Chapter 29
Mrs. Vasquez Sr. looked at her earnestly. “You saved my life, so you’re my savior. I would never trick you. My grandson is a good man in every way, just a bit cold and quiet. Oh, and he served in the military for nearly ten years.”
An image immediately formed in Stephanie’s mind: a reserved, slightly effeminate man with a bodybuilder’s physique.
Actually… if she hadn’t already made plans with Cecilia, she might have considered the old woman’s grandson. Who knew, she might have even gained a new best friend out of the deal.
Just then, Cecilia called.
“I’m so sorry, but my cousin turned down the fake marriage proposal! He called me ridiculous, saying I’m treating marriage like some kind of game. I can try to find someone else for you, but you need to get the certificate so soon… tomorrow might be impossible.
you wait a few more days? You haven’t found a buyer for the company yet, anyway, right?”
Can
Stephanie was stunned. “Even with the payment?‘
The signal on the mountain was poor, and the call suddenly dropped.
Stephanie stared at her phone, which now showed no service, feeling completely helpless. Mrs. Vasquez Sr. pressed her advantage. “My grandson is a busy man, he’s hardly ever home. But that’s a good thing for a man, right? It’ll give you some peace and quiet.
Dear, why don’t you give it a try? After a year, if you’re not satisfied, you can just retum him… oh, I mean, get a divorce. We can sign an agreement beforehand. We promise we won’t ask for a single thing from you!”
Stephanie was speechless. This old woman was really going to great lengths to find a wife for her grandson in a marriage of convenience.
But the terms she offered seemed to hit all of Stephanie’s requirements perfectly.
First, it was a marriage of convenience, so she wouldn’t have to worry about sharing a bed with a complete stranger. After all, he might be even more averse to intimacy with a woman than she was with him.
Second, they would divorce after a year. By then, the share transfer for Meridian Consortium should be complete, allowing her to make a clean break.
If what the old woman said was true–that her grandson was rarely home and also gay… it seemed like a viable option.
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Chapter 29
After seriously considering it for a moment, Stephanie asked, “In that case, when would your grandson be available to register our marriage?”
Hearing this, Mrs. Vasquez Sr. knew the deal was sealed. Fearing this heaven–sent girl might slip away, she quickly said, “If you’re willing, we can do it right now.”
“Right now?” Stephanie was puzzled. “But isn’t your grandson still in the military? Doesn’t he need to report this to his superiors?”
Mrs. Vasquez Sr.’s eyes twinkled. It seemed Ms. Jackson had interpreted ‘rarely home‘ to mean he was still on active duty.
But Mrs. Vasquez Sr. didn’t bother to correct her. Instead, she said, “Our family has some connections at the city hall. If you agree, we can have the marriage certificate delivered to you immediately.”
“But it’s such a big decision. Shouldn’t you let your grandson know first?”
“No need. He always listens to me. He won’t have any objections.”
The group walked down the mountain together At the base, a man who looked like a butler was already waiting by a car.
“Ma’am, the marriage certificate is ready.” With that, the butler handed something to Mrs. Vasquez Sr.
The old woman held the fresh, new certificate and slapped her thigh with joy. “Excellent! I’ve finally managed to marry off that useless grandson of mine!”
Stephanie was in a daze.
What kind of family was this? How could a grandmother and grandson have such a bizarre relationship? She felt like she had fallen into a huge trap. Was it too late to escape?
Mrs. Vasquez Sr. clearly had no intention of giving Stephanie a chance to back out. “I’ll hold on to the marriage certificate for you both. You can get it from me when you need it.” With that, Mrs. Vasquez Sr. took off the jade bracelet from her wrist and slipped it onto Stephanie’s. “This bracelet is a family heirloom Dear, you must take good care of it!”
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15

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