The Friendly Wedding Chapter 1

TL: Here’s the full chapter. Probably, the next releases will be by parts since every chapter of this novel is quite long… Enjoy reading. Corrections and comments will be highly appreciated.

….

"Why is it so difficult to get inheritance these days? Why is there a need to do so many things first? And what's Grandma's purpose for leaving behind such last will and testament?"

Sapphire threw herself onto her big and fluffy bed. She's giving the chandelier hanging on the ceiling a real bad stare. May her Grandma rest in peace. But, she's really annoyed by the will left behind to her and her cousins in case they want their inheritance.

She heard her girl cousins giggle.

"Grandma had probably predicted that you want to grow into an old maid forever so, here's that, you cannot claim your 'prize', if you don't have a 'proof of purchase'," tauntingly said by her younger cousin, Lavender.

Proof of purchase? Hah! She smirked. To get her inheritance, she has to marry before her 28th birthday. Eh, she's currently twenty seven years old and her next birthday is only a month away!

The 'proof of purchase' that she must show to her deceased grandma's lawyer is a marriage contract! If she is still unmarried on or before her birthday, her part of the inheritance will go to the charity. As always.

"I thought this can only happen in novels," she said. "Grandma's  fraud, eh!" She stomped her feet in annoyance and then kicked in the air. Because of that, her shoe flew away.

Her cousins once again giggled.

"You know, Saphi, start looking for your own groom now instead of wasting your time whining about Grandma's condition in her last will." her cousin Crystal Jane advised. The girl was younger than her but the way she speaks make it seems like she was the real oldest among the cousins.

"It's not that easy!" She complained as she rose from her bed. "I don't even have a boyfriend but I have to be married? Why is there even a need to get married to a guy?"

"Else you want to be wedded to a girl? You'll not get your part more."

"If you won't set aside your man-hater side, then, say 'bye-bye' to your money." Haley, another cousin of hers, teased. Then they laughed.

She frowned at her three female cousins sitting comfortably  on the peach-colored furry couch on one side of her room.

"You all have guts to make fun of me!? You're all cheaters!" All of them actually got the same condition in order to claim their Grandma's wealth. However, they have many more years before turning twenty-eight. Her cousins have more time to find someone they can marry.

But how about her? She only has a month!

Of all conditions that can be, why does it have to be marriage? She doesn't want to get married! The reason she hasn't had any boyfriend is because she hates all men.

Haley was correct when the woman said that she's a man-hater. No man can leave any impression to her. She doesn't want anything to do with the likes of her father, in short all men, who didn't support her mother when she was conceived. She never imagined herself having an intimate relationship with men. As she grew older, she only saw how her mother cried for innumerable times whenever her mom’s boyfriends left her.

Her good mother's reason, to experience the 'happily ever after'.

Happily ever after? Happily ever after, my face!

Sapphire’s mom, Mercy Monteverde, raised her alone. Mercy had never got married ever since Sapphire was born. However, her mom did have several lovers. She was a single mother. Mercy didn't encounter any problem raising Sapphire because her family is very wealthy.

The Monteverde family owns a chain of hotels and restaurants all over the Philippines. Through the years, the Montevede's family empire keeps on dominating. And last year, when Sapphire’s older male cousin Reeve Monteverde married the daughter of another famous hotel magnate, their huge family empire grew more.

"If we're going to think about it, it's actually your fault, Saphi," Lavender said.

"How was that my fault? Grandma was the one who made her last will and testament."

"Remember, when Grandma was in the hospital three months ago, you directly said to her that you'll never get married? That it is okay even if you turned into an old maid? I feel that Grandma was alarmed because of that. Remember, when we were kids, she's always telling us that we should get married and have kids?"

"And take a look at it, Grandma knew how important for you the inheritance that you will receive, that's why she came up with that condition," Crystal Jane concluded. "It was us who have been dragged to share your condition."

Her eyebrow twitched. She started thinking about it and realized, maybe that was what her grandma had done.

Mercelina Monteverde - their grandmother, died two months ago because of colon cancer. Sapphire was the closest to her grandma because she grew up in their mansion while her cousins grew up in other houses together with their complete families.

