7~

"What?"

Alexandra and Fiona asked in unison.

"You're married to Damon's brother?!" Francesca balked.

Alexandra didn't spare her a look. She faced the lawyer instead.

"What do you mean I'm married?!"

Stephen sifted through his binder and brought out a sheet, stating its contents.

"As of today you are, according to this stamped marriage certificate that was mailed to the registrars office immediately after Roberto's death."

"What? How? Does he even have the right to do that?!"

Stephen sighed.

"All the papers have been signed by you and your husband. So your marriage is completely legal."

"Bullshit." Alexandra spat.

"Basically she keeps all his assets if she agrees to stay married?" Fiona interjected, not the least bit concerned about the absurdity of it all.

"For a year at least." Stephen responded, already packing up his briefcase.

"There are just some papers you need to sign, and I will be on my way."

The crowd erupted again and the lawyer was swarmed.

"What about the monthly allowances?Does this mean we're cut off?" Salome asked.

"I was counting on my inheritance money. He can't do this to us!" Scylla, Roberto's 2nd mistress and mother of three of his daughters spoke up.

At this point, Alexandra had already poured herself a glass of scotch. She wasn't going to have a decent conversation with this flock looming around.

The atmosphere was annoying and she could feel a headache coming on.

Everyone was trying to get a word in.

"I'm not signing a damn thing. I'm out of here." She said

The lawyer said nothing. He looked distressed.

"If she leaves, does that automatically mean she forfeits." Rodan asked hurriedly.

She scoffed at him and picked her coat of the seat.

Alex wasn't dumb. She knew when the crowd calmed down, they would try to force her to deal with their respective issues.

And she wasn't sticking around for that. It was better to leave while they're still pre-occupied with the lawyer.

She'll arrange for her lawyers to meet with him and get this sorted out.

She didn't bother to drop the glass, as she exited the premises

Her phone buzzed as she slipped out to the vast front field where a car was parked and waiting.

It was Thalia.

"Hey Lee," she said sticking her phone between her head and shoulder while she adjusted her coat properly.

The cold night breeze blowing her hair back as she walked towards the car.

"Hey, how'd it go."

She had no idea how to answer that. She was still reeling.

"Hey Jalen." She greeted instead as she got into the back seat. He tipped his hat to her in response and took off immediately.

"Well?" Thalia asked impatiently, with a slight slur.

"Where are you?" was all Alex asked.

***

All Alexandra wanted when she woke up was a candy bar, she already knew how exhausting the day was going to be and she just needed that quick hit of sugar.

Femi is a fish bot

She had planned to drink away the events of last night, but her mind was in such disarray, she barely finished a glass. Unlike her friend who was already buzzed before she returned.

She got up from the couch and skipped over said friend who had spent the night on the floor.

Her mind on the chocolate, she rummaged through the snack bar for something acceptable.

Before she could even absorb the aroma of the choice she made, the door burst open.

Her shoulders sagged in defeat.

"I might die today," she thought.

"Alexandra!" Colin screamed as soon as he walked in.

Thalia got up abruptly at the noise, her eyes quickly adjusting to her surroundings.

"What happened yesterday?!" Colin exclaimed, immediately getting his laptop out on the table.

Alex said nothing, taking a huge bite out of her cocoa delight.

"Good morning to you too, sunshine." Thalia mocked, stringing her way to the kitchen in search of coffee.

Alex moved past her and plopped down on the couch nearest to the island.

"I take it, my grandfather's lawyer has reached out to you."

"Reached out? Yeah I guess. If that's what you call the mountain of emails and documents sent to my home office this morning. I've been going through them, trying to understand and there's just so much to do!"

He looked ready to give up, Alex thought. That would in no way be good for her.

"I'll triple your salary." Alex offered with a cheeky smile. Her teeth mostly brown from her snack.

"You'd better." He muttered, already typing away.

Thalia materialized from the kitchen with two mugs in hand. She handed one to Alex and sat beside Colin on the island chairs.

"So...." She started completely unaware of the situation at hand.

"...anyone up for a beach day." She watched for their reactions from the hood of her coffee cup.

"Sure."

"Ofcourse not."

Colin snapped his eyes to Alex's.

"Your schedule for the next year is already packed. How in the hell would you even agree to a beach day right now?"

Thalia decided to answer for her. "Look I'm sure whatever it is, we can get through it tomorrow, but I'm only in-"

"She's the new majority shareholder of Constantine enterprises." Colin interrupted her.

Thalia nearly choked on her drink.

"Woah, what? You can't be serious. That old geezer would never."

"Well he did." Alex groaned, the situation finally becoming real.

"Colin," she sighed. "let's deal with the emails first. Hit me."

"Sure, why not. You have 41 emails this morning so far-"

"Pressing emails please?" Alex pleaded.

"Well, in my opinion, the most pressing email here is the one from your mother. Her assistant is inquiring when you'd be free to go see her."

Alex snorted.

"Next."

"Rougē magazine has reached out, how they found out so quickly is baffling...and a tad alarming, should I look into that?"

"Don't bother they must have an insider in the family. Ignore them. Next."

"Your husband's assistant is trying to set up a time. When would you want to meet." Colin stressed the word 'husband' his eyes wide and teasing.

"I'd like to do that as soon as possible. Set it for tomorrow, then get my lawyers on the phone. I want to meet with them tomorrow as well. Let's go over all the documents."

"We can handle that in the afternoon then, don't forget you have a flight in the evening."

"I'm sorry, did I miss something. Husband?" Thalia asked shocked.

Alex sighed.

"Yeah apparently this is all one last twisted joke by Grandfather from the grave."

"How was he even able to do that. Marry you without your knowledge. Was this husband of yours in on it too?"

"I have no idea. I guess I'll find out soon. But I'd rather be prepared. At least it isn't some old pervy geezer."

"Oh, you're already familiar?"

"Hardly, he's Damon's younger brother. I know next to nothing about him."

"Theodore Dimitri Xenon. Heir to xenon Corp. Tech guru and owner of LïfeRoyale." Colin provided.

"LïfeRoyale? you mean the chain of hotels and resorts lïfRoyale?" Thalia asked, her eyes widened in astonishment.

"Don't forget real estate holdings...the very one." He clarified.

She turned to Alex now. "Wow...you married up. I always thought it would be a street artist from france that would end up putting a ring on it."

Thalia chuckled as she cleverly dodged the fork thrown her way. Colin laughed as well amused at the accurate description.

The bell rung startling them.

The face on the monitor showed Jalen, her driver and her bodyguard, who she put up in the lavish apartment just next to hers.

She buzzed him in.

"Something wrong Jalen? It isn't like you to come out of the shadows" Thalia teased.

The tall, raven-haired, slightly tanned stud, showed a hint of a blush in his cheeks, his vulnerability to Thalia, clear as day.

Alexandra chuckled at the joke. She opened the closet by the door and picked a jacket, throwing it over the camisole and track pants she currently had on.

"I have a personal errand to run. I'll be back soon." She stated.

Thalia paid no mind, she gave a saluting gesture and got up, another cup of coffe on her mind.

Colin on the other hand looked dumbfounded.

An appropriate reaction for someone who was about to be buried in work...and left to die alone.

Alex bit her tongue, laughing in this situation could leave her without a secretary, and that would be detrimental.

"Colin, don't worry, I mean it this time when I say I'll be back very soon." She enunciated the word very.

"Thalia get some of your own work done for once and do me a favour...restrain Colin if he tries to commit suicide."

Thalia's high pitched laugh reverberated through the hallway even as Alex shut the door behind her.