Nora wiped her tears slowly and cleared her throat before answering the call, "Grandpa William? Is everything alright?"
Even though William Doughby was not her real grandpa, the old man had always treated her like his granddaughter, and she had always treated him like her grandfather. Seeing his call, she could not help but worry about his health.
As she was met with silence on the other end, Nora wondered if her voice had sounded upset. Wondering if she should ask again, she was jolted a bit when he finally spoke, "Nora, are you at home?"
Frowning, Nora shook her head and spoke, "No, Grandpa. I am outside. I'd come to... I'd come out."
She could hear him sigh and wondered what this call was about, "Nora, come to my office right away. And there is no need to tell anyone about this."
Confused about his curt tone, Nora sighed deeply and straightened her appearance. She could not let anyone know anything as of yet, especially Grandpa William. He was protective of her and would probably charge Antonio's house to question him.
As she opened the app to book a taxi, she glanced at the flowers and the book still in her hand. Inadvertently, her eyes moistened once again, and she angrily threw the things into a bin nearby. Wiping her tears, she decided that she would not think about this for now. Later, in the night, she would examine all her feelings and then decide what to do. As she boarded the taxi, her phone started to ring again. This time it was Antonio.
Her heart clenched, and she yearned to pick up the call. Maybe hearing his voice would make her realize this was all just a bad dream. No. She wouldn't talk to him until she had sorted out all her emotions.
Declining the call, she took another calming breath and gave the driver the address.
The office was dimly lit, and Nora could not help but wonder why Grandpa would call her into the office at this hour. After all, he was also strict about not doing overtime. Glancing around the otherwise empty office, Nora made her way to his cabin.
Inside, the old man seemed to be have been waiting for her as he immediately stood up to welcome her into the office. As she was engulfed in his arms, Nora almost broke down but quickly stepped away and questioned, "Grandpa? Is everything alright?"
While the old man was usually jovial, he could also be very cunning and straightforward. It was what had made him a top business lawyer in the country. Nora could see that he had his business face on and continued to think about the purpose of this meeting.
Grandpa William sighed and spoke softly, "Oh, everything is fine, my dear. I just wanted to have a little chat with you. You know, I've been thinking about your upcoming wedding."
Nora felt her stomach flip. She remembered when she had first mentioned her intention to get married, Grandpa William had not been very happy with her decision. Though he had said nothing, she had been aware of his displeasure. She wondered if he too had sensed Antonio's disloyalty. She kept quiet and waited for him to continue. Would he too warn her about the perils of getting married too early? It was already too late for that talk, though. And should she confide in him? She knew she could not tell anything to anyone else.
"Nora, I trust your judgment despite your youth. However, I have also seen the world change. The world and the future are unpredictable. You and Antonio love each other, but there are forces that might change the direction of your lives in the future. And so, I have only one request of you. I want you to sign a prenuptial agreement. It's not that I am doubting your love for him or his love for you... it's just that both of you come from considerable wealth. While he has his now, and you will inherit yours later, it still is better to form an understanding..."
Nora had stopped hearing everything Grandpa William had to say after he spoke of a prenuptial agreement. If he had warned her against Antonio, maybe she could have kept quiet. If he had told her that she should think again, she would have endured. But his trust in her and his concern for protecting her despite his misgivings made Nora break down, and she started to cry miserably.
Assuming that he had hurt her with his proposal, Grandpa William patted her back and tried to find words of comfort, but before he could say anything, Nora spoke between sobs, "I don't think we will be getting married, grandpa. There will be no need for a prenuptial agreement."
"Nora, dear child. has something happened, or are you just getting cold feet? Stop crying, child, and tell Grandpa."
Nora took a deep shuddering breath and tried to speak, "Antonio is in love with someone else, Grandpa. I just saw him..."
In broken words, Nora explained everything that had happened to the old man who listened intently without revealing his thoughts. While Nora had remained oblivious to many truths, he had been able to see things around her. The child had suffered at her mother's hands all these years and yearned for love. And that Antonio was a good boy, but he had no spine. Even though he liked Nora, he had never been worthy to stand by her side. William Doughboy had expected this to happen, just that he had not expected it to happen so soon.
"I am going to call him now and tell him that he can be with Sara if he loves her so much! I won't stand in their way."
Before she could make the call, however, the phone was grabbed out of her hand, "He is in love with Sara?"
Nora could only give a small nod while the old man confirmed, "Your sister, Sara?"