Spoilt Little Rich Girl

Chapter 3

What was he up to now? Alex wondered about her father. Hadn’t he put her through enough hell already? After Jacob had left, she had taken Chloe for her nap, and once she was settled, she went to the phone to ring her father and find out what was going on.

The phone started ringing before she could pick it up. It was her father requesting her for dinner, her alone, of course, he hadn’t even set eyes on Chloe since they’d come back. He told her, he had a proposition for her. She said she would be there.

However now dressed in a beautiful light blue dress with her blonde shoulder-length hair flowing in the wind she was having second thoughts. She stood at the door of his office s***h home which was located on the same property as the home her and Chloe lived in. She was too scared to knock. Could she really go through another charade for this man? He had already cost her so much, her best friend, her boyfriend, Kevin. Although truth be known she had never felt for Kevin what she had felt for Jacob. Maybe that was for the better that Kevin walked away.

Just when she decided that chicken out was the best option the front door opened. Arnold stood in front of her, he was the butler and head housekeeper for her father, but he was so much more to Alex. Growing up he was always there for her, her greatest confidant. He seemed to understand her and could always rational out her fathers thinking better than anyone. Once her mother Justine had passed away things between her and her dad had become strained, but Arnold was fantastic as a go-between.

“Ahh, Miss Spencer, so delighted you could make it.” He reached his hand out to shake hers. Since coming home, or being dragged back, she had not been to her father’s house as she was furious with him.

“What’s the ‘Miss Spencer’ crap, Arnold?” She gave him the biggest bear hug she could, and he returned it. Now, this was home! “We should catch up, when does that horror of a boss give you a day off?”

“My wonderful boss gives me three days off a week, young lady, Tuesday, Saturday and Sundays.” She ignored his tone. He always used that tone on her to watch her manners regarding her father.

“Tuesday at eleven, I expect you at the house for lunch.”

“Splendid, I will be there miss…… Alex.” He smiled and then reached and touched her shoulder “I’m very sorry to hear about Miss Meagan. It must have been challenging for you.” Tears came to her eyes; she begged them not to fall. She knew Arnold cared.

Meagan and Alex had gone to university together. They both had completed courses in education with small children, running childcare centres and child development. They both loved children and wanted to make a difference in the world. Meagan’s family had died in a horrific car accident when she was in high school. She was an only child. She and Alex became two peas in a pod and Meagan spent all her holidays with Alex at home. When she left Tuscany, she felt as if she was leaving a piece of Meagan behind. Arnold took Alex’s coat and led her to the slaughter, as they say. He announced her at the door of the formal dining room, which contained two other people. The two people Alex most despised sat waiting for her to join them. Grant and Jacob. She had an ill feeling about this night from the beginning, and it just magnified. Her father and Jacob rose from their chairs as one of the staff pulled back her chair and unfolded her napkin. He automatically filled her wine glass, she thanked him, and he disappeared without a word.

“Well father, may I inquire as to why I’m currently in the room with my two least favourite people?” She felt there was no need to hide her animosity.

“We shall eat first and talk business later.” They chatted on and off about things in general never touching the subject which was off limits. By the time dessert arrived she had two glasses of wine and was feeling a little less like behaving.

“I’m surprised dad, you haven’t even asked me about your granddaughter.” She could feel the dagger of his stare before she even looked up to meet his eyes. She plastered the most sarcastic smile on her face and looked him dead square in the eyes. She did not blink or look away he broke contact first. If he was planning another bombshell, she was not just going to sit here and be the good girl.

“I’m sure she’s fine with a great nanny and of course you to look after her.” his voice was strained as if it took all his power to keep control. It did not escape her attention that he mentioned the nanny first. Oh, how Alex hated him. Desert was over, and they moved to the den to have coffee.

“Alex I have a proposal for you.” She’d been waiting for this all night, what more would he ask her to give up.

“Really, I still trying to deal with the last proposal you offered me!” She would not let him railroad her anymore. Chloe was her main priority now nothing mattered but her happiness. Chloe had lost just as much as Alex had these last six months if not more.

“I want you to marry Jacob.” She had just taken a sip of coffee and with shocked spat it fair across the room. Her father's face was unreadable, was he joking? Marry Jacob what could that possibly do…. How could anyone benefit from that! He must be losing his mind in his old age unless he knew, if he knew about Jacob and her, it could be some kind of punishment.

“Father, you must be insane if you think I’ll marry one of your lackey’s. This is the twenty-first century, they don’t arrange marriages anymore.” She stole a glance at Jacob who seemed livid at her use of the work lackey but was otherwise calm. He already knew about this. What was that comment yesterday? ‘A delightful deal and unfortunately it does involve you’ Why would he? What could he possibly get out of this?

“Alex, I always get what I want, and this is what I want.” She was enraged. Not this time daddy. She was sick of being his puppet.

“Not this time, Dad. It will be a cold day in hell before I marry him.” Her voice was strong and steady but most of all it was stubborn. This time NO meant NO!

