Where The Dead Ones Go Book 3 -Emirate-

"Let me get this clear, Irene. You are asking me to technically pay a bride price that is worth almost all of my assets and finances?" My foster mother nodded curtly as she raised her eyebrow, "Yes, Atomo, in case you are having a hearing problem right now. I have already pumped a trillion drachmas to your child. The price I am asking is nothing compared to that, is it not?" The incumbent president of the Republic of Anoixi heaved a sigh of disbelief as he got a folder from his butler, who is just watching the incredulous scene unfolds right before his undoubtedly amused eyes. "I never thought you would drag me "this" low in the mud, Kairos," the president quietly said to his son, who is just bowing his head in embarrassment, "I know I am your legal guardian and thus have to support you financially, but this is nuts! I might have to step out of this room with nothing on my name but my clothes on my back now." "Ms Irene seemed to be rather pleased with you, at least, Vivet..." "You don't have to tell me that, Morris. It's not about the money; she is just enjoying every bit of moment Kairos' father is squirming because of her." The son of the god of death chuckled nervously as he glanced at the woman sitting between us in front of the dining table the emira prepared for us the night I signed that adoption paper without a second thought. Joining us at the table is the grand marshall, Vaski, acting as a liaison for Kairos' family with Gala representing mine. Emira Deira was sitting at the head of the table and seemed to be enjoying the scene happily as if it has been a long time coming. "I have to remind you that if you refuse to commit, then you will have to answer to Queen Hera for a breach of marital laws. I am merely following what is expected of me, Atomo." "And enjoying every single bit of it, Irene." The daughter of the goddess of the rainbow just laughed patronizingly and raised a glass of wine to the man before her, "But of course, Atomo. I am here to collect and collect I shall." The son of Poseidon just looked at my foster mother fearfully as his mother just raised her glass to her old friend, "Karma is a b***h, right, my dear Irene?" "Exactly, Deira." I must now know the truth about the real score between her and Mr Atomo. Why is she this vindictive against him? "Ms Irene, why are you doing this?" I asked quietly that made all the eyes at the table to look in my direction, "Why are you going out of the way to be like this to Kairos' father? What did he ever do to you for you to act the way you are doing right now?" My foster mother took a long sip from her glass with her eyes closed before opening it once more and looking at me straight to my eyes. "Why you ask, Vivet? I will tell you why. This good for nothing man asked for my hand but never even managed to reach the stage you are in right now for us to get married at all," she answered with utmost loathing and pain in her voice that made Morris avert his eyes, "Years turn to a decade and even more yet still not a single word about it. It is just as if it never happened. Like nothing happened. Just like that, everything fell apart without me, even knowing if it's my fault. What did I do wrong?" The emira look at her with tears welling in her years, "After all these years, Irene?" "How can I even remember to forget, Deira? When I finally have Vivet and Morris here, I thought I could finally move on. But my daughter just has to fall for his son. It's like the past is all coming back to me. I am jealous, to be honest, Vivet. You managed to get the paper signed without so much fanfare and got married without you even noticing it. Without a proposal, heck, not even a ring from Kairos. Me? I have everything up until to this point, and it never amounted to anything." She looked at her finger, and I was surprised when I saw a beautiful aquamarine wedding ring on it, and Morris saw the same one on Kairos' father. "Ms Irene, this is different. This is about Kairos and Vivet. Not about you and Mr Atomo here. I know I am not in the right position to say this, but you can't make this hard for everyone else just because of your past." My foster mother snapped at the daughter of Athena, "What?! And just forget about everything?!" "Well, maybe because you still love him, you can't just let it go, right?" We all looked at Vaski, who just dropped it like nothing as his mother looks at him proudly as he continued. "It's easier for someone to let go of everything. Memories, pain, sadness, and anger if they hate the person who made them go through all of it. It's another story if it's the opposite." Morris and I thought that our guardian would vehemently deny what our friend said but to our surprise, she just stayed quiet and looked at the ring on her finger nostalgically. However, our class vice president seemed to use the silence of Ms Irene as a momentum to push her ace in the hole she is assuring Eonia that she will use if talks go south. "Let me take this opportunity to propose this to you Ms Irene and Mr Atomo. Your past notwithstanding, I am right if I say that you have no qualms about my two friends here being together, right?" the two nodded at her that made her even more confident, "Perfect. I think the only small problem is the bride price. Ms Irene, I know that you want to squeeze Mr Atomo dry financially, and while I can understand where you are getting from, I doubt you can do it with your dignity and pride intact, if I might be so bold to say that frankly." Iris's daughter just looked at our vice president as if she is not sure if she is still following what she is trying to say. But Gala smiled happily and opened a folder she is cradling in her chest and produced two pieces of paper and gave it to our guardians, "That's why Eonia and I have devised this proposal for the two of you. Kairos' family will pay for it in stocks." "Stocks?" Mr Atomo asked as he looked at the paper in front of him, "Instead of cash, you want me to pay for everything in stocks and shares in my assets? Isn't that the same as what she wanted earlier, just a different mode of payment?" The daughter of Athena nodded quickly, "Yes, but the thing is you will be paying it in a trust fund that will be set up for Kairos and Vivet. And I doubt Ms Irene here will not chip in for the financial security of her daughter, am I right?" My foster mother just skimmed through the paper and heaved a sigh, "So basically I will not receive the payment as is, but instead, I will even be forced to chip in and divert some of my stocks to a trust fund of my daughter?"