Becoming Mrs. Manoban

Prologue

"You fail to understand me, Lisa. There is no way in hell I am going to let you throw your future down the drain." Chitthip Manoban says to her daughter as they sit by the pool of her penthouse, basking under the golden sun.

"How does this guarantee my future, mother? What you are asking me to do is impossible." Lisa scoffs at her as she takes another sip of her cool cocktail, she hated the weather.

"You have only ten months left Lisa, you haven't got much time remaining. Do you know what that means? Either you grow a pair and get yourself a child asap or you can kiss your inheritance goodbye and we both know I would rather die than see that happen." She pauses to adjust her posture so that she is now facing her then she continues.

"Look at your sister, Moonbyul. She is happily married with a house filled with babies. Your other sister, Seulgi, she's on her way to marrying the woman of her dreams. All I ask of you Lisa is that you start a family of your own. I am already half way into my grave, the least you can do is allow me to see you settled first."

Her mother threw her hands in the air frantically. Chitthip was always such a drama queen, she would fake cancer if it meant Lisa agreeing to give her a grandchild.1

"Mother, you know very well that to have a child is my dream but to settle down in a family with a woman has never been part of that plan." She snaps, only if she could understand.

Chitthip sighs in anguish. "Or is it that because you are gay?"

Lisa raises an eyebrow at her mother. "No, it isn't."

"How about impotent?" She cries.

"No."

"Did you have a vasectomy?"

She doesn't answer her this time, she continues to press on.

"Have you become a nun without my knowing?" She says with a seriousness that surprises her. The things her mother conjured up in her mind baffled her.

"None of those things are true." She says looking at her impossibly.

"So why won't you have a child the right way, through marriage? You know adoption is not an option." She stands up to give her a perplexed look and Lisa runs her hand through her hair nervously.

"Look at me." She reaches for her chin and drags her face to meet hers.

"Your father was a two-timing slimy bastard who died and left me nothing but the privilege of discovering her mistress and out-of-wedlock children but there is one thing he did right in his miserable life. He made sure that you guys had everything that you needed and left alone to me, that's good enough. But if you think that you will waste those resources that your father has toiled for, then you have clearly underestimated my capabilities. You will make me a grandmother and you will get your inheritance. I do not care if you want to beg for, borrow or steal a baby but come December, you had better be a father." She lets go of her chin and begins to walk away but stops to continue.

"Lisa? Just think ofit as killing two birds with one stone." She says over her shoulder beforevanishing from her sight