Chapter 145 - Funeral

The few days of peace I got at my abuelitas ended all too quickly. We had arrived the night before and things did not get off to a great start.

For starters, when we arrived the mood was awful. If an outsider was looking in, you would have thought we all came for a funeral. Despite everyone giving a polite hello, you could tell someone got mad which then made others made and now everyone is uncomfortable.

My aunt Flora has two children one of which is a cousin I am on good terms with. "Gabriel what the hell happened?" My parents had gone off to mingle with the others so with I went off to find Gabriel and see what was good.

He was also the only cousin who was fine with me speaking english. He claimed it helped him practice the accent better but regardless it helped whenever we did not want to be understood.

"Hey cuz, damn you just missed it. Some random lady came in asking to see the old man regarding marriage. We all thought she wanted to marry him but no turns out she is asking for a list of us kids to see who is still an eligible bachelor for her daughter. It got heated when he refused and she poked an old wound."

I did not have to be a genius to know what wound that was. "What did the lady look like? Or did anyone catch a name?" Because quite a few of the major investments and businesses we had spread into Spain, I was aware of the hierarchy of families that lived here. 

Especially because some random person would not be able to enter the household that easily. It had to be someone within the inner circle. "She had really dark hair and it was pin straight. She was kind of short and I think they said she wore like really red lipstick and these insane chains. I did not get a good look to be honest but thats what I have heard."

The only person who fit that description was not a current business partner but an old one. Her name is Gloria Alvarez. Her grandfather did business with mine a couple of years back but something soured and they went their separate ways. She was a teenager then but she has not changed her style nor her attitude. 

She is an entitled brat who can't take no for an answer. She supposedly tried to bring back the relationship with my dad but he did not care to even establish that as her business was failing. My mother also did not take too kindly to her either so even more reason for my dad to say no.

For her to be asking for marriage meant the money they had is all dried up and getting investments through a dowry and obligation by marriage was needed to save themselves. At least, thats my guess.

"Hmmm." Even though the mood was bad hopefully that meant I could cruise by and in no time I could head home. I had glanced over at my dad who was talking with some of the elders. He held up his hands to signal to me to start doing what I did best. "Lift up the mood."

I was no stranger to being the guy that made people want to have a good time. But even I was not confident in lifting this mood. Also, their current mood helped my cause as the attention was not on me but the death stare I was getting forced me to comply.

"One sec." I grabbed a bottle of beer and when no one was looking I emptied it and filled it with water instead. I shook it a bit to add some bubbles and went to the first gullible cousin I could find. Which happened to be Gabriels younger brother Stefan. "Stefan! Como estas primo? Que onda?" < Stefan! How are you cousin? What's up? > He was quiet but upon seeing me in a good mood and a bottle in hand he too opened a glass and took a big swig. "Bien primo!" < Good cousin! > I started working through the crowds of people just talking out of my ass and before long the mood had finally started to get better (at least by their standards).

I caught my mom eyes and she gave me a thumbs up. I just gave her my usual signal for whenever they made me do something I did not want to do. "You owe me."

Of course that was wishful thinking as not even four hours after the hard work I put in getting everyone including my grandparents in better moods, she came back with her daughter in tow.

"Mierda." < Shit. >The girl looked exactly like her mother but not in a good way. It was uncanny and weird. It was not like she resembled her mother the way a child could but rather someone who played dress up to have a carbon copy.

"Hola Don Gustavo. Este es mi hija Elvira." < Hello Mr. Gustavo this is my daughter Elvira. > Gustavo is my grandfather and upon seeing the woman back and with her daughter his face twisted into an ugly rage. 'Ohhhh shit. This lady seriously is delusional and mental.' However before he could curse them out, my grandmother Carla grabbed her husbands hand and cooled his temper. "Tienes valor de volver aquí después de lo que dijiste." <You have some nerve coming back here after what you said.> She smiled but she did not look happy.

"Sé que es una vergüenza, pero estoy dispuesto a dejar ir un petrolero que sé que le interesaría si me permite presentarle a mi hija al actual heredero Dean Cortez. Escuché que llegó y si pueden reunirse, nos iremos y no volveremos si él lo dice." < I know it is shameless but I am willing to let go of an oil tanker I know you would be interested in if you allow me to introduce my daughter to the current heir Dean Cortez. I heard he arrived and if they can meet then we will leave and not come back if he says so. > 

I nearly rolled my eyes into the back of my head. When she said my name all eyes went straight to me and like the red sea parting, they made an open aisle for the two women to get a good look at me.

I saw the girl shyly wave and tuck her hair behind her ear and I never have felt more cringed out. This whole thing felt like a bad drama. I figured if none of these guys were gonna put her out of her misery. Then I would. "Simplemente te haré el favor de rechazarte ahora. No tengo ninguna intención de llegar a conocerte. < I will just do you the favor of rejecting you now. I have no intention of getting to know you. >