Chapter 22 Your Destiny

"But now it's not about ensuring the Sinclair family's economic survival... If not of our survival, of my life and yours, Isabella..."

"What?" Of our survival? Isabella frowned, puzzled.

"The reason for this marriage, Isabella, is to protect us and protect the legacy of the Sinclair family...

"But from whom?"

"From my sons, Ricardo and Héctor. Margaret tried to clarify, leaving Isabella even more bewildered.

"Your children?" Isabella asked stunned.

"I was exiled, after your father's death, my own children made sure to keep me away from the family so that they could stay as ringleaders of the Sinclair’s..." Margaret said with an expression full of disgust. - Those couple of vultures and traitors, they have done terrible things, and it has been very hard to have to find out about everything... Therefore, they did not deserve to be chosen as the heirs of the Sinclair family... I had to choose one of my grandchildren as heir...

"Ricardo and Hector...?" Were they the ones who the...? Isabella tried to ask, remembering the story Margaret had told her in her cabin that afternoon.

"Yes, that pair of me was admitted to a hospital when I got sick with depression, but then, they kept me drugged for years, preventing me from returning to the family to take my place as ringleader..." And it was thanks to a disinterested young man, a boy I don't know, that I managed to escape..." Margaret commented, resuming her walk around the room, to look out of a window.

"That's it... Terrible. Isabella got a lump in her throat, not only she had suffered, but also her grandmother. - I'm very sorry, grandma, but... But why do I have to be me, why can't you choose another one of your grandchildren?

"Why?" I have plenty of reasons..." Margaret turned back to Isabella and stared at her... "First, you are the true firstborn descendant of the family..." Second, as I have been able to see on the trip, all my grandchildren are brats, spoiled and frivolous who do not understand what hard work means... And third, which is also the most important reason... To choose another of my grandchildren, one of Ricardo and Hector's sons, would be to give some power to my own children... They would take advantage of the fact that their sons are the head of the Sinclair’s and take the power and attributions they want over the family.

"But...

"Do you know what that means?" If Héctor and Ricardo manage to achieve a minimum of authority within the family? You'd go back to the street and I... To the psychiatric hospital, without hesitation... If they are not responsible for disappearing us. Isabella opened her eyes wide. - They are my children, but I don't know what they are capable of anymore... I'm only sure of one thing, they'll get us out of their way.

Isabella was afraid of these men, because, although they were her uncles, she never had a good feeling for them. Her looks of hatred were fierce, and her attitude gave a lot to think about, but to finish off her own mother. Could they be capable of that?

If everything Margaret said was true, then Richard and Hector would not hesitate to do something against Isabella, being the reappeared daughter of the firstborn, but there was still one more doubt...

"What I don't understand is, why should I get married, why not just say that I am your heir? It's not that I want to keep the money, it's just that..." Isabella asked this question with great conviction, there was a look of concern and determination in her eyes.

"Well, Maximo is right about something, Isabella... In our families, it is not enough to have a family name to be chosen as heir..." Margaret said with all the tact she could.

"What?"

"If that were the case, many families would have inherited their lazy children and would have gone bankrupt immediately... That's why our children and descendants go to the best schools, exclusive universities, have tutors and endless extracurricular activities... To be chosen as heir, certain expectations must be met, which ensure the efficient administration of the fortune... He must be a capable and responsible person who stands up for the whole family...

"But I don't meet those requirements..." Isabella murmured.

"That's right, but only because you didn't have the chance..." Margaret moved back to her place, in front of the desk. - Listen, Isabella, if I were to name you my heiress just like that, it would be a catastrophe for the family, no one would accept it and rightly so because you are not ready... The same result would be repeated as if I left another of my grandchildren as heir, they would exile you and send me to the psychiatric hospital, for senile dementia... But if you go hand in hand with the heir to the most powerful family in the country, an intelligent and bold man in business, as well as extremely powerful, no one will be able to refute him... No matter how much they complain, they will have no choice but to accept it and will not be able to intervene.

Isabella was stunned, that made a lot of sense, even if she didn't want to accept it... The anger and fear had disappeared when she heard her grandmother's story and her reasons.

Now, it was not a question of saving herself from the street or the shelter because that was the least of it.

If she did not accept the marriage, Isabella would also condemn her grandmother to a sad life in exile... Not only that, but it could also cause the Collins to sue them and the entire Sinclair family to lose everything.

It sounded good if you imagined Valeria as a homeless person, but she wasn't capable of doing something like that either.

"Does Máximo know about all this...?" The young woman asked in a whisper.

"No, I don't think so..." her grandmother answered. "No one knows, Isabella, and no one should know, do you understand?" The girl nodded; her gaze lost. "Not even Aiden."

"Yes, grandma. Isabella muttered.

"Isabella, it's very important that you understand the importance of this... This agreement was kept secret for decades and we should not run the risk of your uncles finding out about it...

"Yes, grandma. The young woman repeated with more conviction.

"Now that you know the whole truth and know my reasons... I just hope you think about it and accept this marriage... Maximo may seem like a cold and intimidating man, but I know he's an intelligent and capable man who will take good care of you... It will keep you safe from your aunt and uncle, they will never dare touch you while you are under the shelter of the Collins family.

"But... He doesn't want me... He doesn't accept me. Isabella muttered with her eyes lowered.

"He will, Maximo will have no choice..." Margaret noticed the sadness in her granddaughter's eyes. - Isabella, not all marriages are made for love, I did not marry my spouse while in love, but... It was my obligation, my duty.

"Duty?"

“I know it's a lot to ask, especially after we never knew each other as a family...

For an instant, Margaret showed a true expression of regret, her sad and downcast gaze stirred the interior of Isabella, who now understood well all that was at stake.

"I accept... I'm getting married.

Isabella let go, feeling her breath go away at those words and with a torn soul, while Margaret exhaled in relief.

The young woman got up to leave, but at the door she stopped, because in the middle of that story, Isabella had discovered something else.

"Grandma...

"Yes?" Margaret looked at her strangely, from her desk.

“This means that, since this trip began, my destiny was already decided. Had you already chosen me and was this family reunion a façade to mislead everyone?

"Your destiny has been decided since you were born, Isabella, it is you who resists accepting it, you are a Sinclair, and this is your destiny.

Isabella finally came out of her grandmother's room, her expression empty and downcast, Aiden accosted her, barely seeing her walk through the door.

"Isa, what happened, why did it take you so long, did you talk to grandma, did you tell her you don't want to marry that Collins?" The boy asked worriedly, due to his cousin's expression.

"I..." The young woman's eyes filled with tears; it was very difficult to accept what was happening.

"What happened, Isa, what did your grandmother say to you, do you want me to talk to her?" I can convince her...

"No, Aiden... I... I will marry Maximo Collins. Isabella blurted out, grimacing in pain.

"What?!" Why?! It can't be, you can't accept it! You're not in love with him, he's a cold, grumpy man! You deserve someone better and I'll tell grandma...! Aiden tried to walk to Margaret's room, full of conviction, when Isabella's hand stopped him.

"No, the decision has already been made, I accepted.

"Isa?" Aiden looked her in the eye, stunned.

"Aiden... I'm going to marry Maximo Collins. Isabela insisted with conviction, leaving Aiden with his mouth open with shock.