afternoon, ma'am," the people at the company greeted me, but I didn't acknowledge them.

I just had the driver of the old man take me, as he didn't want to lend me his car.

I am well-known in the company.

Who wouldn't recognize me with all the issues I've been involved in? Everyone knows everything I've done.

I'm used to being talked about. I'm often compared to my sibling.

"Where's your boss?!" I asked the secretary of Nikolai assertively.

"Good afternoon, ma'am. I'll inform sir that he has a visitor," she politely informed me.

I didn't listen to her and forcefully opened the door to Nikolai's office.

I found him in the middle of signing some documents.

My world suddenly stopped when I saw him.

He was wearing a black corporate attire, and his hair was neatly styled.

His broad chest and sharp jawline made me weak.

Our eyes met, and he seemed surprised but quickly regained his composure.

A flicker of expression passed across his face.

He looked even more handsome.

After so many years, I was seeing him now.

"Do you know Grandfather's plan?!"

He raised an eyebrow at me.

He set aside the papers he was signing and faced me.

I liked his necktie; there was a unique clip attached to it.

"Why are you here?"

His voice was deep.

"Damn it!" I cursed.

"I know you have something to do with Grandfather's plan! He wants me to marry you! Are you feeling lucky?!" I blurted out.

"It's his decision, not mine."

Well!

"Why are you agreeing then?! Tell him you don't want to marry me! And do you have a girlfriend, huh?! Tell Grandfather not to marry me off to you. Convince him right now!" I ordered him as if I were his boss.

"I don't have time for that. If you want, do it," he said casually.

Did he think I didn't know that the reason he agreed to marry me was to gain access to our wealth?! To take control of all our riches?!

He didn't respond and just looked at me.

"You even took our company! That's mine!" I added.

"I know your plans. Fine! I'll agree to marry you, but I'll make sure you regret it!" I smirked.

This man doesn't know me.

Even my own parents couldn't handle me, so how about him?

"I need money, that's why I agreed! I'm desperate! Hmph!" I said, then turned my back on him.

"It's not what you think," he said in a low voice.

I didn't pay attention to him and walked away.

I knew he didn't actually take a business-related course. The last I heard, he shifted to business management.

The people in the mansion are so nosy, that's why I stay updated with what's happening.

I'll make sure he returns me to where I came from. I'm still a crazy mess, after all.