The mothers of Crystal Jane, Haley, and Lavender, and Reeve's father are her Mommy's siblings. Coincidentally, all of them, cousins, were the only child of each family that's why the three treated each other as sisters. Meanwhile, they did not become close to their male cousin because when they were kids, that male cousin of theirs lived very far away from them. They only met whenever there was an occasion.

Back to her late grandmother, people said that running in the Monteverde veins was the bloodline of being manipulative. She never questioned that because it's really true. Especially for her. This is also another reason why she hates guys. She thinks that it's difficult to manipulate them.

If she ever loved someone, there's a chance she would only cry and cry and be hurt, like her mom. She hates looking like an idiot and helpless.

She won't ever end up like her Mom.

She approached her cousins and helplessly sighed. "Looks like I can't have my inheritance. Fine, let it go to the charity."

The girls’ eyes simultaneously widened. "Sapphire!" They chorused.

"You can't just give up like that! It's a large amount of money! Gosh! Even if you don't work all your life, you can still raise your grandchildren using that."

"Lavender is right. Saphi, you can't give it up!"

"Eh, it's better than being wedded. First of all, I don't have a boyfriend. Second, where will I get someone to marry me within a month? And third, I can't live with a man!"

Haley shook her head. "There are so many ways, Saphi. You don't need to get a real marriage."

Sapphire's forehead creased. "Grandma's lawyer will double check if the marriage contract is valid. There's no way to cheat on that."

Haley naughtily smiled. "Then, have a fake groom instead." The woman coquettishly said before standing up.

Haley was the youngest of them all - only twenty-one years old. The way she dresses always look provocative. Aside from her backless top, her skirt is even shorter. But, instead of looking cheap, she looked so elegantly s.e.xy.

"Fake groom?" Crystal Jane repeated. "You mean like, Sapphi will be in cahoots with the one she will be marrying?"

"Yeah. Sappire can just pay him after. And if they will live in one house, they can sleep in separate rooms and still have their own lives."

Lavender chuckled. "Only a marriage in papers? Seems like I have already read or watched something like this, ah?"

"Eh, that's the only solution for this man-hater cousin of ours."

Sapphire rolled her eyes at Haley. "Better than being a playgirl like you."

Haley did not seem to be offended because the girl even laughed. "I am no longer a playgirl. I'm already done playing with boys. That was even over last year. But I did not turn into a man-hater, okay. I would like to fall in love again."

Fall in love? With a man? Yuck.

"It's like we will be deceiving our Grandma if Saphi did that," Crystal Jane protested. Out of the four girls, she was the most behaved, most demure and the kindest.

"Crystal Jane is correct," Lavender agreed. "I'm sure Grandma has intended for Saphi to not become an old maid when she created that will."

"It's better than having our dear cousin try falling in love with a guy within a month and then immediately conduct a wedding. Who's gonna agree with that?"

"Why? Do you think someone will also agree to your idea where they will get married and then be paid after?"

"Tons will agree! No one can say no to money."

"Nevertheless, it's bad to be married for that reason."

Sapphire looked up and then covered her ears as her cousins started their discussion. She is the oldest of them but she also can't think of any method.

She let them argued. She only returned on top of her bed. She went under her comforter and let herself transformed into a rolled potato.

However, naturally, that didn't happen. How she wished it was that easy to run away from her current dilemma.

Grandma, I thought you love me? Eh, why are you making things difficult for me?

It's true Haley's idea is incorrect but if she can't find any solution until next month, her dream of building her own bookstore business will turn into burst bubbles. Bye-bye money. Also, bye-bye, her dreams.

On the other hand, whenever she thought of falling in love with a man within a span of month, she always feel the creep. She always get goose b.u.mps just from the thought that she will be entangling and kissing with a man.

She sighed. She buried her head on her pillow and then screamed on top of her lungs. There are only two choices for her. It's either she'll go with Haley's idea or force herself to fall in love with a guy.

So, what to choose?

"Sapphire? Are you still alive?"

