Chapter 5

Today ended, bad.

The lawyer started reading everything. Distribution of properties from his mother, to a little for her siblings, the cousins, the aunt's and uncles. He generously left something for all of them .

Then it came to the part that left everybody in awe.

"The remaining 70% of my properties shall be distributed between my two sons. One will take 20% and the other, the remaining 50%.

Including the 20 estates, the winery full ownership, the Hotel , the full partnership with Greenwood Automobile and the 50% of my money left in the bank. This will be given in full to whoever married first among them on or before the 20th of April, the day this will shall be read-"

That's where everyone in the hall fell silent.

Valerio married me first.

Carlos was supposed to take over if he had married me, but he didn't, Valerio did.

He's the one taking over.

"Wait wait, uhm, Attorney Grey, what you're saying is that, whoever marries first among the two of them gets the 50% shares and.. and everything?", his mother asked already loosing it.

"Yes madam, and Valerio got married last week, so he will be the new owner of everything Alessandro", the announced.

Even Valerio seemed shocked.

I mean this was his plan right? or what if he didn't know he was going to get everything?

"That is unfair, I was supposed to get married last week, Valerio took my wife", Carlos exclaimed standing up.

"Exactly, I mean we all went for his wedding, up until we saw Valerio getting married to the woman instead of Carlos", his mother said.

"Well, they got married in the end didn't they, and it wasn't coerced, I think she wanted to", the lawyer said.

"I only had cold feet, you know how these weddings are, I just got nervous, I was going to come back until I did and found Valerio married to her instead, I even went to their home the other day to confront him and he walked me out", Carlos lied.

"The only was this can be bent is if the wife can tell us that she was coerced into marrying Valerio and she didn't want to, if she doesn't, then she is his legal wife, they have a certificate to back that up, so Miss Scarlett, tell us", The lawyer said 

All the attention suddenly went to me, I was shaking.

"Tell them baby, tell them the truth, we will come back together and you'll be my bride, just like you've always wanted to ", Carlos said.

Valerio said nothing, my heart was thumping.

I looked at my mother, she gave me the eyes to say no.

I wondered why, she was obsessed with me getting married to Carlos.

I thought about how Valerio had saved me that day from embarrassment, I can't do that to him.

"Carlos called off the wedding, he said he didn't want to marry me. The wedding was not forced, it was 100% consensual. I married Valerio because I wanted to, it was my idea by the way. We spoke for a while outside after I was dumped and, I honestly fell for him, it was like love at first sight, so yes, we are married", I said.

Everyone started murmuring, Carlos was burning with Rage.

Yes, you dumped me and you lost out on your opportunity. That's your fault not mine.

My mother smiled proudly, I've never seen her so proud of me.

"Well then, the lady had spoken, so let me continue with the reading.

Note, this marriage must last up to a year to seal the deal, a child, a heir could be optional, but it will only make it more realistic. The union must last for it to be true, then the other brother will take the remaining 20% which includes the 10 Estates at Angora hills and..."

I zoned out.

One year, I'm going to be married to Valerio for one year.

I did not see this coming 

I did not expect this, oh dear what have I done.

I don't know Valerio so well, what if he's worse than Carlos but he's just pretending.

Why do they call him the black sheep of the family? is he that bad? but I've not seen him act in an unpleasant way.

What if it's fake? can I live with him for a year?

Everything was over and he went to talk to one of his cousins, the only one who he ever spoke to.

They hated him, I just don't know why?

My mother pulled me aside.

"I am so proud of you ", she said.

I almost broke into a smile, "You are?".

"Yes! you have outdone yourself, for the past few days, I never knew you could be so smart ".

"But I thought you wanted to me to marry Carlos?".

"I don't care about him,I care about his title, I wanted you to marry him because we all thought he was the heir, now it's Valerio, you must stay in this marriage, he is a good man clearly, what else do you want again?".

"But... but I love Carlos ".

"The same man that abandoned you on your wedding day for your sister? have some dignity in you, go for the man that accepted you, he's rich now, wealthy, you'll have everything you want and -".

"What did you just say?", she suddenly paused realizing she had slipped.

"Never mind that Scarlett, it's in the past now, as I was saying-".

"Carlos left me for Isabella??", I asked again, my heart beating so fast.

"Scarlett that is not important right now, what's important is that-".

"Tell me everything you know now or I will go out there and end my marriage with Valerio", I said in rage.

She exhaled,"They've been together for months, maybe years I don't know, she's the one who told him not to marry you, to Marry her instead when she heard he was going to be the next heir in the family. I warned her not to but she still did. When she was missing on your wedding day she was with Carlos, they were together. I'm only telling you this because you're Matt now and you don't need him anymore and-"

"Where is Isabella?", I asked burning with Rage, my own sister could break my heart like this, I can't believe it.

"She's in the car downstairs, don't do anything stupid Scarlett, you're in your in-laws house, be in your best behaviour please", she said, but I wasn't listening, I walked past her and went downstairs and went straight to Isabella.

"You've been Sleeping with Carlos??!", I said with so much rage.

She rolled her eyes, "Sharing is caring", she said in her bitchy tone.

I lost it this time, I slapped her hard across her face