I didn’t know how long I knelt—my knees had gone numb, the pain replaced by a hollow ache that crept up my spine.
When I shifted slightly to ease the stiffness, Ivan’s mother struck my shoulder with a wooden rod.
Crack!
“You’re not here to rest! Show some respect while keeping vigil!”
The stick landed right on the bone, the jolt of pain making me gasp.
I bit down hard, forcing myself to stay still. To endure.
Eventually, the night dragged on and most of the relatives began to leave. The hall quieted.
I let my body slump a little, pretending to doze off, keeping my eyelids half-lowered while I quietly scanned my surroundings.
From the side room, I heard Ivan and his mother speaking in hushed voices.
They tried to keep it low—but I heard everything.
“Son, that woman has a stubborn temper. You need to hurry up and get her pregnant. Once the rice is cooked, there’s no turning back.”
“Don’t worry, Mom. I’ve already planned everything. Right now, I’m in charge of all her company’s key projects.”
“As soon as she’s pregnant, I’ll have her stay home to ‘rest and take care of the baby.’ Once that happens, I can take over the company naturally.”
“Her parents are long gone, and she only has an older brother who’s been overseas for years. He doesn’t care about her at all.”
Ivan’s mother clapped her hands in delight. “Good, very good! But she must give birth to a son. Once there’s a boy, both she and the company will belong to our Lopez family.”
My heart sank.
So the two hundred thousand dollars wasn’t even the beginning of it. Ivan’s true goal was my company—my entire life.
The next morning, Ivan’s mother appeared in front of me carrying a bowl of thick, black liquid. The pungent smell of herbs stung my nose.
“This is our family’s secret fertility formula,” she announced proudly. “Drink it, and you’ll be guaranteed to have a son.”
The foul odor made my stomach churn.
“I’m not drinking that,” I spat in disgust.
Her face darkened, and with a subtle glance toward the relatives nearby, several people moved forward and grabbed my arms, holding me down.
Ivan approached and pinched my chin, forcing the bowl toward my lips.
“Ashley, be good and drink it. It’s for your own good.”
I struggled with all my strength and bit down on his wrist.
“Ah!” he cried out, jerking back in pain.
I seized the moment and knocked the bowl out of his hands, the dark liquid splashing across the floor.