"Me too, Grandpa. If this is good for the family, I'm willing to do anything," Mavis chimed in. Her response was as insincere as possible; she was just trying to score points.
Then it was my turn. Not knowing the specifics, I nodded along with the others, hoping it would be the best course of action.
Grandpa's eyebrow lifted as he asked, "You agree to it?"
"Yes!" I nodded vigorously.
"Hmph. I didn't expect you to be so enthusiastic about the company's well-being," he remarked, clearly referring to the fact that I was still thinking about the company despite their treatment of me.
"Okay then. All of you will receive further instructions about the party and your roles, especially you, Maeve." Grandpa looked at me with a serious expression. I straightened up and tried to meet his gaze with a determined look.
"What about me? What did I do?" I was confused, glancing at my father for clues, but he just looked at me with a scowl.
"Yes?" I asked nervously, feeling completely alone.
"You have to carry yourself like the daughter of the Cruz family. You can't bring shame on the family, even if you're just an illegitimate child." He spoke harshly.
"What do you mean by that?" I asked, realizing that this confusion could lead to problems in the future. I needed to clarify it now.
"The gathering? You must ensure you act like a civil member of the family and not—" He gestured toward everyone else. "A gathering? Were they discussing a gathering?" I breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought it was something serious. No wonder they included me in the family for such a trivial thing."
"Of course, I'll be on my best behavior," I replied, suppressing any hint of trouble. I needed to keep a low profile if I wanted to live a long and peaceful life, especially when dealing with people like my grandfather.
"Okay then, all of you leave," he said dismissively. I stood up before anyone else, inadvertently making it look like I was eager to escape. But just as I was about to leave, Grandpa's chilling voice stopped me.
"You will stay," he said, his tone sending a shiver down my spine. I turned to face him, confusion and apprehension clouding my mind. What could he possibly want now?
As everyone else departed, Mavis gave me one last sinister smile before exiting. The room fell into an oppressive silence, and Grandpa gestured for me to take a seat. I complied, trying to keep my gaze steady and my demeanor composed, though the silence was unbearable.
After what felt like an eternity, Grandpa finally spoke. "I have received a report."
"Report?" My heart raced. What kind of report could this be? Was he referring to something about my graduation? "About what exactly?"
"About your conduct," he replied with a deep, measured tone, catching me completely off guard.
"I've had an investigator tailing you for quite a while now," he added, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
"Huh? Why would you?" I was both shocked and creeped out. The idea of being monitored like this was unsettling.
"I needed to keep my assets in check," he said, his voice as cold as ice. "There's no way something with the Cruz name on it comes without scrutiny. Even if you're an illegitimate child, you're still an asset for a rainy day. I needed to see what kind of value you could bring."
My chest tightened at the realization. Was this man really so ruthless that he hired an investigator to follow me?
"After a thorough examination, I've come to a conclusion. You are very useful," he said, though the way he said it was more horrifying than reassuring. "You know how to use the present responses for your benefit. So, I'd like to offer you a small deal."
I felt a surge of anger, but I forced myself to remain calm. I couldn't challenge him; he was on a whole different level compared to anyone I had dealt with before. All I could do was surrender.
"What kind of deal?" I asked, bracing myself for whatever he might propose.
"In the gathering, seduce the man I tell you to," he said with a sinister snicker.
"Seduce? But why?" I asked, bewildered.
"Because we need him to help keep this company running, and he's the gem that can make it happen," he replied, revealing a crucial secret about the company's stability.
"Why are you asking me to do it? Shouldn't Mavis be the one?" I questioned.
"A good question, but she's not capable of it. You know how to reach a man's heart more effectively than she does. I need a professional for this job," he said, dismissing Mavis's capabilities.
Ha! He must have learned about my ways of getting what i wanted from men with ease.
"And what happens after I've seduced him?" I asked, trying to understand my role in this plan.
"Tsk," he clicked his tongue in annoyance and shook his head. "Not you. The rest will be handled by Mavis. All you need to do is seduce him as Mavis. The rest will be Mavis's job."
I was still grappling with the complexity of his plan. Whatever he was scheming, it was far from a simple task.
"So you're saying I have to seduce a man while pretending to be Mavis?" I asked, my voice laced with disbelief. "Are you serious? We don't even look alike. How is anyone going to believe that?"
"Don't worry too much about that," Grandpa said dismissively. "He's already considering a marriage alliance with the Cruz family. He'll be easily charmed. You just need to ensure that he makes the decision quickly. Think of it as just making the initial connection."
"So, I'll be a catalyst for the relationship?" I clarified.
"Exactly!" he confirmed with a cold satisfaction.
"I have two questions for you then," I said, trying to navigate this confusing situation.
"Ask," he replied, his tone impatient.
"First, how do you expect him not to notice that we're not the same person? He'd have to be blind not to see the difference. And second, what's in it for me? Why should I do this?" I pressed, hoping to get some clarity and perhaps leverage. At my quesiton he simply gave me a cunning smile.