“Yes, Alex, even this time. I need someone to run my business, and I trust Jacob fully.”

She interrupted him. “Well, I don’t trust him at all.” Her father continued as if she had not spoken. She could feel Jacob’s eye burrowing into her.

“I want him to take over when I retire, but I will not have the company go to an outsider, it needs to stay in the family.” He was calm which only infuriated her more.

“So you get what you want, the company!” She was looking at Jacob “must have been a hard decision, such a great prize for marrying someone like me?” She could feel tears stinging the backs of her eyes. No, she would not cry. Not in front of these two arrogant bastards wheeling and dealing with peoples lives and emotions. Not so long ago she would have loved to marry Jacob but, now, no way!

“I won’t do it, dad, No!” She was biting her lower lip to keep from letting her tears flow free.

“I would give fifty-two per cent of the company to Jacob” why was he explaining further she had already said no! “Then I would sign over the house and forty-eight per cent of the shares to Chloe.” The world stopped moving, frozen. She was scared to even breath. She stared into his eyes and could see he was telling the truth. Chloe would be set for life, she would never want for anything. Ever. Is this his way of accepting her? Chloe needed more.

“To a little girl you’ve never even seen?” She asked.

“Yes.” She could tell this was hard for him; his plan had never been to even acknowledge Chloe. This was her chance to get something for Chloe. Did he want this so bad that she could play a little hardball?

“Will you treat her like you would a grandchild? Come and see her and take her to the park, play with her, tell her that you love her?” He never spoke those words to Alex. Now she had Chloe, Alex told her every minute of every day that she loved her and only since Alex had been doing that did she realised he had never said it to her. Maybe he can just love money, his business and himself.

“The deal is the house and the shares nothing more.” He was strong, defiant. Well, he raised her, if you could call it that, so she had his strength, defiance and stubbornness too.

“Then you have no deal. Thank you for dinner.” She got up and turned to leave. You could have heard a pin drop in that room. She was at the door of the den, thinking she had blown it all.

“Alex,” his voice held so much warning there, but she wasn’t going to back down. She turned to him and would remind him of what that poor little girl went through.

“You want this deal, you play by my rules. That beautiful little girl has lost everything in the last six months. You and I are the only ones who truly know all she has lost. She never asked to be born.” Their eyes met. “If she can’t have her father, then I at least want her to have a grandfather.” Something clicked over she could see the coldness disappear from his eyes for only a second, and then it was back. Had she just imagine it had gone?

“There will be no divorce, do you understand?” He agreed, wow she just won her first ever argument with her father. Chloe would finally have what she deserved.

“I understand.” He turned to Jacob who also nodded in agreement. Jacob looked a little shocked himself. He was probably dying to find out what was going on with their coded talking.

“You will need to start dating again.” Again, did she hear him right? Was that a mistake or did he know about the first time? “Other than us three, Arnold and Jacob’s parents know, that’s it? No one else. All involved will sign a confidentially agreement. There will be no error’s.” Grant looked at her from across the room, he was warning her to behave, she may have won that fight, but he was making it crystal clear that would be the only fight she would ever win. Feeling glad she didn’t need to lie to Jacobs’s parents or Arnold as they were people very dear to her.

“Fine.” She snuck a glance at Jacob, but she could not read the emotions, on his face it was blank. His business face, no doubt. Well, this is just another business deal for him, wasn’t it? Two could play at that game. She couldn’t believe that he hated her but would marry her for life just to get his hands on the company. At least Chloe would know more of her family now; it’s what she deserved. I guess when it comes down to it we all have our price.

Jacob was stunned as he watched the scene in front of him play out. She was definite about not marrying him, but for her daughter, she changed her mind. The ultimate sacrifice. She hated Jacob, but for Chloe, who she loved unconditionally, she would pretend to love him and even marry him. She would give up her life and her happiness. It was so strange. He never had seen anyone give up so much before. Jacob, snap out of it. She may have done it for Chloe, but she gets the benefits Chloe has too. She is just money hungry and will do anything to get what she wants. Jacob heard Grant talking again.

“Sign here, and here and finally here.” Arnold was there too. He was the witness to the contract. “I want to add an extra paragraph, I want something more.” Alex’s head shot up from where she was signing the contract. Jacob wondered what more Grant could possibly want. “ I want more grandchildren.”

“No!” they both yelled together. Grant was laughing, he was joking at a time like this? That crazy old bastard.

It irked Jacob that she had said no to his joke, so fast. She naturally jumped into bed with someone and was dying to have his child!

“Right now, tomorrow morning you need to visit with Jacobs parents and then bring the paperwork back here.”

Jacob had already explained to his parents what was going on, his mum wasn’t happy, but his dad said it was his decision and marrying someone like Alexander Spencer had been a goal for him for some time, so it can’t be all bad. His dad had loved Alex the minute he brought her home the first time. Alex found his parents’ house an escape from the business tycoon lifestyle and loved coming over for dinner. She use to say it was the best time coming to their home, he doubts she would still feel that way.