"Maybe she's imagining herself again turning into a potato. Let her be for the meantime."

Sappire suddenly rose. Her hair was all messed up with some even covering her face. But she paid it no heed. She sharpened her eyes as she casts a penetrating gaze.

"I have decided," she said without any expression on her face. She glanced towards Haley. "I'll go with your idea."

The girl clapped in glee while Crystal Jane let out a sigh.

"Are you sure now?" Lavender asked to check her conviction. She can see the disagreement on the latter’s face but the girl knew that if Sapphire had already made up her mind, there's no way to turn it back.

Sappire nodded and then stood up on the bed. "I don't want to fool Grandma, may she rest in peace. But what's stated on her last will and testament is a big joke. She can't probably accept that I am a man-hater. But I believe she will eventually understand me while she's in heaven."

She put her hands on her waist and stared down on the three girls. "Where can I find a man who will be blinded by wealth even if that person is already wealthy? The handsome type but with no girlfriend? Intelligent but does not look nerdy? Macho but not a closet queen? The type who won't meddle with my affairs but faithful while we are married?"

"You will still demand qualifications?"

"Of course! I'm Sapphire Danaya Monteverde! Even though I will be contracting my husband-to-be, I still want to be with a man I can flaunt upon the others. I want a trophy husband!"

They belong to the elite society. She is famous as a Monteverde. People would be expecting for her to marry a well-to-do guy as well.

"Oh well, start your search now, Saphi. Maybe there exist someone who can meet your requirements. You're looking for a very manly person. They have needs, mind you. And s.e.x is not out of question," Lavender reminded.

She gasped loudly as her eyes widened. "No! No! No! s.e.x is definitely out of the box!"

"You want the guy to be faithful to you while in wedlock? Saphi, h.e.l.lo? The minimum duration of the marriage is one year before the inheritance will be transferred to you. What man can endure going celibate in one year?"

Why didn't she think of that a while ago? "E-eh, I will add in the requirements, the man must not like s.e.x."

"You sure someone like that exist?"

"Fine, then one who knows how to endure!"

"For a year? I doubt."

"Maybe there will be. But there won't be a large number of them. Also, how will you know if they can really resist, right?"

"Oh my!" She cupped her face. "If I choose wrongly, I might be raped!" Suddenly, for the first time she wants to forget about her decision.

"Don't you have any male friend whom you can ask?" Crystal Jane questioned her.

She only shook her head. Truth be told, she even doesn't have any female friend.

"Saphi is a man-hater, you're expecting her to have a male friend? Eh, she even avoids Reeve. To think that he's our cousin."

"Speaking of Reeve," she chimed in. "Why don't I seek help from him?" She’s thinking that Reeve probably knew many people because of his connections. The man is popular in the business world and might be acquainted with several bachelors.

"Or maybe one of her wife's cousins is available," she added. Sapphire’s cousin's wife, Agatha, has a few male cousins who she has seen a couple of times after her cousin married the latter. They looked behaved. Maybe one of them will be willing to conspire with her even if no s.e.x or any kind of intimacy is involved.

Her three cousins suddenly grew quiet. Haley was now busy with her iPhone. Crystal Jane was searching something in her bag while Lavender was roaming her eyes in the place.

"Aye, sorry," she wryly said. She forgot these three girls have histories with the three of Agatha's male cousins. "The beloved of you, three, are now out of the choices."

"Even if you consider Reynald, he won't agree because he has his g-girlfriend," Lavender said.

"Ramses, too," added by Crystal Jane.

"More so for Gideon," Haley muttered.

She can only shake her head. The images of her three beautiful cousins were now that of girls who can't move on. She doesn't want to end up like them.

She learned how these three became idiots for the men they mentioned. Like how her mom did. When her mom 'loves', she forgot so many things. Men's fault, they have the habit of deceiving women.

They are the ones to blame, eh. In my next lifetime, I want to be the cutter of their happiness so that no woman will become brokenhearted. Hah!

But for now, she really needs a groom if she wants to not get her happiness cut off of her.

…

~ ~