In a grand hall, a tall beauty with blonde hair that had little curls along the locks was sitting on one of the chairs. She had her arms folded as she was looking at a piece of paper on the table.
Though there wasn't a single thing on her body that was showing any tiredness, Alina was.
The last few days were very restless days, when Alina came back home after several years cast aside into one of their family branch businesses.
And as her grandmother promised to give her the position of Ceo in J&K Enterprises, Alina went straight to the office late at night. Just to check if that old witch had kept her promise.
She was supposed to take a rest for a week before coming to the office, but she didn't trust her grandmother.
It wasn't the first time it had happened—several times actually, as her uncles and aunt always came in her way, stopping her grandmother from granting her any share of their business.
So, she was furious after seeing her office table without her nameplate.
And after asking her grandmother why? She gave her an absurd reason.
Since Alina had many uncles and an aunt, she also had many cousins—each of them had a claim to the Kingsley businesses, and all of them had already found a life partner, mostly from the influenced family, as everyone wanted to increase their popularity.
Those lazy and brainless fools had only that way to convince their stern grandmother and the chairman of Kingsley Corporation.
And since Alina didn't have any connection, and also her parents, she was focused on her ability, and when finally she got her own share, she heard that old witch demanding her to get married before becoming a Ceo.
There was no time to consider what her uncles and aunt might do, meanwhile.
Just then, the door opened, and several figures entered with in the middle was an ancient-looking woman. Though her face was glowing with the intense care, even a blind person could say that she wouldn't last long.
But as for Alina, she wondered how that old bag of bones was still moving because she actually knew how ancient that old woman was.
She was her grandmother, Alicia Kingsley, the chairwoman, and the most powerful person in the city. Almost everything was under her.
Anyway, though Alina wondered how she was still alive, she was actually very grateful for her to be alive. Otherwise, she wouldn't have even gotten a penny from her family business, but she was also the one who told her to marry first.
There was no telling when she would kick the bucket, and she wanted Alina to marry before that?
But unexpectedly, Alina met her, that woman, on her way back from the office.
She was an employee that hardly any of her relatives knew about—perfect for not being one of their people—and was in a very messy situation. And on top of that, she made it chaotic after involving Alina herself.
Alina wasn't sure if she would get out from that.
But it was perfect for Alina to have her for herself before she came into her relatives' eyes.
It was like the God himself sent her to her rescue, and all she needed to do was to claim it, and she did just that.
Marrying her wasn't a big deal, as Alina didn't care about how her wife was, since all she needed to know was that she didn't become a hindrance. But after doing a quick background check, she felt like there couldn't be anyone more qualified to be her partner.
After the marriage, Alina grabbed the proof of her marriage and left straight for her grandmother.
"What a heartless lass."
"What a heartless lass."
The old woman said as she sat herself with the help of several servants on the chair.
Usually, Alina would have stood up after seeing her in greetings, but today she was not in a mood. If she would have asked for herself, then it was that old witch who did dirtier to her than her not standing up and calmly looking at her grandmother.
Her grandmother, despite being old, acted with dignity and grace as she sat straight. Her hair was completely white, and her eyes were sunken, but they were still shining with life that people didn't even find in healthy humans these days.
"What can I say? I am your granddaughter after all."
Her gaze paused on the paper for a minute, but since it was placed upside down, she saw nothing before she glared back at Alina.
For a moment she didn't say anything before she said in her unperturbed voice, clearly not matching her age.
"So, what is it? I am sure you are not here to just meet your old grandmother."
Alina couldn't disagree with that except for the old grandmother part. Old didn't even come close to representing her, though.
Again, though she looks like a weak old bag of bones, nothing else other than that aligned with that.
"You said you would give me J&K after I showed you I am better than any of your grandchildren. What happened to that?"
Just like her grandmother, Alina was also not the one to care about the pleasantries and went straight to the point.
"How can you call yourself better when you still haven't found yourself a partner?"
