The following day.
Valeria met with her best friend Donna in the clubhouse of The Alcove Empire Estate.
Donna resides in Western Hill with her husband George and three daughters...Stephanie the eldest, Samantha the second, and the youngest Helen.
The family of Donna's husband owned one of the Top 5 successful Investment Management Companies in the country ~ the JJMorgan Group. The investment company made profits by selling, buying shares, cash, bonds, property, and other assets.
Donna and Valeria have one thing in common, both their husband impregnated their pretty housemaids and they were left to deal with the remembrance of their husbands' painful betrayal on daily basis in the form of a bastard son and daughter that both carries their family surnames.
In Donna's case, Helen the youngest is the daughter of the maid and it reminds her so much of how painful it is being betrayed by her husband with another woman inside their own home.
Those painful experiences in their marriage life brought the two women closer together.
They were sitting on the sun lounger watching the other wives swimming in the pool. Once a month, the wives of the Eastern, Southern, Northern, and Western Hills come together for a gathering to socialize with one another and form friendships, share recipes, talk about families, and so on. The husbands also had their gathering once a month to form connections, socialize with each other, discuss possible company deals, and all other things related to the business world.
Donna was sipping her blueberry juice.
While Valeria was sipping her cranberry juice looking at her best friend. "I want to suggest something to you..." she said.
Donna glanced at her friend. "Hmm...what is it?"
"You told me before that you hated seeing your youngest daughter Helen on daily basis, she was the daughter of the housemaid...am I right?" she asked.
Donna nods her head. "Yeah... why?"
"I have a suggestion for you. If you agree, you will no longer see Helen inside your home daily," she said.
"What is it? Please spill the beans!" Donna urged her friend, eager to know her suggestion.
"Why don't we have an arranged marriage between our sons and daughter? They are already of marrying age..." she suggested.
Donna raised a brow for a moment then smiled. "Why not? Which daughter of mine you would like to marry one of your sons?" she inquired curiously.
She smiled in amusement. "Why don't we marry the son and daughter of the housemaids who betrayed us with our husbands?" she suggested.
Donna's eyes sparkled. "Oh, you mean Helen and Peter?"
Valeria nods her head in affirmation. "Yeah...you got it right!"
Donna knows about Peter's pitiful condition in his struggling industrial store. "What exactly we will get from their union?" she asked.
Valeria smiled for a moment. "Well...both Peter and Helen will suffer living in a small house, no housemaids to do stuff and make things easier for them and they have to live a poor life for a while unless they will strike it big one day. In short, your Helen will live with my bastard son Peter in that small house and they have to do everything with their hands. I know it's just small sufferings but it would be amusing to see them suffer and feel a fraction of our pain, right? This way, by making their lives difficult and uncomfortable we can inflict revenge on those slutty maids who seduces our husbands by giving their children difficult times. What do you think about my plan?"
Donna laughed. "I like your idea, best friend! This is a good opportunity to get rid of Helen because she reminds me so much of that tramp mother of hers!" she said, gritting her teeth in anger.
"Will your husband agree?" Valeria asked.
"Well, I am in charge of everything in the house and my husband listens to everything I say to him. As for Helen, that woman is always afraid of me, she will follow everything I ordered her to do, so," Donna said.
"That's good!" Valeria rejoices. "Wait for my call, I will give you a go signal when to bring Helen to Peter's place so that they can meet each other. Peter is very busy in his store, so your daughter has to visit him there. Is that okay with you?" she asked her friend.
"Okay, no problem with me," Donna agreed.
The women continue chatting until 5:00 in the afternoon.
Thirty minutes later, the wives went home to their respective mansions.
Valeria instructed the cook to prepare special dishes for tonight because they have a family dinner. She will inform her husband and the boys that she was going to arrange Peter's marriage with her best friend's daughter, Helen.
Two hours later.
Thomas and his family gathered in the dining room area to eat dinner. He looked at his wife. "What is this important news that you are going to tell us, honey?" he asked his wife with curiosity flashing in his eyes.
Valeria smiled at her family gathering around the dining table. "My best friend Donna and I are planning to have an arranged marriage between her daughter and one of our sons," she replied casually.
Everyone was shocked.
"Whaaaaaat-?" Oliver's eyes bulged in shock. "I don't want any of it!" he said vehemently.
"Mother! Don't try to arrange my marriage with anyone! I won't marry a woman that I don't like!" Mark objected.
"Me too, Mother! I don't want to get married yet! I'm still enjoying my single life!" Arthur exclaimed.
Thomas throws his wife a questioning glance. "Who is the son you are trying to arrange a marriage with?"
Valeria giggled upon seeing her children's objections and whining. "Calm down children! None of you will marry this year. I am choosing a wife for Peter!" she replied proudly.
"Whaaaaat-?" Thomas asked in full surprise.
Valeria looked at her husband's surprised look. "What's wrong, honey?"
Thomas sighed deeply. "We all know that Peter is having a hard time running the store. Can't you see the situation of that poor boy - not only he is the boss - he also works together with his employees just to minimize on salary spending, then you will give him a wife? The expenses will double for sure! What kind of bullshit idea is that-?" he roared.
"Yes, Mother. With Peter's situation today, he can't afford to have another mouth to feed and he is too busy care for a wife. Maybe five or ten years from now down the road... when his situation vastly improves, he can finally afford a wife," Oliver agreed with his father.
"I agree... marrying is not the right thing to do for him right now," Mark interjected.
Arthur nods his head. "Mother, I agree with Father, and my brothers. That's not a good idea, please drop it!" he said.
Valeria rolled her eyes. "You guys protested so much... can't you see his house... it's dirty... things and trash are everywhere. Peter's house needs a woman's touch. Dirty dishes are lying around in the sink and the floor hasn't been cleaned for a long time. There are even cobwebs in the ceilings. Peter is very busy, he doesn't have time to clean the house and the store itself. If there is a woman in there at least some cleanliness can be implemented. You only see the negative side of my suggestion, but never listen to the positive side!" she said, feeling upset.
Thomas and the boys were silent for a moment. Valeria was telling the truth, she got a point! That place needs a woman's touch.
"Peter needs a woman who can take care of him, make things easier for him and inspire him more," Valeria said. "What do you think, guys?"
Thomas looked at his wife. "I will agree to the arrange marriage, only if Peter will like the girl but if he doesn't like the girl and says no...then you can't force him!" he told his wife firmly.
Valeria smiled brightly. "Of course! I won't force Peter with this arrange marriage if she doesn't like the girl," she finally said.
"Okay, now that's settled, let's continue eating dinner..." Thomas said.
The family resumed eating their meals.
The success of Valeria's plan lies entirely in perfect planning. She had to find a way how to make the arranged marriage between Peter and Helen successful!
***
That night.
Arthur called Peter on the phone and informed him that their mother is planning an arranged marriage between him and her best friend's daughter, Helen.
Peter had not seen Helen yet, because every time there are gatherings in their house, Donna only brings her husband and her two daughters with her.
He was glad after learning from his brother that his stepmother won't force him to marry the girl if he doesn't like her.
The truth is... he can't afford to have another mouth to feed due to his difficult situation right now. If his stepmother comes and told him about the arranged marriage, he will turn down her offer right away.
He closed his eyes to sleep, not giving that outrageous issue any further thoughts.