YUMIKA SQUIRMED in her seat as she popped her knuckles. For a while now, she had been stealing glances at the large wall clock hanging in Attorney Tan’s office. She had already lost count of how many sighs she had let out just to ease the nervousness twisting inside her. Honestly, she wanted to run. She wanted to leave before the person they were waiting for arrived. She wasn’t ready to face him yet.
Cade Hernandez, the man who left her two days after their wedding two years ago, was finally back in town. Even now, she still felt the pain caused by him when he left her, even though two years have already passed.
The door suddenly squeaked open, and Yumika’s head shot up in an instant. Her heart beat faster than before. The person they had been waiting for had finally arrived. Yumika breathed in and forgot to let it out. Why, the devil incarnate was still looking so damn good. So much better, in fact. He wore a dark blue button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up past his elbows, and it outlined his muscular arms. He looked taller compared to before. He even looked sexier with his hair pushed back. It was as if he had just gone out of the shower. He’s got a perfect five o'clock shadow, which added mystery to his overall appearance.
But her breath caught even more when their eyes met. Cade stared at her for three seconds straight before he eyed her up and down. She felt as if the pencil skirt she was wearing had disappeared. His dark eyes met her brown eyes once again. She wanted to look away, but she couldn’t. It was like she had suddenly gone weak.
“Cade, hijo.” Attorney’s voice cut through the hypnotic tension between them. She let out a breath as Cade cleared his throat.
“Attorney…” he said in a deep baritone that made her hair stand on end. “Sorry for keeping you waiting. The traffic on the way here was a bit bad.”
“It’s okay. Your wife just got here too,” Attorney Tan said, glancing at her. Cade didn’t glance at her though, instead he slouched on the comfy chair as if she weren’t there.
Okay, fine. If you can ignore me, I can do the same for you. She muttered inwardly. “Attorney, let’s get to the point of why you called us. I have to be somewhere else by ten o'clock.”
The old attorney sighed. “Okay, this is all about the last will and testament of Franco.” He said, referring to Cade’s late father. Cade straightened in his seat, clearly interested in what the attorney was about to say.
Two weeks ago, his father suffered a heart attack and didn’t make it. That was the reason Cade had returned. He showed up at the last vigil for his late father. Yumika hadn’t seen him since he came back, or rather, she was intentionally avoiding meeting him, and this would be their very first meeting since he disappeared.
“Why am I part of this, Attorney Tan?” Mika couldn't help but ask.
“Of course. You are a Hernandez, after all.”
“Only by marriage. Steph should be the one here and not me.” She insisted, not even looking at Cade. She was fully aware of his gaze though.
“I already called Stephanie, but she can’t make it today. With her consent, she told me to go ahead even without her. She’ll meet me sometime later today, though.” He glanced at Cade. “Shall we proceed, Cade?”
“By all means, Attorney.”
“Okay,” the older man said, looking at the papers in his hand. “It’s written here in your father’s last will and testament that La Manière will go to Stephanie. It’s a clothing line, Cade, and from now on your sister will be the one running it. It caters to wedding gowns and fabulous dresses.”
“I didn’t know we owned a clothing line.”
“How would you know? You left, remember?” Yumika couldn’t help but reply. She bit her lip as both men stared at her. “Carry on, Attorney.”
“Well, eight months ago, your father bought it. This clothing line was on the verge of bankruptcy. Your father helped Mrs. Ortega, the former owner, and later acquired all the rights to it. The name was then changed from Fashion Fever to La Manière. Since Steph had contributed a few designs, your father decided it was best for La Manière to be managed by your sister.”
“I don’t have a problem with that. I think Steph can handle it.”
The older attorney nodded, and Yumika nodded in return. It made sense that the clothing line would go to Steph. Ever since their late father bought the business, Stephanie had been responsible and reliable. That was because being a designer was truly in Steph’s heart. His sister had finally gotten the chance to do what she really wanted.
