One Hundred Days To Decide

Ariana grinned. “I’m pregnant, not blind. If I wasn’t, I’d totally go after him.”

That made Amelia laugh for the first time in days a small, shaky laugh. “You’re terrible. Don’t let Daniel hear you say that!”

Ariana waved her hand dismissively. “Please, Daniel? That’s old news. I’m just his baby mama now.”

Then her eyes widened again. “Oh no… he’s coming this way!”

Amelia turned, her laughter fading as the tall stranger stopped in front of her. His dark eyes locked on hers, steady and unreadable.

“Hello, Amelia,” he said quietly.

Amelia blinked, confused. “I’m sorry… do I know you?”

The stranger’s lips curved faintly, but his eyes stayed cold. “Still feisty,” he said. “Just like my brother described you.”

Amelia frowned. “Brother?” she repeated slowly. “I’m sorry… who exactly are you?”

He took one step closer, close enough for her to smell the faint trace of rain and expensive cologne. His voice dropped low, steady as stone.

“I’m Alejandro,” he said. “Miguel Favino’s brother.”

Amelia froze. Her breath caught in her throat, her heart hammering painfully.

“You must be joking,” she said, almost laughing in disbelief. “Miguel never mentioned having a brother.”

Alejandro’s gaze didn’t waver. “He didn’t mention a lot of things.”

Thunder rumbled in the distance. The rain fell harder, beating against the umbrella.

Amelia’s jaw tightened, confusion mixing with anger. “Why are you here?” she demanded.

Alejandro’s eyes darkened. “To offer my condolences,” he said softly, his tone almost mocking. “After all… I came to bury my brother too.”

The thunder rolled again as Amelia stared at him, still trying to process his words. “You came to bury your brother?” she said slowly. “Why show up now? Why even bother?”

Alejandro’s expression didn’t change. “Because,” he said calmly, reaching into his coat pocket, “there’s one last thing Miguel left behind.”

He pulled out a folded envelope, sealed with a gold stamp bearing the Favino family crest.

Amelia frowned. “What’s that?”

He handed it to her, his voice quiet but firm. “A contract. It states that upon the death of the eldest Favino son, his wife automatically becomes the legal spouse of the next heir. That would be me.”

For a moment, Amelia just stared, thinking she must’ve misheard him. Then she let out a shocked laugh cold and disbelieving. “Excuse me? Are you out of your mind?”

Alejandro didn’t flinch. “It’s Favino tradition. Our father made sure of it. The family doesn’t allow widows to walk away not with the name, not with the assets, and definitely not with the secrets.”

Amelia’s hand trembled as she crumpled the envelope. “You’re insane if you think I’d ever marry you. I don’t belong to anyone not your family, not your rules.”

Alejandro tilted his head, his eyes cold and steady. “You might not have a choice, Amelia. The moment Miguel married you, you became part of the Favino legacy and legacies don’t break that easily.”

Amelia took a step back, anger burning through her fear. “Then watch me break it.”

A slow, dangerous smile formed on Alejandro’s lips. “We’ll see about that. I’m giving you one hundred days to think about my offer and sign the marriage contract. Like it or not, Amelia… you belong to me now.”

EDUARDO PENTHOUSE

Amelia sat at the glass dining table in her silk robe, a cup of untouched coffee cooling beside her. The crumpled envelope from last night lay on the table the gold Favino seal still half torn.

Eduardo paced the room, his jaw tight. “Let me get this straight,” he said. “Some stranger claiming to be Miguel’s brother shows up at the funeral and tells you you’re supposed to marry him?”

Ariana, wearing an oversized robe and slippers, sat on the couch with a pillow in her lap. “That’s not just insane,” she muttered. “That’s straight-up mafia madness.”

Amelia rubbed her temples, her voice low and trembling. “He said it was tradition. That in their family, the next brother inherits the wife. Like I’m… property.”

Eduardo slammed his hand on the table, making Leo flinch. “Over my dead body! No one’s taking my daughter or my grandson anywhere!”

Leo, sitting beside Amelia with his coloring book, looked up innocently. “Mama, who’s that man you were talking to in the rain?”

Amelia forced a small smile and smoothed his hair. “Just someone I used to know, baby. Don’t worry about him.”

Ariana leaned forward. “Did he threaten you, Amelia? Be honest.”

Amelia looked away, her voice barely above a whisper. “No… but the way he spoke it wasn’t a request. It was like he already decided what was going to happen.”

Eduardo’s eyes darkened. “This isn’t just some family tradition. This is control. That family always played dirty.”

Ariana crossed her arms. “And what are you gonna do now? You can’t just sit here waiting for him to show up with another envelope.”

Amelia exhaled slowly, staring out the rain-streaked window. “I don’t know yet,” she admitted. “But one thing’s certain I won’t let a stranger who calls himself Miguel’s brother decide my fate.”

Leo tugged gently at her sleeve. “Mama, are we safe here?”

Amelia’s heart clenched. She gathered him into her arms and kissed his forehead. “Always,” she whispered. “As long as I’m breathing, no one will hurt you.”

Eduardo rested a hand on her shoulder. “Then we fight smart, mija. Whatever this Favino heir wants he’s not getting it.”

Ariana nodded. “Amen to that. And if he dares show up again, I’ll hit him with my hospital bag.”

Amelia gave a tired little smile. “Knowing you, Ariana… yeah, you probably would.”

Ariana grinned, but the moment didn’t last.

Amelia’s eyes drifted to the torn envelope lying on the table. The golden crest of the Favino family still glinted faintly under the lamp. Her smile disappeared.

She spoke quietly, almost to herself. “I thought Miguel was the dangerous one… but I was wrong.”

Ariana frowned. “What do you mean?”

Amelia’s voice dropped lower, cold and steady. “I’m having a feeling that Alejandro Favino isn’t the kind of man who takes no for an answer.”