The Devil's Clause

Chapter Two: Grandfather's Will

Elara's POV

“Please don’t go! Stay with me! You’ll die!” My voice was a desperate whisper, echoing in the stillness, but they didn’t hear me.

I was trapped in a nightmare, the kind that clings to you like a wet blanket. I was a child again, small and helpless, standing in the dimly lit hallway of my home. My heart raced as I begged my parents not to leave.

“Elara, we have to go,” my mother said, her voice firm but laced with worry. She looked at my father, who was pacing, his brow furrowed. “This is important. We need to settle this with the Ashfords once and for all.”

“Can’t it wait?” I cried, tears streaming down my cheeks. “Please! Just stay! I don’t want you to go!”

But they brushed past me, their arguments fading into the night as they walked out the door. I screamed, my voice raw and hoarse, but it was swallowed by the darkness. “Come back! Come back!” I shouted, my small fists pounding against the door, but they were already gone.

I jolted awake, drenched in sweat, panting and crying. The familiar weight of grief settled on my chest, and I curled up in bed, shaking. “Come back,” I sobbed, the words spilling from my lips like a prayer. “Please, come back.”

"Don't leave me again," I sobbed quietly.

The night felt suffocating as I fought against the memories that clawed at me. I could still hear their voices, see their faces, and the pain felt as fresh as it had been all those years ago. How is stood by the window, waiting all night for their return. Until my grandfather came later, telling me how my parents had gone to heaven.

What a cruel place heaven must be, to have taken my parents from me.

Then, my phone rang, shattering the silence. I wiped my tears away, clearing my throat as I slid across the screen. It was Bella, my friend and colleague. “Elara! You won’t believe this. Cain Ashford is at the Olive Tree Restaurant, throwing his weight around again! You have to come!”

I felt the heat of rage surge through me, as anger replaced the sorrow that had momentarily consumed me. How dare he? The Ashfords were the reason my parents were gone, and here was Cain, flaunting his wealth and power as if he owned the world. I quickly got dressed, my heart pounding with a mix of adrenaline and fury. I couldn’t let this slide, not again.

I arrived at the restaurant, my breath coming in sharp bursts as I stormed inside. The atmosphere was tense, and I could see Cain at a table, surrounded by his entourage, his presence dominating the room. The restaurant owner, a middle-aged man with worry etched into his face, stood nearby, visibly shaken.

Without thinking, I marched over, my voice cutting through the chatter. “What gives you the right to bully this man, Ashford? He’s just trying to keep his business afloat!”

Cain turned to me, surprise flickering in his eyes, but it quickly morphed into amusement. “And you are?” he asked, a smirk playing on his lips.

“Elara Voss,” I shot back, my voice steady. “A woman who won’t let you destroy another small business without a fight.”

His guards stepped forward, ready to remove me, but he held up a hand, stopping them. “If you want to save him, you should help him pay off the debt he owes me,” he said, sliding a contract across the table. “This is what he signed.”

I snatched the document, my heart racing as I scanned the words. It was a foolproof contract, binding and tight. “You can’t be serious,” I said, looking up at him, anger boiling over. “You’re taking advantage of him!”

“Business is business, Elara,” he replied, his tone dismissive.

The silence in the room was deafening as I read the contract over and over, searching for a way out. My mind raced, and then I found it. “Wait a minute,” I said, my voice rising in triumph. “You didn’t specify the exact year of repayment!”

Cain’s smirk vanished, replaced by a scowl. “What are you talking about?”

“The contract,” I said, pointing to the fine print. “It doesn’t state the exact year when the debt is due. You can’t enforce it if there’s no timeline!”

The tension in the room thickened, everyone holding their breath as Cain’s expression darkened. I could see the anger boiling beneath his composed exterior, and for a moment, I thought he might lash out. But instead, he turned on his heel and walked away, leaving the room in stunned silence.

As he exited, a collective breath was released. I turned to the restaurant owner, who looked at me with a mix of gratitude and disbelief. “Thank you,” he said, his voice shaking. “I didn’t know what to do.”

I sat down across from him, my heart still racing. “You’re not alone in this. Let’s figure out how to get you out of this mess.”

He nodded, and I launched into a plan, giving him tips on negotiating and restructuring his debt. We discussed options, and I could see hope flickering back into his eyes. “You can save your business,” I assured him. “You just need to stand firm.”

Just as we finished our discussion, my phone buzzed again. I glanced at the screen, my heart sinking as I recognized the number. It was my grandfather’s lawyer. I answered, my voice tight. “Hello?”

“Elara, I’ve managed to retrieve some documents from your grandfather’s estate. Can we meet?”

“Really?” I asked, my mind racing. "I'm at the Olive Tree Restaurant, do you mind coming?"

“I’ll be there,” he responded curtly.

“Okay,” I replied, my stomach twisting with a mix of anxiety and anticipation.

A short while later, the lawyer arrived. He was a tall man with a serious demeanor. He approached my table, and I gestured for him to sit down. “Thank you for coming,” I said, my heart pounding.

He pulled out several documents, laying them on the table. “I have some important information regarding your grandfather’s will.”

Grandfather's will. I felt a chill run down my spine. “What is it?”

"There is a lot," he said breathily. "It took such a long time to get my hands on it because of the circumstances that surrounded his death. Plus, many of his competitors are vying for his company--"

"Wait, wait," I raised my hands, waving them before him. "Company? Grandfather had a company?!"

He nodded. "Elara, listen, there is so much at stake. Walt Voss has so many enemies, people who would stop at nothing to covet his life's work. Nothing," he emphasized. "Including murder. I'm not insinuating anything, but maybe he wanted to keep you safe, and I believe that the content of this will is for your best interest too."

He slid a document to me, and I scanned it quickly, my breath hitching as I read grandfather's familiar handwriting.

“You’re set to inherit $25 million, three houses, and the Voss company,” he stated, his voice steady. “But there’s one condition.”

"Condition?" I looked up, my heart racing. “What is it?”

He paused, staring deeply into my eyes as he said the next words. “You must be married to Cain Ashford..."

"What?!"

"Within sixty days.”

"WHAT?!"