"It would be easier if you just agreed to my terms Damen," Ivy whispered as she moved closer to me, trailing her finger along my shirt.
"Marry me," Ivy proposed, her voice filled with determination. "I will convince Steven to drop the Lange mall project. He will withdraw his case from court and the land will be yours to control. I will also give you shares in the Stone Cooperation. I promise to be a good, submissive wife. I won't try to rule you."
She looked at me with pleading baby blue eyes. Ivy was beautiful, but she was not the woman I loved.
"I think you deserve better, Ivy," I said softly, gently removing her hands from my chest. "Your family will never approve of you marrying a leach, and I can't rely on a woman."
"I will make sure my family respects you," Ivy said, her voice filled with determination. "And you won't have to rely on me. I know you are capable of great things. What happened to your father was just a setback. You can command respect on your own, Damen. A good woman should support her husband in tough times, right?" She looked at me, a hint of vulnerability creeping into her tone.
"But I am not your husband," I corrected her.
"You just can't let her go." she said, her voice laced with anger. "What could she possibly have to offer you? She's a highschool dropout and now a maid, with nothing to her name."
"Ohh no! She is not just a maid, she is actually a prostitute. My brother is just blind to see it." Harper said in anger.
"Harper, why do you hate Isla so much?" I asked, my voice filled with pain. "You know what it's like to struggle, to lose everything. She might be from a humble background, but you have experienced it too. Just three years ago, we were a wealthy family. Right now, am reduced to working as a delivery boy, and you, my sister, married a man ten years your senior for financial security"
"Do you despise Isla because she has chosen to earn a living through her own sweat, rather than relying on men for support?"
Harper laughed, her voice filled with malice "You're blind, Damen. She hasn't married an old rich man because no one wants her. If she had the chance, she would snatch up a wealthy husband in a heartbeat. She is even more desperate than me."
I slapped Harper hard, the sound echoed through the air shocking us both. I had never laid a hand on her before. I have always doted on her and treated her like a princess. Me and her grew up as inseparable siblings, but a lot has changed in recent years.
Five years ago, our family's world was turned upside down when Father announced that our company was on the brink of bankruptcy. His trusted assistant had betrayed him, using our land deeds and company assets to acquire various loans. Father worked tirelessly for two years to pay off the debts. But that was until big companies set their sights on the Clarck farmland and our family's fate was forever changed.
Our family farm was a thirty-acre estate, it was also home to several tenant families who worked the land in exchange for a place to call home. The fertile soil was perfect for cultivating grapes and vines, which were carefully tended to and harvested to produce exquisite wines. Our company, Clarck Estates, bottled and sold these wines through a small supplementary company.
But it had all come crashing down. Our wine company was no more, and our major business had also collapsed. Yet, Father refused to let go of the Clarck farmland. He stood firm, insisting that he wouldn't sell unless the buyer agreed to a deal that benefited the tenant families too. Most buyers, however, had no interest in preserving the agricultural way of life. They wanted to turn the land into a shopping mall, leaving the tenants with nothing.
Our struggles were manageable until Steven Lange set his sights on our land, he wanted it, and he was willing to do anything to have it. Lange came up with a fake lawsuit, claiming ownership of the land, and our family was dragged into a lengthy and costly court battle. Father was about to emerge victorious but the Clarck family was betrayed by one of our own. My sister, Harper, who had been secretly dating Steven Lange, she handed over proof of Father's unpaid taxes to him. The court ruled a hefty fine that Father couldn't afford to pay. The only option left was to sell the land. The stress and pressure proved too much for Father, and soon after, he passed away.
Harper had shamelessly married Steven Lange, the man whose actions had led to Father's death.
"You have no right to call her that," I spat, boiling in anger. "She's not cheap like you, and she will never be." In an instant, I pushed Harper to the ground.
She laughed "It's so sad, Damen," her voice full of hatred. "You don't even know Isla. It's... really sad."
"I know her well enough to see that she is not selfish like you," I retorted, my voice heavy with emotion. "When I was consumed by depression after Father's death she stayed, she cooked, cleaned, and even prayed for me. Where were you, Harper, when our family was going through the worst? Where were you when I needed you most?" I took a step closer, my eyes blazing with anger.
"I was next to suicide, Harper. I stand before you today because of her. And what were you doing, dear sister? You were living your best life, happily married to the man who destroyed our family."
"I was never happily married." Harper's voice cracked, tears rolled down her eyes. "You think I enjoy seeing my little brother work as a delivery man? I made my sacrifices, Damen. Sacrifices you will never understand, never know." She wiped the tears.
"Take the offer I present to you, Damen. Marry Ivy Stone. Her family has the influence to stop the Lange Mall project, and with their support, you can take back the land that's rightfully ours. Develop it in Father's vision, don't let his death be in vain. You were not born to serve others. You belong among the elite, brother."
Ivy moved closer to me, I took a step back. I have never been able to return her feelings.
"I won't mistreat you, Damen," Ivy's voice was soft and soothing. "I've always loved you, and you know it." She reached out and gently wrapped her fingers around my hand.
"I will save Father's land, but not by selling my soul or betraying the one I love," I said firmly, pulling my hand free from Ivy's grasp. "I promised Isla I would never hurt her, and I intend to keep that promise."
"What has that witch fed you?" Harper was blazing with anger and she suddenly spun around and pulled a reluctant Ivy. "Come on, Ivy, you deserve better than a fool like him." As they stormed off, Harper shot me one last glance. "Mark my words, brother," she hissed, "you will regret this." And with that, they vanished into the night.