115 Setting Conditions

Brandon gave my hand a reassuring squeeze as he led me towards the dining table. I was partly glad that I didn’t have a meal like this with his parents when we were really dating. This was going to be a complete disaster and I knew it. Brandon didn’t seem too disturbed by his mother’s openly cold attitude towards me. It was like everything was proceeding along just like how he had expected it to.

Brandon pulled out a chair for me and gestured for me to take a seat. I thanked him politely as I put on my perfect smile. Brandon took the seat next to mine. Looking up from the hands that I had clenched on my lap, my gaze came in direct contact with those of his parents who were seated opposite from us.

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“Dear, Brandon is here to have lunch with us...” the lady spoke up sweetly as she addressed her husband.

“I can see that already,” the master of the estate replied coldly.

I had to say that I could see where Brandon got his good looks from and also his slightly cold attitude at times. My body stiffened and I sat up slightly straighter when I felt his father’s grey eyes shift to look at me.

“This is Elena. I brought her to see you just like you had requested,” Brandon said directly to his father.

I could feel the old man’s eyes staring at my face and it took all of my efforts to not turn the other way under his intimidating stare. His eyes traveled from my face down to my body as if he was appraising my worth. His face was an emotionless mask, and I couldn’t tell what he was thinking at all. After a moment of silence, he looked away from me and I was able to breathe normally again.

“Welcome,” the older man said.

“We’ll spend the weekend here together before travelling back on Sunday,” Brandon stated his plans passively.

.....

“I hate wasting time so let’s start talking about what we’re supposed to talk about. Is she the one that you want to marry?” his father asked as he stared at Brandon.

Once again, I was being ignored. The man was adamant on discussing about me in my presence. Although I appreciated his transparency in all of this, I didn’t think that he was doing this for my benefit at all.

“Yes. I already told you so and I’ll tell you the same thing as many times as you want me to,” Brandon replied, not bothering to hide his annoyance.

“I heard that she seemed to have garnered the approval of your board of directors,” his father commented coldly.

“She has just like you specified,” Brandon replied, equally as coldly.

These two might as well have been discussing a business deal rather than family affairs. There were clearly no emotions involved in the conversation and I was starting to wonder if this was always what it was like between these two father and son. Was everything just business for them?

I held my tongue as I tried to mask my presence while I listened to their ongoing conversation. Brandon’s father nodded his head as if he was recalling the conversations that they shared previously about this matter.

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“I see. Very well then. Since you won’t have any other woman, I’ll let you do things your way this time around,” his father said after some thought.

“Thank you,” Brandon said passionlessly.

That’s it? Was the matter all settled and done now?

I was surprised at how smooth things seemed to be progressing. What did the old man just say about Brandon not willing to have any other woman?

My eyes widened as the meaning of his words sunk in. Was any part of that true or was it all just part of Brandon’s act, I couldn’t help but wonder silently to myself as I turned to stare at Brandon’s well composed face.

“I know very well what she has to gain by marrying a man like you. I will not officially acknowledge her until she provides this family with the heir that we’ve been waiting for. Of course, she will be required to sign a prenup agreement,” his father said sternly.

I bit my tongue to keep myself silent. Unfortunately, I knew exactly what he meant by ‘what she has to gain’. His parents clearly viewed me as nothing more than a gold digger that was slightly pleasant to look at because of my looks. I tried my best not to mind what they thought but it wasn’t an easy task. Considering the circumstances that I was in, being paid to be his fake fiancée and all, perhaps it wasn’t entirely wrong to call me a gold digger. I didn’t want to marry him, though. Money or no money.

“We are well aware of that,” Brandon replied smoothly.

“To make sure that we are on the right track to achieve that, I ask that you submit results of a proper fertility test to ensure that your girlfriend won’t have issues conceiving and bearing a child,” his father stated seriously.

He’s asking for what?!

A fertility test of all things. I wanted to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. The man was asking for a fertility test result to prove that I functioned well as a baby-making machine. Oh, the weird way that the world turns...

“Sure,” Brandon readily agreed without pause.

What?!

My neck almost snapped as I turned quickly to stare at Brandon in disbelief. I didn’t walk into this room with that outcome in my consideration at all. How can he readily agree to this without consulting me first?

Brandon turned and smiled at me charmingly and I was forced to smile back although I wanted nothing more than to raise my arm and hit him as hard as I could. I have never gotten a fertility test before, and I wasn’t interested in getting one...

“Good. Time for lunch,” the old man said as he picked up his utensils and focused on the food in front of him.

It was evident that as far as the old man was concern the conversation had come to a complete close and he already had what he wanted. He was probably content to know that baby was supposed to be on its way soon. All he needed was confirmation of a fertility test and then he could welcome his grandchild with opened arms. This is just twisted...

–To be continued...

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