Jessica WATCHED the people peeling coconut with a sharp iron half-buried in the ground.
She suddenly stepped on the brakes when Nick blocked the road with a smirk. It turned around in the driver's seat and opened the door of the Range Rover.
"Good morning, Miss Arena ... Where do I owe this visit?" by Nick.
Jessica could not answer immediately. Nick was close and she could smell its masculine cologne. She wanted to hold it by the neck and hug it.
"Lost your tongue, honey?" Nick again in a teasing voice.
"I want to train myself in the work here at the hacienda ..." Nick's eyebrows rose. "Why the sudden interest, Jessica? Don't you trust me and your Daddy's people?" "Daddy is gone, Nick It's only right that I learn how to manage ......"
She didn't finish what she was going to say. The man caught it immediately.
"Playing responsible, huh? And what do you know about the activities here at the hacienda?" Nick said that although smiling she could see the hidden anger in his eyes.
"Don't insult me! This is where I was born and thought. Now that Daddy is dead it is my responsibility to take care of what he left behind." Control her emotions.
She didn't want to meet Nick's anger.
"And ... and I hope you will help me ,." Nick answered with a loud laugh.
Jessica was confused. The eyes of the staff were on them. Even though they can't hear me, the people can certainly hear Nick.
"Then, what, Jessica? At the first sign of trouble are you running back to America? Go back there, you can do nothing here!"
"I'm not expecting you to be cooperative, Nick. But why should you kicked me out? Am I slow in your extra activity?" there was a bitterness in her voice.
Melissa had that in my mind when she mentioned the extra activity.
"You can't fool me now, Jessica. Your interest is just burning. It is not the hacienda that can give you happiness!" the man's voice was formal.
Jessica wants to be annoyed.
"Who are you to say what makes me happy, Nick?"
"You were not happy here two years ago! I see no reason why you should stay now! The eyes staring at him are cruel.
"Hacienda is not the reason I left, Nick! Man is the reason!".
She tries to calm her face because the staff's attention is focused on them.
"Clarify what you're saying, Jessica!" Jessica's hear wanted to heal in Nick's tone of voice.
His eyes almost lit up as he stared at her. On two occasions she saw that it was angry. On the first night of their wedding and the night before she left to Manila. She did not want to accept that they fight in front of the staff.
Confused, she quickly shifted back to the car that surprised Nick. It will retreat quickly or it will hit the door of the Range Rover! Nick did not expect what Jessica did.
The car was far away when Jessica reached the door and closed it. The tires almost sank to the ground. They are grinning. She felt the same way two years ago. When she also ran his Daddy's Range Rover like this.
This is Nick's second encounter with him today. And at the same time they are arguing. On impulse she really wanted to wrap up and go back to America.
Nick's words come to her mind.
"... playing impossible, huh?"
"... at the first sign of trouble, you will run back to America!"
And what Claire said .....
" .... do not run without giving a fight!"
"... do not run ... do not run ..."
The voices of the two repeated in his mind! Is she like that? Immature ... irresponsible ....
MONDAY morning, attorney Rocha, Philip's friend and lawyer, was a guest in the mansion.
He make sure Nick was inside the library.
"Why do you have to be here, I Attorney?" Nick asked irritably. "Isn't the will of Phil ... only for two women right?"
Jessica was hurt when she heard Nick call her Daddy's name . Has it completely severed their relationship? The lawyer put on his glasses and looked at Nick patiently.
"Just a moment, Nick. I know you all know Philip left the management of the entire hacienda, but it would be nice to hear the full details."
The lawyer opened the attache case and released the papers. Sneeze it first.
"Here is your Daddy's last will, Jessica ...." and began to read what was written there.
First is its granting of the title of the lots occupied by the house of the two old hacienda trustees. The same goes for Berto and Sela. Pension for them for life in case they don't want to work in the hacienda. Jessica is happy for Berto and Sela and she is sure they deserve it. The same is true for the two stewards who are dedicated to the service of his father.
"And in that, Jessica, as the only child, you will inherit half of the hacienda. I give you the right to choose which part you want. And half will go home to her wife Claire ..."