“And for your wife, your father also left instructions.” she heard the attorney say. Yumika squirmed again. “Your late father wanted Yumika to have the Hernandez Manor.” She was referring to another mansion owned by the Hernandezes. It was a modern mansion located on the outskirts of town. She had been there once before when Steph brought her for a vacation. The house was somewhat isolated and very private because it was built on the side of a mountain. At night, though, the place was magnificent.
Yumika couldn’t help sneaking a glance at Cade. It was too late — he was already looking at her. “Well, if that’s what my father wanted, she can have the mansion,” he said, pointing at her. Yumika’s nostrils flared. He hadn’t even bothered to say her name. Her irritation must have shown on her face because it made the older attorney smile.
“The she you are referring to is your wife, Cade.” The attorney sounded amused.
“Yeah, but not for long. I’m planning to have an annulment.”
Attorney Tan shook his head. “If I were you, Cade, I wouldn’t do that. Especially if you still want your share.”
“What do you mean by that, Attorney?” Cade asked, his eyebrows furrowed.
The older man cleared his throat. “Your father wanted you to have the entire Hernandez empire, but on one condition.” Yumika suddenly felt nervous, as it felt like she was somehow involved in this condition. “You can only have it if both of you, as husband and wife, live together under the same roof for a whole year.”
Both of them gasped, “What?!”
“Yes, all of that is written here in your father’s last will and testament.” He held the papers up. Yumika could only clutch her head in disbelief. It felt like her head was about to burst. If this were just a dream, she wished she could wake up. This was a nightmare for her. “After being the president, your mother is now the current CEO until you take over. Your mother plans to retire, so as soon as possible, you should take over,” added Attorney Tan, giving her a meaningful look.
“What if I don’t agree to live with Cade?” she asked after a few minutes.
“Then Cade won’t get the Hernandez empire,” the older man replied simply, shrugging.
“No, no, no. You will help me get the Hernandez empire, my dear wife.”
She raised an eyebrow at Cade. Then she let out a sly laugh, as if daring him. “Oh, wow. So, I’m your wife now? And what if I don’t want to be? Can you do anything about it?”
The older man cleared his throat and stood from his seat. “I’ll just leave you two so you can talk.”
“No, Attorney,” she said, trying not to make the older man leave her alone with Cade. “You don’t have to leave. There’s nothing left to discuss with my estranged husband.”
“Please, Attorney. Give us a moment.” Yumika just blinked as the older man obeyed Cade. “Whether you like it or not, you’ll help me get my share, wife.” Cade stood and walked toward the door. She shivered when she saw him lock it.
She jumped to her feet without warning. “W-What are you doing?”
Cade laughed as he approached her. “I’m not going to kill you or anything. I just want to spend some quality time with you.”
“D-Don’t come near me! You’re not going to—” She didn’t finish her sentence as he grabbed her by her waist. It felt like she swallowed her tongue when their faces came close together.
“Hmm? What did you say, wife?” he whispered to her. His breath fanned her cheek, tickling her at the same time. Every signal in her body went haywire—red lights, wailing sirens. But her mind seemed to malfunction, because when she noticed his face slowly leaning in as if to kiss her, she didn’t move away. She was immobilized, in fact. And she could do nothing as their lips met.
At first, he kissed her gently, as if she might break. But a few seconds later, he kissed her like he owned her. At that point, her mind seemed to kick back in, sending warning signals like it was a matter of life and death. With her palm against his chest, she pushed him away. But he seemed to know her intentions, because he didn’t budge. Instead, he placed a hand on the back of her head. He deepened the kiss, and Yumika silently shrieked. He was kissing her like her lips were air and he couldn’t breathe.
When she felt that his arm around her had loosened slightly, she took the chance to push him fully away. This time, she finally won. But that wasn’t all. She found herself slapping him on his cheek. Surprised at what she had done, she quickly hid her shock. Without saying a word, she grabbed her shoulder bag and hurried to the door, leaving him behind.