Chapter 6 Were They Crazy?

By Kelly

The accountant began listing all the companies we owned.

I was amazed—there were some very well-known brands that I didn’t even know belonged to me.

The property was much larger than I’d thought—or maybe they’d been buying up neighboring properties.

Once again, I felt overwhelmed.

The notary was there to attest to the authenticity of the clauses the deceased had stipulated.

“The time has come. I have two letters—one for each of you—written in their own handwriting by your respective parents, as well as a list of the requirements you must meet to claim your inheritance.”

I shifted restlessly in my chair.

“If you’d like to read them silently first, that’s fine; then I’ll have to read them aloud so the other person knows, for certain, what to expect.”

“This is crazy—it sounds like a threat.”

I said, quite angry; they’re making a big deal out of this when everything should be much simpler.

“I’d rather read it to myself.”

“Me too,”

Said the unpleasant young man.

They handed me the letter.

I took it with my trembling hands; I didn’t know what to think.

I checked to make sure it was my father’s handwriting.

I had no doubts about that.

It wasn’t very long.

For a moment—and only for a moment—I calmed down.

Until I started reading it.

Dearest daughter:

First of all, I want you to know that I’m doing all this for your own good, so that you won’t be alone and vulnerable for the rest of your life.

I know that since your mother passed away, I’ve failed many times as a father; she was the one who guided me and made everything work.

I want you to know that the pain of losing her was immense and intense, and that I loved her until the very last day of my life—just as I love you.

I wanted your life to be beautiful, and I always felt that I couldn’t make that happen.

My daughter, I want you to know that I’ve adored you my whole life and that when you were born, you brought heaven into our lives.

(At this point, my tears were falling uncontrollably; I sighed deeply before continuing to read.)

My love, we traveled the world together, and sharing those moments with you was one of life’s greatest pleasures, because I had your warmth every day and all your attention.

Now you’re a woman—a beautiful, sensitive, delicate, emotional woman, and much more fragile than you’d like to be.

You love to put on that tough facade that doesn’t really exist within you.

You’re a unique and cultured woman like few others, with a prodigious intelligence.

I just want to tell you that I love you.

You might not see the point in what I'm about to say, but believe me, I'm certain I'm not wrong in choosing you.

I’m only looking out for your happiness, and I assure you that you’ll find it.

Starting now and for the next six months, you must live in the countryside, without leaving it, except in extreme cases.

(I reread those lines because they didn’t make much sense.)

Then you’ll have a month to decide whether to stay or go wherever you wish.

Now I really think I’m going to surprise you.

In exactly seven months, you’re going to get married.

(If I’d reread those lines before, at that moment I was looking at them without understanding; I decided to keep reading to find out what they meant.)

You’re going to marry Rodolfo Orellana Coutol.

“Was he crazy?”

(I said out loud.)

Not just get married—you have to build a life together as a couple and have children, not just one.

Only then will you be sure to have a man by your side who respects and protects you; love between the two of you will blossom—I have no doubt about that.

Your fortune is immense; with Rodolfo, you have a real man by your side—not a gold digger disguised as a Good Samaritan. You’re smart, and so far you’ve managed to get rid of those who might have been by your side for petty reasons.

Believe me, Ethan and I have talked about this a lot, and it’s the only way neither of us will lose our assets—that is, the estate and the countless factories.

Everything will be yours, and everything will also be Rodolfo’s.

I’m simply saying goodbye to you, congratulating you on your choice of husband.

I love you.

Don’t fight love.

The lawyer will read the clauses to you; you have every right to reject everything, but I hope that my hard work hasn’t been in vain and that you’ll respect my wishes—which, I repeat, are only for your own good.

I love you.

I reread everything.

I wasn’t sure I’d understood everything correctly or what the consequences would be if I didn’t marry that idiot.

Why did my father think that man was going to protect me?

Where did he get the idea that I could fall in love with him?

Didn’t he know him?

“Is this a joke?”

I say, and I’m getting angrier and angrier at my father.

I stand up, intending to leave.

“Miss Kelly, we haven’t read the terms yet, and it’s important that you know them.”

I glared at them all angrily.

“My father was definitely crazy.”

I said, raising my voice.

I was losing all self-control.

Up until then, Rodolfo had been silent, but I didn’t know what his letter said.

Maybe it was just a wish of my father’s, and it would all come to nothing.

Get married?

To the man I hate?

To the one who thinks he’s perfect all the time?

To that conceited man?

“Did you set this up?”

I ask Rodolfo, very suspiciously.

“Are you crazy?”

“This is bullshit,”

I say.

“Miss, please, calm down.”

“My father did nothing but ruin my life at every turn.”

Everyone looks at me in astonishment.

-“Let’s move on to reading the clauses.”

The lawyer says, and I think he wants to get out of there as soon as possible.

