Who's Afraid Now? ✔

5/You are My Heir (Mia)

(Reminder "italicized words" are in French others are character's thoughts.)

"What is it? I am busy." I grumbled as I start making coffee.
"That is no way to speak when your loving father is checking on you." He says in a calm voice. Loving? Don't make me laugh.
"Just because I asked for transportation, do not consider it an open invitation to harass me, butt into my life or think I owe you something." I huffed.
"Remember who you are talking to son, you have an obligation to me." He warned firmly.
"I never asked to be your successor, if you wanted a sycophantic heir, what you should have done is chosen Alfonzo (Zoe). If wanted a punching bag for an heir you would have chosen Mai but you chose me and need I remind you I still haven't accepted." I know he is not a dimwitted person but he's stubborn and that is just as bad.
"Your nephew and neice are not worthy of the name, Charles-Louis Bonaparte, III (the third)." He pronounced proudly. Pompous megalomaniac.
"And what is your point? I only agree to be CEO. And no matter what you say or do I am not taking that name! Now get to your point, I am busy old man. My husband is waiting on -" He cut me off speaking in a softer almost compassionate (for him) tone.
"I am glad the doctor was able to remove the parasitic growth without complication." My eyes widened and I covered her mouth as it gaped open. I quickly slammed my mouth shut, and stiffened my jaw before the tears could fall from my eyes.
"You?! Y-you violated... My child was alive, wasn't it? And you killed it! You cannot control me so you wait until I'm helpless and steal from me?!" My tone had a sharp edge but no where near as sharp as I wanted.
"You are my only heir and men do not go through childbirth. Understand you will succeed me and you will go through with the arranged marriage." My father's words made bile rise in my throat.
"Non! I have already told you and her I am not going through that is crazed archaic process!" I cut him off. "Besides a Catholic official performed my wedding and I doubt the Church will not just hand out divorces even if it is you saying to do so." I can't imagine getting married any other way, it had to be true. I can't help but growls as my father laughs.
"You are my son and no matter how pretty your husband is he is still a male. Same sex marriage is not recognized in France and if you do not adjust your attitude I will make sure the Church aware and just like that. It will be like it never happened. You will take the name, succeed me, and you will you marry who I say. I know your fiancé is eagerly waiting to marry you and if you want to have children so badly, Guillaume would also be overjoyed to help you bear an heir or two." I am so close to losing my calm while listening to the convoluted foolishness coming out his mouth. Does he hear the amount of crazy coming out of his mouth? First, he killed my baby, then he tells me my marriage will be voided if I don't yield to him but I know my marriage will be voided if I do yield to him. And he is still pushing me into an arranged marriage? He has gone too far.
"I am not a male so all of what you're threatening is harmless." Laurent walked into the kitchen before I could tell my father where to stuff his demands. "Do I need to come downstairs to say it to your face?" I clinched my jaw and did my best to sound calm and in control but my insides were twisting into knots while the pain in my head started building again.
"One more thing, your ascension is in coming. I am arranging a grand ball to present you and your new spouse to the company I hope you are looking forward to it, I know I am." He sounds like he is holding in an evil laugh.
"I am busy that night." I hisses and hang up before my head implodes.
Unbelievable, no actually, I completely believe he's capable of doing what he said and causing a lot of collateral damage in the process. Damn him! I will not let him ruin my marriage, hurt my family or my happiness! Come on brain! I need you to work! Earlier me had a solution or plan or something. I would uh... I could uh... maybe if I... OH COME ON I HAVE AMNESIA NOT BRAIN DAMAGE! THINK!
I get undressed to get in the shower, hoping that familiar lavender scent would help jog my memory. I stand under the shower head letting the water run over my head before sectioning my wet waist length hair to wash. Maybe I should cut a few inches off. Midback maybe shoulder length that would make maintenance easier. Laurent would probably want to weigh in. I think he likes my hair long. I smile. No, he like my hair curly not long. He likes my hair curly, my curves and my eyes. It is nice to remember my happiness but I need to focus on protecting my happiness.
Okay, I know I wouldn't have said yes to Laurent without some sort of plan. I know what my adopted father is capable of better than anyone else in the world. He wouldn't threaten me, showing his hand, unless he knew he had the upper hand. So precautions, precautions, what would be my first precaution? Laurent. How could he hurt Laurent? Go after Larry. Which would probably include Mai and the kids to get to Larry. Or he could go after Mora Inc he could crush it easily hopefully my name as owner will help deter that. Ugh, so many angles to cover while trying to stop him from forcing me to bend to his will. Leverage, what leverage? I have no leverage over him. There's Chloé, no, I need to clearly see one angle before I can figure out how he fits.
That's too much to cover. Ugh, I had to have known that, right? So what can I do? Did I focus on protecting Laurent and his brother or us belle famille. I can't help but giggle as I hear Laurent say the words, belle famille. I feel something brush against my back but I already pulled my hair up.
What the hell?
"What you laughing at?" Laurent asked kissing my neck and wrapping his arms around me. What was I laughing at? Damn him for distracting me. Where was I?
"I sorry Belle, I not mean to scare you." Laurent turned me around to kiss my lips while moving his hands down my back.
"We have a few more days to wait before we can try again." I said harshly to him. Laurent thought I was joking at first as I turned away from him no longer pressed against him.
"Mia?" Laurent tried to turn me to him but I quickly snatched his arm and forced it behind him pushing him out the shower roughly. It happened so fast Laurent looked shocked.
"Please don't make this more difficult." I said as I closed the shower door.