Before she left, Alina promised her grandmother that she would show her how good she was compared to her other grandchildren, but after doing just that, she put another condition on it.
"Are you saying that your other grandchildren find their spouse by themself? And not with the help of their parents' influence?"
Alina chuckled as she said that in a mocking tone, but the old woman didn't move an inch by her taunt.
Though the old woman was too old and had no way of comparing her to Alina's features, they didn't look anything like grandmother and granddaughter, but when it came to their habits and nature, they couldn't be any more similar.
Thinking that, Alina already came up with a plan on her own.
"Whatever it was, they are not single like you."
It would be stupid for her to think her grandmother didn't know about her as she did, so instead of thinking that, she thought the opposite. Since she knew her very well, she just needed to act different and do something that she herself couldn't have thought of.
"You got the order wrong, Mrs. Chairwoman. Usually people marry after they settle, not settle after they marry."
She said as she didn't break her eye contact with her, and of course, the same went for the old woman, too. For those who didn't know who they were, they would appear as an enemy, much less a family.
"You aren't just anyone. You are a Kingsley, and we are different from others. So we don't need to follow the crowd."
Again with that Kingsley.
Alina hated that word. If it wasn't because of that, she wouldn't be in this mess right now. Her grandmother did everything in the name of her family, but she didn't treat them as such.
Biting those words inside, Alina maintained her calm as she replied.
"Still, there are things that are the same for anyone, and the marriage comes in that category too."
She was too determined to prove herself right, and while she was at it, she would show that old woman that she was even better than her.
"Is that the best you came up with after thinking for a whole day?"
As her grandmother spoke, Alina became silent for a moment. It appeared as if she had nothing to say now, or maybe the old woman hit the mark.
She then slowly shook her head and sighed a little, breaking her eye contact before making it again.
"This time it's marriage—who knows what you will ask me to do after that. Is there an end? Or you just don't want to give me anything?"
When she looked back, her eyes held a coldness that wasn't there before.
"Remember, the only reason I am even in this house is because you promised to give me the share of my father."
It was the half-truth, but Alina was firm with her words that didn't let anyone see it as she continued.
"And I am sure I would be greatly welcome in just anywhere."
They weren't empty words, and her grandmother definitely knew that too.
After saying that, Alina paused and slowly leaned forward after unfolding her arms and intertwining her fingers, and what she said afterwards felt like a warning.
"So I asked you once again, is this the last thing? Or do you want more?"
There was not a single person who could talk to that old woman like that—even Alina herself wouldn't, but today was different.
"What gave you the idea that I...need anything from you?"
Of course, it would be a different story if that worked or even did a thing to the stern grandmother of hers.
"It was you who said you will show me you are better than my other grandchildren...or children...but not me."
Suddenly, the atmosphere took a different turn.
"So, why are you complaining if I don't see you as better?"
Other than them, there were still some servants standing beside her grandmother who were quite familiar with the atmosphere, or maybe they were not showing it on the surface.
Anyway, Alina cursed internally as she listened to her grandmother....
What a stubborn old witch!
...and replied back.
"That's where you are wrong...considering marriage. Even a fool would get married with enough time, so there is no telling about a person based on that factor."
"Time?"
Alina didn't even take a breath after saying it before her grandmother said.
"Yes. With enough time a fool would get married. Then are you still calling yourself better when you turn thirty and are still not married yet?"
'That much drama should be enough...'
Alina thought and let out a defeated sigh and leaned on her chair.
"What else do I need to do to make you satisfied?"
She placed her hand with her fingers on her forehead as if she was getting a headache from all the talk. But there was still no reaction to her grandmother's face.
"I already told you. Get married."
After pausing, Alina spoke.
"And?"
"Just that, nothing else."
After listening to that, Alina stared at her. It was clear that she didn't trust her, and the old woman also realized that and continued.
"I give you my word."
Bingo!
Only then did Alina let a smile form on her lips, and then she leaned forward and placed a finger on the paper that was still lying on the table and slowly pushed forward.