THE HEIRESS’S DILEMMA

The sky wept on the day Elizabeth Tyler was buried .At the gravesite, a storm brewed, mirroring the turmoil in Ariana's heart. Family, friends, and business associates gathered, their faces as blur as grief clawed at her throat. Ariana's blue eyes glazed over as her mother's voice echoed in her mind "Ariana, always be prepared for the worst. Trust no one, especially not James." The memory sliced through her like a knife. Elizabeth had whispered those words years ago, after a tense family dinner. Ariana had dismissed it then, but now…”Did Mom know”? She said to herself. The wind howled, whipping her black dress against her legs. “Mom's gone”, the thought crashed like a wave, tears pooled, then spilled. It was as if the rain poured through her eyes Sobs woke up her frozen stance. Lara Fields, her best friend, wrapped arms around her. "Ari, I'm here," Lara whispered. Ariana's voice cracked as she looked Lara in the eyes "I… I wasn't prepared." “I know, no one is ever prepared to loose a loved one” Lara responded in a bid to console her broken heart. Ariana’s gaze drifted to the crowd, searching for the one face that would make these whole scenario make sense to her, just then her uncle and cousin approached, somber faces on "Ariana, we're here for you," James said, voice oozing concern. Victoria added, "You can lean on us." Ariana pulled back, eyes flashing. "I don't need…." James cut in, "Queens Group needs stability. You’re young; it’s a lot…." Ariana’s jaw tightened. "I’ve got this, thank you”, “is he pushing me on purpose” she murmured. Victoria snorted. "Really? You’ve never even….” Just then Lara stepped in. "Vic, not now." Ariana sat on the couch, vodka glass cluding her fingers. The mourners were gone; only the Tyler's remained. Victoria's eyes widened with concern as she approached Ariana, her steps a bit too quick, a bit too eager. "Ariana, cuz, I'm so sorry," she said, her voice dripping with sympathy. "I can't imagine what you're going through." Ariana's expression remained neutral, her gaze flicking to Victoria's face before looking away. They'd never been close, and Victoria's sudden show of concern felt... off. Victoria didn't seem to notice, or maybe she just didn't care. She plugged on, her words spilling out in a rush. "I'm here for you, Ariana. We'll get through this together. And hey, now that you're in charge of Queens Group, I'll do whatever it takes to help you succeed." Ariana raised an eyebrow, her tone dry. "Oh? And what makes you think I'd want your help, Victoria?" Victoria's smile never wavered. "Well, I'm ambitious, and I know the company inside out. Plus, we're family. We have to stick together, right?" Ariana's gaze lingered on Victoria's face, a hint of calculation in her eyes. "We'll see," she said, her voice noncommittal. Victoria's eyes sparkled, undeterred. "I'm counting on it, cuz." James approached, Victoria trailing him. "Ariana, we need to discuss Queens Group." Ariana raised an eyebrow, voice cool. "Now?" "The board’s getting restless. Without you at the helm, they’re considering…." Ariana cut him off. "Considering what?" Victoria chimed in, "A… restructure." Ariana’s smile was ice. "You mean “You” taking over?”, looking at Victoria. James leaned in. "Ariana, I’m trying to help. You’re grieving and the board can’t keep waiting for you, someone has to step in and….” Ariana stood, voice low. "My mom trusted me with Queens Group. Not you." James’s eyes narrowed. "Your mom’s gone. We’re family right?, he cunningly asked Ariana’s fingers tightened on the glass. He’s pushing. "I need your expertise… as a consultant." James laughed. "Consultant? I’m a Tyler." Victoria snorted. "Yeah, Ariana, you’ll need all the help." Ariana’s gaze turned glacial. "I’ll think about it." James leaned closer. "Don’t think too long." Amid chaos, Ariana spotted Oliver Reed, her mom’s lawyer, soaked in his suit that must have cost him his entire paycheck “What’s he doing here”? Lara pulled her close. "Ari, let’s go." Ariana nodded, gaze on James, "Trust no one” the phrase echoed persistently in her mind as she retreated to her room. At that moment, James’s phone buzzed discreetly. A message flashed, “Deal’s off.”