Chapter 1 1. Arranged Marriage to Trap Her

(10 days before the wedding, 11 days before GMS) When Jane entered the private hospital room in a hurry, she saw her grandfather lying motionless beneath the white sheets, his eyes tightly closed and his face pale. Several tubes ran from his body while the machines beside his bed continued to produce soft and steady beeps. She stood beside the bed for a long time without speaking. Only staring at the man who had been the strongest, most respected, and whose presence alone carried an intimidating aura that made everyone hesitate to meet his eyes, for as long as she could remember. Yet seeing him so helpless now made something inside Jane tighten painfully. After receiving a message from her eldest uncle, Frank, informing her that her grandfather had suddenly been involved in an accident and lost consciousness, with his condition declared critical, her world seemed to crumble around her.  Without a second thought, she abandoned everything she had been doing in Paris and rushed home as quickly as she could. "Grandpa..." she whispered, reaching out to hold his cold hand. There was no answer. And Jane swallowed the fear rising in her throat. Jane looked at Frank with sadness in her eyes. "We were still talking a few days ago. How did he end up like this?" "The doctor said the most likely cause was a heart attack or stroke, which had caused him to suddenly lose consciousness and fall. The head injury he suffered from the fall down the stairs made his condition even more serious." Jane found it hard to believe that such a terrible thing had happened so suddenly. "You may be sad, but even in difficult times like this, we still have to think clearly. There will be a General Meeting of Shareholders with the board of directors to appoint an Interim Chairman while your grandfather is still unconscious. You don't need to come. Because that day, you will be getting married. Both families have already agreed on the date, so I will attend the ceremony once I've settled the company's affairs." "What? Wait-" Jane seemed to have heard wrong. "What marriage are you talking about?" "I have arranged your marriage to the youngest son of T&T Law Firm. He is a French citizen and lives in Paris. That way, you can stay there permanently. You like Paris, right? Now you can be there forever." Jane stared at him in disbelief. "You think I stayed there because I liked it? I stayed there because all of you sent me there! You were always trying to keep me away from Grandpa!" "It was all for your own good. You got the best art education there, just as you wanted. Now you need to think about your future, Jane. Your grandfather's condition is getting worse, and we don't know what could happen in the future. You need a new protector and guardian. And this marriage is the best thing I can do for you." "I can take care of myself!" Jane hissed angrily. "Listen, this marriage will secure your future. The Thompson family is powerful, wealthy, and respected. You should be grateful." "Grateful?" Jane gave a bitter laugh. "Jane!" Suddenly, the voice of a girl carrying a bouquet of flowers was heard. It was Brianna. She entered the room and approached them. "You finally came. We've been waiting so much for you. We were so afraid and sad that you might not get the chance to see Grandpa..." "Grandpa is still alive. Don't say things like that." "Well, we were just worried, in case-" "Remember what I said," Frank interrupted Brianna. "You should think carefully before you make things difficult for everyone." His expression darkened for only a second before he turned away. "You're leaving already, Dad?" Brianna asked. But Frank had already stepped out and closed the door behind him. "Well, bye, I guess." Jane watched him leave, then looked back at her grandfather with an indescribable feeling of turmoil. "I heard you're going to be arranged to marry the illegitimate son of L&L Law Firm?" "Illegitimate son?" What kind of other information was this? "But don't worry, Jane. After all, it's a big and famous company. I'm so jealous of you." Brianna put the flowers she had brought into a vase and arranged them. "That's not something to be jealous of," Jane muttered sarcastically. "I'm also getting married at the end of this year. Well, I guess while you're being taken to some corner of the world by some nobody, I'll be marrying the handsome and incredibly wealthy only heir, William Thundermond." Brianna smiled proudly, enjoying every second of Jane's silence before adding. "I really want you to see me on my happiest day, but unfortunately, that won't be possible, right? So I suppose I'll just send you pictures instead. Just make sure you don't block me." The girl simply left, leaving Jane unable to understand her inappropriate behavior in such a sorrowful situation. That night, when Jane went down to the lobby to get some coffee so she could stay awake and accompany her grandfather through the night, she found Uncle Frank and his wife, Aunt Barbara, sitting on one of the chairs in the cafeteria. "I need to do this quickly," Uncle Frank said. "That old man wants to announce his successor at the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders in a few months, and I can't let that happen." Jane stopped walking. She had intended to approach them to say hello, but as soon as she heard what he had just said, she stopped and hid herself behind a pillar. Hidden from their sight, but still able to hear their conversation. Aunt Barbara lowered her voice as she asked, "Are you sure this is the only way?" "I have already taken every risk," Uncle Frank answered bitterly. "This is a big thing, and it isn't easy, but I'm the eldest son now, yet he has never truly considered me." There was a long silence before Frank continued. "No matter how stubborn he is, he is still my father, but what else can I do? I have to find a way to save my own life. I have to make the executives and shareholders give me the position of chairman before he wakes up." Jane's blood ran cold as she pressed herself against the pillar's wall, afraid that even the smallest movement would reveal her presence. She had always known Uncle Frank wanted to inherit the Myers Company, but she had never imagined that his desire could go so far that he would be willing to use his own father's condition as part of his plan. Aunt Barbara then asked something Jane could not hear clearly, and Uncle Frank gave a low and humorless laugh before answering. "As long as Father remains unconscious, he cannot announce Jane as his successor, and that gives me enough time." "What if Jane finds out? We have to make sure Lester, that crazy lawyer, is truly on our side." "I'm one hundred percent sure Lester is on our side. We gave him a decent amount of money. And Jane is the easiest part," Frank said. "Once she marries Thompson's son, she will have to leave New York. And once she leaves, she won't be able to interfere with the company anymore. After that, I'll be free to change Father's will." Jane covered her mouth to stop herself from gasping. Frank continued, "For now I only need to make sure she accepts the marriage while Father is still unconscious, because this is the perfect opportunity." Jane quietly stepped away from there. Her heart was pounding as she walked back toward her grandfather's room. Her uncle wanted to completely remove her from this family. And he was using her grandfather's condition as an opportunity to become the heir to the company. How if her grandfather's sudden and suspicious accident also has been his doing to make his plan go smoothly? Jane was wondering if her Uncle Tony knew about all of this? Jane forced herself to think carefully instead of allowing her anger and fear to take control. If she left New York after marrying Thompson, Uncle Frank would have exactly what he wanted. Meanwhile, she needed to stay so she could protect her grandfather from that greedy man, who was acting suspiciously. She also couldn't let him take total control of the company. She had to find a way to stay in New York for her grandfather and the family company.