To Love and Avenge

Chapter 9

Now that we are all done. We just wait for the table to be clear and start.

“Do you all remember the time I once told you about the future merging?” Dad started.

“I don't know about it, you know, it's not my forte,” I answered, not waiting on my two brothers because, knowing them, they were more likely to be aware of it.

“Yes.” Daven and Allen replied in unison. Dad just nodded at their answer.

“I guess it's about high time to inform you the rest about it,” he said while his eyes were on me. We stayed silent, and listened eagerly to his words, although I'm a bit bored regarding this business matter they are discussing. It doesn't concern me anyway, at least for now.

“Atty. Romero the old lawyer, the one that your maternal grandfather’s lawyer, informed me about this merging, that I never knew of, at least until yesterday.” he sighs.

“What about it?” Daven asks in a very serious tone, very intrigued about the meeting.

“We will be merging with the other company for us to take full control of Chui Realty because, if not, 80% of it will be distributed to some chosen charities.”

“That's impossible, you have already taken over it since you married mom, that was what you told us.” Allen protested.

“I thought so too.” hearing dad in a very disappointed tone made my heart sink. He has suffered a lot, and I can't afford to look at him this way again.

“So what now? What are we going to do?” Daven is now anxious.

“Let’s set up a meeting with them then, and discuss the matter,” I suggested.

“I hope it's as easy as that.” he glanced in my direction helplessly.

“How was Granddad related to the other company anyway?” Out of frustration, I wanted to ask about this horrible idea of a dead man. If only a dead person could speak. What I didn't expect was that the next news would horrify us, much more to me.

“I don't know, but based on Atty. Romero’s words, both elderly people agreed to this when they were alive. As far as I understood, they were previously acquainted with each other, I think that explains it.”

“Dad, as I was saying, why not meet them and talk to them about the merging. I'm sure they are notified too”, I repeated the question, observing closely Daven and Allen, who currently handles the company, Allen as the head of the Finance Dep't, and Daven as VP, now that dad, as a President, only works at home.

Dad knew that I had nothing to do with the company since my interest was not there. Plus, I don't have a plan for any position as my main goal is to serve justice for mom, although I worked as a designer at a furniture designing company.

“What company is this?”

“Eleonor’s Woods. It's a woodcraft furniture company assigned abroad. I still don't know the owners. Although they have some chains in Asia, the owner seems so mysterious.”

“That is the mother company of S. Designs.” surprised and, at the same time relieved as I could, approached the owner of S. designs about the matter.

“I can set an appointment and have a word with them.” I volunteered happily.

“So it's solved then,” said Allen in a jubilant manner.

“It is still not, since they only give us the option that one should be tied to our family.”

“What does that mean?” Daven asks curiously.

“One has to be married to them. And there is a particular person they betrothed.”

“Who?” both men answered again in unison. This now gets the curiosity out of me more.

“Ale” the name left his mouth slowly and upon hearing it, all eyes were set on me, all were waiting for my response, as everyone was expecting me to freak. Expecting something from my response. But I'm stunned, unable to react, and cannot contain my thoughts for a moment. Like all my rationale left me. Is this some kind of a joke? Because if so, dad has pulled the very first non-laughable joke I ever heard in my entire life. I turned in dad’s direction, shifting my body position toward him. Expecting him to c***k laughter as if it was a joke. Just like that, he reads my mind clearly and slowly shakes his head off in response. That made me feel like I was thrown into a bathtub full of ice and made me freeze my entire self and send shivers through my bones. Or maybe, just maybe the lawyer mistook my maternal grandfather’s will. I wanted to laugh at the situation I’m now in. How can life be so cruel to me, when all I wanted is to have revenge, and now this?

“Dad, you are not good t joking, it's not funny. You can try harder next time,” I laughed forcefully, but on the verge of crying, like an i***t.

“No, I'm serious this time. I ask for the nth time hoping that the lawyer is joking, but he is D**M dead serious too. Your granddad never mentioned this when he was still alive.”

“So?” was the only word that left my mouth. I don't know, I feel like crying, no, laughing... these whole things turn my world upside down. What else could there be?

“So I'm thinking about meeting the guy’s family to discuss the betrothal.”

“And do you deliberately agree with this?” asks Daven, feeling worried.

“Do you have any in mind? This is the only option we have, unless we are ready to give up the company.” with a creased forehead he turned to Daven, digging up more solution,

“Or we talk to them and have them agree to dissolve the agreement our elders have,” Allen spoke, and for the first time I saw him in a very serious manner.

“It's not dissolvable, it is also written there. If only it's as easy as that, I could just have done that.”

I desperately closed my eyes, hoping it was a very bad nightmare, more than that of my mother’s, but it was not. Sad truth is that I’m wide awake sitting next to my family. Rubbing off my face with my two palms while my elbow rested on the tabletop I comb my hair, slightly pulling it, and stayed just above my nape, thinking deeply about how I am going to escape this.

“You look awful” Allen commented.

“Yeah.” throwing my head back and pinching the base of my nose. I stayed that way for a moment. Later I look at dad while trying to figure out my next move. While staying that way, everyone remained silent as they are also trying to figure out a solution, except that my dad who already made up his mind, and that is to agree with the betrothal, “Aren’t we make a comfortable living if we lose the Chui Realty? I mean, we still have our other means of living.” I continued.

“Chui Realty is your mother’s. And I cannot afford to lose it.”

Now, it makes sense to me as to why he easily agreed to the will.

“Ale, that's the only solution we have.”

“Dad, being married is no joke, what more to an unknown person? Let me figure things out.”

“We are running out of time.” he declared.

“I wanted to talk with the lawyer. Let me figure things out first before I will decide.”

He simply nods and instructed his secretary to call the lawyer and have him come over. Then told us that the meeting is set for the afternoon. It's going to be a long day ahead for me. I will always prefer to be in the mission rather than in this family drama.