He glanced at the woman for a moment before continuing, ".... this house Philip left you too. The income of the hacienda will be shared by you and Claire ..."
Claire looked at Jessica. Seems to be looking for any emotion of resistance.
"I don't need what your father inheritance, Jessica ...." she explained. "But you know Phil, once it is decided you will not be able to break it. And he made his order irreversible so that I can not return it to you once he dies ...."
Her throat stopped for a moment. ... "he did not think of death when he made that will. After he visited you in America he summoned Alex."
"I don't really mind, Aunt Claire. That's your right as Daddy's wife," Jessica replied to the stepmother.
Attorney Alex Rocha sneezed and resumed reading. "The half left to Claire Arenas, and the time of her death or remarriage will all return to you, Jessica.
And to you, Nick, as you know, Philip entrusted the entire authority of the hacienda. Although it is not written here so as not to bind you, But then, I think your personal conversation with Philip is enough.
"The lawyer look in Nick's seat who did not even raise his head. He seems very bored and if possible he will finish whatever the lawyer says when he leaves.
"Out of goodwill, so you agreed. But maybe Philip mentioned compensation to you?" Nick looked again as if waiting for an answer. When it remained silent the lawyer continued.
"You will receive ten percent of the hacienda's net income, Nick ... whether its is annual or monthly!"
Then Nick suddenly stood up. Come to the table. Can't believe what you heard.
"Why did Philip do that, Attorney? I did not expect money in return for our conversation. I will not accept that! It refuses.
"Only when you refuse to manage the hacienda you will not accept the corresponding ten percent, Nick. But you will not do that, will you?" It offers the opposite. "Complete trust was given to you, by Philip, Nick. And you promised him ... Unless you want to Dishonor your word?" the lawyer's voice challenged.
Philip is proud of Nick. Philip consider Nick as a son because he did not have. Nick slowly returned to the sofa. He did not know why he had made a promise to Philip then.
First, he only agreed to suggest and introduce modern methods of planting and farming. He does not think that the full responsibility will go to him! And imagine that he also has his own hacienda. He was then forced to hire additional staff for office work.
"I haven't read the privacy of your Daddy's last will, hija." And Jessica look at the Attorney .. "Privacy? What privacy, Tito Alex?" The lawyer shifted his gaze between Nick and Jessica.
"This is the promise given by your father, Jess ... the corresponding inheritance will only come to you if in two months, starting today, you will marry Nick again and be together until death!"
The lawyer glanced at the two.
"You can read the details of the wedding .... its appendix.
Nick and Jessica stood up at the same time. The eyes met. Nick sat down again. Claire is calm.
"Are you kidding Tito Alex?" She couldn't believe his Daddy would order that.
"You can read the documents, hija ..."
Jessica slowly returned to her seat. Before she could ask, the lawyer spoke again.
"If for a fixed period of time, that is eight weeks from now, your father's order did not happen, Jess ..." He lowered the papers on the table and looked at his friend's daughter .
"What will happen, Tito Alex? Jessica asked awkwardly. Can't figure out what else the father's provision is.
".... what you will inherit is shared by the hacienda staff! Compensation depends on the years of service. The only thing left to you is this house and the private beach!
"But ... but that's not fair! Jessica protested. Nick also stood up and went back and forth.
"Is there no other way to contest ...." She did not finish what she was going to say because the lawyer had already left.
"Why did Daddy do this, Tito Alex?" Jessica asked again arguing the various emotions in the chest.
"Only you and Nick can answer that, hija." The lawyer gently replied as he confiscated his belongings.
"If you need anything, hija ... you know my office, or you can come to my house ...."
"In ... in short my inheritance is tied to Nick!"
And it filled Nick with an angry look. Jessica turned her gaze to Claire. She wanted to criticize it. She knew Claire knew this part of the will or the father's total will. But the stepmother's eyes avert.
Before the lawyer finally stood up, the two looked at each other again.
"Along with the will, Nick ... Jess ... Philip left a letter for you ..."
"With the two of us, Tito Alex?
Where is ... it? "
"It will only be given to you on your wedding day. And again, if the order does not take place, Claire will decide what to do ..."
To be continue.....
