Chapter 24：GRAYSEN: I'm a Cruel Bastard

Ah! I can't take this anymore! I'm fucking nervous as shit. I can't focus on the contract in my hand. During the meeting earlier, I was also muddleheaded. Even after it has adjourned, I never understand a single thing that was discussed by the board.

I glance at my watch and grit my teeth. By this time, they must be in the middle of reading the stipulation to Diana. Since she's turned eighteen a week ago, my father and I decided that it's about time we tell her the truth about his uncle gambling away the Coleman's properties.

After Joshua Coleman paid the casino with his brother's house and vineyard, it had been secretly managed by us, the Damari. I decided not to tell Diana right away so she can focus on her studies. However, my wife getting of age and my impatience has me decided to send off the lawyers to the Coleman residence to discuss the legalities to Diana. I just want to get married with her already.

This is useless! I drop the contract on the table and grab my coat before sprinting my way out of my office. I could faintly hear Agatha calling my name but I don't pay her attention. I need to see what Diana's reaction. How she'll take the news and what she thinks about it.

We never really transferred the properties to our name but merely held onto the titles and managed it through legal ways. Even turned the revenue skyrocketing, surpassing their history's most productive year. But all of the money that were earned from it, I've put it away for Diana's future.

Yet, now since Diana is already legal and already has the power to decide, she can also refuse the marriage that I'm proposing. However, since I'm a greedy bastard, I've specifically mentioned in the stipulation that only by marriage can the Coleman maintain their properties under their name.

Refusal to the marriage or future divorce will result to forfeiture of all rights to assets that were made for payment to the casino. Thus, resulting the sole owner, who is Diana herself, left with nothing but clothes on her back.

In short, I'm actually blackmailing her to marry me. I'm a cruel bastard, I know. I'm evil hearted. But I never actually claimed to be a saint either. The money I have, the things I possessed, the name I've built, these are all fruits of hard work. But they weren't actually what I really wanted. Nor what I've longed for. Neither what I loved the most.

I can honestly give them up just so I can have Diana. Because all the possessions can be achieved again if lost. But if I can't have my princess in my arms, I can't find another one like her. There's just no point. No meaning without her in my life.

In the middle of the drive, I receive a message from one of the lawyers who visited in the Coleman's residence today, informing me that they've done their part and has left the house. I tell Desmond to hurry up with his driving while I look out of the window in deep concentration.

Just as Desmond is about to pull up outside of Diana's house, my wife comes out of their gate and flags down a cab. Right, even their three cars have been given away by her uncle to the casino. Desmond doesn't need directions anymore as he follows Diana's cab.

We end up at a cemetery. Diana must still be in shocked since she doesn't pay attention to her surroundings and hurriedly walks into the memorial park's entrance. I give her a couple of minutes before I follow after her.

"Stay here." I instruct Desmond. "I'll give you a call if theres anything."

"Yes, Mr. Damari."

I open the car door and walk slowly into the eerily silent cemetery. Places like these doesn't really have people around especially this time of year so I easily spot Diana at the distance. She's kneeling in front of a tombstone. Even from where I stand, I can tell that she's crying.

My heart aches to see her like this. I turn around, wanting to leave to give her some space but she suddenly screams so loud, it squeezes my heart. I look at her again, worried for her. She's punching the grave stone and crying helplessly. Her voice pierces through the silence of the place like an agonizing wail of a lost soul.