THE INHERITANCE CONTRACT

Before the Vow;

Lena fixed her eyes on Batumi's city view, shimmering under the sunlight, remembering her old memories in this different city.

About a year ago, she had received an invitation from the Georgia Book Fair. At first, she had hesitated to go, but then she decided it was a good opportunity. Erik had initially not wanted her to go, but then he had arranged his office work and decided to come himself. Erik was a lawyer with his own office. Lena had believed that this man, ambitious but always scheming, was well intentioned. Or maybe she had wanted to believe it. But the result was clear.

Erik. The man who had walked around with thick bottomed glasses in university, hopelessly in love with Lena, the most beautiful girl in school. Back then, Lena had been someone who gave no one the time of day, who never thought about letting anyone into her life, who ran after her ideals and ambitions. But one day, at a conference, when she saw Erik threatening to sue the school officials who were bullying protesting students, he caught her interest. His brave and daring attitude had made Lena start a relationship with him.

But over the years, even though Erik changed, some things always stayed the same. He had physically improved, thrown away his glasses, become fitter. But his ego, which always felt small next to Lena, had never healed.

"Haha, are you going to save the world?"

"Why do you even bother?"

"You are overdoing it."

These were Erik's favorite lines.

When they came to Batumi, he had also sabotaged the things Lena wanted to do. Lena had wanted to see the Gonio Fortress. This ancient Roman fortress, famous for its historical texture, with its stone walls rising among greenery, reminded her of the legends she had read in her childhood. Narrow paths, mossy stones, and sun rays hiding behind the towers. She had dreamed of spending a few hours there.

But what had Erik said?

"What is the point? There are great stores. Let us go there instead."

And instead of enjoying Batumi, Lena had been forced into an unnecessary shopping spree.

As the unpleasant memories wandered through her mind, she was startled by a knock on the door.

When she opened the door, Ivy was standing there in a simple dress, having changed out of her previous clothes.

"What is up, baby? What are you doing?" she asked cheerfully.

Lena shrugged. "What can I say… That stupid Erik came to my mind. I could not even explore the city because of that useless man."

Ivy pursed her lips and shook her head. "That i***t would do that. I would expect nothing less."

But suddenly her face lit up with excitement. "Did your rugged country type tell you what time the ceremony is?"

Lena crossed her arms over her chest and raised her eyebrows.

"My what?"

"Rugged country type, what else?"

Ivy giggled and winked at her. "Honey, you are marrying the man. You become the only person in this world who can call him 'mine.' Legally. Hello, good morning?" she burst out laughing.

Lena paused. She had never been a woman crazy about marriage. But she had never thought that marriage would happen in such a simplified way either.

Just then, there was another knock on the door.

It was Hakan.

"Hello, sister in law. The ceremony is at 2 o'clock. Get ready whenever you want."

Lena spoke with a mocking attitude, raising her eyebrows. "Alright, I will put on my puffy wedding dress and come right away, dear brother in law."

Hakan burst out laughing. Lena's different temperament from the other women in the environment where they had grown up for years seemed funny to him.

"Alright, sister in law. If you need anything, you have my number," he said and left.

Lena grumbled as she closed the door and turned to Ivy, who was still giggling.

"He still calls me 'sister in law.' I am going to lose my mind."

A few minutes later, Ivy's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Come on then, let us get you ready," she said.

Lena raised her eyebrows and looked at her suspiciously. "What do you mean by 'get you ready'? You are not expecting me to wear a wedding dress, are you?"

Ivy rolled her eyes, approached her, and gently touched her shoulder. "My dear, get up. I am not saying wear a wedding dress, but you cannot get married in leggings and a jacket either, for heaven's sake."

She took a deep breath and grew serious. "Look, life sometimes puts things in front of you that you never planned, but what matters is how you welcome them. At least invite this moment into your life beautifully with a white dress and light makeup. Maybe everything will be different from your dreams, but that does not mean it will be bad."

Lena sometimes got extremely annoyed by Ivy's endless positivity, but what could she say? Now she had to believe it too. She had always wanted to draw her own life, but here was the result.

She had learned she had a father, but she had never been able to hug him even once. She had millions, but she had not been able to establish her biggest dream, her own magazine.

And now… Here, in Batumi, she was about to marry a man she did not know at all.

She dropped her shoulders and gave in. "Fine, but do not go overboard," she murmured.

Ivy, smiling as if she had won a great victory, quickly opened the suitcase and took out an elegant dress for Lena, embroidered with pearl details. The dress was body hugging, midi length, thin strapped, and extremely stylish. The neckline was neither exaggerated nor too modest. It was just right, perfectly balanced. When Lena glanced at her reflection in the mirror, she noticed how her tall height rose gracefully within the dress. Her broad shoulders and proper posture made her carry every curve of the dress perfectly.

Ivy did not slow down. She gathered Lena's hair into a loose bun and put her pearl earrings on. Finally, she turned to Lena, looked her up and down, and her eyes filled with tears.

Lena laughed when she saw the expression on her friend's face. "Ahh, my teary eyed one. Do not be silly. What are you crying for?"

Ivy sobbed and smiled. "You look so beautiful, my friend. May the universe give you the best of everything," she said.

Lena took a deep breath and took one last look at herself in the mirror. She did look beautiful. But silencing the chaos inside her was not as easy as looking into her own eyes.

Ivy quickly slipped into a salmon colored satin dress and checked herself in the mirror. When she caught Lena's gaze, she rolled her eyes and pursed her lips. "What? Even if it is fake, we will take a few photos and post them. Let that b***h Bella and that piece of garbage Erik burn with jealousy," she said, her eyes glinting mischievously.

Lena shook her head indifferently. She did not feel a single stir inside her anymore.

Just then, her phone buzzed. Blaze's name appeared on the screen, and a slight unease filled her chest. She opened the message.

"We are waiting in the lobby. Come down whenever you are ready, Miss Goat."

Lena rolled her eyes, grumbled to herself, and threw her phone on the table. "Mountain bear, what else. Ugh. They are ready and waiting in the lobby. Should we go down too?"

Ivy quickly grabbed her bag, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Let us go down, my dear. I am ready too. Oh, I am so excited," she giggled.

When they got into the elevator, Ivy waved the lipstick in her hand to freshen Lena's lips. "One last touch."

Lena narrowed her eyes and whined, "Baby, please just leave me alone already."

Ivy, barely holding back her laugh, stepped back. "Okay, okay, I am backing off."

When they reached the lobby, Blaze was pacing impatiently in the middle of the wide, high ceilinged hall, his hands in his pockets. His eyebrows were furrowed, his lips pressed together in irritation. Hakan was buried in his phone, speaking with consulate officials.

The moment Blaze lifted his head in frustration, the elevator doors opened, and his eyes widened involuntarily. He felt a strange tightness in his chest. His breath stopped for a moment.

Lena…