Marry Vincent For a Request

Elara was woken up by a frantic knocking on her door. Yawning, she sluggishly made her way to answer it. As she opened the door, she was met with the anxious gaze of Cecilia. Elara, still in the haze of sleep, asked with a hint of sarcasm, "What's got you so worked up, Cecilia?"

Cecilia, looking disheveled, took a moment before responding, "I've been knocking for so long! Why didn't you open the door earlier?"

Elara, unimpressed, retorted, "You look like you've seen a ghost. Tired from scheming, are we?" A lazy chuckle escaped Elara's lips as she observed Cecilia's uneasy demeanor.

Cecilia, attempting to maintain composure, stammered, "I am just tired. Your father is calling you down for breakfast."

Elara's expression remained indifferent as she remarked, "First time you've bothered to call me for breakfast since you became a part of this family. What's the real reason you're here?" Elara's eyes flickered with a subtle suspicion, aware of the secrets that lingered beneath the surface of her seemingly ordinary family.

Cecilia, feeling the weight of Elara's gaze, hastily replied, "It's just a family breakfast. Your father wants us all together."

Elara, reading between the lines, couldn't help but think of the recent attempt on her life through poisoned juice. With a calm demeanor, she said, "Tell my father I'll be down in a few minutes."

Cecilia, visibly uneasy, turned and left Elara standing in the doorway. As the door closed, Elara's face transitioned from a façade of indifference to one of cold determination.

Elara took her time in the shower, the water serving as a temporary escape from the toxic atmosphere that enveloped her home. Each droplet seemed to cleanse not only her body but also her spirit, washing away the layers of frustration and resentment that had built up over the years.

As the warm water flowed over her, Elara couldn't help but plan her escape. The revelation of her newfound magical abilities only intensified her determination to break free from the suffocating confines of her family. She dressed in simple attire, a deliberate choice to assert her independence, knowing it would rile her father.

Descending the stairs gracefully, she found her father already seething with anger. His impatience clashed with her newfound defiance. "I called 30 minutes ago," he snapped.

Unperturbed, Elara responded, "I had to shower first."

William, visibly angered, retorted, "You've gotten guts to talk back so freely recently."

Ethan, quick to place blame, chimed in, "It's the drugs she's taking, Dad."

Elara, maintaining her composure, countered, "My dear half-brother, what gave you the thought that I was taking drugs?"

Isabella accused, "Even a child can see you're on something."

Elara, unfazed, leaned forward with a sly smile, "As far as I know, only the Morgans are talking right now."

Cecilia, attempting to maintain order, scolded, "Watch how you speak to your older sister."

Elara leaned back casually, responding, "The only problem is she's not my sister."

William, frustrated, slammed his hand on the table, demanding, "Shut up! Can't we just have breakfast in peace?"

Ethan persisted, "Dad, you should get her to rehab before it's too late."

Elara, enjoying the chaos she stirred, taunted, "You seem to know a lot about people on drugs, baby brother. Should we be worried about you?"

Ethan, clenching his teeth in anger, snapped, "I am not a junkie like you!"

William, fed up with the bickering, bellowed, "I said shut the hell up!" The room fell silent, setting the stage for a tense breakfast filled with unspoken animosity and concealed secrets.

William's announcement hung heavy in the air as he declared, "I have something to discuss with you... You see, Vincent Holloway has been putting some pressure on the family business."

Isabella, quick to place blame, pointed accusatory fingers at Elara. "It's all Elara's fault. If she had married him, things wouldn't be hard on you, Dad."

In response, William snapped, "Shut up, Isabella. I am talking to Elara."

Cecilia, attempting to intervene, remarked, "Hey, don't scold her, hubby. She's telling the truth."

William's cold glance silenced Cecilia, a silent warning to stay out of the conversation. He turned back to Elara, the weight of the situation evident in his expression. "If you agree to marry Vincent Holloway, I will grant you one thing. But don't be excessive in your request."

Elara, feigning hurt, responded, "But Dad, I told you I can't marry a cripple."

