Episode 3

MAXIMILIANO

"What the hell?" I exclaimed as I struck the table.

"Watch your language," my father reprimanded me.

"It's not fair that I have to sacrifice myself in order to earn respect," I said exasperatedly.

"Maximiliano, lower your attitude. Don't forget who you're talking to," he challenged.

I took a deep breath, poured myself a whiskey, and sat back down in front of him. My father was stubborn, arrogant, cold, and calculating when it came to business. After my mother died, he immersed himself in his large corporations until he remarried. Now, in his old age, he wanted to ensure that his blood and non-blood children received what was rightfully theirs.

"I am your son, the only one who bears your blood," I bitterly reminded him.

"I know, but I can't be unfair to your brothers, Max," he said wearily. "I have already talked to Samuel and Ignacio."

"And what are you going to force them to do?"

"Son, asking you to get married in order to obtain majority shares in the company and the presidency is not because I am a bad father. It's so that you won't be alone," he explained.

"I think whether I am alone or not is my own business."

"Yes, I know, but I won't live forever, and loneliness is the worst companion there is. I don't want to leave this world knowing that my only son, from the only love of my life, would be left alone."

I glared at him; I couldn't believe he was asking me to marry as a condition to claim what rightfully belonged to me.

"And what if I don't get married?" I challenged.

"You won't receive anything related to the companies. I know you have your own business and you opened a textile company, so you won't need money," he replied.

"That's not fair!" I shouted. "You know well that I don't need that presidency, you just said it yourself." I saw the exhaustion in my father's eyes; he knew it wouldn't be easy for me to accept.

"I know, but I also know that these companies are important, they belonged to your mother, that's why I kept them. And I don't think you'd agree to let any of your brothers handle them. They are not bad boys, but they are not as good in business as you are. I fear a bad investment could lead us to bankruptcy."

"I'm not going to get married, Dad," I calmly told him.

"You won't be alone, so it's up to you. Either you keep everything or you get nothing."

"You should give me something, after all, I'm your son, Dad." I tried to make him understand, but my father was as stubborn as me, if not more.

"You won't inherit anything after my death. Everything will remain as stated in the will. The house is the only thing you can claim once you get married, along with 10% of the shares when you have a child."

"What? Have you gone mad? I'm doing just fine with my bachelor life; nothing bad will happen to me if you die."

"Having a different woman every night is not a life, Maximiliano. If you want to claim your damn inheritance and preserve your mother's legacy, you will do as I told you. You have one month to present me a spouse."

"One month?" I said angrily, feeling the urge to punch him in the face.

"Yes, after a month, if you don't bring a lady, whether married or engaged to you, the companies will pass to your brothers."

"You can't do this to me."

"I already told you, Maximiliano, you have one month. Now, if you excuse me, you may leave."

I felt my anger running through my veins. Who did this old man think he was? I wanted to strangle him, but he was my father, the only thing I had.

I stormed out of the office, got into my car, grabbed my phone, and called my best friend, Joshua.

"Hey, Maximin," he affectionately called me.

"I'm not in the mood, Joshua. I need to see you urgently at the company."

And with that, I hung up and headed to the textile company. It was still relatively small and just starting out, but it would be a total success. We would have high-quality fabrics with varied and innovative designs that would take us to the top.

After a while, Joshua arrived.

"What's up, buddy?"

"I've had a problem with my father," I told him as he took a seat and listened attentively.

"And what do you want us to do?"

"What are the possibilities of challenging that will?"

"Knowing your father and his lawyers, there's a possibility of... none, it's impossible unless you can prove that the will has been tampered with."

"Something that is impossible, knowing my father, he must have at least one or two copies."

"Then I recommend you quickly find a woman and get married. You have 30 days to come back married to your father's house." he said, smiling.

"Don't be foolish, there must be another solution. I don't want to be married to a woman I don't love. Who can fall in love in 30 days? It's the biggest stupidity."

"I didn't say you have to fall in love, and your father never said that either. He only asked for you to be married. We can draft a prenuptial and postnuptial agreement, and once you receive the inheritance, a generous sum can be given to the victim and you'll be free, keeping your companies" he said victoriously.

I thought about it for a moment.

"Not every woman agrees to get married under a contract" I cautioned him in case he hadn't considered that point.

"I know, and luckily I have a friend in Cansas who would gladly accept a contract with a man like you, especially if you're offering a good amount of money."

"You take care of arranging the date at a church in Cansas, and I'll ensure she gets there" he said, his confidence was eerie, but in this predicament I had no choice but to accept.

And here I am in a beautiful hotel, waiting for my best friend to show up with the woman who will be my wife.

"Darling, I didn't expect to see you here" said the voice of a woman as she placed her hand on my shoulder.

"What are you doing here?" I said, quite surprised.

"I've come to visit a relative. I heard what your father talked to you about. It's a shame you didn't manage to get married. You only have five days left, Maxi."

"Don't call me that" I said through gritted teeth. I couldn't stand that woman calling me by my mother's name. "I'm busy, excuse me."

"Don't leave yet, at least have a drink with me" she said, holding onto my arm. "It will just be a drink, I'm waiting for my chauffeur, trust me."

She ordered two tequilas and we toasted.

"I would marry you, but I'm already married, so let's toast to my marriage and your singleness" she laughed ironically and drank her shot. I did the same, hoping she would leave my table.

Suddenly, everything started to move. I felt dizzy. Someone had put something in my drink.

"You'll pay for this, you damn woman."

I felt someone helping me, taking me somewhere. I assumed it was to my room, but how could they know which room I was in?

"512" I said with difficulty. That was my room.

I tried to walk as best as I could. They helped me remove my clothes, leaving me only in my boxer briefs, lying on the bed like a miserable wretch. I stayed calm, waiting for the drug to wear off.

It was dark. I could feel someone lying next to me. It smelled like vanilla and coconut, a strange but divine combination. I reached out with my hands until I reached where the woman was. As soon as I felt her skin, my body started to burn. I felt like I was going to be consumed by the flames. Somehow, I pulled her closer and got on top of her. I kissed her desperately, needing to calm the desires that had awakened within me. To my surprise, she didn't resist for long and eventually surrendered to me. I released all the energy that had been building up and collapsed on the side.

I didn't remember much from the previous night. Next to me was a young woman with fair skin, her back still bare. At the lower part of her spine, there was a heart-shaped mole that caught my attention. I wanted to touch her and make her mine again, but I stopped myself. I had to get married in a few hours.

When I got up, I noticed that parts of the sheets, as well as my member, were stained with blood.

"Damn it, she was a virgin" I said in my head. I must have been too drugged to notice. Did I hurt her?

I grabbed my clothes and among them was a torn dress. In my mind, the memory of when I ripped the garment to leave her naked came back.

So, I went downstairs and went to look for a dress similar to the pieces I had. I chose a simple one with some jewels in a turquoise shade. I knew it would make her radiant with her skin tone. I sent Nicolas, my chauffeur, to place it in the room before she woke up.

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