-After the clauses, we’ll read the letters aloud.

-“Is that necessary?”

Rodolfo asks, and I think he’s pretty annoyed, too.

Step 1

Clause 1.

From this moment on, both parties must live together on a daily basis for six months, without leaving the farm, except in case of an emergency; short trips to town are permitted.

Clause 2.

During the first six months, they must have dinner together every day, in any wing or area of the house, with no excuses.

Clause 3.

During these months, they must share various activities every day for at least two hours; this does not include dinner.

Clause 4.

If events come up, you must attend them together as a couple, respect each other, and return home together.

Clause 5.

You must plan the wedding together, come to an agreement, and share all responsibilities related to the wedding preparations.

Step 2

You may or may not take a month-long vacation—separately or together—or stay in the countryside without doing anything together; you’re free to do so, but during this month you have no obligations to fulfill.

Step 3

They get married on the first day of the eighth month.

They live together as husband and wife, always sleeping in the same room.

Step 4

Timeframes:

If they live together for only two years and decide to separate, each is entitled to only 25%, and the remainder will be donated to a charitable organization.

If either partner is unfaithful and this can be proven, the unfaithful partner will receive only 15% instead of the 25% mentioned above.

If they live together for only three years and decide to separate, each is entitled to only 35%, and the remainder will be donated to a charity.

If either partner is unfaithful and this can be proven, the unfaithful partner will receive only 25% instead of the 35% mentioned above.

If they live together for only five years and decide to separate, each is entitled to half of the assets.

If either partner is unfaithful and this can be proven, the unfaithful partner will receive only the 35% mentioned above.

If, during that time, they have children within their marriage, both will receive 50% of the total value of all property and assets, but they may not sell any of the inherited property under any circumstances.

If there are children involved, you cannot leave the property until they reach the age of 18.

If they are separated, they can live in different wings of the house.

Under no circumstances may they bring their partners—whether boyfriends, girlfriends, or lovers—into the house.

We hope that during the first six months, you’ll get to know each other, discover each other, and fall in love.

We love you.

Please be discreet when speaking with others about the marriage agreement.

A deathly silence fell.

Rodolfo broke it.

“Were you out of your minds?”

he asked.

"When did you do this crazy thing?"

he asked them indignantly.

“This document is dated a little over two years ago.”

“Wasn’t the helicopter crash an accident?”

He asked, and I was about to ask the same question.

-“It was definitely an accident, and you know it—you saw the forensic reports. We also have two separate wills, in case the deaths of the deceased occurred at different times.”

“This is a bad joke,”

I say.

-It’s a fact, miss.

Suddenly, I remember the dates of the last two exams in my degree program.

-I’m sorry, but this is wrong, and I can’t even bring myself to stay here any longer.

-“It’s stipulated in the will.”

“My father did nothing but ruin my life; he always wanted to control it however he pleased.”

-“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be a hypocrite—you don’t feel sorry at all; you don’t care at all. You’re only here to collect a fortune for saying ‘yes, sir’ to those two jerks.”

-You’re being disrespectful.

-I can’t stay.

-“Then you lose everything.”

I stopped myself.

-I’m not going to lose anything, and I’m going to sue you guys. Are you in on this?

I asked Roberto.

-“Are you crazy? Why would I want to get married?”

-“So you can keep everything.”

“That’s stupid, and the price is too high. It’s definitely not worth getting married, especially not to a woman like you.”

-“What do you mean?”

“You even accused me of being part of this madness. Who the hell wants to get married? To be tied down?”

-I don’t care about your problems, but I have important things to take care of.

-“Do you have an appointment at a spa?”

She says to me with contempt.

-“You idiot!”

I say, raising my hand to slap him.

He grabs my hand in midair.

“I’m not an idiot, and you’re not going to raise your hand to me. You’re a spoiled little girl, and I’m a man. If you want half the farm and the factories, you’re staying right here from now on.”

“Then you say you’re not involved in this madness.”

“I’m not, and it seems crazy to me too, but I’m going to look into everything and figure out a way to get out of marrying you.”

“You don’t understand—I have my own life, and on Wednesday I need to be in Sacramento, and the following week, too.”

I said, and my tears flowed uncontrollably.

I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

-“Do you have to donate an organ to be acting like this?”

He asked me sarcastically.

-“No, I have to take the last two classes in my degree program.”

“A modeling degree?”

He asked me contemptuously.

The lawyer knew I was studying.

“Idiot.”

I said to Rodolfo.

-“Sir… I’m graduating in 10 days, please…”

I said, crying my eyes out.

“Let’s go over the transcripts, and then we’ll decide if we’ll make an exception and treat this as a case of force majeure.”

-“It is—I only have two courses left. I can’t just throw away five years of college.”

We went on to read the letters.