He probably has never seen much less been on the receiving end of my, what was the word? Aggression? Have I ever said no to him. He acts like I have always treated and touched him affectionately. I probably have never lashed out at him, at least not physically. He is just standing there in a state of shock, staring at the partially frosted shower door.
Fifteen minutes later I exited the shower without a word or a sideways glance at him. Laurent followed me as I blotted my hair to dry it.
"Mia? Did something happen?"
Yes I lost my train of thought and I need to find it so I'm not forced to marry some uppity social climbing-I'm not giving up! I can do this. Laurent stared at me holding the towel around his waist. Don't be tempted. Must distract him, aww he looks so cute when he pouts. NO! We can both be childish.
"If you aren't going to shower, turn off the water." I sneered not even look at him. Laurent gasped then marched over to me. So easy to piss off, must remember that.
"You left the water not me!" Laurent yells.
"Oh we're yelling now?" I keep my voice calm. I pushes passed him fussing in Spanish about how he is only pouting because I told him not now, turns off the water then continue raking product through my hair still fussing. Yeah I know petty but he needs to pause, a few days won't hurt...lies.
"What are you saying?" Laurent turns me towards him after 5 minutes. I glare at him then turns away, "You want to keep those hands?" I push his hands off and resumes fussing in Spanish. Laurent backs away a little hurt that I am treating him this way. He heads to the shower trying to figure out what he did for me to take her anger out on him. It didn't take him long to clean himself up. He came out of the bathroom as I was putting on my earrings. I check my black skirt and blouse in the mirror. I adjust my hair over my shoulders and down my back, finally grabbing my purse and walked away.
"You leaving?" Laurent asked but I didn't stop or answer. He sighed and threw on a Tshirt and basketball shorts following me out the door. "Mia!" Laurent yells as he opens the door.
"Yelling again?" I respond calmly from Mai and Larry's door. "Remind me, why are you upset?" I asked as Mai opened the door. He looked so confused as his mouth hung open but words failed. Yeah I know imma bitch but I'm supposed to be healing and his being so sexy all the time isn't helping me plus I need to prepare for what's next.
I pushed my sister into the house closing the door before either could say anything.
"Uncle Bonaparte, why are you here?" Mai smirked.
"Que lindo. (How cute.) I responded dryly rolling my eyes.
"Hi Larry, can you do me a favor?" I asked sweetly as he entered the room.
Larry shook his head no but said, "I talk to him." He turned towards his room to change to take his brother to their dance studio, but paused as he heard Mia and Mai talking through the baby monitor.
"What did you do to Lau?" Mai asked.
"Not why I'm here. Grandfather said that he's going to force me to succeed him by voiding my marriage with the church."
"This was expected so where are you with your plan? Oh right, your memory. So what's his threat?"
"He is going with voiding it due to same sex marriage."
Larry had heard enough, he didn't mean to hear as much as he did, he was halfway out the door when Mia mentioned the voided marriage. He was furious for his brother but Mia and his wife were handling it so he started to leave again but froze when he heard Mia say same sex marriage.
"Did you hear enough?" My voice startled him as he held on to the door.
"Laurent no know, do he?"
"Of course not because I will handle it." I answered looking him in his eyes, "Now, you will forget you heard all of that because you don't want to worry your brother or tell him something that might send Beast on a rampage. Understand?" I spoke quietly.
"Okii." Larry answered slowly lowering his head.
"Thank you!" I lightly kissed the side of his face.
"HEY! HEY! HEY! THAT ONE'S MINE! YOURS IS UPSTAIRS! KEEP YOUR LIPS OFF MY HUSBAND!" Mai yelled from the kitchen. Geez I barely touched him. She knows Larry is the same as Zoe as far as I'm concerned. I only recently, well in my memory recently, noticed Larry's existence away from Laurent. For the longest time Larry didn't exist to me except when Laurent was leaning on him. Larry was Laurent's shadow, there but shaded from my view. Yeah I was that bad.
"Relax my niece you should let me play with my new nephew, I promise I won't break him," I replied sarcastically then rolled my eyes as she came storming from the kitchen. "Come on, it was a joke you know I'm not after your man." Larry barely contained his laughter at his wife's expense but ducked out the door before Mai could get any closer. She shouldn't be so easy to goad.
With Mai's help I was able to broaden my scope and focus on different aspects. At the bottom of my first Mezcal bottle, I could see all the ugly aspects of my plans. Neither Mai nor Anne were happy with my suggested solutions, but I was only asking them to do small parts while doing everything in our ability to keep each other and our husbands safe.
"Mia you're crazy, you can't beat him in chess, he's a master and you not so much." My sister's confidence in my ability is underwhelming.
"Thanks sis, I appreciate the vote of confidence. Any other objections to part one? No? Good, it's decided we're going to introduce Maman to Grandmére."