GRANDMA'S DEADLINE
1150 Words
ALEXANDER POV
I slammed the car door harder than I needed to.
My head still pounded from the nonstop chaos of the last forty-eight hours.
Elena.
The stolen money.
The headlines calling me a fool. And Daisy working through the night like some guardian angel I didn’t deserve.
The car pulled up at Grandma’s mansion.
She had called me earlier for an important meeting. I knew with all these drama, I was in for a talk of my life.
When Eleanor King summoned you, you went.
A maid led me inside.
The air smelled like polished wood and fresh flowers.
My younger sister, Sophia, was already there, sitting quietly on a velvet chair in the sitting room.
She gave me a small nod but didn’t speak.
Grandma sat in her high-backed chair like a queen.
Eighty-three years old, silver hair pinned perfectly, eyes sharp as ever. She didn’t waste time.
“Alexander,” she said, v
“Sit.”
I dropped into the chair across from her.
“What’s this about? I’ve got a company to save after that mess with…”
She held up one hand.
“I know about the gold digger. The whole world knows. That’s why we’re here.”
I leaned forward.
“I’m handling it. The accounts are frozen where possible. My most legal trusted l team are already on her trail. Some of the stocks dipped but they’ll recover.”
Grandma’s eyes narrowed.
“Recover? Thats not fast enough. There's a major investor, his name is Hargrove Capital, he wants to pour in a billion dollars next month. But they want stability. A family image. Not a playboy CEO making front-page scandals every 2 weeks”
I laughed, short and bitter.
“So what? I clean up my act. Done it before.”
She leaned in, eyes locked on mine.
“You have to marry within three months.”
The words hit like a slap.
I stared at her.
“What?”
“You heard me. Marry. A real wife. Someone who looks good beside you at events. Someone who makes the board and the investors believe you’ve grown up. Do it in three months or I hand my controlling shares to your cousin Marcus. He’s married. Stable. Boring. But safe.”
My blood ran hot.
Marcus?
That snake who had been waiting for years to grab power? I shot to my feet.
“You can’t be serious. This is my company. I built King Tech into what it is today.”
“You expanded it,” Grandma corrected calmly.
“The foundation came from this family. And the family has rules. Three months, Alexander. Find a wife or lose the shares.”
Sophia watched from her chair, silent. Her fingers twisted in her lap but she didn’t jump in.
I paced the room.
“This is insane. I’m not marrying some stranger to save face. I just got burned by one woman. You want me to tie myself to another?”
Grandma didn’t blink.
“Not a stranger. Choose wisely. Youre not a child anymore.The investor meeting is in six weeks. They want to see a ring on your finger and a woman who looks like she belongs in this world.”
I stopped pacing.
Three months. It wasn’t enough time for anything real.
“No,” I said flatly. “I refuse. I’ll find another way to impress Hargrove. I could do more charity work. Whatever it takes.”
Grandma smiled, but it wasn’t kind.
“Then you’ll lose everything you’ve worked for. Marcus is already positioning himself. He called me yesterday.”
I clenched my fists.
Sophia finally spoke
“Grandma, maybe give him more time. Alex has been through a lot.”
Eleanor waved her off. “Time is the one thing we don’t have. The decision is made. Three months, Alexander. I expect an engagement announcement soon.”
The meeting ended.
Grandma stood, signaling we were dismissed.
I hugged her stiffly, kissed her cheek out of habit, and walked out with Sophia trailing behind.
Outside on the wide stone steps, I sucked in fresh air.
My sister touched my arm.
“She’s serious, you know. She’s been talking about this for months. The scandal just sped it up.”
“I know,” I muttered.
“But marriage? I’m not built for it. Look what happened with Elena. She had faked the pregnancy. Stolen millions. I can’t risk that again.”
Sophia looked up at me, her dark hair blowing in the breeze.
“Maybe don’t pick someone like Elena this time. Pick someone real.”
I shook my head. “Let’s get back to the city. I’ve got calls to make.”
The drive back was fast.
I had do alot on the way, i informed the legal team to push harder, I had to prepped what to say at Hargrove presentation to impress him, but i coouldnt think of anything.
Sophia just sat quietly beside me, texting.
Back at the office, more chaos awaited .
Most of the reporters still lingered outside.
“Mr. King. How did it go with your grandmother?”
I paused.
Of course she knew where I went.
She knew everything.
“Not good. We’ll talk later.”
She nodded, but her eyes searched my face.
“I have the updated investor brief ready. And coffee.”
I took the mug she offered. Hot. Perfect. “Thank you, Daisy.”
she just smiled and went back to work. I closed my office door and dropped into my chair.
Three months to marry. Or lose control of the company I had poured my life into. Hargrove wouldn’t touch us if I looked unstable. Marcus would love to watch me fall.
I pulled up the company files on my screen.
My investment and projections, all of it were at risk because of one bad choice in women.
Never again.
But Grandma’s deadline burned in my head.
Sophia stopped by the office later, watching me quietly from the couch while I worked.
“You’re really refusing Grandma?” she asked finally.
“Yes.”
She smiled a little.
“Bold. But you know she doesn’t bluff.”
I didn’t answer.
The sun was setting when I finally packed up.
Daisy had left a fresh schedule on my desk with notes about the investor meeting.
Sophia stood up to leave.
She paused at the office door, turned back, and smiled.
“You don’t have to do it alone.”
I looked up from the papers. “What?”
She smiled wider, eyes sparkling with that knowing look only little sisters get.
“You already have the perfect wife standing right outside your office.”
I frowned. “Who?”
Sophia’s smile grew bigger. “Daisy.”
She immediately shut the door behind her.
I sat frozen in my chair, staring at the empty doorway.
Daisy?
My assistant?
- Writer
