Jacques

" Y ou have to be fucking kidding me."

It's the morning after I had to break Riri's heart.

Again.

Needless to say, the realization that I've caused her pain hasn't put me in a good mood.

And now this.

"If it means anything," George says mildly, "this is the same contract our law firm had to present to your father, and before him, your grandfather---"

He breaks off as I snatch the document in his hands.

Since this is my fucking life we're talking about, I'd be an idiot to just take Greg's word for it.

I need to see and read this for myself.

And unfortunately, it's everything my lawyer says it is.

To maintain control and ownership of the university and the opera house, I've got to marry one of the students currently enrolled in our music department.

It's that simple.

And that fucked up.

"Why did my parents never tell me anything about this?"

"That would be because of Article 18, Clause B. It's on Page 5," Greg adds helpfully. "It says that the undersigned is not to disclose---"

"I get it," I say curtly, and Greg immediately shuts his mouth.

What the hell was my great-grandfather thinking of?

Had he lost his mind after losing his wife to a boating accident?

Just because he and my great-grandmother had found love in the opera didn't mean the same thing would happen automatically to his descendants.

And yet...

That was exactly what happened.

My grandparents were still madly in love with each other and enjoying their golden years in the south of France.

While I lost my parents when I was only eighteen years old, the memories I had of them were all happy.

They, too, had been in love.

But even so.

"You have until tomorrow to make up your mind, Mr. Carpentier."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I snarl.

"It was your great-grandfather who made these rules," Greg protests. "There's nothing I can do about it."

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

It's been an hour since Greg left, but I'm still in my office brooding and hating myself for not being able to make up my mind.

All I have to lose is the university and the opera house.

It won't make much difference to my bank account.

But on the other hand---

Those two establishments make up my family's legacy, and my pride stings at the thought of being blamed throughout history for losing control of them.

What are you thinking of, God?

I have never been the type to pray, but I've always known He existed.

He's always been there in the back of my mind.

But it's the first time in my life that I'm unable to deny His presence.

This has divine interference written all over it, but what I want to know is why.

Why is he pushing me to marry the one woman I'm convinced will eventually leave me?