Chapter 4 Chapter Four

• A week later, several people entered the office of the Johnson family lawyer.
• "Welcome!" the lawyer expressed, looking at Sergio. "The invitation was only for you, Mr. Sergio, and your daughter. I don't see the need for other people to be present."
• "It's outrageous to bring that woman here," Ava exclaimed indignantly.
• "She's my fiancée, and Ava, you better watch your mouth. Even though you're 20, I can still educate you," her father threatened angrily, but calmed down when Hades whispered in his ear.
• "Compose yourself, love. This isn't the right place for a scene."
• "Please calm down, gentlemen! Let me begin," the lawyer said, holding a document. "As you may know, Mrs. Ángela Johnson didn't leave a will due to her tragic death. Mr. John Johnson is the legal guardian of Mrs. Ángela Johnson's assets."
• "What?" Sergio exclaimed disappointedly. He hadn't been able to enjoy the entirety of his wife's assets because his father was managing them. As a widower, he thought he would be entitled to a portion of those assets, or at least what would go to Olivia as a minor.
• The lawyer glanced at Sergio for a moment before continuing.
• "Please do not interrupt. Mr. John has decided the following: I, John Johnson, in full possession of my faculties and without coercion, hereby appoint Sergio Hayek as administrator of the assets solely managed by my daughter Ángela Johnson, and as the guardian of Olivia Hayek, 15 years old, until my granddaughter Ava Hayek marries and remains married for at least one year."
• "That can't be true," Ava blurted out, sensitive to her grandfather's decisions.
• "Please let me continue, Miss Ava," Sergio interrupted, pleased because although it wasn't his wife's entire fortune, with what she received and the mansion, they could live like kings.
• "The assets that Mr. Sergio Hayek will administer include the money from a portion of the profits generated by shares in the Condextec company and the mansion where Mrs. Ángela Johnson resided. The education of Ava Hayek and Olivia Hayek will be covered by the aforementioned money. Additionally, John Johnson stipulates that once Miss Ava Hayek has been married for a year, these assets will be transferred to her, along with the rest of Mrs. Ángela Johnson's assets, and guardianship of Olivia Hayek if she is still a minor."
• Everything seemed so irrational to Ava. She didn't understand why her grandfather hadn't been present in their lives and punished her this way. She knew her father's ambition and that woman; she knew her mother's inheritance wouldn't last a few years. But what mattered to her most was her mother's mansion, which she adored for being her grandparents' home, and guardianship of Olivia.
• Now she had to endure her father, her stepmother, and her stepsister for Olivia's sake. All she had left to do was find a husband and evict all these people from her home.
• An hour later, Sergio entered the mansion carrying suitcases.
• "This house is beautiful, love!" Hades exclaimed.
• "Now it's your turn to take care of Olivia and do things right so we can enjoy this money for many years," Sergio said, standing in front of the stairs leading to the second floor.
• "I know, dear. We can finally live the life we deserve," Hades was happy; finally, she was out of that small apartment and could properly enjoy Ángela's fortune.
• "Yes, dear, with the money from the shares my late wife had, we can live the high life without lifting a finger."
• "We can't let her get married!" Hades said sarcastically.
• "I know! That's why I need your daughter's help. I want her to befriend Ava and Olivia, especially Ava, and scare off any man who tries to marry her," he sighed proudly. "Now, my love, I've fulfilled my promise to give you a life of luxury."
• "You have to teach Ava to respect me. From now on, I'm the lady of this house, and she will live by my rules," she said with a satisfied smile.
• "Don't be too hard on her. Remember, we need to keep her in this house to keep an eye on her. Although I don't think she'll be able to leave because she's very attached to Olivia."
• "Don't worry, I'll just make some changes in this house, and Olivia will have to change her way of treating me."
• "Where do I put my things, Mom?" Helen whispered, annoyed at having to wait seated on a sofa. She was a young blonde with brown eyes, always doing what her mother asked.
• "Let's take the things upstairs and rest. Tomorrow I'll take care of organizing our new rooms," Hades said confidently, climbing the stairs.
• Meanwhile, in Ángela's room, two sisters lay on a large bed.
• "Oli! Dad arrived with his new family. I already told you what grandpa decided for our future. You have to be strong," Ava said, looking intently at two tired and tear-stained eyes. "Look at yourself, you're so worn out. Stop being sad; let's not judge Mom. At some point, I'll find that old man, and he'll have to give me a lot of explanations."
• "I miss her so much. We were always the three of us for everything," Olivia confirmed with a subdued voice. Olivia was very similar physically to her sister, with fair skin, light green eyes, and her hair dyed blue, but in character, she was sweet and calm.
• "I know, princess. I miss her too, but she's no longer with us, and many things are going to change. Oli, from now on, you have to be independent, blend in with those people, and don't contradict them."
• "Okay, Ava, but don't leave me alone with them."
• Ava felt a heavy pressure in her heart seeing her sister like this. Olivia was spoiled by her mother and her; her soul felt smaller than an ant because soon she would have to leave for a year and leave her with those vermin. While she finds a husband, she decided to let her go so that when she's gone, she can take control of her life.
• "Promise me you'll be strong and won't cry everywhere. Focus on your studies and spend your time away from this house. I have to find a way to get married, and I won't be with you for a year, but I promise we'll be together afterward."
• "I promise, Ava. I'll do what you say," she forced a smile and threw herself into her sister's arms.
• The next day, a commotion grew in the house.
• "Where the hell did you take your mother's things?" Sergio shouted furiously.
• "Why do you care, Dad? Besides, those things are useless to your new wife, because I found out you got married before the worms desecrated my mother's body," Ava shouted, asking her mind not to cry. Before dawn, in silence, with a trusted employee, she took all her mother's things to a rented storage unit; she didn't want them sleeping in her mother's bed.
• Sergio immediately became furious, slapped his daughter. He didn't understand why she was so arrogant and difficult to convince, whereas Olivia took on her mother's character.
• "Stupid girl, remember that everything in this house now belongs to me. Are you going to tell me where they are?"
• "You can hit me all you want, but I won't tell you, knowing you," she looked at him sarcastically and rubbed her cheek. "I know it's the only thing I can save from her."
• Ava turned her back on them, with her bag in hand, she left the mansion; she had anatomy classes. Upon returning home, she found that they had moved her to a smaller room, and hers had been taken by Helen. She didn't want to cause any more problems; resigned and angry, she went to her new room. When she opened the door, all her things were scattered on the floor.