The day her father's company was no longer standing was the day, Myra Rayas signed her marriage papers. She was no longer daddy's rich girl and could no longer even afford the dress she was wearing. The dress was a courtesy of her now new husband, Xavier Westwood.
Myra paused for a moment, her hand hovering before the marriage papers. Xavier eyed her, with a stern look. Even with her head down, Myra could feel his eyes on her. She thought to herself, 'Do I really want to be involved with a man like Xavier. Do I really want to be involved with the Westwoods?'.
To that, Myra knew that she had no other choice. She had no say to any part, not even to this marriage. The Westwoods were a rare breed indeed. Generational wealth, the smarts, and of course the influence and power that these people had were no joke.
She needed the Westwoods' help in order not to be consumed by the hostile takeover of her father's company. The Rayas business and name were now a defunct entity, with more debt that she could ever know. Her father had just died of a heart attack due to the sudden demise of the company. Myra was truly alone now. Her mother had died during childbirth and her only relative, her aunt from her mother's side, wanted nothing to do with her, for fear that their still standing business would suffer from the connection with the last living Rayas heiress. Or shall we say, the orphaned and broke, Rayas heiress. The creditors were behind her, and even after selling everything in her possession, her debt was still not paid off.
Xavier put his hand on her shoulder and gripped it firmly, as if to say, 'Sign it. Or I will feed you to the wolves.'
Myra sighed with grief as slowly as she could, as she was afraid Xavier would hear it. But alas, hear he did.
"That sigh can be turned into a sigh of relief once you sign." He said in his matter-of-factly manner.
With that, Myra no longer deliberated and signed it.
"Congratulations, you are now Mr and Mrs Xavier Westwood.", the Westwoods' lawyer, Brant Gallant announced, pushing the marriage papers away.
As Brant was pushing the papers away, Myra timidly placed her hands on the papers and asked "Actually, can I keep my name, Rayas?".
Xavier looked at Myra with a quizzical look, with a hint of annoyance. The lawyer spoke before Xavier could, "The Westwoods are not known to keep maiden names and it is tradition to no longer keep one."
"Please." pleaded Myra, looking towards Xavier.
Xavier no longer had any expressions. But Myra knew he was getting annoyed and angrier by the second, at her. However, she needed to keep her name. The only thing now left of her father's was her last name, Rayas . Besides, Myra was calculating the process of divorcing Xavier once her debt and the scandal that rocked her father's company settled down and was no longer remembered.
Xavier saw the look of Myra's face and could almost see her minds' internal mechanism working. This woman had already thought of divorcing him. Xavier was so amused. Myra Rayas never failed to amuse him so. The Westwoods were known to be people of infinite authority and impact and to say that people wanted to be in the inner most circle of the Westwoods was an understatement. The number of women dying to be Mrs. Westwood was countless, and besides the power and money, Xavier was the sole heir, plus he had the looks of a God.
And this woman wanted no part of it. Xavier finally spoke after a tense silence, "You may keep Rayas but Westwood would still need to be behind it."
Myra spoke up, "It can't. I want it be solely Rayas. I'm sorry, and please." Her voice was cracking.
Xavier never one of much emotion, felt so powerless by the sound of her voice. The sadness in it was debilitating. He just stared at her, knowing all to well that he was losing.
He turned towards Brant and said, "What's in a name after all? Myra Rayas, it is." And with that, he walked off.
Myra was delighted and shocked at the same time. "Thank you. Thank you so much." Myra yelled out to the disappearing shadows of her new husband's back.
Brant was speechless and have quite taken aback. Xavier Westwood was known to be a savage to his enemies and as emotionless as it comes even to his own family. The name 'Westwood' was quite a piece of work itself. It breathed royalty, almost as if holding the name was a title itself. For Xavier to bent his own rules was quite something. Something, Xavier was not known to do. Brant looked at Myra who looked quite relieved by the outcome. He thought sure, Myra was pretty and quite cute, but she was far from his type. Xavier usually went for glamorous and busty women. He never settled and he changed women like he changed his shirt. He was quite surprised by the events that had transpired a week earlier. Xavier had called him out of blue, Brant was used to dealing with Xavier's secretary. But that day, Xavier personally called him and had asked him to prepare a wedding certificate. Brant choked on the water he was sipping, dumbfounded by what he had just heard. Myra on the other hand, used to be wealthy but nowhere near the Westwoods' generational wealth and power, and Myra's family was very much a working class family, where Myra's father, Richard Rayas, managed to strike rich with his real estate company by accident. But just as the Rayas company was a overnight success, it also burned down just as quick. In comparison, the Rayas's family wealth was like a drop in the ocean, and the ocean was the Westwood.
Brant was aware that the other wealthy families were hell-bent on a marriage merger with the Westwoods, scheming their daughters' lives just to coincide with Xavier, hoping one might catch his interest. Xavier definitely knew the scheme and would humor these families from time to time but never was attached.
Brant was deep in thought when Myra broke his chain of thoughts, "Um, can I leave now?", Myra said unsure of herself in this space.
"Oh yes, you may. Hold on a second, I was advised for you to have this.", Brant pushed a big, thick envelope towards her.
"What is it?", questioned Myra, looking at it warily.
"Take a look and let me know if you want to change anything in the contents." answered back Brant.
Myra reached out and took out the envelope and a bunch of certificates, credit cards and wad of cash came out of it. "Wait, this is for me? Is this a mistake?" Myra spoke with equal part curiosity and shock.
"These stock certificates and credit cards are now yours, every Westwood's marriage are gifted the same thing for those entering the household." Brant filled in her curiosity.
"But these are millions dollars worth of stocks. And the cash? Its like thousands." stammered Myra.
"You can't sell the stocks though, you are now a millionaire, but in paper only. The stipulation is you can never sell the Westwood Empire stocks unless the Board members approves, of course. And the cash is loose change, from Xavier.", Brant stated.
Myra felt embarrassed. She was a pauper with nothing to her name. She couldn't even salvage anything from her home as it was foreclosed and she was evicted before she could make sense of her family's bankruptcy.
She knew Xavier was a powerful man, she was relieved in some part for this loose change. She needed toiletries, she didn't even own a toothbrush for heaven's sake. She counted the money, "Five thousand dollar is loose change?", an exasperated Myra spoke out.
Brant laughed out loud. He couldn't help it. "For Xavier it is.", he spoke at last. Brant saw Myra's annoyed look and added, "And the credit cards are limitless. You can use it for anything."
Brant continued further, "And as for your family's debt, it has been resolved. The loansharks will never again bother you."
Myra looked at the lawyer, a little embarrassed now. "Well, thank you for your help. I'll be heading out now."
As Myra walked out, Brant laughed out loud again.
'Hah, Who knew Xavier Westwood's type would be someone as innocent as Myra. Xavier really knew how to hide his emotion well.', Brant thought to himself chuckling at the Westwood heir being in love.
***
Myra walked out the elegant penthouse of the Westwood Hotel, and sighed as loud as she could. The immense weight of burden of her family's situation, felt like it was lifted off. But her face was anything but happy. Myra couldn't help but feel like she sold her soul to the devil. 'Oh dear lord, what have I done.', Myra thought to herself. Somewhere, somehow, deep within her unconscious mind, felt like she was making a mistake. A big mistake. With that thought, Myra went to her own suite, to change out of the clothes she was wearing.