Chapter 4

"You've still got the nerve to smile. Finally realizing you're in the wrong, are you?" Kirsten glared at me.

I ignored her and turned to my parents. "What are you two doing here?"

But my father was looking at me with pure displeasure.

"What's the matter with you? Why did you make Kirsten quit?"

"She was kind enough to help take care of the child, and you repay her by throwing her out like an ingrate!"

I kept my patience and explained. "She's insisting on a child betrothal between Mindy and her son, and she said you two agreed to it."

My father gave a cold snort and slapped the arm of his wheelchair hard.

"That's right. Your mother and I did agree to it!"

"Forty years ago, if it weren't for your uncle Oliver, I'd have died out there."

"No him, no you! So doesn't our family owe him everything we have?"

I couldn't hold back my anger.

"But Mindy is only nine!"

"And the two children don't even know each other."

Kirsten cut me off.

"So what if she's nine? It's just a betrothal for now. Nobody's marrying them off tomorrow."

"And not knowing each other is nothing. Let them spend more time together from now on and they'll warm up fast."

"Mommy, I peed!" Brian, drooling and picking his nose, suddenly cried out.

His pants soaked through in seconds, and urine ran across the floor.

Kirsten smacked him in irritation.

"You child, can't you hold it in for once?"

"I, I couldn't help it..." Brian's face crumpled.

My father cleared his throat twice.

"Enough. Kirsten says tomorrow is Brian's tenth birthday."

"We'll throw the boy a birthday party, and settle the engagement between the two children while we're at it."

"I've agreed to it, so that's how it'll be. Tomorrow you go book ten tables at a hotel."

"We've already told all the relatives and friends."

I was about to argue when my mother started wiping her eyes and crying.

"Ursula, just give in to your father this once."

"Otherwise we'll owe your uncle Oliver forever."

"Your father will never be able to hold his head up again!"

I'd been furious a moment ago, but all at once my mind went perfectly clear.

"Fine. I agree."

Tomorrow, in front of all the relatives and friends, would be the perfect time to settle both families' accounts in full.

With everyone there to witness it, there'd be no room for rumors afterward.

Then, swallowing my disgust, I pinched my nose and coaxed them with kind words until they agreed to head home for now.

Seeing that I'd finally caved, Kirsten and the rest left satisfied.

"You should've agreed sooner, sis, saved us all the trouble."

Kirsten couldn't resist tossing that in on her way out, chin high.

Once they were gone, Mindy burst into tears, still full of hurt.

She actually thought I was going to betroth her.

"I don't like him, he looks so stupid..."

I quickly gathered her close and soothed her gently.

"Don't worry. Mommy would never betroth you to him."

"There's a good show waiting for you to watch tomorrow."

After that, on top of handling company matters, I ran through tomorrow's plan several more times so nothing would slip.

Time passed quickly.

Eleven o'clock the next day.

With Mindy, my assistant Cliff Finch, and the six bodyguards I'd hired, I arrived at the hotel together.

The guests had mostly shown up already.

Kirsten's family had even invited a whole crowd of distant relatives.

The moment Kirsten saw me, she started complaining.

"Ursula, why are you only getting here now?"

"I called to hurry you along how many times, telling you to come early!"

I didn't answer her. I called over the hotel manager and had him connect me to the Bluetooth on the projector in the main hall.

Then I took a microphone and stepped up onto the stage.

Kirsten and the others followed me up.

Including my parents.

"All right, it looks like just about everyone's here, so let's get started."

But Kirsten reached out to snatch the microphone from me, her face full of displeasure.

"Sis, we're the hosts here. You can't go stealing our family's thunder."

I pushed her hand back.

I looked at my father. "Dad, do you know who stole your money and provisions all those years ago?"

"What?" My father's eyes went wide as he froze.

I raised my hand and pointed at Oliver. "It was this fine cousin of yours. And the one who ran you down on the bike afterward was him too!"

My father, Oliver, and all the rest went pale with shock.