A Contracted Heart

CHAPTER TWO:THE WILL

Brad Bennett sat behind the massive mahogany desk in his sleek, modern office, his eyes fixed on the window. The view of downtown Los Angeles stretched out before him, a sprawling metropolis of steel and glass, full of opportunity and wealth. As a billionaire heir, he had spent much of his life surrounded by luxury, but lately, it felt like the weight of it all was beginning to sink in. He had always been the product of high expectations, but now those expectations were reaching new, more complicated heights.

His mind wasn’t on business today. It wasn’t on the quarterly earnings reports or the upcoming merger talks that dominated his daily life. Today, his focus was solely on the old, weathered piece of paper sitting in front of him, the document that could change the course of his future.

The room was dimly lit, the only source of illumination coming from the bright Los Angeles sun outside and the flickering light from a few lamps in the corner. Brad’s hands were folded in front of him, his long fingers tapping rhythmically against the polished surface of his desk. His father’s lawyer, a sharp, meticulous man named Dalton Moore, was seated across from him. Moore was an older man, wearing a dark suit that matched the somber mood of the occasion. Beside Moore was Brad’s aunt, Claudia Bennett, a woman in her late forties who had taken over much of the maternal role in his life after his mother passed away when he was just twelve years old. She had always been cold and calculated, never one to show emotion, especially not now, when the fate of the Bennett legacy was at stake.

Brad had always known that his father, Gregory Bennett, was a man of strict principles, demanding of both his family and his business associates. But the contents of his will were something that Brad had never fully anticipated. His father had kept his personal life private, and with his sudden passing, it seemed that all the secrets Gregory had kept hidden were now coming to light.

Moore cleared his throat, breaking the silence. “I believe we’re all ready to proceed,” he said, his voice steady and formal.

Brad gave a brief nod, his expression impassive. Claudia didn’t speak. She simply adjusted her glasses and leaned forward slightly, waiting for the lawyer to begin.

Moore unfolded the will and began to read, his voice echoing in the quiet room.

“To my only son, Bradley Gregory Bennett,” he began, his tone grave. “I leave all my properties, businesses, and wealth to you. But there is one condition: You must marry before the next Bennett Group 50th Anniversary. If you fail to meet this condition, you forfeit your right to claim any of my assets, and they will be divided among my designated beneficiaries.”

Brad’s heart skipped a beat. The words hung in the air, his mind struggling to fully process them. “You must marry before the next Bennett Group 50th Anniversary…” It was like a cruel joke, a challenge he never saw coming. Marriage? It wasn’t just about the business anymore. It was personal.

Claudia’s expression didn’t change, but Brad could tell that her mind was already working through the implications. She had always been the pragmatic one, the one who saw everything in terms of logic and reason. “And what exactly does this mean?” she asked, her voice cutting through the silence. “Is he allowed to marry anyone? Or is there a specific type of marriage required? Surely, there’s more to this condition.”

Moore glanced at the document in front of him, ensuring that he was reading the exact terms. “It doesn’t specify any particular type of marriage. It simply states that the marriage must occur before the Bennett Group’s 50th anniversary. The timing of that anniversary is just under three months away.”

Brad let out a deep breath. Three months? He barely had time to process this new reality, let alone find someone to marry. He had spent most of his life avoiding commitment, valuing his independence and freedom above all else. Marriage had always seemed like a distant concept, one that other people, the ones seeking emotional ties and stability engaged in. Not someone like him. But now, his entire future, the empire his father had built, was tied to the idea of him getting married within three months. It was as though his father had planned this, orchestrated it as some final lesson.

“Why the rush?” Brad muttered, his voice low and tinged with frustration. He could feel the weight of the will’s words bearing down on him, and the sense of helplessness that came with the realization that his entire inheritance hinged on something as personal as marriage.

Claudia shifted in her chair, her sharp gaze never leaving Brad’s face. “Your father was a man of principle, Brad. He believed in family, in legacy, and in continuing the Bennett name with someone who would share his vision. He made his fortune, but he also wanted to ensure that it was protected, that it would continue in the right hands.”

Brad could feel the pressure building, his chest tightening as Claudia’s words sank in. “So, he wanted me to marry to keep the business running. That’s all this is about?”

Moore glanced at the will again and nodded. “That’s the condition. If you don’t fulfill it, the estate and all the assets will go to other family members. The business will be split. The properties will be sold off.”

Brad sat back in his chair, his mind racing. The gravity of the situation hit him like a ton of bricks. He had never imagined his father’s will would contain such a stipulation. He had always thought that inheritance would be a matter of legal procedures, of numbers and business dealings, but never in his wildest dreams did he think he would be forced into a marriage for the sake of the family legacy.

Claudia leaned forward, her voice calm but insistent. “Brad, you don’t have much time. The anniversary is only three months away, and you need to get married before then. You’ll have to find someone, and quickly.”

Brad’s eyes flickered to Claudia, and he could sense the underlying tension in her words. She was always focused on control, on keeping everything within the family, but this was different. He could tell she wasn’t just concerned about the family legacy, she was also concerned about the power dynamics, about the control she had over the business. If Brad didn’t marry, the wealth and power would be redistributed, and with that, the balance of influence within the family would shift.

Brad rubbed his temples, trying to calm his racing thoughts. “I don’t know anyone I’d marry just to meet some arbitrary condition,” he said, his voice almost a whisper. “This feels like a setup, like my father knew I’d fail.”

Dalton Moore’s voice interrupted his spiraling thoughts. “It’s not uncommon for a man like your father to set such a condition. He likely saw marriage as the ultimate test of character. He wanted to see that you could not only run the business, but also build and maintain a family legacy.” He paused, glancing up at Brad. “The clock is ticking, Brad. You’ll have to decide quickly.”

Brad stared at the lawyer, his mind swirling. Three months. He had three months to find a woman willing to marry him, and the thought of that felt more like a business transaction than a real union. But what choice did he have? He couldn’t risk losing everything.

His future was now bound by the terms of his father’s will, and unless he fulfilled this one requirement, his inheritance, his power, and the Bennett Group, everything his father had built, would slip through his fingers.

Brad had no choice but to play the game. But the question lingered: who could he marry in such a short time, and could he ever reconcile his heart with the cold demands of legacy and business?