William implored, "Do it for the family, Elara. The pressure Vincent is putting on the family business is too great. If it continues for even a month, we will go bankrupt. You know his influence goes beyond anyone's imagination."

The room was filled with tension as the gravity of the situation settled upon them. Elara, now faced with a crucial decision, contemplated the cost of her actions on the family and the potential sacrifices that awaited her. The air thickened with uncertainty as the fate of the Morgans seemed to hang in the balance.

Elara, with a sly smile, leaned forward and said, "One request."

William, cautiously intrigued, responded, "Yes, one request."

Elara, maintaining her composure, contemplated for a moment before delivering her condition. "I will marry Vincent Holloway, under a condition, of course. The entertainment company that you started with Mom—I need all of it. All shares."

Ethan, unable to contain his frustration, slammed the table, exclaiming, "Don't push it, Elara."

However, William, surprisingly calm, smiled and said, "Deal. I will transfer all shares of Enchanted Entertainment to your name."

Cecilia, unable to conceal her concern, interjected, "But, hubby..."

William cut her off with a stern look and stated, "I said stay out of this."

Elara, reveling in her small victory, added another condition, "But before the marriage, I would need all the paperwork of the company transfer to be completed."

William, undeterred, responded, "I can get that done now."

Elara chuckled, tauntingly observing, "You are in such a rush to marry me off, dear father."

Ignoring Elara's comment, William promptly took out his phone and called his lawyer. As they waited, the Morgans continued their breakfast, though Cecilia, Ethan, and Isabella seethed with a combination of rage and jealousy. The dining room, once a place of family meals, now resonated with an air of tension and uneasy alliances. 

In the tense atmosphere of the dining room, William's lawyer, Mr. White, arrived promptly. William wasted no time and instructed, "Please draft a full transfer contract for Enchanted Entertainment."

Mr. White, displaying a hint of hesitation, reminded, "But it's a sub-company of Morgan Enterprise."

William, resolute in his decision, asserted, "Not anymore. Draft the contract now. Elara will have full control of the company. And please, add a clause that I will have no further contact with the company, no matter what."

Mr. White nodded in acknowledgment, replying, "Yes, sir," and immediately began working on his laptop. The room fell silent, the only audible sound being the rhythmic tapping of keys as the lawyer diligently typed away. 

Mr. White swiftly completed the drafting, announcing, "All done, sir." William, without wasting a moment, instructed his butler, "Take him to the study to get it printed." The butler nodded and escorted Mr. White to carry out the task.

Turning his attention back to Elara, William issued a solemn warning, "Once you sign that contract, you can't change your mind about our agreement." Elara, exuding confidence, replied, "Don't worry, I won't. I can't wait to get out of this house before people poison my food."

The shock on Cecillia and Isabella's faces was palpable, though William and Ethan were preoccupied with their own thoughts, seemingly oblivious to the underlying tension. Mr. White returned with two copies of the contract, and both William and Elara proceeded to sign. Elara took her copy, sarcastically remarking, "Nice doing business with you, father." With a smirk, she stood up and declared, "I am going out."

William, reminding her to return early, added, "I won't miss my wedding for the world." Elara, holding the signed contract, smirked and strolled out, leaving an air of unresolved tension lingering in the room. The signed document symbolized a drastic change in the family dynamics, setting the stage for Elara's departure and the impending marriage to Vincent Holloway.

As soon as Elara left, Cecillia couldn't contain her frustration and questioned William, "Why did you have to agree to that request? You know Isabella loves the entertainment industry. The company would have helped her." William, wearing a triumphant smile, responded, "Oh, you know nothing about business. That company is just a shell."

Cecillia, puzzled, asked, "What do you mean?" William continued, "My wife, the company is long dead, and she knows nothing about business. She won't be able to revive it." Ethan joined in with laughter, saying, "Wow, Dad, well played." Isabella, pleased with the revelation, chimed in, "I can't wait to see the look on her eyes when she realizes that." Cecillia, acknowledging the reality, remarked, "Too bad she can't complain to anyone about it." William concluded with satisfaction, "Exactly," and they all shared a victorious laugh, pleased with how everything had finally turned out in their favor.